AASL Learning4Life webinars available during School Library Media Month

Contact: Melissa Jacobsen


AASL Communications Specialist


(312) 280-4381

mjacobsen@ala.orgÂ

NEWS


For Immediate Release


March 9, 2009

CHICAGO – During April, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) celebrates School Library Media Month. This year, AASL offers a webinar series designed for school library media specialists. The webinars are part of AASL’s Learning4Life (L4L), an initiative to nationally implement “Standards for the 21st-Century Learner” and “Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs”(available for purchase in mid-April
). The webinars will be held at 4:30 p.m. CST on Wednesdays during the month of April. For more information, or to download the registration form, visit http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aasleducation/l4lwebinars/l4lweb….

This series will focus on the four strands of the standards: Skills, Disposition in Action, Responsibilities and Self-Assessment. "The AASL webinar series provides the perfect venue for school library media specialists to get serious about implementation and integration of these critical elements into our schools. Each one of the Webinars provides an outstanding opportunity to begin the process of making the essential connections between the standards and our programs," said Susan Ballard, chair of the Standards and Guidelines Implementation Task Force.

On April 8, Cassandra Barnett, AASL president-elect, will present the "Skills" webinar. The hour will focus on helping the participant to articulate the connections between the AASL “Standards for the 21st-Century Learner,” their own district or state content standards, the Partnership for 21st-Century Skills and the ISTE-NETS. Participants will also learn how to identify keywords and resources for cross-referencing AASL's standards with other standards and articulate skill instruction in terms of learning objectives.

The next webinar will focus on "Responsibilities." Gail Dickinson will enable participants to identify ethical issues that are objective in content standards and become familiar with ethical issues that can be taught through the library media program. Participants will also gain access to resources they can adapt and use in order to teach ethical issues and other 21st century skills. This webinar will take place on April 15.

Jami Jones will lead the third week in the series with "Dispositions" on April 22. In this session, participants will learn to make connections between the dispositions and other character education initiatives. Jones will also show lesson plans that have incorporated the dispositions and help participant analyze these lesson plans. Participants can also expect to learn various methods for assessing the dispositions.

The final week, "Self-Assessment Strategies," will be led by Marjorie Pappas on April 22. Pappas will help participants identify the types of self-assessments that can help students and educators gauge their understanding of and interaction with AASL's standards. In this session, resources will be introduced to support assessment design. Participants will leave with the ability to use or modify student self-assessments.

"These webinars are designed to ensure that AASL members, and other school library media specialists, are aware of the new learning standards and the forthcoming guidelines. Because School Library Media Month is AASL's official month-long celebration of schools indispensable leaders, this is the perfect time to reward yourself with this essential series," said AASL President Ann M. Martin. More information on L4L, the learning standards and guidelines can be found at
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/guidelinesandstandards.cfm.

Member pricing is $50 per Webinar, or $180 for the entire series. Non-members can also take advantage of the Webinars at $75 per Webinar, or $210 for the entire series. AASL will offer a group rate for the Webinars, as well. Those interested in the group rate are encouraged to contact Jen Habley, manager of Programs and Affiliate Relations, at (800) 545-2433, ext. 1393, or
jhabley@ala.org.

The American Association of School Librarians,
www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), promotes the improvement and extension of library media services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total education program. Its mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change and develop leaders in the school library media field.