Teacher Lab

21st Century Library and Research Skills

The Teacher Lab is an information literacy and research skills course for K-12 educators (teachers and school librarians). The course is designed to help educators feel more confident finding a variety of texts and media for their classrooms.

The course includes an orientation to the resources of the modern public library, visiting a special collection in an archive, and a review of information literacy skills essential for navigating open internet tools like Google and Wikipedia. You'll learn how to apply core research skills across all disciplines, handle primary sources, and how to evaluate and cite resources ranging from scholarly articles to tweets. The final assignment challenges you to build a multimedia resource list on any teaching topic you choose.

We launched this course to help educators feel more confident navigating the world of information to build richer, more engaging learning opportunities for students. Trust us. We're information experts. We're the Brooklyn Public Library. And we're here to help.

Brooklyn Public Library is an approved Sponsor of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) in New York State. Course attendees are eligible to earn 12 hours toward the NYS Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) 100 hours requirement.



Your Instructor


Amy Mikel
Amy Mikel

Amy Mikel is the Director of Customer Experience at Brooklyn Public Library. Her responsibilities include conceptualizing and implementing exceptional customer experience strategies -- especially those pertaining to reference, circulation and collections -- across the Library's 60 branch locations.

Previously, Amy served as the Coordinator for School Outreach. She worked closely with school communities in Brooklyn and throughout NYC, teaching students, teachers, parents and school administrators about the benefits of the library.


Course Curriculum


  Module 1: Intro to the Teacher Lab
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  Module 2: Introduction to the Public Library
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  Module 3: Using the Public Library Catalog
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  Module 4: Introduction to an Archive
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  Module 5: The Hidden Web - Databases
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  Module 6: Introduction to a Digital Archive
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  Module 7: The Open Web - Google & Wikipedia
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  Module 8: Determining Text Complexity
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  Module 9: Introduction to Research
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  Module 10: Evaluating Resources
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  Module 11: Selecting Texts for Instructional Purposes
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  Module 12: Final Thoughts & Instructions
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  Open Discussion
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Frequently Asked Questions


How long is the course?
The course will take approximately 12 hours to complete. Course content is a mixture of video lectures and independent work.
When does the course start and finish?
This is a self-paced online course with no end date. P-credit enrollees must complete the course by the close of the ASPDP semester.
How long do I have access to the course?
After enrolling, you have unlimited access to all course modules for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
How will the course be graded?
Course grades and feedback will be issued on request; otherwise, you may complete the coursework independently without a final grade. If you choose to complete and submit the final assignment, you may request feedback from the instructor. Course attendees looking to earn Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) or "P" credit must complete all modules and final assignment to the satisfaction of the instructor.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
Feel free to leave the instructor feedback as you complete course modules. We believe this is a useful course for educators ... with your help, we can make sure accomplish that goal.
Can I receive professional development credit for the course?
New York State educators who would like to receive 12 Continuing Teacher and Leader (CTLE) credits for the course must complete all modules and final assignment to the satisfaction of the instructor. New York City Public School educators who wish to receive 1 "P"Credit for the course must enroll in the course on the ASPDP Course catalog, and earn a passing grade for the course by the end of the semester. If you teach outside of New York State, contact the course instructor to determine if your coursework can be applied to professional development licensing requirements in your state.

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