The standards for a school library media program have once again been revisited. The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has released a new set of standards, and although the content is not totally new, the standards are streamlined. In this article, the author voices her approbation of the new standards and offers advice for…

The new "AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" offer significant potential for helping library media specialists tailor instruction to student needs. These standards are precise and clear, and they align themselves to reading strategies as well as language arts and content area standards. The new standards will also help strengthen lesson…

This is Part 1 of a three part series of articles summarizing selected articles from the journals of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) over a period of thirty-five years from 1972 to 2007. Part 1 traces the evolution of the library media specialist to emphasize a greater student-centered approach to teaching and learning.…

Discusses basic facts about the brain and new research findings concerning growth and development that may help reconsider how information literacy skills are taught. Explains Kovalik's Integrated Thematic Instruction Model that recommends taking into account brain research and tying into relevant activities for the entire school year. (LRW)

Explains a variety of models involving information use and includes key resources for each one. Highlights include a study of information skills; the REACTS model; the Big Six for information problem-solving; portfolio of information skills; pathways to knowledge; and characteristics of information literacy. (LRW)

Two challenging criteria for judging information involve bias and authority. In both cases, judgments may not be clearly possible. In both cases, there may be degrees or levels of acceptability. For students to gain experience and to demonstrate skills in making judgments, they need opportunities to consider a wide spectrum of resources under a…

One of the major questions that classroom teachers wrestle with is what strategy or method to use when teaching their students. This is a question that plagues school library media specialists also. One of the theories that library media specialists are finding to be effective as they teach information literacy skills is Howard Gardner's theory…

Discusses models for information skills that include inquiry-oriented activities. Highlights include WebQuest, which uses Internet resources supplemented with videoconferencing; Minnesota's Inquiry Process based on the Big Six model for information problem-solving; Indiana's Student Inquiry Model; constructivist learning models for inquiry; and…

Discusses teaching students literary appreciation and how to teach the appreciation of other media. Suggests comparing a book and video version of the same story and includes a literary review unit guide for middle school or junior high school students, as well as a sample lesson on comparing stories in two mediums. (LRW)

Presents a revised working definition of schema, lists four types of knowledge that individuals have (i.e., identification, elaboration, planning, and execution), and outlines issues in schema theory. The usefulness of schema in problem solving and information problem solving is discussed, and implications for teachers of information literacy are…

Describes a set of evaluation tools that help elementary, middle, and high school students evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Web sites and may also be used to guide the design of new Web sites. Discusses motivation and includes ideas for incorporating Web evaluation into information skills instruction. (LRW)

Library media specialists need to embrace brain research and implement its findings into the teaching of information literary skills. Research in the past two decades has used imaging techniques to allow the study of brain functions when listening to music versus composing a song or when recalling a noun or verb. Imaging allows researchers to look…

Reviews the Big6 information problem-solving model. Highlights include benefits and dangers of the simplicity of the model; theories of instruction; testing of the model; the model as a process for completing research projects; and advice for school library media specialists considering use of the model. (LRW)

Describes the Pathways to Knowledge model for helping students achieve information literacy in library media programs. Discusses the searcher's thinking, information search or seeking, and instructional strategies; information skills; the six stages in the model, including appreciation, presearch, search, interpretation, communication, and…

Discusses "Information Literacy Standards" for school library media specialists that were included in the 1998 edition of "Information Power" and presents a lesson plan for middle school students on global warming that focuses on the standard addressing perspective, or point of view, and incorporates an information process…