Librarians Literacy And The Promotion Of Gender Equity

Today’s youth have available an unprecedented array of information and media, and today’s literacy must extend well beyond decoding the printed page. As the keepers of information, how do librarians help boys and girls separate relevant from irrelevant, important from unimportant, helpful from harmful? How can librarians help students become self-sufficient learners? This book addresses today’s need for literacies in technology, reading, information, and numbers, as well as visual, aural, and media literacy. With thorough consideration of the latest research, it focuses on how gender affects the way these literacies are learned, experienced, and used. Exercises are recommended to help students of both genders become effective learners and managers of their environment. After delving into issues of gender, such as differences and similarities in the way boys and girls learn, discussion concentrates on how librarians and other educators can design learning activities with gender and technology issues in mind. Individual chapters deal with each type of literacy, and the concluding chapter discusses the interdependence of all. This book demonstrates that the era of “one size fits all” literacy is behind us, and argues for the library as an optimal learning environment for exploring literacies holistically.

Although they may not have always been explicitly stated, library work has always had normative goals. Until recently, such goals have largely been abstract; they are things like knowledge creation, education, forwarding science, preserving history, supporting democracy, and safeguarding civilization. The modern spirit of social and cultural critique, however, has focused our attention on the concrete, material relationships that determine human potentiality and opportunity, and library workers are increasingly seeing the institution of the library, as well as library work, as embedded in a web of relations that extends beyond the library’s traditional sphere of influence. In light of this critical consciousness, more and more library and information science professionals are coming to see themselves as change agents and front-line advocates of social justice issues. This book will serve as a guide for those library workers and related information professionals that disregard traditional ideas of "library neutrality" and static, idealized conceptions of Western culture. The book will work as an entry point for those just forming a consciousness oriented towards social justice work and will be also be of value to more experienced "transformative library workers" as an up-to-date supplement to their praxis. Justifies the use of a variety of theoretical and practical resources for effecting positive change Explores the role of the librarian as change agents

This book examines the questions: how academic libraries provide value-added reference and information services in the digital age. It provides best practices from a global perspective. The book starts by looking at the information needs and info-seeking behaviours of university students and faculty. Then it examines the use cycle: consumer, instruction, and producer. It examines the resource cycle: collection development, instructor, maintenance. What are the essential elements of reference: orientation, instruction, collaborative planning, products? Focuses on information needs and information-seeking behaviours of academic library stakeholders (faculty, students, community) Focuses on technologies: impact on reference and information services (selection, access, interaction, instruction, administration), focusing on the human issues Emphasizes collaborative aspects of reference/info services (with faculty for program/course instruction, with computer services for digital integration, with other libraries for resource

With the emergence of innovative technologies, the digital nature of learning environments has changed the face of education. The integration of these technologies into classroom instruction is essential for promoting student learning. Literacy Enrichment and Technology Integration in Pre-Service Teacher Education examines the various strategies to resolve the challenges of technology integrations for teachers while offering best practices for transforming education. Focusing on the future of technology integration in education; this book is an essential tool for administrators, technology leaders, faculty, teachers, technology staff, and other educational technology stakeholders in various education-related disciplines.

People currently live in a digital age in which technology is now a ubiquitous part of society. It has become imperative to develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of emerging innovations and technologies. Information and Technology Literacy: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications is an authoritative reference source for the latest scholarly research on techniques, trends, and opportunities within the areas of digital literacy. Highlighting a wide range of topics and concepts such as social media, professional development, and educational applications, this multi-volume book is ideally designed for academics, technology developers, researchers, students, practitioners, and professionals interested in the importance of understanding technological innovations.

Technology is constantly evolving and can now aid society with the quest for knowledge in education systems. It is important to integrate the most recent technological advances into curriculums and classrooms, so the learning process can evolve just as technology has done. The Handbook of Research on Transformative Digital Content and Learning Technologies provides fresh insight into the most recent advancements and issues regarding educational technologies in contemporary classroom environments. Featuring detailed coverage on a variety of topics, such as mobile technology integration, ICT literacy integration, digital wellness, online group counseling, and distance learning, this publication will appeal to researchers and practitioners who are interested in discovering more about technological integration in education.

Teaching Tough Topics shows teachers how to lead students to become caring citizens as they read and respond to quality children’s literature. It focuses on topics that can be challenging or sensitive, yet are significant in order to build understanding of social justice, diversity, and equity. Racism, Homophobia, Bullying, Religious Intolerance, Poverty, and Physical and Mental Challenges are just some of the themes explored. The book is rooted in the belief that by using picture books, novels, poetry, and nonfiction, teachers can enrich learning with compassion and empathy as students make connections to texts, to others, and to the world.

As students become more aware of gender-related issues, one educational skill stands out in the quest for betterment--information literacy, or the fluent ability to get and use the facts one needs. Such a skill allows female and male students to examine social messages and assumptions rather than feel manipulated by them. This work is designed to foster a better understanding of the impact of gender bias on learning and how information literacy can be used to promote equitable educational opportunities for both girls and boys. The focus is on gender issues because the contributions of women are often minimized in educational materials. Activities that boost students' self-esteem are provided, as well as an organizational structure for teachers and librarians that supports a bias-free learning environment. How students use information to solve problems is fully covered, and details are given for designing gender-equitable learning experiences. Sample lesson plans reinforce the use of information skills to overcome gender-related issues.