Overview

Overview of the Proposed Change
The proposal that I am attempting to initiate is for a program that will integrate information literacy skills into the core curriculum, using project-based learning, and technology with collaborative efforts between the school principal, school media specialist, and the classroom teachers. While incorporating the proposed program, those people involved, both directly and indirectly, will see the power of a quality school media program with a certified, full-time school media specialist. The initial phase of this proposal will be to educate teaching staff on the pedagogy of using a consistent information process model across the curriculum and to highlight its benefits.

 Importance of the Change
There are numerous benefits to student learning of implementing an information literacy program across the curriculum, such as this proposal suggests. Utilizing collaborative efforts between the classroom teacher, school media specialist makes this proposal more powerful. In fact, collaborative partnerships is emphasized throughout //Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Programs. // Collaborative partnerships strengthen the information literacy proposal as it is absorbed both in the school media center setting and then transfered into the learning environment of the classroom. The power of a collaborative partnership, in utilizing an information process model, is realized through proper modeling and coaching of both the school media specialist and classroom teacher.

Information is ubiquitous in this digital age and it is pertinent that students have a logical process for accessing it. The importance of information literacy is an unrealized facet of learning in many education arenas. Being information literate is as vital a skill, to the 21st century student, as reading, math, and science. Because information is omnipresent, there needs to be an effective methodology to accessing, ensuring it is validity, authoritativeness, and relevancy to the topic being studied.

According to a study, performed by the American Management Association in 2010, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication skills will become more important in a fast-paced global economy (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2011). Students are not receiving these kinds of instructional guidance as often and as in-depth as they should. 

 Background
Currently, there are minimal collaborative efforts between the school media specialist and the classroom teachers. Additionally, there is nominal information literacy skills being taught in the school media center. After speaking with various classroom teachers, it has been identified there is minimal exposure to Research and Inquiry and/or project based learning. There is one school media specialists, with minimal experience in information literacy, and one media paraprofessional. The media center runs on a fixed-schedule model, limiting the integration of resources into the curriculum (AASL, 2009). When a school media center operates using a flexible access model, collaborative planning and teaching is more effectively realized (AASL, 2009).

The school setting for this proposal is an elementary school with over one-thousand students, in grades kindergarten through grade five. It is located in an affluent area of Tampa, Florida. There is a considerable amount of volunteer hours logged annually in the school, allowing for ample support to the school media center.

The school media center maintains an ample technology center with twenty five working computers. Teachers have had inadequate exposure to the benefits of technology in their lessons as an engaging instrument for the 21st century learner. This proposal aims to change this perception.

Proposal Vision Statement
Empower students to become independent, effective, ethical users of authoritative information through the use of, both, print and electronic sources, utilizing 21st century skills, while facilitating a love of inquiry and learning.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Proposal Goals

 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">﻿Teachers and administration understand and value the school media center as a leraning repository.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Teachers and administration view the school media specialist as indispensable, in the role of instructional partner, information specialist, teacher, and program administrator (AASL, 2009, p. 16).
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Students, in lower elementary grades kindergarten through grade two, understand the information process model, Plan, Do, and Review and transfer those skills.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Students, in upper elementary grade three through grade 5, understand the information process model, Big6.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Students become effective users of digital and print information sources.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Through the use of project-based learning, student achievement improves in appropriate areas of education.

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