Blog Post #1: AASL vs ISTE Standards (ISCI 761: Mod 2)
After reading Mary Lou Caron O’Conner’s article, Now Serving An Appealing Menu of Digital Literacy Tools and Resources, I got a glimpse of the type of librarian I want to be in the future. Technology is a growing resource that we as educators must be ready to utilize and teach students to use. “School librarians serve as change catalysts, shaping curriculum and nurturing developmentally appropriate expectations of our learners” (O’Conner, 2019, p. 18). This is the inspiring part of being a school librarian. Sometimes I fear that I am not being creative enough or making makerspaces interesting enough. My goals as a school librarian include following the standards provided by AASL and ISTE to create the best program in the school library. I am incredibly thankful that librarians have a vast majority of resources, such as the standards created by AASL and ISTE, to provide frameworks that can be used. Throughout O’Conner’s article, she shared a multitude of ideas on how she created a Menu for students to choose their favorite books and authors. Using the AASL Standards Framework for School Librarians template, she created a “menu of digital literacy tools and resources curated by the author” (O’Conner, 2019, p. 19).
The district I work in has opted to follow the AASL standards. I am new to the ISTE standards; however, these standards will be useful in my career. The AASL standards are based on six foundations: inquire, include, collaborate, curate, explore, and engage. After reading each infographic on the standards website, I understood what learners, school librarians, and libraries should accomplish throughout the year. These standards focus on intellectual freedom. The librarian who I currently work with has been approved to make many changes in the library to allow students to have the freedom to read what they choose. The library has been created as a warm and inviting place and is not limited to certain genres or reading levels.
The ISTE standards contain seven foundations: empowered learner, digital citizen, knowledge constructor, innovative designer, computational thinker, creative communicator, and global collaborator. These standards are more for learning and are similar to college and career standards in South Carolina. ISTE standards are also more focused on technology which is very commonly used in our school district. Students who lived and learned during COVID-19 have more experience using Chromebooks/computers to complete classwork and daily activities in the classroom.
I feel that AASL and ISTE standards can work together depending on what level of education I choose to work in, whether that is elementary, middle, or high school. They both have positive outcomes for students and the school library. Working as a media assistant has provided me with three years of experience in observing the librarian working with AASL and ISTE standards. I feel these standards have proven to greatly benefit students' learning skills in the classroom and the library.
Resources for AASL & ISTE Standards:
ISTE Standards & 7 Foundations for Students:
https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-students
AASL & ISTE Standards for Students and Educators Crosswalk
https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180828-aasl-standards-crosswalk-iste.pdf
6 Foundations of AASL:
https://standards.aasl.org/project/foundations/
References
American Association of School Librarians Learners AASL Standards Framework for Learners. (2018). https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/AASL-Standards-Framework-for-Learners-pamphlet.pdf
ISTE. (2021). ISTE Standards for Students. https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-students
Daley, I love the phrase, "School librarians serve as change catalysts." I also believe that many school librarians have the fear that they are not doing enough or being creative enough. We have so many different roles and responsibilities that it can be daunting to feel like we are accomplishing them all well. Continue to be passionate about the work and use the standards as your framework. You could consider having students complete surveys or exit tickets to get their feedback about activities being offered to make sure that you are meeting their needs. That information also serves as an excellent advocacy tool.
ReplyDeleteHi Amy!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of students completing surveys to receive feedback on makerspaces/activities offered. Meeting the students needs is definitely something that I want to achieve! Thank you for your comment!
Daley