for studentsby students as a a search strategy

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for studentsby students as a a search
strategy!
Pathfinders
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What is a pathfinder?

• Around for since the 70s to help library users
  navigate resources
  
• Establishes a plan of action--clears a path
  through the forest
  
• Now Web-based and even more necessary!
• Sharable 24/7 --for the good of all Web-users and
  information seekers!
  
• Scalablemakes teachers and librarians advice
  vastly available
  
• Models selection, evaluation, strategies, and
  balance!

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And thats where they belong!
Pathfinders go online!
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Why should teacher-librariansand teachers create
Pathfinders?

• Model selection
• Scaffold good research strategy
• Customized for groups
• Promote teacher-librarians as information
  professionals
  
• Inspire new collaborations
• Alleviate confusion for the end-user
• Powerfully represent the school/district

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Why create them for students?

• So they wont miss the really good stuff!
  --Promote a wide and balanced range of relevant
  resources
  
• Multiple formats / Displays range of information
  choices
  
• Self-efficacy may discourage exploration
• Can students discern quality?
• Move students from reliance on free Web or their
  favorite search engine
  
• Implicitly metacognitive
• Reflect on the process
• Reflect on searching strategies

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More on why . . .

• Eliminates frustration
• Ensures (encourages?) quality products
• Can be incorporated into rubric
• Focuses research and maximizes student use of
  time to higher-level tasks
  
• Fits students need for independence

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Springfields Curricular Pathfinders

• Pathfinder Menu
• Social Issues Pathfinder
• Pathfinder for Literary Research
• Pathfinder for Physics Current Events
• Primary Sources

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Teachers need pathfinders too!

• Educational Research

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Best Practice!

• Pathfinder Models and Examples
• Multnomah Homework Center - Social Issues
• Internet Public Library- Pathfinders
• Author Pathfinder IPL
• Camden County Library System
• 50 States Pathfinder
• Lewis and Clark Pathfinder
• Black History
• John Steinbeck
• Indianapolis Marion County Public Library
• Economics

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On Designing Pathfinders

• Designing Pathfinders for Children and Young
  Adults (Annette Lamb)
  
• Wenatchees Pathfinder for Creating Pathfinders
• Vandergrifts Pathfinder

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Pathfinders by students!

• A thoughtful alternative to the traditional paper!

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Why should students create pathfinders?

• Inspires thoughtful, comprehensive research
• Annotation
• Selectiononly the best
• Broad spectrum of resources
• Evaluation
• Entry point to the oral defense

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Pathfinder Template
Adapt for your own climate!
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Pathfinders by Students

• Student Examples
• Quest
• http//www.springfield.k12.pa.us/shs/quest/pathfin
  ders.htm
  
• Naval Commanders
• In the works
• AP Novels
• Artists and Movements

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As a searching tool!

• Because more libraries are creating online
  pathfinders, using pathfinder as a keyword is
  likely to pull up some expert advice!

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Sample Searches

• Cancer
• Womens Studies
• Gun Control
• Iraq
• Poetry

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Contact Joyce Valenza
Want more information?

• joyce_valenza_at_sdst.org