Students interacting with media learn about themselves, their world, and others. Whether the media is print, multimedia or web-based subscription online databases, the Iowa AEA Media Centers are providing quality resources!
Based on research, Accelerating Adolescent Literacy: A Report from Iowa’s Adolescent Literacy Research and Development Team: Executive Summary, 2008 IA Dept. of Education, access to print matters. See the summary on page 8 of this document including this research sound bite – “Adolescents’ and young adults’ engagement in reading, including the amount of time they spend on reading, and the diversity of materials they read, is closely associated with performance and reading ability (Kirsch et al., 2002).” (http://corework.aea267.k12.ia.us/files/31/Adol-Lit-Report-Summary_web.pdf)
From the 2000 study, Make the Connection: Quality School Library Media Programs Impact Academic Achievement in Iowa, AEA Media programs support the development of the individual teacher librarian and school media program, additionally subscribing to 9 online databases for teachers and students in Iowa. Access to high quality online resources was included in the recommendations of this study. (http://www.iowaaeaonline.org/vnews/display.v/ART/492b02e0d63b8)
The cost savings are huge!
Retail cost per student by building: $27.69
Iowa AEA Online cost per student: $3.06
Savings per student: $24.63
Here’s another way to look at these numbers:
This statewide contract provides a savings for schools of $12,365,022!
AEA Media Centers provide materials because it matters. Textbooks are not enough – due to their own costs, inaccuracies, difficult text, and lack of depth. Students need opportunities to develop knowledge, practice critical thinking, innovate and create – all of which are enriched by quality media resources.
Today, elementary students are posting their thoughts on Iowa Children’s Choice books through web2.0 sites such as WallWisher. See this live at http://mediaservices.solon.k12.ia.us/SCSDMediaServices/Site/ICCA_1011.html
(AEA 10, Solon District – Kathy Kaldenberg)
Students can also download video clips from Iowa AEA Online databases and edit for their projects, creating their own mashups. Tomorrow, they will be adding eBooks to their media carts.
Teachers in Iowa have a unique opportunity to enrich their classroom with Media and they do!
Whether delivered to the building or accessed online through the AEA Media catalog
or Iowa AEA Online Database site, the statistics are clear.
Summary result from AEA 267, October 2010 Survey
- Of the 814 responses received – 81.15 percent indicated that the use of media materials either Extensively or Moderately impacted their instruction and/or student achievement/performance.
Summary result from Great Prairie AEA, January 3, 2011
- 52,717 trade/library books were shipped to schools in the past four months. Digital video usage continues to grow. 7480 digital video titles accessed compared with 7580 video titles.
Media materials are central to instruction and teachers continue to find ways to connect with their students. Below are a few examples of how teachers in Iowa are using media resources. Whether they are working with individual students or a classroom, they expect and receive quality options with AEA Media.
Article written by Kristin Steingreaber, GPAEA Media Specialist
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Quotes from Educators in Iowa
“I LOVE the opportunity to request certain/specific titles/genre. The ordering of the variety of graphic novels for my student has been a blessing. He even read ones I ordered that he didn’t think he would be interested in. Other students saw the stack of books and some chose to check out the graphic novels for themselves. The media services are AWESOME!
I truly can’t thank you enough for helping me out with all those graphic novels. I hope other teachers utilize the services and their students benefit from it like mine have.” – Albia Teacher
“I am really glad you came for the in-service. As you were going through and showing us various things I noted the Spanish language materials. This gave me an idea to try with my ESL student. Page by page, first I read the Spanish part and have to struggle through determining the meaning, so that he sees me actually using reading strategies the same way he needs to. Then he reads the English part and we see how close we got to the meaning. It has been fun for him and good for him to see the teacher struggling the same way he is.” – Fort Madison Teacher
“Thank YOU guys so very much!!!!
Appreciate how quick and easy that was…” – New London Teacher
“Thanks for the latest update, I LOVE using AEA’s resources in my art room! – Centerville Teacher
“Thank you so much for the time you spent explaining how I could get to the Reading Teacher issue I needed by using EBSCO. I was able to find and print off exactly what I needed. I really appreciate your help!” – Eddyville-Blakesburg Teacher
“I have these DVDs and I love them! Good choice!”– Davis County Teacher
(After hearing AEA Media had added these as digital video option)
AEAs Impacting Lives 
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Our AEA’s support the mission of educating all children, especially those most in need. All districts, large or small, benefit from the services available from professionally trained staff. We all need to reduce unnecessary expense and seek ways to maximize our tax dollars. But AEA’s provide great value and service not otherwise available to many school districts.