Category: Semester Introductions

ETL503- Subject Introduction

It’s November 2021, post-COVID lockdown 2.0. I’ve now been an online library teacher as well as an in-class and COVID-pending library teacher as well.

Things have been wild and I am looking forward to a quiet Christmas but, for some reason, I don’t think that it’s going to happen.

Currently, I am taking on ELT503 in an effort to get a jump on the policies and procedures business that I had a stab at earlier in the year. It will also, hopefully, help me garner further support from my Principal whose attitude towards my roles can often put more emphasis on the Learning Support role over the role of TL. My hope it, that with a solid policy to back me going into 2022, I will have greater control over my own budget and over the events held on library time.

I am currently in the midst of a 30-day fitness kick to help get ready for my wedding in October, 2022 and participating in  NaNoWriMo 2022- a writing challenge (at which I am failing horribly). Additionally, I have been allocated the festive event planner at my school and data and reports are due ASAP. I figured why not add one more thing and picked up uni again.

Wish me luck!

INF533 and COVID

Welcome back!

The world is still in turmoil over COVID, jobs are still in question and Melbourne has, as of midnight last night, returned to quarantine as a whole. Things are mad but, luckily, the Central Coast seems to retain it’s relaxed stance on just about everything while remaining socially distanced enough to avoid a secondary outbreak… for now.

This semester I am studying INF533- Literature in Digital Environments. I am curious about this course and how it can apply to libraries. Will it be all pro-digital literacy or will it investigate the benefits of both eBooks and printed books?

As for myself, I continue to move between digital literature and physical as I proudly display my novel collection in my home, in my photographs and on my bedside table. At the same time, I keep my Kindle and my phone open to digital novels for those times I need to read on-the-go and cannot tote around a satchel of printed work (I am not excessively strong or coordinated, of which both is needed to successfully maneuver a book on a moving bus).

 

ETL503 & ETL504- Subject Introductions

Welcome back to all continuing students!

This semester I have taken on ETL503- Resourcing the Curirculum & ETL504- Teacher Librarian as Leader. Both of which have intense reading and group work components, but only 2 assessments each.

I am a little dubious about group work and what other elements the lecturers want from us, particularly as work is starting to pick up again but, onwards and upwards!

At time of posting, it is Week 2 in the new semester and I already feel a little overwhelmed- I have never done a case study before and have ahd to print it out to take it all in and make notes. Hopefully it is addressed 1 step at a time. Also, the first online meeting for one subject has already been bumped back so I feel like I haven’t even started on that one and I know from previous subjects that this course has a ton of readings associated.

Feeling dubious and nervous, but wish me luck!

INF506 Module 4- OLJ Task 11: PLN adoption

OLJ Task 11: PLN adoption

Based on Utecht’s 5 stages of PLN adoption, identify which stage you currently see yourself experiencing and how this impacts on your personal and working lives. Also identify any ‘gaps’ in your existing PLN (ie. areas which you feel you would like to develop further/in the future). Write around 400 words.

 

word count: 407

After examining Utecht’s (2008) 5 stages of PLN adoption, I would say I am currently somewhere between Stage 4 Perspective and Stage 5 Balance. I usually tend to fall back into Stage 3 Know it all, during the holiday period to ‘catch up’ on everything I have been too busy to do during the school terms. Eventually, though, I realise I am in over my head and taking on so much information at once is not actually benefitting me or developing my understanding on a topic. Also, it takes away from a lot of time spent with family and friends, something that teaching already does throughout the school year and so I have decided to use my holidays to focus on one thing at a time, for example, university, rather than cramming in multiple PLN courses by online providers, as I was doing previously. I am also focussing more on developing my personal creativity over the next 39 weeks via a challenge started on January 1 in an effort to disconnect from work and develop skills, hobbies and relaxation time outside of work. Hopefully, this challenge will also provide me the opportunity to connect with other creative minds in the local community and start to develop ties that keep me grounded.

Gaps

Reading and Writing

I would like to refresh my knowledge on the infants reading and writing strategies as well as find a refresher course for Focus on Reading- a course I completed many years ago and have not had the opportunity to use since. From memory it was very useful and I would like to have the tools to take on a full time class if and when necessary.

Science

I also plan on developing my Science toolkit this year as I have taken on Science RFF one day a week across multiple stages. My goal is to make these very short periods of time engaging and rewarding for students so that they come in quickly, settle and are excited to learn for that one hour.

 

References

Utecht, J. (2008). Stages of PLN adoption. Retrieved from http://www.thethinkingstick.com/stages-of-pln-adoption/

 

Return to study

It is almost time to start back at study-life and I thought I should share where I am coming from (Instagram) this semester and why, perhaps I am a little reluctant to dive back into things.

Anyway, my subject this semester is Social Networking for Information Professionals, something I am relatively comfortable with in a casual, completely non-professional way so I am curious about what skills and tips I will be picking up along the way.

We will be using:

Facebook
CSU Thinkspace
Twitter
Instagram
GooglePhotos
Diigo

The only platform I don’t already have access to is Diigo, ‘a social bookmarking service’- whatever that means.

I am looking forward to developing an understanding of these sites and how they can support information professionals and, specifically, how they can assist in my career as a TL.

A Bit About Me…

My name is Nicole.

I am currently studying Masters of Education (Teacher Librarianship) online and have been asked to use this platform as a reflective tool during my studies.

A bit about myself:

  • I have been teaching in primary schools in various roles over the past 9 years with focusses on behaviour and learning disorders, technology and literacy.
  • I recently spent 2 years living and teaching in East London learning about new theories and educational practices.
  • During that time, I travelled all over the UK and Europe, largely to places that have some kind of connection to literature (and movies, if I’m honest). I adore travelling and, had money not run out and my visa not fallen through, I would probably still be over there running around like a crazy.
  • Aside from teaching, travelling and books, I love to cook and bake. In a dream world where money isn’t an issue, I would own a bookstore/cafe of sweet things somewhere sunny.

Out of curiosity, what would you be doing if money was no issue?