Running Head: DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 1

Inservice: Incorporating Digital Literacy into Youth Programming and Services

Mariah Kennedy-English

Kent State University

LIS 60630

Fall 2018
 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 2

Rationale

As screens and digital media continue to pervade every aspect of American life,

the Association for Library Services to Children recently recommended that every library

have a staff member who is dedicated and trained to be a “media mentor” (ALSC,

American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media, 2016). This

mentor, preferably a Children’s Librarian, can help children, families, and educators

navigate the new digital media that is being released almost daily and knows the ongoing

research in this field in order to make informed suggestions and recommendations.

Though there isn’t a vast amount of research (yet) on the impact of digital media

on the developing brain, screens and digital media are being consumed at a larger rate

and by younger children each and every day. Since 2013, the amount of time spent

staring at a mobile screen by children ages 0 – 8 has tripled; from 15 minutes to 48

minutes per day (Common Sense Media, 2017). On average, children in that tender age

of 0 – 8 years old spend approximately 2 hours and 19 minutes ingesting digital media

(Common Sense Media, 2017).

It is our job as librarians to help children, parents and educators learn how to

navigate this new world of digital literacy, and to help them find the information they

need – just as we would with books or databases. Modeling how educational digital

media can be used interactively by child and caregiver, and how to find safe and

appropriate digital resources is the new frontier of youth services and librarianship.
 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 3

Conference Proposal

Ohio Library Council Conference Proposal (for Public Libraries)

Primary Speaker Information:

Name: Mariah Kennedy-English

Institution: Kent State University - SLIS

Business Address: N/A

Work Phone: N/A

Fax #: N/A

Email Address: mkenne28@kent.edu

Home Address: 3028 Ramona Avenue, Cincinnati OH 45211

Home Phone: 513-257-6881

Topic Area

Integrating new digital media into youth services and resources, including

programming, collection development/technology, and library services in a healthy and

educational manner.

Intended Audience

Youth Services Librarians and support staff who work with children on a frequent

basis, and anyone else who is interested in integrating digital resources into services and

programming for young children in a library setting.

Audio Visual/ Room Setup

The room will be set up in a rectangular U shape, with tables and chairs facing

inwards. There will be a screen with a projector and laptop setup, which will be projected
 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 4

onto the blank wall so everyone can easily see the screen. Additionally, I will utilize a

remote laptop/PowerPoint advancer so that I don’t have to move back and forth in front

of the screen. Lastly, I will borrow 15 iPads from the SLIS, which will be used for the

interactive portion of the in-service by the attendees. These iPads will be fully charged

and updated so that they are ready for use in groups of 2-3.

Program Information

 Program Title:

“How to incorporate Digital Literacy into your Programming and Services”

 Program Description:

Are you interested in taking your Storytimes and weekly programming to the next

level? Learn how to easily integrate digital media components into your already existing

services and programs to make them even more interactive and educational. Explore

different apps and online tools through a loosely guided session that will help you see

screens in a whole new light! Are you ready to become a media mentor?
 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 5

Program Details

This in-service program will take place in a meeting room at Kent State

University. This meeting room seats 50 people and has plenty of tables, chairs, and space

for a group of this size. It also has an overhead projector, projection screen, and plenty of

outlets for charging laptops and iPads.

Program Outline

Introduction (5 mins)

 Welcome and Introductions

 Goals and objectives of this in-service

o Learn about the research that’s been done on digital media and young

children

o Understand positive media behaviors and how to incorporate into library

services

o Find and evaluate new media for use within your own library

Background Information (10 mins)

 Screen time recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics

 Utilizing new media supports;

o Every Child Ready to Read

1. Talk

2. Sing
 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 6

3. Play

4. Read

5. Write

o Early Digital Literacy & the Digital Divide

o Healthy media consumption

o Lifelong learning

Topic Areas (15 mins)

 Programming

o Using apps during Storytime

o STEM programs

o Family Tech Night

o Host an informational session for parents/educators on healthy and

educational media consumption

 Collection Development & Technology

o Purchasing apps (& tablets) for your library

o DIG Checklist by Kidmap

 Library Service

o Creating a safe/educational App List for your library patrons

o Write and practice your “elevator pitch” for casual discussion with patrons

about healthy media consumption

App Evaluation & Discussion (20 mins)

 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 7

 Have attendees form groups of 2-3 people/iPad

 Pass out printed DIG checklist – 1/group (Kidmap, n.d.)

 Groups will explore apps pre-downloaded onto the iPads (10 mins)

o List of apps can be found below, before Evaluation.

 Large-group discussion (10 mins) about the value of the apps that were explored,

which were group favorites/least favorites, etc.

