FLEXIBLE ACCESS TO
AUTHORITATIVE RESOURCES
IN GRADES 10-12
Central East Alberta Teachers’ Convention
March 6, 2015
Jamie Davis, ORC Coordinator
WHAT IS THE ORC?
A
$1.7 million collection of curricular-aligned,
authoritative digital resources licensed on behalf of
all Alberta:
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K-12 students and their parents
School staff
Pre-service teachers
Public library staff *
 Funded
by a yearly Grant-In-Aid from Alberta
Education to The Alberta Library (TAL)
 Return on Investment (ROI) calculation of 3:1 for
Alberta Schools
*for the purposes of supporting K-12 patrons
WHY SHOULD STUDENTS
ACCESS THE ORC?
ORC Resources:
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Provide authoritative, age appropriate, engaging, curricularaligned content
Allow students to become familiar and comfortable with the
kinds of resources and searching practises that are an
integral part of 21st century learning
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Google & Wikipedia are the tip of the searching and information
literacy “iceberg”
Are time savers once you are familiar with using them
Include embedded supports for diverse learners like listen,
text translation, citation tools, vetted websites, copyright
friendly pictures and videos
Provide anytime, from anywhere with Internet access
WHY SHOULD SCHOOL STAFF
ACCESS THE ORC?
ORC Resources Provide:
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Access to ready-to-use or customizable lesson plans, teaching
materials and direct curricular correlations
Support for ESL and second language learners
Access to journals like Walrus, National Geographic,
National Geographic Kids, Men’s Health, School Library
Journal, Canadian Libraries and Maclean’s just to name a
few (RSS feeds available)
Consistent and explicit update schedules
Access to vetted websites
Ability to create permalinks that can be posted on a website
or in an email blast
ACCESSING THE ORC
 Go
to LearnAlberta.ca
 Select English or French
 Click on “Online Reference Centre” in the tab
along the top of the screen
 In school automatic authentication
 Access outside of school requires a remote
username/password
 Share your district username/password using low
tech methods
 Email jdavis@thealbertalibrary.ab.ca for your
remote username/password
ANY
QUESTIONS?
RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS
TEACHINGBOOKS.NET
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Bring an author into your classroom any time you need
Search for Meet-the-Author Movies or Book Readings,
Author Audio Name Pronunciation, book guides and
lesson plans
Access Alberta specific booklists:
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Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Readers Choice
Award (YRCA)
ELA Authorized Novel and Nonfiction Reading Lists grades
4-12
Meet-the-author book readings in French
Canadian Book Award Winners/Canadian Book and Author
Resources
Personalized Book Lists upon request
LITERARY REFERENCE CENTRE
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Customizable listen feature (where HTML format
available)
Text translation into 32 languages (where HTML
format available)
SMARTTEXT searching capabilities to find similar
articles
Create notes within an article and save to an account
Create article permalinks for sharing
Search for professional “Publications” and subscribe
to RSS feeds to stay up-to-date
Same publisher of Canadian Reference Centre and
Advanced Placement Source including similar
features
VISUAL THESAURUS
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Correct word pronunciation in human voice for every word
Images related to words with right click (images are google
images and not vetted)
Subscribe to age specific word of the day on homepage
Access professional development videos in the “Educators”
link to maximize the features of this resource
Personalized word lists and spelling bees*
Vocabgrabber*
Instructions for setting up a personal account included in
the next four slides
*With personal account
STEPS FOR SETTING
UP A PERSONAL
VISUAL THESAURUS
ACCOUNT
RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT THE SCIENCE
CURRICULUM
SCIENCE IN CONTEXT
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Customizable listen feature, articles can be downloaded to
MP3 format
Text translation to 13 languages
Share or permalink capabilities (Bookmark)
Featured videos, news, and stories on homepage
Jump to related articles within the article
Advanced search allows for Boolean, and content selection
(basic/intermediate/advanced)
Search specific learner outcomes from a variety of Alberta
curricula to find supporting articles in “Curriculum
Standards”
Featured videos, news and topics on homepage (clickable
navigation)
Access thousands of newspaper articles, magazines, reference
materials, videos, images and websites
Same publisher (same functionality) as other In Context
resources
TEEN HEALTH AND WELLNESS
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Database addresses teen health and wellness issues for
students in grades 7-12
Straightforward discussion of all teen health and wellness
topics
Links to the high school Science curriculum
Customizable read aloud feature and text translation
Many interactive features in the database that allow
students to interact and contribute:
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Student polls on current topics
Share personal stories and read stories from other teens
Create and submit videos on various health and wellness topics
Submit questions to Dr. Jan and receive answers back
Current in the news topics changed frequently
RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT THE SOCIAL
STUDIES CURRICULUM
THE CANADIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA
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New updated interface very aesthetic and functional
Multiple pathways to accessing information
Personal accounts, videos, articles, images, etc.
Wealth of Canadian content to support:
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Grade 7 - Pre-Confederation/Confederation,
Immigration/Migration
Grade 9 - Canadian citizenship, Government, Charter of Rights
& Freedoms
Check the Historica Canada icon for extra content including
the Citizenship Challenge (grade 9)
CANADA IN CONTEXT
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Recommended for grades 6-12
Includes Canadian content!
