From my Grade Two Library website for families, the opening paragraph (below) describes the lesson to family members. The F2F column is the old lesson and the Online column is the lesson modified for Online instruction only. Everything from the original lesson is included in an effort to be clear regarding changes (some instruction, for example, that would be given verbally face to face would need to be made into media files). Changes are indicated by red type. The objectives of the lesson remain the same: acces and use the library catalog. The online lesson better reaches the upper critical thinking levels because students are asked not to simply show that they can access the catalog and identify certain elements (copy status, number of copies owned, etc.), but are asked to reflect on what they learned and provide information themselves.
EASy lesson revision is a not as EASy as it sounds. It is a good nemonic, but does little to describe the effort that goes into modifying an existing face to face lesson. Moving a class online is not a trivial task, but one that takes a great deal of thought and preparation.
Library Catalog
The library catalog is a list of what is available at or through our school library. It’s an elaborate list, to be sure, as there are many ways to look at and organize the information. In other words, if we continue our analogy (from Module Two) of a call number as a books “address,” then the catalog is the phone book or yellow pages; the online equivalent would be 411.com. The importance of call numbers takes on deeper meaning as students learn to use the catalog -- they are separate, but essential steps in locating library materials independently.
As they learn to access the catalog, our students are introduced to the most basic search strategy. In other words, the easiest way to find library materials: keyword (terms or words that describe what you are looking for). A keyword search returns the broadest results, and hopefully at least one item that interests them. Then it’s a matter of learning to interpret the data listed among the search results -- circulation status (is the book IN or OUT?), location (ELC or PC library?), and call number (what is that books address? where is it in the library?)