The document discusses the importance of school libraries and their role in teaching 21st century skills to students. It introduces the American Association of School Librarians' Standards for the 21st Century Learner, which provide a framework to guide school library programs. The standards are organized around four themes - inquire, think critically, gain knowledge; draw conclusions; share knowledge; and personal growth. Objectives under each standard measure skills, dispositions, responsibilities, and self-assessment strategies. Examples are given of how some objectives could be taught at the Carmel Media Center.

2. 21st Century Information Skills Learning today means more than
memorizing facts. It means learning
@Your Library to learn for a lifetime. Savvy parents
and educators know that the school
library media center is key to
teaching students not just to read
but to practice the skills they need
to seek, evaluate and use
information throughout their lives.
In fact, research shows those
students from schools with
professionally staffed, fully
equipped libraries score higher on
achievement tests.
In 2007, the American Association
of School Librarians introduced
Standards for the 21st Century
Learner. These standards guide
school library programs and the
educators who lead them.

3. A set of common beliefs guided the
development of the standards.
Reading is a window to the world.
Inquiry provides a framework for learning.
Ethical behavior in the use of information must
be taught.
Technology skills are crucial for future
employment needs.
Equitable access is a key component for
education.
The definition of information literacy has
become more complex as resources and
technologies have changed.
The continuing expansion of information
demands that all individuals acquire the
thinking skills that will enable them to think on
their own.
Learning has a social context.
School libraries are essential to the
development of learning skills.

4. AASL’s Standards for the 21st Century Learner
Learners use skills, resources and tools to:
Inquire, think critically and gain
knowledge
Draw conclusions, make informed
decisions, apply knowledge to new
situations, and create new knowledge
Share knowledge and participate
ethically and productively as members
of our democratic society
Pursue personal and aesthetic growth

5. Each of the four 21st century standards is measured by
objectives in four basic areas:
Dispositions in Self-Assessment
Skills Responsibilities
Action Strategies
• Key abilities • Ongoing beliefs • Common • Reflections on
needed for and attitudes that behaviors used by one’s own
understanding, guide thinking independent learning to
learning, thinking and intellectual learners in determine that
and mastering behavior that can researching, skills,
subjects be measured investigating and dispositions, and
• Key question: through actions problem solving. responsibilities
Does the student taken • Key question: Is are effective.
have the right • Key question: Is the student • Key question: Can
proficiencies to the student aware that the the student
explore a topic or disposed to foundational recognize
subject further? higher-level traits for 21st- personal
thinking and century learning strengths and
actively engaged require self- weaknesses over
in critical thinking accountability time and become
to gain and share that extends a stronger, more
knowledge? beyond skills and independent
dispositions? learner?

6. Sample objectives for :
Inquire, think critically and gain knowledge
1.2 Dispositions in
1.1 Skills
action
Find, evaluate and
Demonstrate
select appropriate
creativity by using
resources to answer
multiple resources
questions.
and formats.
1.4
1.3 Responsibilities Self-Assessment
Contribute to the Monitor gathered
exchange of ideas information and
within the learning assess for gaps or
community. weaknesses.

7. Sample objectives for :
Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new
situations, and create new knowledge
2.2 Dispositions in
2.1 Skills action
Use technology and Demonstrate
other information personal productivity
tools to analyze and by completing
organize information. products to express
learning.
2.4 Self-Assessment
2.3 Responsibilities
Determine how to act
Consider diverse and
on information
global perspectives in
(accept, reject or
drawing conclusions.
modify).

8. Sample objectives for :
Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members
of our democratic society
3.2 Dispositions in
3.1 Skills
action
Use writing and
Demonstrate
speaking skills to
teamwork by
communicate new
working
understandings
productively with
effectively.
others.
3.3 Responsibilities 3.4 Self-Assessment
Use information and Assess the quality
knowledge in the and effectiveness of
service of the learning
democratic values. product.

9. Sample objectives for:
Pursue personal and aesthetic growth
4.2 Dispositions in
4.1 Skills
action
Read, view and
Display curiosity by
listen for pleasure
pursuing interests
and personal
through multiple
growth.
resources.
4.3 Responsibilities 4.4 Self-assessment
Recognize that Interpret new
resources are information based
created for a variety on cultural and
of purposes. social context.

10. The following slides are
examples of how four of
these objectives might be
taught in the Carmel Media
Center.

11. Find, evaluate and select appropriate resources to answer
questions.
After drawing a research
question from a hat,
students will determine
which media center
resource (internet,
encyclopedia, atlas,
nonfiction book, etc.)
would be the best source
for answering their
question. After finding the
answer, they must
evaluate their source for
authority, accuracy,
relevancy and currency.

12. Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and
formats.
Students will prepare a brief
PowerPoint presentation about their
favorite animal using information
from websites, an encyclopedia,
computer clip art, and quotes from a
fiction book or poem featuring their
animal.

13. Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning
community.
After reading Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle and Brothers by Yin,
two picture books which explore cross-cultural friendships, children
will participate in a group discussion about the challenges and rewards
of having a friend of a different race, religion or ethnicity.

14. Monitor gathered information and assess for gaps or
weaknesses.
Near the end of an in-depth social studies
research project which will culminate in a
paper, students will complete an
evaluation checklist. The checklist will
help the student determine whether
they have the proper number of sources,
if they have the information to properly
cite their sources, and if the information
they have found is current, authoritative,
accurate and relevant. Students will meet
one-on-one with the school library media
specialist to discuss their evaluation
before beginning their paper.

15. To view the complete list of objectives in
AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner, please visit
www.ala.org/aasl/standards