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ProQuest: New Platform @ 2010
Recently, we announced that we will be launching our all-new platform (details and video) in 2010—removing the virtual walls between platforms. Soon, users at every level will instantly find specific information as well as discover more across a full spectrum of subject areas, content types, and formats—including millions of key journals, periodicals, newspapers, dissertations, reports, books, and more from unmatched online collections.
We'd like to give you a glimpse of the range of content users will be able to cross search with our new platform. We searched across a sampling of available resources to obtain content that provides insight on renewable energy and stimulus funding resulting from the economic downturn. See what we found!
Soon, users will be able to search across content like this and more with all-new ProQuest platform. And we're grateful to information professionals, like you, who have paved the way on the path to discovery with your input along the way.
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A cross search example on our new platform
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Powering 21st Century Literacy & Skills
Reform Details @ ProQuest
Major reforms in education focus on integrating 21st Century literacy and skills into the K-12 curriculum. There are major initiatives that have been launched by several influential groups: The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the Federal government (through NCLB or its successor), and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).
These groups in particular have offered government funding and new standards that focus on technology integration and professional development to make major educational reform possible:
- International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
ISTE recognizes that all partners in the K-12 education process must have a common focus and goals if technology integration is to be successful in playing a part in 21st Century teaching and learning.
To facilitate the implementation of these skills into the curriculum, ISTE has created new standards for both students (PQ Connections) and teachers (PQ Connections).
ISTE is currently developing standards for administrators to complete the circle of support. ProQuest solutions provides both the student and teacher content and tools to support all ISTE standards.
- Partnership for 21st Century Skills
Governors of eleven states have currently signed onto this education initiative. These states believe that students need both the technology skills and 21 Century literacies for the curriculum to prepare students for success as citizens and as preparation for higher education.
These literacies include: global awareness, financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy, civic literacy, and health and wellness awareness. The members of the partnership are committed to the integration of the following skills: critical thinking and problem solving skills; communication skills; creativity and innovation skills; collaboration skills; information and media literacy skills; and contextual learning skills. The partnership has already developed skills curriculum integration maps for science and for geography. This helps teachers integrate these new skills because each curriculum map provides specific examples of activities designed to combine content with skills.
- American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
Information and media literacy are the driving force of the new AASL 21st Century standards for students.
Students and all Americans are being drowned in a glut of online data. The problem of this 'age of information' is that much of this open web 'content' is false, exaggerated, or facts are spun out of context to create meanings that are opposite to their original intent. AASL believes that critical thinking skills developed through inquiry-based learning activities are a foundation for the success of students in life as well as careers and higher education.
The present "debate" over health care reform (lessons) is a great example of the need for every citizen to be able to separate fact from fiction or unproven conclusions. AASL believes that our future leaders and voters must be better critical thinkers in order for our country to continue to move forward for all citizens. AASL information literacy standards (PQ Connections) can play a significant force in creating a brighter future for us all.
- "Race to the Top" & Stimulus Funding
The Education Stimulus is providing both State Fiscal Stabilization Funding (SFS) to all States to prevent the erosion of our existing education system caused by the recession, and specific support for disadvantaged schools with additional Title I and EETT funds aimed at implementing educational reform.
But, perhaps the most important funding has yet to occur—"Race to the Top." This new pot of more than $4B will be distributed competitively to states who meet the demanding criteria that Secretary Duncan has created for this unique federal program. States that are committed to technology integration, 21st Century skills, and intensive ongoing professional development will share in the "Race to the Top." Applications are due in October 2009. Award winners will be announced in December.
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ProQuest Education Journals Focus
Teacher Learning Activity
Teachers will want to and be expected to know more about how technology integration can help them to create new strategies for instruction as well as strategies for independent learning. The 21st Century literacy and skills reforms are not just a passing fad that will ultimately disappear and result in a return to traditional "factory model" education—lecture-discussion pedagogy with multiple-choice assessment of rote learning.
Listed below are some teacher challenge questions that would be appropriate for a professional development offering in most schools. PD coordinators are encouraged to create a strategy for reporting and sharing what is being learned. Each question challenges teacher to think critically, ensuring that there is active and real learning occurring (PD coordinators can add to or substitute others):
- Why is it important for both teachers and students to develop 21st Century literacies and skills?
- How do ISTE standards provide support for educational reform?
- What responsibility do administrators have in implementing 21 Century literacy and skills?
- What are some specific examples of ways that you are using to integrate 21st Century literacies and skills?
- Does the federal government play a crucial role in educational reform—why or why not?
Pathfinder: Select "Education—Education Periodicals" in the Database box > Type 21st Century literacy and skills in the Search box.
Looking for professional development content to add to your ProQuest subscription? Try ProQuest Professional Education and Education Journals.
The new ProQuest K-12 catalog is available...
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Free Online Training Opportunities
Our ProQuest product trainers are standing by to help you get the most out of your subscription. Tap into this month's free training schedules (by class or date) then register for a course. (Get dates via email: sign up here.)
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Enroll & Save: Vendor of Choice Program
At ProQuest, we know that many of our customers are facing budget cuts (ProQuest CEO message). With each passing month, it's becoming more difficult to afford all of the online research resources you would like to provide to your students.
In response, we've put a program in place to help you during these hard times. ProQuest's new Vendor of Choice program has already helped schools just like yours save thousands of dollars. Find out more and enroll today.
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Grants for Libraries @ Grant Wrangler
Learn how to publish this feed on your site!
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What's New? Back to School Videos
Live from San Francisco
Welcome back! Click a product icon above to find out what's new in each ProQuest resource (including ProQuest Platform solutions) this year. (Don't miss the full set of in-depth, free email newsletters.)
Top 3 Websites
Each month, we scour the Internet for top-quality websites for schools and students. Dive into this month's selections: Right to Die, Swine Flu, Pesticides (All)
ProQuest Training Video
Self-paced series, waiting for you...
Go in-depth into our ProQuest family with our full training video: Start here. You'll find a new, easy menu which allows you to access the features you want to learn more about in a single click. (Approx. 30 min.)
ProQuest Training Video
Save Research Time
Our ProQuest interface saves students time. This short segment provides details on how students can tap into the information they need, quickly and easily. Includes details on mining our backfiles to get a historical perspectives on today's most pressing issues.
ProQuest Training Video
Searching Basics
Conducting a search inside ProQuest is easy. Take advantage of our simple interface icons and pull-down menus to narrow your search by result type, then enter your search terms. The Suggested Topics feature anticipates your needs, saves time, and instantly shows connections to related, relevant content.
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