Tag: 21st century learning

ETL504 Part B Reflection

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At the start of ETL504, as a teacher aspiring to be a teacher librarian (TL), my knowledge and understanding of the role as a leader was very limited.  I didn’t realise the TL could be an actual leader, as my initial definition of leadership didn’t encompass leading from the middle (Gottlieb, 2012; Cox & Korodaj, 2019). It was inspiring to learn that the most effective and progressive leadership styles in school settings were in fact democratic in nature, and often adopted an integrated approach (Smith, 2016, p.65). When positioned alongside the needs for 21st century learning and educational change, I now  view the ideal  framework for leadership in schools as encompassing capacity building of teachers, as well as the building of a collaborative community. The fact that TLs can be powerful agents for cultural change is an exciting prospect (Oberg, 2012). However, it is also overwhelming to consider that may be my position and responsibility one day. My planning for such a time has now started!

In acquiring new knowledge around instructional, transformational, distributed and servant leadership in preparation for the first assessment, I viewed my own principal’s complex practice with a different lens. I was relieved that I wasn’t aspiring to be her. I realised that my principal’s instructional and distributive style of leadership could in fact be leveraged by the TL, who could offer innovative solutions and changes to pedagogy.

As a teacher,  I see the demonstration of empathy, respect and the provision of tangible support to fulfill curriculum tasks from leaders as highly valuable.  I believe that is why servant leadership has resonated with me throughout this subject. In discussion forum 2.3 (March 12) I represented servant leadership as a style the TL could adopt to facilitate professional growth in teachers. This was again explored in a discussion forum 4.3 & 4.4 (May 3), in considering being a servant versus a servant leader to your school community, with a technology focus. This helped synthesize my TL leadership philosophy as I posted a contribution around Makerspaces and strategic professional development where teachers can make connections with curriculum. Similar scenarios were included, such as Sarah Hahn (April 25) who discussed teachers’ fear of Digital Technologies and possible professional development play time. I realised that being proactive as opposed to reactive, is key to successful leadership from the middle.

Teachers require supportive, participatory structures to implement digital technologies, however, they also require instructional leadership to truly build their capacity. Focusing on digital tools and environments is now a personal learning goal of mine, as the Digital Technologies curriculum along with the ICT general capabilities provide many challenges for schools and teachers. My module 6 discussion forum post (May 22) included an AITSL professional learning goal, which aspires to embed the ethical and complementary use of ICTs to improve teaching practice. The curation of digital tools and content is a whole new world for me, and I’ve started exploring further professional learning with the Digital Technologies Hub and my local TL Network.

As my current school library is far from a 21st century learning space, despite being called a ‘Cybrary’, I enjoy envisioning a learning and resource hub which is supported and enabled by a transformational, instructional and distributed leadership team. In discussion forum module 4.1 & 4.2 (April 28) around challenges and opportunities, I articulated personal goals to one day contribute to a ‘de-privatised’ library space that supports online and collaborative learning (Cole, 2012). In my Blog post from April 26  I considered the function and the form of 21st century library spaces to be equally important. Advocating for innovative change within school libraries is required for the pedagogy that is happening within the space, as well as for the structure and infrastructure, which scaffolds the learning.  Yet more challenges and opportunities for an instructional, servant leader, striving to meet the needs of 21st century learning.

 

References

Cole, P. (2012). Linking effective professional learning with effective teaching practice. https://ptrconsulting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/linking_effective_professional_learning_with_effective_teaching_practice_-_cole.pdf

Cox, E. & Korodaj, L. (2019). Leading from the sweet spot: Embedding the library and the teacher librarian in your school community. Access, 33(4), 14-25.

Gottlieb, H. (2012). Leading from the middle: Bringing out the best in everyone. Creating the Future. https://creatingthefuture.org/leading-from-the-middle-bringing-out-the-best-in-everyone/

Oberg, D. (2011). Teacher librarians as cultural change agents. Connections, 79, 2-4.

