Technology and Literacy: 21st Century Library Programming for Children and Teens (Ala Editions Special Report)

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Technology may not be a magic wand, but innovative technology programming can genuinely help children become adept at navigating our increasingly wired world while also helping them develop deductive reasoning, math, and other vital literacy skills. One of the simplest and most powerful tools for technology-based public library programming is called Scratch. It s a free, easy-to-use programming language that can be used to create everything from 3-D animation and graphics to music-enhanced presentations and games. This bookExplains how to use Scratch, and how it has already been used in libraries around the country to create technology workshops for youthGuides readers through workshop planning, focusing on targeting youth ranging from teens to younger elementary studentsPresents advocacy tools so that organizers can make the case to their institution s managers, administrators, and other stakeholdersProvides reliable and field-tested techniques for time management, locating and training volunteers (teen and adult), and identifying and working with community partnersIncludes workshop templates as well as sample participant evaluation checklistsStorytimes for the digital age, technology-based workshops are important opportunities for supplementing and complementing education for all youth; this book fosters a different kind of thinking about what literacy in the 21st century really entails.

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Jennifer Nelson is a frequent presenter of library-related technology at library conferences. Her article Celebrating Scratch in Libraries, published in the May 2009 issue of School Library Journal, explains how this computer program can effectively support literacy skills, especially in math and the sciences. Nelson is a passionate advocate for the role of public libraries in providing opportunities for informal learning. Keith Braafladt has presented workshops for both students and educators, and has developed online resources and curriculum for a variety of grant-funded projects. He is currently involved in a collaboration with a group at the Media Lab at MIT which is exploring the potential of Scratch to aid students in creating media projects.