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Overview & Objectives
Today, students expect internet use within their schools to match their use of technology outside of school. They expect their experience in school to be personally relevant and to reflect the “real world.”

Schools are striving to meet high achievement goals while integrating technology in the curriculum as they engage students in rich learning experiences.

The Library of Congress has been digitizing and sharing content online for several years. While these resources may not be neatly packaged and or come with identified teaching standards and articulated learning outcomes, they do provide scaffolding for teaching for meaning and engaging students in inquiry learning.

In this session, participants will:
1) examine the possibilities and benefits in a variety of learning environments that include:
a. One to one Internet access
b. One to many Internet access
c. Collaborative, small Internet group access
d. No classroom Internet access
2) learn strategies for using Library content with an eye on learning outcomes and teaching standards

Outline
I. (5 minutes) Multimedia presentation to engage audience interest, and provide an overview of the content on the Library of Congress Web sites

II. (10 minutes) Share observations about classroom connectivity curricular standards, and high stakes accountability in today’s classrooms. Discuss benefits of inquiry learning and teaching for deep meaning. Involve audience in discussing how realities can be wedded to desired outcomes.

III. (35 minutes) The heart of the presentation will involve demonstrating specific strategies that lead to desired learner outcomes in a variety of teaching environments

IV. (10 minutes) Wrap up and entertain audience questions and comments.

V-NECC-Virtually Extending NECC Over Time and Place
Don’t let our time together end with NECC … continue making connections with the Library!
Subscribe to the Learning Page newsletter.
Participate in monthly chats with Library staff and other educators.
Request professional development programs through chat or videoconference.
Participate in Learning Page collaborative projects and publish YOUR students’ work on the Library’s Web site.

Ubiquitous Internet Access
Ubiquitous access necessitates more than machines and networks. Teachers’ use of the Internet also depends upon strong leadership and on the realities of today’s curricular requirements driven by standards based teaching and by high stakes accountability.

This session will offer concrete strategies for using the Library's online resources – no matter what access may be available in a school setting.

Student Voices
Students expect to use the Internet in their learning. They want learning to be meaningful and to relate to their lives. They enjoy learning collaboratively and demonstrating their learning through the construction of products that can be shared with others.

Primary sources from the Library of Congress provide stimulus for inquiry learning that leads to further research and to deep understanding of humanities concepts. Being actively engaged in the historical process and making connections between the past and present are personally meaningful to Millennial learners, as is the sharing of local research with a national audience.

The Library's online resources and programs offer learning opportunities that are rich and meaningful and provide a real opportunity for Millennials to “Make History” with the Library!

Presenter Background & Qualifications
The presenters are uniquely qualified for this presentation. They are experienced educators and curriculum developers, and have shared their many projects on a national level for over a dozen years. They are currently involved in professional development offerings and Web content development through the educational outreach initiatives of the Office of Strategic Initiatives, The Library of Congress.

The presenters have given numerous national and state level conference presentations, face-to-face workshops, and distance learning workshops (including presentations and workshops for the NECC community). They were deeply involved in staff development initiatives in their respective schools and districts, before joining the staff of the Library of Congress. The presenters have taught at all levels of the educational spectrum, from elementary school to undergraduate and graduate level university courses.

Prerequisites
none

Referenced Web Links (URLs)
http://www.loc.gov/learn/educators/conference/NECC_2005