Smith, B. (2016). The role of leadership style in creating a great school. SELU Research Review Journal, 1(1), 65-78. https://selu.usask.ca/documents/research-and-publications/srrj/SRRJ-1-1-Smith.pdf

 

ETL504 Mod 4.4 21st century library space

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What might a 21st century library look like and is the building or the space more important than what is happening in that space?

Vibrant, inviting and innovative, a 21st century library is a space for multiple uses with a diverse range of resources and systems. The Australian School Library Association (ASLA, 2013) articulates the need for educators to embrace and provide “knowledge building environments” to enhance collaboration and creativity (p. 10). With this in mind, a 21st century library could be labelled as a learning commons, as it is not only a space for storing books and information, but is a collaborative learning hub for participatory learning, including inquiry and project-based learning (Koechlin & Sykes, 2014).

In order for students to be engaged in innovative and creative learning, this reimagined library which encompasses physical and virtual spaces, must have flexible learning spaces and furniture to support group work (large and small) as well as individual study (ASLA, 2013; Grigsby, 2015). There should always be books, as well as a range of digital devices and supporting IT infrastructure for device enabled spaces. Connectivity is key, and is often the challenge for efficient 21st century information access and education.

Human resources are vital to a future-geared library, in spite of rapidly developing AI technology. Teacher-librarians, teachers and IT technicians are all important for supporting the educational and personal development of students. In the school library context, pedagogy should be central to the design and vision of the learning space. TLs can act as leaders here, modelling pedagogy which embraces cooperative, problem-based learning with information and digital literacies. Hay (2010) argues that the function of the school library should guide the form. If the purpose and function of a 21st century library is to embrace the four Cs – critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration (Battelle for Kids, 2019) – then what the library looks and feels like is important, as this will reflect what is happening in the space.

References

Australian School Library Association. (2013). Future learning in school libraries. https://asla.org.au/future-Learning-paper
Batelle for Kids. (2019). Frameworks & resources. https://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21/frameworks-resources

Grigsby, S. (2015). Re-imagining the 21st century school library: From storage space to active learning space. Techtrends, 59(3), 103-106.

Hay, L. (2010). Shift happens. It’s time to rethink, rebuild and rebrand. Access, November, 5-10.

Koechlin, C. & Sykes, J. (2014). Canadian school libraries leading learning. Synergy, 12(2).

Assessment item 3: Part C Reflective practice

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My understanding of Information Literacy (IL), IL models and the TL role in inquiry learning has certainly expanded through this subject.  Light bulb moments have occurred over the last few weeks especially, as I’ve worked through the IL module and IL plan. At the start of the ETL401 course, I felt I had a fairly sound understanding of the role of the TL as research and information experts in the changing information and education landscapes, as discussed in my initial  Assessment 1: Blog post.  I recognised the importance of incorporating digital literacy into the TLs expanding practice, but my knowledge surrounding the details of IL and inquiry learning were still undeveloped. To use an analogy from Fitzgerald, Garrison, and Sheerman (2018), I was at the wide section in my funnel of learning! It was during module 3 when I first made the connection of the General Capabilities (GC), including Critical and Creative Thinking, to the core business of TLs. Clearly, IL isn’t just a set of skills for retrieving information, but is also about managing, evaluating and using information. In my Module 3.2 blog post, I reflected on Bonanno (2015, 2011) who stresses the importance of TLs becoming proactive participants and leaders in contemporary IL education. I realised that the TL role should explicitly connect with the changing, 21st century information landscape. I still, however, wasn’t sure how exactly the TL facilitated these skills and ways of working.

