Tag: Critical Thinking

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/

 

INF506 Module 4- OLJ Task 7: Embracing a Library 2.0 ethos

OLJ Task 7: Embracing a Library 2.0 ethos

Consider the services discussed by Laura Cole in relation to a library or information agency that you know (as an employee or user). Select four key points made by the speaker, and consider how these may be applied to a library or an organisation you are familiar with to help it embrace a Library 2.0 ethos. Write 300 – 400 words.

Word count: 443

In recent times, librarians have had to question the definition of their job role and have been referred to as ‘information specialists’ (Purcell, 2010), ‘gatekeepers of knowledge’ (Ciccone & Hounslow, 2019) and now ‘liberators’ and ‘active navigators’ (Cole, 2016). This change of defined role provides librarians with the chance to expand their knowledge base, develop skills and consider functional choices within the library space. Time and resources can be spent in new ways, rather than just sourcing, stocktaking and maintaining physical resources (Novonty, 2017).

Cole (2016) had some interesting points regarding library digitisation. While she maintained that there would always be those users who prefer paper books, she pointed out that ‘digital (technology) changes the way the patron interfaces with the library’ (Cole, 2016) and used examples of incarcerated juveniles or deployed military personnel able to access library books and articles on devices. This idea can be expanded on to include children and adults living and working in rural environments in outback Australia. By digitising collections, librarians are not disadvantaging those who cannot physically get to a library and removing time limitations, allowing access to information any time of day or night (Cole, 2016; Lee, 2013; Craver, 2002). In my own experience, I have established and promoted two particular digital library programs run through my school; the NSW DET Orbit program and a paid encyclopedia-esque subscription available to students via their school log-in, ensuring both are monitored and protected by the department security and guidelines.

Cole (2016) went on to explain that the digitisation of libraries can open up space that was previously claimed by physical collections, allowing for the development of learning hubs, social hubs and access points. Additionally, due to the variety and global availability of many sources, a collection can reach across multiple mediums, allowing more accessibility to various interests (Moroni, 2012). These spaces are already being developed into learning hubs for BYOD programs in schools (Adams, 2012) and ‘makerspaces’ (Dunford, 2016). Personally, I have begun to reduce the number of paper books in my school library and have set up multiple workstations in the resulting space while allowing for flexible seating and interactive learning. I intend to investigate makerspaces in the near future to determine the necessity and usefulness in my library.

Finally, I particularly liked the use of the Bibliotech emblem as an HQ code. It was eye-catching, identifiable, allowing for a cohesive look across the brand (Civitello, 2018) and very practical for digitally aware and conscious users. I would consider employing this in my school library, particularly for the older students in an effort to encourage them to access the library database and online content at home.

 

References

Adams, H. R. (2012). Bring your own device (BYOD) and equitable access to technology. School Library Monthly, 28(8), 25-26. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/1491084812?accountid=10344

Ciccone, A. & L. Hounslow (2019). Re-Envisioning the Role of Academic Librarians for the Digital Learning Environment: The Case of UniSA Online. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 16(1). Implementing online learning: Stories from the field, Article 11. Available at https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol16/iss1/11

Cole, L. (2016). BiblioTech as the re-imagined public library: Where will it find you? Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2016- Columbus, OH- Connections. Collaboration. Community. in Session 213- Metropolitan Libraries.

Craver, K. W. (2002). Creating cyber libraries: an instructional guide for school library media specialists. Available from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00330330310500775/full/html

Dunford, H. (2016). Makerspaces in libraries (Library technology essentials). The Australian Library Journal, 65(2), (132-133). DOI: 10.1080/00049670.1182160

Lee, M. (2013). Digital normalisation, school evolution and BYOT positioning in the school library. Retrieved from https://www.asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/ACCESS/Access-Commentaries/access-27-4-commentary.pdf

Moroni, A. (2012). Weeding in a digital age. Library Journal, 137(15). Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/1189486012?accountid=10344

Purcell, M (2010). All librarians do is check out books, right? A look at the roles of a school media specialist. Library Media Connection, 29(3), 30-33. Available from https://www.abc-clio.com/LibrariesUnlimited.aspx

INF506 Module 3- OLJ Task 6: Virtual and augmented reality

OLJ Task 6: Virtual and augmented reality

After reading the articles above, write a post of 400 words that considers one advantage of the use of either virtual or augmented reality, and one disadvantage. Discuss in relation to a library or information organisation that you are familiar with.

 

Word count: 353

At the basis of AR/VR is the idea of creating an environment (Hannah, Huber & Matei, 2019) and allowing people to try or experience new things. In the library context, it is an opportunity for texts to come to life, allowing for better student and reader engagement, for example, Hannah et. Al. (2019) mention the book ‘Ready Player One’, a text about AR/VR that has been made into a film. The idea is already out there and has been for some time, it is now a matter of creating the adaptable technology at an affordable price and disseminating it across multiple platforms with ease.

