Ensil

Cross-Border, Cross-Language, Cross-Culture co-operation amongst school librarians in Europe

Abstract:

School librarians and information specialists play an important role in the implementation of information literacy skills in schools throughout digital Europe.

Research evidence shows that school librarians and information specialists are actively promoting the important work which they are doing, on a national level, however, cross-border, cross-language, cross-culture co-operation makes their work even more effective and also helps to promote public awareness of this work on a European level.

This poster session discusses the recent establishment and development of European school library groups. School librarians are faced with some specific, very real European problems, for example the diversity of the different national school systems, the differences in national legislation which is applied to the work of school librarians and information specialists in each individual country, and the large number of different languages which are spoken or written in each country. Thanks to the availability of digital technology, these European groups are able to communicate with each other in a simple way and exchange information which makes their important work more effective. 

Poster presented at the EDEN (European distance and E-learning network) Conference on 13 June 2008 by Helen Boelens.

First SLAMIT Course in the Czech Republic

The two previous Minerva projects, SLAM and the GrandSLAM, together demonstrated that the school library, as a multimedia and learning discovery centres, staffed with media specialists, ICT teachers and specialist teacher school librarians, could become an essential focus within curriculum planning and a central beacon promoting new learning styles and new processes within the institutions.

The SLAMIT courses will disseminate and spread the experiences of SLAM and GrandSLAM, together with that of recognised centres of excellence across Europe, using tools and learning materials from the projects through workshops, practical work, lectures and group works, presentation and debate, concentrated and in-depth introduction to management of school libraries and the use of information literacy and multi media systems.

The first SLAMIT course intends to contribute to escalating and accelerating the establishment and development of learning centres in the primary and secondary schools. The learning centres are important catalysts for promoting the introduction of new learning styles and methods and for the use of ICT in schools.

Key elements will be:

• To inform participants about new learning styles and methods – e.g. multiple intelligences, learning styles, learning strategies, ICT learning, e-learning
• To demonstrate through evidence of best practice how to integrate information literacy within daily education practice
• To advocate the development of school libraries throughout European countries.
• To encourage the integration of school library programmes into the instructional and curriculum development of the school.
• To promote the professional and continuing education of school library personnel.
• To foster a sense of community among school librarians in all parts of Europe
• To promote the publication and dissemination of information about the SLAM and GrandSLAM projects
• To share information about programmes and materials for children and youth

For more information on this course, download SLAMit.doc.