AASL Shared Foundations in Action Part 3: Explore (ISCI 794)

Welcome to the third post of the AASL Shared Foundations in Action and our focus is on the Explore Foundation. Jami Bettis at Westivew Middle School is the experienced library media specialist that I turned to for this topic. With a background in education and in her fifteenth year as a media specialist, she has some great insights into the Explore Shared Foundation.

The Explore Shared Foundation can be encouraged in the lessons, activities, and the Makerspace area
of the library media center. Jami shared how the Makerspace area allows students to explore materials, tinker and problem-solve as they create or build. We can also encourage students to read deeply and widely through Book Talks and reading incentives like Accelerated Reader. We can support students in their explorations by offering a variety of reading levels, topics and feature diverse characters. One important aspect of fostering the Explore Shared Foundation is a welcoming environment where students feel confident to offer feedback and are not afraid to ask questions in-person or through email.

There are so many resources that can be used to implement the Explore Shared Foundation like updating the Makerspace with fresh materials and inspirational ideas for students. There are also a lot of websites and tools that provide opportunities for students to explore topics, learn, or share with others. Some of Jami’s favorite resources include SC Discus, Flocabulary, BrainPOP, Quizizz, Destiny, Nearpod, and Padlet. I also like using SC Discus as a safe space to explore topics and learn more about them. There are so many databases available for all levels of users and it is free to all South Carolinians.

The Explore Shared Foundation is one easily accomplished through collaboration. We are able to combine our knowledge and resources to benefit students. On example of this from Jami is collaborating with ELA teachers for research on a class topic. Through the collaboration the students learned about the valuable resources in SC Discus and how to properly cite their information for the class project. Collaborating with teachers on inquiries or Project-Based Learning will also promote the Explore Shared Foundation.

There are challenges when implementing the Explore Shared Foundation like budget reductions and restrictions. Time and getting teachers on board for collaboration are also challenges. The students themselves at times can be a challenge with not being as excited to read or wanting to explore to find books of interest. Jami did offer an idea to create interest and attempt to get students to explore different texts with a “Book Tasting”. At the Book Tasting, the library media center is set up like a restaurant. There are a few books at each table, a menu with directions on how to “taste” the book and their "napkin" is a place where they can write down books that they may want to read.

As learners, it is wonderful to have the opportunity to explore topics of our own interests. Students also enjoy these opportunities. Having safe, reliable resources to consult for information and opportunities to create are important. By putting the Explore Shared Foundation principles into practice, we are showing students how to do just that.