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This article informs school leaders and staffs about existing research findings on the use of data-driven decision-making in creating class rosters. Given that teachers are the most important school-based educational resource, decisions regarding the assignment of students to particular classes and teachers are highly impactful for student learning. Classroom compositions of peers can also influence student learning.

A literature review was conducted on the use of data-driven decision-making in the rostering process. The review addressed the merits of using various quantitative metrics in the rostering process.

Findings revealed that, despite often being purposeful about rostering, school leaders and staffs have generally not engaged in data-driven decision-making in creating class rosters. Using data-driven rostering may have benefits, such as limiting the questionable practice of assigning the least effective teachers in the school to the youngest or lowest performing students. School leaders and staffs may also work to minimize negative peer effects due to concentrating low-achieving, low-income, or disruptive students in any one class. Any data-driven system used in rostering, however, would need to be adequately complex to account for multiple influences on student learning. Based on the research reviewed, quantitative data alone may not be sufficient for effective rostering decisions.

Given the rich data available to school leaders and staffs, data-driven decision-making could inform rostering and contribute to more efficacious and equitable classroom assignments.

This article is the first to summarize relevant research across multiple bodies of literature on the opportunities for and challenges of using data-driven decision-making in creating class rosters.

The purpose of this study is to provide an initial assessment of an Audience Response System (clicker technology) for library instruction as experienced at Texas A&M University Libraries.

Clickers were tested in three different types of instructional sessions with unique class objectives and different student populations. The study provides an overview of the technology, followed by a report on some of the benefits and challenges the authors encountered in the classroom.

Clickers are fairly easy to use, and provide a fun way to quickly turn traditional classroom lectures into interactive learning experiences.

This paper provides concrete applications for how to access student knowledge and implement active learning techniques in the classroom.

This paper demonstrates an innovative way librarians can improve library instruction in order to meet information literacy standards and other educational challenges.

As useful as police data have been in furthering our knowledge of gangs and gang violence networks, not everything about gang networks can be learned from examining police data alone. There are numerous alternative sources of data that already exist on gang networks and some that can be developed further. This study aims to introduce existing research on social networks and gangs with a specific focus on prisons and schools.

This study reviews the existing empirical literature on gang networks in schools and prison settings and use the broader literature on social networks and crime to propose directions for future research, including specific suggestions on data collection opportunities that are considered to be low-cost; that is, strategies that simply make use of existing administrative records in both settings, instead of developing original data collection procedures.

The author found the existing literature on each of these settings to be quite limited, especially when the spotlight is put specifically on gang networks. These shortcomings can be addressed via low-cost opportunities for data collection in each of these settings, opportunities that simply require the network coding of existing administrative records as a foundation for gang network studies.

Investing in these low-cost network data collection activities have the potential for theoretical and empirical contributions on our understanding of gang networks, and may also bring value to practitioners working in school and prison settings as a guide for network-based planning or interventions.

In March 2020, we opened our classrooms to students, parents, and the world. Zoom and Google Meet became the new spaces to gather as regular check-ins with students and families became the norm. Educators served students through a two-way window where we previously only saw them in the school setting and now with the use of technology, could literally see into their homes. It is evident to many that inequities exist among the students and families that we serve, and our efforts to care them focused on social-emotional learning and supporting their well-being. While many see the challenges that the pandemic brought, there were also many opportunities that came about, including the use of core values which helped guide us through uncertainty. The need for human connection became a clear factor when we were not able to be together physically. Connecting with students and families on an authentic, deeper level, shifted how we think about school leadership and improving schools. The mindset transitioning to our ability to teach in schools and communities, not just in a physical classroom, became one of our guiding principles. Across the United States, school districts’ instructional directives varied greatly. In our district, leaders came together to create virtual lessons to be available for all students. Our focus was to support educational equity and to give students opportunities to engage with grade level curriculum at any time of day (or night).

