eLibrary, with its one-of-a-kind BookCart and QuizCart tool, is the perfect professional development platform for K-12 educators.

This free, self-paced professional development offering is designed to help eLibrary subscribers coordinate, manage, and evaluate participants in a local program. Best of all, this program is eligible for CEUs because it meets criteria for most state and/or local professional development plans.

ProQuest also offers a fee-based, on-site, full-day professional development program for up to 20 trainees as an in-person alternative.

eLibrary: More than a Student "Database" 

Many schools subscribe to eLibrary to provide an online database solution for students to use for research activities. If that were the only reason for the decision, it would be an effective one. Scientific research on learning has shown the benefits of inquiry-based activities using research tools like eLibrary, especially now when textbooks are rapidly becoming more expensive and the information in them generally out of date.

Unique Benefits: Teachers & School Leaders 

In some schools, eLibrary is employed in the same manner as any other available library database or Google. However, what makes eLibrary unique is that it also provides significant benefits for teachers and school leaders.

To reap these unique benefits, teachers must be trained to use BookCarts and QuizCarts. These eLibrary tools empower teachers to create, manage, and evaluate inquiry-based activities customized to meet the reading level and interests of learners.

Why is this type of Professional Development necessary? 

The emphasis on online inquiry-based learning as a supplement to textbooks is increasing in schools each year because the Internet can connect students and teachers with information at school and at home. But what kind of information is provided, and how is that information being used by teachers and students?

There is growing concern that most inquiry-based teacher assignments are about gathering facts and rarely integrate essential critical thinking. Textbook-centric teachers are not trained and have no experience in using this pedagogy effectively; so, too many student reports don't result in increased achievement in essential skills and state test scores based on these skills don't advance.

That's where this program comes in. 

How do I coordinate this program?

1. Request a copy of our Coordinator's Guide
2. Promote this online program with your teachers and librarians, offering CEUs
3. Enlist teachers from multiple departments who enjoy and use technology and eLibrary
4. Librarians can provide eLibrary functionality pre-training, if necessary, or teachers can take our free one-hour online training and receive a CEU certificate
5. Decide on whether to offer multiple windows of opportunity for teachers to enroll
6. Keep initial group to a maximum of 12 to make coordination and accountability easier
7. Limit the time period for completion to a report period to ensure continuity of learning
8. Print the Teacher Guide and the PowerPoint slides and distribute to enrollees
9. Include essential logon information from the librarian on the cover of the Teacher Guide
10. Teachers can choose to do their learning and assessment at school or at home
11. Work with the principal to arrange for CEU credits for successful trainees
12. Keep a log of satisfactory module completion and assessment
13. Use the assessment keys and criteria in the guide to determine satisfactory performance
14. Teachers may repeat any assessment that you judge as unsatisfactory
15. Collect a program evaluation (from each teacher on completion for your records; you may want to email a summary to ProQuest