Julie Walker, Executive Director, American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and Board member, Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21).
Visiting the “Scandinavian countries,” one would expect to find many commonalities. Actually, I was struck more by their differences than by their similarities. Given this, the similarities tend to stand out. The relationship between teacher and pupil is very strong and is based on mutual respect and a clear understanding of roles.
The expectation that students will engage in deep learning --- analysis, critical thinking and reflection --- also crosses the borders. That the society’s values are transmitted through the school is unquestioned. As a librarian, I was struck by two of the profession’s values that are deeply in embedded in all three countries. Equity of access, achieved by the welfare state, is not questioned. (Taxes, yes, but the fundamental state of equity, no.) Content filtering, a legal mandate in the U.S., is not present in any of the schools in the three countries. The explanation is simple, “The filter is in their head.” Asked about the number of transgressions, the universal sign for zero was the response. As the school librarian in Copenhagen put it, “The students understand that the computers here are for learning.”
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