As we progressed through modules 4 and 5, inquiry learning as a model for facilitating IL was taking shape, as I read widely and slipped towards the narrower part of the funnel. The conflict between the Australian Curriculum’s (AC) promotion of 21st century skills, through the GC, and the nationwide focus on standardised assessment and accountability was a key issue in module 4. This was explored in Discussion Forum 4.1 where myself and others considered these skill sets as both being necessary and co-dependent, although difficult to manage. In the thread, Fitzgerald stressed that increasing teacher accountability and testing takes a great deal of time, which can compromise the ability of teachers to implement creative, inquiry teaching. This is a key obstacle for the introduction of inquiry learning into many school settings.

IL as a set of skills or as a way of learning, the expansion of IL pedagogy, as well as the leadership role of a TL in this pedagogy, is referred to in my Module 5.2 blog post which reflects on articles by Bruce, Edwards, and Lupton (2006) and Kutner and Armstrong (2012). The need for TLs to inhabit progressive teaching and decision-making roles which support students’ deep understanding, is a theme which keeps cropping up in my own learning journey. I could now answer my earlier query. TLs can facilitate IL through the provision of inquiry learning experiences, which promote the acquisition of 21st century skills as well as collaborative ways of working. Learning is relevant and student-centred, rather than product driven.

When digesting the work of Lupton (2014) and Bonanno (2014) in module 5, the value and importance of embedding an integrated IL model of instruction into our schools was at the forefront of my thinking. I commented on Lupton’s (2014) analysis of inquiry skills in the AC and the need for an IL model to structure them in Discussion Forum 5.3a . Lupton’s findings regarding the omission of “evaluation of information and the acknowledgement of sources” (2014, p.17) piqued my interest and I was determined to include these inquiry skills in my IL plan. I considered IL models currently being used in Australian schools, such as the Big 6, the NSW ISP, iLearn and the Guided Inquiry Design process (GID), which all describe the stages students take to progress from ignorance to understanding when engaged in an inquiry task (Fitzgerald, 2019). I reflected on the advantages and challenges of implementing GI in Discussion Forum 5.3b, and noted a specific advantage of the GID process being the inclusion of the predicted emotional highs and lows of the student researcher. I particularly value this element as it is a builder of student resilience, much needed with my own students.

As well as being the IL expert, the TL role in inquiry learning is as a team-teacher who can facilitate and maintain students’ engagement with a research task. A TL supports students through an inquiry process, guiding them to acquire skills, ask questions and build deep understandings, connections and solutions. While challenges abound, it is an exciting time to promote IL and GI for contemporary learning and student growth.

 

References (Part C)

Australian School Library Association (ASLA) (2011). A profession at the tipping point: Time to change the game plan. Keynote presentation, Karen Bonanno. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/31003940

Bonanno, K., (2015) A profession at the tipping point (revisited), ACCESS, March, 14-21. Retrieved from  https://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=064399679084070;res=IELAPA

Bruce, C., Edwards, C., & Lupton, M. (2007). Six frames for information literacy education. In S. Andretta (Ed.). Change and challenge: Information literacy for the 21st century. Blackwood, SA: Auslib Press. eBook, CSU Library Reserve.

Fitzgerald, L. (2019). Information literacy. In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 5]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899464_1

Fitzgerald, L., Garrison, K.L. & Sheerman, A. (2018). ‘It’s just what the brain does’: The shape of Guided Inquiry. ACCESS, Sept., 32(3), 4-10. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=7f13d107-9c0c-40c6-be5d-811787b71ec0%40pdc-v-sessmgr01

Kuhlthau, C.C., Maniotes, L.K., & Caspari, A.K. (2012). Guided inquiry design: A framework for inquiry in your school. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Kutner, L. & Armstrong, A. (2012). Rethinking information literacy in a globalised world. Communications in Information Literacy, 6(1), 24-33. CSU Library.

Lupton, M. (2014). Inquiry skills in the Australian Curriculum v6: A bird’s-eye view, ACCESS, 28 (4), 8-29. Retrieved from https://eprints.qut.edu.au/78451/1/Lupton_ACCESS_Nov_2014_2pg.pdf