How is your library and libraries in your area changing the ways library patrons are served? Is your library making strong efforts to reach out with digital resources? Is your library utilizing the input of young people in the way participants in the MindSpot project are, to insure new initiatives are well received by younger generations?

In this video, one of the young people talks about the importance of “the library coming to us” rather than assuming all patrons can or will come to the library. In the not too distant past, educational researchers HAD to physically come to a library to conduct research. There was not another option. Today, however, access to Internet resources is changing the dynamics of research dramatically. Librarians are, in many cases, serving a key role in communities as catalysts for change in our attention economy. Dr. Joyce Valenza’s blog for School Library Journal, “Never Ending Search,” is one of my favorite places to read new ideas about innovative libraries and librarians. (Joyce is @joycevalenza on Twitter.) Doug Johnson is another of my favorite librarian bloggers to read regularly. (Doug is @doug0077 on Twitter.) Both of these librarian-educator leaders exemplify the importance of embracing and utilizing new digital tools for learning and helping others learn, both inside and outside the “traditional” library.

Despite the wealth of available digital resources, many people still have a strong need and desire to connect with others in face-to-face contexts. This is one of the reasons brick-and-mortar libraries and schools are not going to go away entirely in the decades to come.

Hat tip to Jenny Luca, Leeanne Windsor and Kim Cofino for this video and project link.

The seed of change is spreading across Kansas. Since 2003, 228 classrooms have participated in a Title IID initiative that has invested over $8 million dollars to improve learning in the content areas in our state. They are called Technology Rich Classrooms, and they are changing the way that teachers teach and children learn.

This Google Map mashup shows the locations of classrooms which have participated in the Kansas TRC program to date.

One of the attendees at PodStock shared that the number of participating classrooms in TRC is expected to jump from less than 10 per year to around 75 per year with the infusion of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars. This additional investment in educational technology will apparently coincide with a further reduction in legislative funding for education in Kansas on a per-pupil basis. Last year the legislature reduced per-pupil funding by $30, this year the legislature is expected to further reduce funding by approximately $130 per student. These are tough times.

I think Kansas’ focus on educational technology integration at the classroom rather than the building level is right on target. As educational leaders, we often want and strive for systemic, scalable change across entire organizations. Educational technology innovation generally tends to take place in isolated pockets, however, and the TRC project seems to recognize this reality. Clarence Fisher echoed these thoughts in his post today, “Replicating Classrooms.” Clarence noted:

In the rush to build places of learning that are appropriate for changing times, we have focused a great deal of our energy on the replication of schools. We criticize models of certain schools as being great places, but not replicable. I wonder if we are looking at the wrong level. I think that we need to be looking at classrooms as the “unit” that needs to be more closely examined.

Certainly there are many models of spaces where kids can learn. From museums to home schooling situations, there are many models that are possible. But when it comes to the formal learning space, I’m starting to think that we are spending huge amounts of energy and dollars in the wrong place. We pump millions of dollars into schools and hope for the trickle down model of success. We support buildings and programs, hoping that teachers will “buy – in.” Of course there are great models of individual PD where teachers are supported on an ongoing basis to change and be successful. But I still think that most of our time, energy and dollars are being spent at the divisional and the school level.

If we are looking for models worth replicating and for success, we need to look more deeply on a smaller scale, we need to look at classrooms.

I think Clarence is right, as are Kansas leaders who have implemented the TRC program.

Does your state have a campus or classroom focus for educational technology integration programs, and specifically (in the United States) for EETT initiatives? Do you think your state or nation’s focus is appropriate or not? Do you agree with Clarence Fisher?