Conclusion (10 mins)

 Recap: why digital literacy and media mentorship is important

o Children are consuming new media from screens (particularly mobile

screens) more and more (Common Sense Media, 2017)

o As information professionals, it is our job to meet patrons where they are

and that now includes mobile devices (ALSC, 2015).

o Be a media mentor in your library by modeling safe and educational apps,

healthy mobile media consumption, and providing more information to

those who want it

 Thank you for coming

 Pass out in-service evaluations (which can be found below)

o Paper evaluations and pencils – ask to put in basket near door as exiting

Total time of in-service: 1 hour

 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 8

Favorite Resource:

As with most library-related topics, the Association of Library Services for

Children (a division of the American Library Association) has great resources on digital

media and mobile media consumption by young children. Their most current publication

on “Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth” is full of well-researched tips and

resources, along with an extensive list of references for further investigation. I came

across this article in another class a few semesters back and had been wanting to explore

this supremely relevant topic even further, which is how I came to create and design this

in-service.
 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 9

Apps that would be pre-downloaded* to iPads for in-service evaluation and assessment:

Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame by Sesame Street (free)

Busy Water by Edoki Academy ($)

Byron Barton Trucks by Oceanhouse Media ($)

Chomp by Fox and Sheep ($)

Don’t Let the Pigeon Run this App! by Disney ($)

Endless Alphabet by Originator, Inc. ($)

Faces iMake by iMagine Machine Israel ($)

Fiete Match by Ahoiii ($)

Four Little Corners by DADA Company ($)

Free Animal Sounds by PXL Apps (free)

Inventioneers by Filimundus AB (free, IAP)

MarcoPolo Weather by MarcoPolo Learning, Inc (free)

The Monster at the End of this Book by Sesame Street ($)

Moo, Ba, La La La by Loud Crow Interactive ($)

Red in Bed by Pop Pop Pop LLC ($)

Sago Mini Doodlecast by Sago Mini ($)

Sago Mini Sound Box by Sago Mini ($)

Sock Puppets by Smith Micro Software (free, IAP)

Toca Store by Toca Boca ($)

Touch and Learn–Emotions by Innovative Mobile ($)

(*$ = paid app, IAP = In App Purchases)

 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 10

Evaluation

Evaluation for Digital Literacy and Media Mentorship In-service

1. My position here at the library is;

a. Children’s/Teen Librarian

b. Support/Desk Staff for Youth Services Department

c. Other

2. This in-service was useful to me in my job and professional duties here at the library.

a. Yes, very useful

b. Slightly useful

c. Not at all useful

3. This in-service provided me with new information.

a. Yes

b. No

4. I learned about research that’s been done on digital media and its effects on young

children.

a. Yes, definitely

b. Only slightly

c. Not at all
 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 11

5. I now understand positive media behaviors and how to incorporate them into library

services.

a. Yes, definitely

b. Only slightly

c. Not at all

6. I now feel confident that I can find and evaluate new media for use within my library.

a. Yes, definitely

b. Only slightly

c. Not at all

7. Any further comments? Please write them below, and thank you for your feedback!
 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 12

References

Association of Library Services to Children. (2015, March 11). Media Mentorship in

Libraries Serving Youth. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from

http://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/2015 ALSC White

Paper_FINAL.pdf

American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media. (2016). Media

and Young Minds. Pediatrics, 138(5). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-2591

Common Sense Media. (2017). The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Age

Zero to Eight – A Common Sense Research Study. Retrieved October 25, 2018,

from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/0-

8_executivesummary_release_final_1.pdf

Digital Literacy Support in Libraries: More than Just Your Computer Classes. (n.d.).

Retrieved October 23, 2018, from http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2018/05/digital-

literacy-support-in-libraries-more-than-just-your-computer-classes/

Haines, C. (2015). Evaluating Apps and New Media for Young Children: A Rubric.

Retrieved October 25, 2018, from

https://nevershushed.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/evaluatingappsandnewmediafo

ryoungchildrenarubric1.pdf

Kamenetz, A. (2018, January 03). 5 Things To Know About Screen Time Right Now.

Retrieved October 24, 2018, from

https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/01/03/572875689/five-things-to-know-

about-screen-time-right-now
 DIGITAL LITERACY INSERVICE 13

Kidmap. (n.d.). Diverse and Inclusive Growth (DIG) Checklist. Retrieved October 26,

2018, from https://www.joinkidmap.org/digchecklist/

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Technology and

Young Children: Infants and Toddlers. Retrieved October 25, 2018, from

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/technology-and-media/infants-and-

toddlers

Takeuchi, L., & Stevens, R. (2011). The New Coviewing: Designing for learning through

joint media engagement. Retrieved October 25, 2018, from

http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/wp-

content/uploads/2011/12/jgc_coviewing_desktop.pdf