This paper aims to examine the creation of a workshop series designed to help graduate students obtain the needed library research skills.

Using feedback from graduate students, a library user education series of workshops was developed and later revised. Significant effort was made to apply effective marketing strategies to enhance the programs' success.

Graduate students are eager for workshops that are focused on developing the needed library research skills.

When developing a workshop series, feedback from the intended audience enriches the program. Furthermore, repeated fine‐tuning of content and publicity improves the final product.

This paper describes an innovative approach to develop and implement a graduate‐focused library instruction workshop series. The creative use of marketing strategies to incorporate ongoing user feedback and advertise the availability of sessions can significantly enhance the efficacy of a workshop series.

The University of Wyoming Libraries has implemented an interactive Web tutorial focused on the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards. Since its inception, approximately 3,000 students have used TIP: tutorial for information power. At this point it is appropriate to pause and reflect on our experience. Have we met our original objectives? Was TIP worth the time, effort, and expense required to develop a Web tutorial? Has it had an impact on information literacy on our campus?

Purpose – To explicate how to design a digital internship that encourages both the teacher candidate and the K-12 student to participate in problem-based learning. Framed by the theories of academic motivation and new literacies, this chapter presents templates to demonstrate how a digital internship can be designed that results in the learning goals of both the students and the teacher candidates being met.

Design – Digital internships provide teacher candidates with the opportunity to teach K-12 students online, observe licensed teachers design and employ lessons, and analyze this pedagogical learning space, yet education preparation programs (EPPs) fail to harness this rich learning experience. This chapter makes a case for why EPPs benefit from participating in digital internships, how they can become involved, and results from this learning experience.

Findings – Findings from digital internship research studies indicate that despite frustrations, online mentoring opportunities give teacher candidates a chance to reflect on the work needed to create relationships necessary to instruct effectively. Through them, candidates can also develop dispositions of new literacies and bridge theory and practice in EPPs. Furthermore, digital internships may serve to empower teacher candidates and support them in being successful in teacher preparation coursework.

Practical Implications – Digital internships contribute to best practices in teaching digital literacies by providing examples of how EPPs can design curriculum that situates teacher candidates to observe pedagogy in online environments. These internships provide candidates the opportunity to mentor K-12 students in these spaces and provide teacher candidates time to process how they can best motivate students and give specific feedback to encourage learning. Furthermore, digital internships can include primary resources to enrich units of instruction across content areas and grade levels.

Presents a conversation between Grete Pasch and Quinn Stewart, co‐developers of the Web‐based version of “Information in Cyberspace” (LIS312g) at the University of Texas Graduate School of Library and Information Science. The developers recount their experience from the initial idea, to experimentation with technologies and selection of tools, to course development, converting the class to a Web‐based format, using streaming media for content delivery, e‐mail and discussion boards for student‐faculty interaction, and PERL‐based tools for course management. Emphasizes using a team approach, testing the materials, getting student feedback, and counting on effective technical support as critical success factors. Also emphasizes making the most of existing as well as unexpected opportunities (such as the reuse of tutorials for other courses). Above all, the authors see the creation of Web‐based courses as an opportunity for instructors to research and experience various technologies for content presentation, to stay in touch with student needs, and to look toward the future of digital materials.

The purpose of this study was to determine how leadership competencies are remembered and utilized following instruction in a structured collegiate leadership course. The population for this study consisted of experienced collegiate leaders who completed an introductory leadership theory course. The purposive sample included 74 students who completed the course during a semester within a three year period. For this study, a three-part instrument was used. The study focused on the comprehension and use of leadership competencies presented in the course. Comparisons were made between the different classes in regards to self-perceived leadership competency knowledge (retained comprehension) as well as self-perceived leader competency use. Results showed statistically significant differences were found among students and self-perceived knowledge of Task v. Relationship and Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid. Findings also showed that there was no statistically significant difference between self-perceived leadership competency use and the number of years post collegiate leadership course.