USING DATABASES AND
TECHNOLOGY IN CURRICULUM
INTEGRATION
Presented by Ivey Carey and Carol Richmond
PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION
• Share how we teach database and technology
usage for curriculum integration
• Explain how you might incorporate database and
technology usage on your campus
OBJECTIVE
• To be able to identify ways to increase your
database usage
• Identify at least one way you can integrate
technology into your information literacy instruction
Information Literacy
Standards for Student Learning
• Information Power: Nine Information Literacy
Standards for Student Learning
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/informationpower/informa
tionpower.cfm
WHAT IS INFORMATION LITERACY?
• The ability to access information efficiently and
effectively
• The ability to evaluate information critically and
competently
• The ability to use information accurately and
creatively
*Source: American Association of School
Librarians.
WHAT IS INFORMATION LITERACY?
• Knowing when you have a need for information
• Identifying information needed to address a given
problem or issue
• Finding needed information
• Evaluating the information
• Organizing the information
• Using the information effectively to address the
problem or issue at hand
*Source: ALA Presidential Committee on Information Literacy, 1989.
WHAT ARE SEARCH ENGINES?
• Programs that search the web for documents with
specified keywords and returns a list of documents
where the keywords were found
• A term used to describe systems like Google, Bing,
Yahoo
• Order of the list may depend on $$$, number of
hits, and/or ads (not relevance).
• Some links may not be age-appropriate.
WHAT ARE DATABASES
• A collection of information available through the
internet that is organized and stored so that a
computer program can quickly access specific
information
• Databases contains validated information from
publishers of encyclopedia articles, newspapers,
magazines, biographies, other nonfiction text, and
selected websites
INTERNET SEARCH ENGINES VS.
ONLINE DATABASES
Search Engines
• Free web pages from
around the world
(including ads)
• Updates unknown so
you may find ‘dead
links’
• Search by key words
• Validity and bias of
information
questionable
• Dynamic, changing
data, authority
unknown
Databases
• Web pages that have
been evaluated
• Citations to some of
the articles published
on a certain subject
• Updated on a regular
basis
• Search by key words
• Information is
validated (material has
been selected)
• Available through the
internet
WHERE DO I BEGIN WITH DATABASE
INSTRUCTION FOR MY CAMPUS?
• Faculty/Staff
• Students
• Parents/Community
FACULTY/STAFF
• At the beginning of the school year provide the
staff with a brief orientation of the available
databases our district offers and how to access
them
• Throughout the school year offer database training
classes
• Use a "hook" like the read-aloud feature of
Nettrekker in a "Technology Minute" at faculty
meetings
• Constantly promote database usage, reminding
teachers that students do not know how to
evaluate what they find on Google.
STUDENTS
•Introduce each database early in the school year using
a “hook” such as a current event, famous person,
animal, TV show, or place.
•Demonstrate how to access the database from school
and home and then have the students practice these
steps multiple times.
•Conduct sample searches and explore the function
feature in each database (Example: NetTrekker has the
audio component. Britannica has streaming media)
•Point out special features such as interactive learning
games, streaming media and web links found within the
database.
•Provide shortcuts on computer desktops in classrooms.
•You may want to schedule the computer lab for
database instruction.
Database activity
The idea for Labor Day came
from a man named Peter J.
McGuire, a union leader and a
________________ (hint: find
the website from Library of
Congress (LOC)). What other
interesting facts did you learn
about Labor Day from this web
site?
Database activity
What United States president
signed a bill making Labor
Day a national holiday?
______________________
What other interesting fact did
you learn from Encyclopedia
Britannica Elementary?
Database activity
Kids Search: Find the Eight
Hour Law for Employees of
the United States. Name one
senator who voted against
(nay) the bill. (hint: limit your
search by clicking on the
Primary Source Document
filter).
Database activity
Kids Infobits: Find a picture
of the annual Labor Day
Bridge Walk in Michigan.
Who is the original publisher
of the picture?
Database activity
How many books about child
labor are there in DISD?
_________ (Hint: From your
library catalog, click on Classic
Search then click on Home and
select Search All Schools from
the menu at left.)
Database activity
Russell Freedman wrote a book
titled Kids at Work: Lewis Hine
and the Crusade against Child
Labor. Listen to Russell
Freedman talk about his name
in Teaching Books.net.
Database activity
We couldn’t find anything
relevant for primary students in
World and I. If you find
something useful let us know.
Database Activity
What pathway could you
follow to find the article
about Cesar Chavez in
PebbleGo Biographies?
Discovery Education
• Find a video clip about Labor
Day and download it to your
desktop.
Library Lesson Plans
• Login to SchoolWires
• Navigate to Wilson
• Hold your mouse over the library tab and choose
the DentonISD Library Lesson Plans page.
PARENTS
Provide parents with information
about access to the school's online
databases through:
PTA newsletter
PTA meeting
Library brochure
School website
Have students "try out" their home access while in the
library!
CELEBRATE
l
Always celebrate the completion of a
research project by allowing students to:
Display products in the library
Present information orally or in some multimedia format to each other
Display products on the library webpage
Share information learned on the school
newscast
Integrating Technology
• Be ready to offer a suggestion for a technology-based
product to replace the old fashioned paper product. Hook:
Display student work on the teacher's website.
• Programs to use with students:
o Powerpoint
 slide shows
 mini books
 save slides as jpeg and narrate in Photostory
o Excel
 record data
 produce graphs (can collection)
o Photostory
 scan pictures and narrate (Red Ribbon Week feature)
o MovieMaker
 video
production http://www.dentonisd.org/51242829124016/podcasts/browse.asp?A=399&BMDRN=2000
&BCOB=0&C=74934
Use Technology Centers
Powerpoint
• present information
• embed videos from Discovery(Prairie animals)
Photostory
• present information (Using a Shelf Marker/Library
Orientation Video)
• Broadcasts
Glogster
• Edu.glogster.com
VoiceThreads
www.voicethread.com
Questions?
Ideas!
Have Fun!