The items in this section are examples of my accomplishments as a researcher and writer. They show that I understand how to shape a piece of writing for a specific audience and that I can demonstrate the skills I will be helping my students master.

Developing Students' Information Literacy
(wrobel_portfolio_research.doc)
This research paper explores the role of the media specialist in developing students' information literacy and the related skills. The paper was written for a graduate class about computer applications in the media center and uses the MLA documentation style. As I researched and wrote this paper, I learned how to:
- clearly define information literacy
- understand students' research habits
- fulfill the responsibilities of a media specialist in teaching information literacy
- recognize the leaders in the field of information literacy and media centers
This paper demonstrates my research and writing skills because it thoroughly introduces the topic and is written in a clear and easy-to-follow style. It is a well-documented paper that allows someone to pursue further, in-depth study of the subject by locating the resources on the "Works Cited" page.

Reading Promotion with a TV Connection
("CSI" -- "Desperate Housewives" -- "Family Guy" -- "Gilmore Girls" -- "Grey's Anatomy" -- "Survivor" -- "The OC" -- "Veronica Mars")
This series of eight TV-themed reading promotions was designed using Microsoft PowerPoint for the library at my secondary practicum site. The series can be displayed individually or all at once, as a full set. Each theme is based on a TV show popular with high school students and includes four 8 1/2 x 11 posters with fun and useful facts related to the shows. I researched, created and designed the series as an assignment for a graduate field experience class after the general idea was suggested by the high school media specialist at the school. I also dealt with technical issues such as locating and installing appropriate, fun fonts to use in the posters' creative design. I learned how to balance my time in planning a research-intensive display as well as what themes might appeal to high school students. Each theme demonstrates my research abilities because they offer interesting content from appropriate reference sources in addition to being clearly written for the targeted teenage audience.