Overview
Based on extensive research, this practical guide offers library media specialists and teachers solutions and practical applications of educational technology within subject disciplines to help improve the achievement of at-risk students. Working in partnership, library media specialists and teachers at all levels of the educational system will find lesson plans, successful case studies, and project ideas for replication in language arts, science, and social studies. Mendrinos, an expert in educational technology, provides the results of her research into trends in integrating technology and information literacy into the curriculum and the effects of these cutting-edge efforts on the achievement of at-risk students. She then offers practical applications of successful teaching units for use with at-risk students. Exceptional educational technology programs show how to weave multimedia software, CD-ROM technology, videodiscs, and Internet resources into the curriculum to enhance learning and increase student productivity. Five high school and middle school library media specialists provide detailed educational technology programs for replication that have been successful with at-risk students.
Mendrinos addresses current education issues while looking forward to the issues that will dominate the early part of the 21st century. She examines anachronistic schools, the resistance to classroom integration of educational technology, disparities in instruction, equity, and access, and the need for teacher training in integrating educational technology into the curriculum. She then challenges the library media specialist to acknowledge, reflect, and act on the research andcreate teacher partnerships to integrate educational technology in an inquiry-based learning environment that will motivate at-risk students. Extensive lists of Internet addresses and other technology resources and a helpful bibliography of further reading complete the work. This cutting-edge guide provides extensive information, research findings, and practical aplications that will help the library media specialist and teacher to turn at-risk students into successful students through technology.