by Dr. Daniella Smith, Associate Professor in the Department of Information Science at the University of North Texas
There are countless
jobs available in STEM fields that are vacant because there are not enough qualified
individuals to fill them. In response, the American Library Association (ALA)
began investigating ways that libraries can assist with computer science programs
to reduce obstacles to employment in computer science. The result is Libraries
Ready to Code (RtC), an initiative implemented by the ALA with the support of Google.
So far, RtC
has been administered in three phases. Phase one involved research to
understand how libraries can carry out activities. Phase two focused on
collaborating with library and information science faculty to determine how
skills can be taught to pre-service librarians. In Phase three, thirty
libraries in the United States were given grants to create RtC programs.
There are pathways
of engagement listed on the website that are designed to help librarians establish
solutions based on the approach that they would like to take with programming. Pathways
share skills relevant to skill building, implementation, and advocacy. For instance,
you might decide to engage with families or learn how to connect with your
students’ interests and empower them. In addition, you could opt to focus on
being able to demonstrate the outcomes of a program. Evaluation is vital at a
time when school librarians need to be able to communicate how we connect our
services to academic achievement. You can browse all the resources if none of
the pathways appeal to you or if you already have a firm grasp on developing coding
programs.
Creating an
active program goes beyond attendance. One of the ways to understand the
relationship between RtC and academic achievement is to examine the AASL
Standards Crosswalk with the CS
First curriculum. The CS First curriculum was created by Google to help
advocates to teach computer science skills. While RtC does not focus exclusively
on the CS First curriculum, the curriculum is included in the resources shared
on the website. School librarians can recognize the association between coding
and the standards by looking at some of the examples for the CS First
crosswalk.
In addition,
to using the crosswalk to locate examples of the standards, there is a “Computational
Thinking in Libraries” white paper (Subramaniam et al., 2019). The white paper
shares the meaning of computational thinking (i.e., breaking down complex problems
into smaller parts, recognizing patterns, filtering out information that is
relevant to solving problems, creating step-by-step instructions for solutions,
and evaluating solutions). Furthermore, it provides snapshots of computational
thinking (CT) in libraries in the United States. The examples include the expertise
level of the librarians that facilitated the programs. The examples show that
incorporating CT and CS in libraries is feasible and meaningful.
Another
great item that is available is the Libraries
Ready to Code Infographic (ALA, 2019b). It is incorporated in the white
paper and the website and is a great way to share the link between libraries and
coding. The infographic condenses facts about what RtC is, why it is important,
and its potential impact on society. It can be discussed with the Computational
Thinking in Libraries white paper to serve as an advocacy piece for
supporting the development and funding of a new program.
In
conclusion, please don’t shy away from trying coding and addressing CT in your
library. The American Association of School Librarian’s blog has four posts
that discuss RtC and CT in school libraries if you need more suggestions.
- Computational Thinking in Your School Library
- On a Mission: Students with Exceptional Abilities Coding Music
- The Mifflin’s Feather Friends Program: A Libraries Ready to Code Project
- The Ready to Code (RtC) Collection
Likewise, there
are many unplugged activities (i.e., activities without computers) shared in
the resources. They are beneficial if you don’t have a lot of money to get
started. Step-by-step lesson plans featured on the website can help you to get
started. Starting small while you collect, and report data will help you build
a strong foundation for new activities and a case for funding the project that
you envision.
References
American
Library Association. (2019a). Libraries ready to code. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/tools/readytocode/home
American
Library Association. (2019b). Libraries ready to code. [Infographic]. Retrieved
from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/pdfs/draft%20v6%20-%20LRTC_infographic%20%282%29.pdf
Subramaniam,
M., Kodama, C., Baylen, D. M., Burton, M., Fabicon, J. K., Hincks, K., Moniz,
R., Smith, D., & Visser, M. (2019). Computational thinking in libraries:
Case studies of youth programs in action. Washington, D.C.: The American
Library Association’s Office for Information Technology Policy. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/tools/RtC%20Case%20Studies_FINALedited.pdf
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