Most all of the classes in the media/technology program provide opportunities for us to consider diversity as it relates to the media center. In MEDT 6401 we learned about many different assistive technologies that are available to help students with special needs access information. When designing the floor plan for a media center in MEDT 6461, we were reminded to consider the needs of our patrons in placement of furniture and spacing of shelves to accommodate wheelchairs. In MEDT 6465 we read and reviewed books from many different countries and cultures and encouraged to include diversity as we developed out media collection. We also discussed the media patrons’ right to intellectual freedom and the importance of not allowing our beliefs, biases, or opinions to influence the materials we purchased for the media collection. In PTED 7271 and CEPD 6101 we explored at great length the topic of diversity and meeting the needs of all children. In MEDT 6466 we planned media programs that meet the needs of all school populations or groups. Diversity and the media program are definitely linked.
When considering Technology, Diversity, and the Media Program there are two main areas to consider - the stakeholders and the media collection. Many schools consider the media center to be the hub of the school because it is used by all stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and different ability levels and provides information resources in many formats. For this reason, the media center needs to be prepared to meet the needs of all its stakeholders. The public school populations are diverse so the media specialist must be diligent in making sure that the many cultures and religions of the school and both sides of social issues are represented in the media collection. Technology must also be available to help special education students access the information they need.
Our media specialist does a good job of meeting the diverse needs of the media center’s patrons. Last year we had a situation similar to Ashley’s experience with her school’s TV news show. Our media specialist recognized one of our special education student’s strong interest in the daily weather. With great enthusiasm, he always told us when it was going to rain or snow so she invited him to be a guest meteorologist on our morning news. This opportunity was such a morale boost for him. We also have an Early Reader collection in the media center for our special education students who are reading on an elementary level.
The school media center has many opportunities to address the diverse needs of the school population through its programs, the books on the shelves, technologies used, and varied formats in which its rich information resources are provided.
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