edWeb is so excited to congratulate Michelle Luhtala, department chair at New Canaan High School Library in Connecticut, for being selected as a 2017 AASL Social Media Superstars winner! AASL’s Social Media Superstars program honors school library professionals who enrich the profession and its work on behalf of students by sharing information, expertise, ideas, encouragement, dialog and inspiration using a variety of social media channels.
Michelle Luhtala, has been selected by Library Journal as one of the 2015 Movers and Shakers, the people shaping the future of libraries.
In July 2010, Michelle Luhtala, Department Chair of the New Canaan High School Library, presented her 1st webinar on edWeb. In November 2019, she presented her 100th! Over the course of 10 years, edWeb has presented over 2,200 “edWebinars” that have had nearly 2 million views. The edWeb community has grown to more than 700,000… read more →
In a recent edWebinar, Michelle Luhtala, Library Department Chair, and Donna Burns, Technology Integrator, both from New Canaan High School in Connecticut, showcased the transformation of the NCHS library from a collection of used reference and biography books into a living, breathing makerspace. Using mostly recyclable materials, equipment and furniture, these educators are providing learning opportunities for students and teachers that have changed the school climate and culture. “Making learning more real for students allows them to learn better in a much more energized school,” said Luhtala.
Apps bring technology, functionality, and creativity into your school library program. Since apps are a part of our everyday lives, especially those of students, they have the power to totally change the way students and teachers think about learning. In “Virtual Library Program Development,” Michelle Luhtala, Library Department Chair, New Canaan High School, CT, reviewed an A to Z list of 50 apps to virtualize your school library program.
With personalization becoming a growing initiative in schools, the library is a valuable asset for personalizing instruction around student needs. Michelle Luhtala, Library Department Chair, New Canaan High School, CT, with guest Jackie Whiting, Librarian at New Canaan High School, CT, presented in the webinar, “Personalizing Instruction Through the Library,” hosted by edWeb.net and sponsored by Mackin Educational Resources. Michelle and Jackie discussed how the library can personalize instruction through assessing, reading, learning, and making.
The best way for me to learn how to do something is to make a webinar about it.
Regardless of one’s political views, there seems to be consensus on one political reality: America is dangerously polarized. According to Michelle Luhtala, Library Department Chair at New Canaan High School in Connecticut, in an edWebinar sponsored by Mackin Educational Resources, “The future of democracy presents a case for the critical need for school librarians in every school.” They are valuable for students to ensure equitable access to quality inquiry instructional experiences for all learners, not just for the future of education but also for the future of democracy.
Students today are increasingly turning to online new sources to meet their research needs. Because of this, it is important for educators to teach students about trustworthy news sources. In “Media Literacy: A Crash Course in 60 Minutes,” hosted by edWeb.net and sponsored by Mackin Educational Resources, Michelle Luhtala, Library Department Chair at New Canaan High School, CT, interviewed Greg Toppo, the National Education and Demographics Reporter for USA Today, on today’s shifting trends in journalism and how teachers can help students identify reliable sources.
Librarians are at the forefront of helping schools become “future ready.” The Alliance for Excellent Education (the Alliance) launched its Future Ready Schools (FRS) initiative in October 2014 with the aim of leveraging technology and connectivity to personalize and transform learning. In June 2016, the Alliance, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, expanded FRS to position school librarians as leaders in this effort.