December 2005 — Web/Net
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School Libraries Go Interactive
Forms for Teachers
Part of our library’s mission is to help students acquire and develop
research skills. We have created several online forms to support teachers in
that effort. Popular with teachers are forms that help students write essential
and foundational questions, select keywords or phrases for searching, and choose
the most appropriate sources for research. One form asks students to evaluate
their Web sources, while another has them reflect on their research once they’ve
finished the project. Completing at least some of the forms throughout the research
process increases student accountability and can even help limit plagiarism.
(Students do not need their own e-mail addresses to submit the forms. Many times
they are provided an option: Either e-mail the form or, in the case of some
assignments, fill the form out online, print it out, and hand it in to the teacher.)
Particularly useful for teachers are assignment forms we’ve developed that correspond to specific Web sites. Students search the linked Web site for answers to questions presented on the form, which, once completed, is submitted to the teacher’s e-mail address for review. Since these are extra-credit assignments, the student is free to choose whether or not to do one, and can complete it at any time. The teacher does not have to distribute handouts and keep track of loose papers, which frequently become lost.
We also use online forms to communicate with our teachers regarding scheduling library time and the use of audiovisual equipment. A teacher who wishes to reserve a library classroom or AV equipment checks the calendar posted on our Web site and then submits a form requesting a specific day and period, along with any desired equipment. The form asks the teacher to name the assignment, and then offers to pull books for a book cart or post Web links appropriate to the assignment in a teachers-only section on the library Web site. This has proven to be a highly popular, effective way for our teachers to get in contact with us.
Continuing to Advance Communication
The use of online forms has increased the library’s visibility at DGN
and broadened our involvement in the school’s academic life. We expect
it only to grow more as we think up more ways for forms to serve our teachers
and students. For example, we are in the process of creating a form that a student
can submit directly to a librarian for a “Reader’s Advisory.”
The student indicates the type and length of the book he would like to read,
and we will respond within 24 hours with a recommended title. We will also include
links to booklists that we have created, as well as a link to online student
book reviews for the booklist subjects.
