Librarian In Training: Teching Up, Bloom's Taxonomy!

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy

Understanding Bloom’s Taxonomy in E-Learning

How are students' views of technology different from yours? Do you know? If there is a difference, what is it?

I’ve learned to grow a great love for technology, it has changed the world we live in today. We have access to information at the tip of our fingers, with one quick search engine entry to get the answers you're looking for. The differences in technological views among myself and students is that teaching tools have evolved from the famous cognitive objectives of Bloom’s Taxonomy to Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. The order of thinking skills has advanced with our technology, just as the role of technology in education has.

How does this potential differing view of technology help explain or reframe its use in the classroom?

Throughout this pandemic, many teachers have had to adapt their teaching strategies and methodologies from in person to remote to in person and remote instruction. It has been a roller coaster of events and the need to go with the flow has been necessary throughout COVID-19 pandemic. Some teachers that had difficulties with the drastic change for technology application, may have refrained from using it in the classroom. It became essential to learn how to use the demanding technology that rushed over educators and influenced their teachings. Students seemed to be so open and easily adapted to the digital shift because they've grown up with it all their lives.

If you had to explain why a certain app was necessary for your library, how would you frame your request?

An application that would be a major asset to the library would be CommonLit. I would frame the request by giving the principal information about the literacy resources and explain that I would train teachers on how to utilize this application in their classrooms. I would provide a bullet list of information about the application, as such:

Serves grades 3-12
Subjects & Skills: English Language Arts, Social Studies, English-Language Learning, Critical Thinking
Great for: Instructional Design, Differentiation

Pros:

Leveled texts and formative data make it easy to tailor the experience. Guiding questions, assessment questions, discussions, and annotations offer layers of learning.
Students and teachers can sign up for free accounts. Recent changes to the site support integration with Google Classroom and Clever, making uploading student information all the easier.
Teacher accounts include an easy-to-navigate teacher dashboard that allows you to create multiple classes, assign reading passages to students, score responses to questions, and track progress for an entire class or an individual student.
Student data is gathered and displayed in colorful, easy-to-follow visuals that include graphs, tables, and charts.
At the bottom of the teacher dashboard, you'll even find a list of students who need to be challenged more and those who may need further remediation.
PEDAGOGY: Students learn to think critically about authentic passages on diverse topics. They'll also build essential background knowledge through the use of footnotes, highlighting, paired texts, and related media.
SUPPORT: This site's leveled texts, many translation options, and audio support make reading accessible to students from a variety of learning, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. Parent guides provide useful at-home ideas.
And more…

Do you feel technology is a tool for learning or the foundation upon which we build learning?

The idea of technology being used as a tool resonates with me much more. Technology is an instrument to engage student learning but it can only do so much. The true foundation upon which we build true student learning comes from the teachers in the classroom, pushing their students to strive and be the best they can be. That’s why we are in this profession to help our students become successful individuals. The person in the classroom instructing builds the foundation of learning and the technology can be used as an asset in the classroom to further help the learning.

Why would a librarian care about any of this (what's the rationale for including this in a program that is preparing teachers to be librarians)?

Libraries are a source of knowledge and knowledge is power. Understanding this notion, paves the way to opening minds preparing teachers to be librarians. Librarians are now also referred to as ‘Media Specialist’ because the role and skills required of a librarian has changed as well. Librarians are a resource to teachers, when a librarian is cognizant and seeks technological tools to provide back to their schools to share with teachers. Librarians and teachers are the bridge to academic success of our students.