Posted by Communications Staff on 4/18/2022 5:00:00 AM
Walk into any SPS elementary school library and you’ll notice the traditional array of books for all grades. But you might also see kids using technology to inspire learning for the 21st century.
At Woodridge, for example, fourth graders are using computer-aided design (CAD) software to design boats. Regal students are creating stop-motion animation videos using Legos, while first graders at Grant are creating electrical currents using Squishy Circuits (pictured above).
That’s life in the modern-day library, and Jeremy Klingback at Woodridge Elementary is taking advantage. Klingback, the school’s library information specialist, lights up when talking about the cool things happening in his domain.
“It’s the everything place. When I think of libraries and when I first came here, I kind of had that traditional model where it was books, it was reading, checking out a book and go home,” Klingback said. “I think that served a purpose for a while, but things have changed. Technology is a more important part of our lives and a bigger part of our lives. Having a space where you have access to those resources and those materials and training is just another part of what a library should be.” 
Klingback understands that kids nowadays know how to use various forms of technology at greater ease than many of their parents and grandparents. It’s a sign that introducing technology like video editing and CAD can be effective in creating 21st century learners.
“People talk about learning a second language. I tried to do it when I was older and it was really hard,” Klingback said. “These kids are doing it while they’re young and their brains are very malleable and like sponges, they can just absorb the new language and it’s easy for them. Technology is kind of the same thing, it’s a new language. When they’re young and exposed to these things responsibly, they suck it right in. It’s amazing.”
Klingback said he started the year planning to just teach tech to sixth graders. But once he realized the students were mastering it so quickly, he decided to introduce the technology to fifth graders. Then, the same thing happened, so he introduced it to fourth graders, with some students going home and creating things on their own. He’ll soon begin teaching the basics of CAD to third graders, who are already learning video editing skills.
Klingback mirrors the work in his library to what the students are learning in their classroom.
When sixth graders were learning about ancient Greek history in their classroom. Klingback had them research ancient Greek art and artifacts. Then they used CAD software to design their own ancient Greek architecture.
Another class was completing a science unit on climate. In the library, they researched different regions of the world and created video presentations using a green screen.
“Instead of holding up a piece of paper and reading an essay, they were able to create this awesome video that gathers people’s attention, and they can get across everything they want in such a unique way,” Klingback said. “These are the things they’ll need to know later on. A lot of them might get into jobs like this, so the fact that we can expose this to them at a young age, like a new language, is just going to help them as they get older.”
Fourth graders were learning about the Lewis & Clark journey, so they researched different modes of transportation from that era and designed wooden boats using CAD software.
The library will always be a place for reading, literacy and discovery, but Klingback and his colleagues are transforming library time to meet the needs of a 21st century workforce.
“They can come in and read books, they can do their research, and they can also come here and have a whole new world opened up,” Klingback said. “When I say it should be the everything place, it’s where they can take their learning in the classroom and bring it here and go deeper.”