Featured videos, news, and stories on homepage
Customizable listen feature
Articles downloadable to MP3
Text translation to 13 languages
Share or permalink capabilities (Bookmark)
Featured videos, news, and stories on homepage
Jump to related articles within the article
Advanced search allows for Boolean, and content selection
(basic/intermediate/advanced)
Search specific learner outcomes from a variety of Alberta
curricula to find supporting articles in “Curriculum
Standards”
Same publisher (same functionality) as other In Context
resources
CANADIAN REFERENCE CENTRE
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Customizable listen feature (where HTML format available)
Text translation into 32 languages (where HTML format
available)
SMARTTEXT searching capabilities to find similar articles
Create notes within an article and save to an account
Create article permalinks for sharing
Search for professional “Publications” including Canadian
Libraries, School Library Journal, and Walrus with a
subscribe to RSS feature
WORLD HISTORY IN CONTEXT
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Customizable listen feature, articles can be downloaded to
MP3 format
Text translation to 13 languages
Share or permalink capabilities (Bookmark)
Featured videos, news, and stories on homepage
Jump to related articles within the article
Advanced search allows for Boolean, and content selection
(basic/intermediate/advanced)
Search specific learner outcomes from a variety of Alberta
curricula to find supporting articles in “Curriculum
Standards”
Featured videos, news and topics on homepage (clickable
navigation)
Access thousands of newspaper articles, magazines,
reference materials, videos, images and websites
Same publisher (same functionality) as other In Context
resources
GLOBAL ISSUES IN CONTEXT
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Customizable listen feature, articles can be downloaded to
MP3 format
Text translation to 13 languages
Share or permalink capabilities (Bookmark)
Featured videos, news, and stories on homepage
Jump to related articles within the article
Advanced search allows for Boolean, and content selection
(basic/intermediate/advanced)
Search specific learner outcomes from a variety of Alberta
curricula to find supporting articles in “Curriculum
Standards”
Featured videos, news and topics on homepage (clickable
navigation)
Access thousands of newspaper articles, magazines,
reference materials, videos, images and websites
Same publisher (same functionality) as other In Context
resources
CBC NEWS IN REVIEW
4 new videos added each month from October to
May
 17 broad categories with a range of 4-25 videos in
each
 Embedded downloadable PDFs for each video
 Downloadable worksheets and ideas on how to
use CBC News in Review in the classroom can be
found at:
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http://newsinreview.cbclearning.ca/
ADDITIONAL
MULTIDISCIPLINARY
RESOURCES
WORLD BOOK STUDENT
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Recommended for grades 4-9
Ability to simultaneously search World Book Kids and World
Book Student for struggling readers
Text to speech feature
General encyclopedia that includes atlas, dictionary (with
voice pronunciations), images, web links, and charts
"My Research" option for students to track and save their
research online
Embedded timeline feature, in addition to a citation builder
“How to do Research” guide on homepage
Available on iPads
Online Training Available
WORLD BOOK ADVANCED
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Recommended for grades 8-12
Text to speech feature
General encyclopedia that includes atlas, dictionary (with
voice pronunciations), images, web links, and world
newspapers
"My Research" option for students to track and save their
research online
Embedded timeline feature, in addition to a citation builder
Features: primary source documents, pathfinders, citation
builder, and timelines
Online book archive includes thousands of fiction and
nonfiction online books in nine languages
Available on iPads
Online Training Available
ADVANCED PLACEMENT SOURCE
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Ideal support resource for IB and AP programs
Can change the language of interface and search in other
language (French, German and Spanish Available)
Visual Search - relevancy boxes, alternate format
Smart Text Searching – input a whole page
Can search “Subjects” to expand or limit search
Customizable listen feature available for periodicals, MP3
downloads available
Some academic journals provide English, Spanish and
French
Create notes within the article – sign in to save
SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL STAFF
USING THE ORC
ORC SUPPORT SITE
www.onlinereferencecentre.ca
Resource training materials - podcasts, videos, archived
webinars, and guides
 Information about upcoming free ORC PD
opportunities
 Information about province-wide resource trials and
surveys
 Online booking system for ORC sessions
 Calendar of ORC Events
 Links to ORC Twitter and Facebook accounts
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ORC LISTSERV
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Weekly email updates organized by E/J/S:
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New resources and features
Province-wide trials
Surveys
Free PD opportunities
How to Guides and Tips
No emails during school breaks
 Membership has its benefits – joining incentive
 Email jdavis@thealbertalibrary.ab.ca or visit the ORC
Support Site to join today
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CONTACT
For more information or to schedule a
school presentation please contact
Jamie Davis, ORC Coordinator
Call 780-414-0805 ext.229
OR
Email: jdavis@thealbertalibrary.ab.ca
LINKS TO CHECK OUT
ORC Support Site
http://www.onlinereferencecentre.ca/
ORC ListServ
https://lists.talonline.ca/listinfo/orc
ORC Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/OnlineReferenceCentre
Twitter
@ORC_AB