AR/VR is a combination of books, film and music as well as an extension from there, particularly if participants can alter the environment with their own choices. This opens up the opportunity for countless possibilities in terms of teaching and learning, engagement, exploration, empathy and understanding (Hannah et. Al., 2019). Although there are doubts that AR/VR can completely replace the need for a face-to-face curriculum, there is a place for it in the primary and secondary curriculum, with high hopes for successful integration into higher learning (Hannah et. Al., 2019). Developing staff confience and competency in AR/VR would lead to engaging and interesting units in work in various KLAs with integrated technology that will, no doubt, be a relevant part of the students life soon after leaving school should technology continue down this path

One large disadvantage of AR is that users in libraries are reluctant or annoyed by having to download new or different software to their personal devices to utilise the AR programs and that libraries cannot share homegrown content easily because of technical barriers (Dan, 2019). The lack of immediate ease of use certainly impacts on the popularity of this creative device. However, phone applications like ‘Pokemon Go’ are the first step towards successfully implementing AR/VR into the mainstream population (Dan, 2019). If libraries can adapt and develop programs that allow AR/VR to be easily shareable and accessible, there are countless possibilities and opportunities for new worlds previously only on paper to be constructed and explored.

References

Dan, L. (2019). Create efficient, platform-neutral, web-based augmented reality content in the library. Code4Lib Journal(45). Retrieved from https://journal.code4lib.org/articles/14632

Hannah, M., Huber, S., & Matei, S. A. (2019). Collecting virtual and augmented reality in the twenty-first century library. Collection Management, 44(2-4), 277-295. doi:10.1080/01462679.2019.1587673

 

INF506 Module 3- OLJ Task 5: Social news sites

OLJ Task 5: Social news sites

Check out two of the social news sites listed above. How do these platforms help you improve the relevance of the articles recommended to you? How could these sites be used in a professional sense? What issues could you identify when using them? Write a post of 400 words in your OLJ.
Word count: 377

Reddit & Newsvine

My initial impression of Reddit was that it was very amateur-looking and disorganised with headlines like ‘Mechanics of Reddit, what’s the dumbest thing you’ve seen someone do to their vehicle?’. Additionally, the layout is very similar to a Facebook or Instagram feed, making it easily accessible to audiences and the joining of ‘communities’ quick and easy, but not something I would count on for current and accurate news. Then, I noticed the like scales on the left and I suppose that the most ‘liked’ story at that point in time gets pushed to the top, which explains the seemingly random order of articles. Additionally, I noticed the brackets to the right of each article, eg v.reddit.it, self.Ask.reddit, en.wikipedia.org, which, I have to assume give an idea as to who has published or contributed to the story. This would influence how legitimate I view the story. Part of the problem, however, is that sites like Reddit and Wikipedia are open to public editing and contribution, meaning people can post just about whatever they like in these forums. It is difficult to confirm the relevance and sincerity of each article without further investigation, however, sites like these could serve a purpose in businesses if you are investigating current trends, info grabs and determine whether or not your product/business/story is being shared and liked.

Newsvine, when I opened it was much more pleasing to look at with its clearly organised sections and, at first glance, I would not have known it was a ‘wiki’. Additionally, the viewer is immediately presented with a different content, most stories relating to politics in some way. It isn’t until you scroll down that you encounter pop culture news. Again, I would prefer to confirm the stories found on this site on my own, but I would consider it more reliable than Reddit simply because of its layout and choice of content. This site could be utilised in business to track political trends, however has little to do with current popular trends and does not, from what I can tell, accept contributions by the general public. I feel like this site would be more utilised by professional business people with an interest in politics and little time to read long, jargon-filled articles.

INF506 Module 3- OLJ Task 4: Twitter feeds

OLJ Task 4: Twitter feeds

Explore two of the Twitter feeds listed above. Write a post for your OLJ of around 400 words that includes the following:

Compare and contrast the Twitter presence of the two organisations. What type of content do the organisations tweet (and retweet)? What audience are they appealing to? Do they appear to be successful? Analyse why or why not.

Word count: 373
  • UNESCO
    1. 1 million followers
    2. Share own videos using own hashtag #unescoGC
    3. Posting their own campaigns, #WorldHeritage events and human interest stories
    4. Uses retweets
    5. Audience: general public, activists, potential donors/volunteers
  • ALIA National- Australian Library and Information Association
    1. 8 thousand followers
    2. Shares images and surveys
    3. Posting about different literary events and days using various hashtags and links to other organisations websites
    4. Does not usually retweet
    5. Audience: library and information professionals

I would have to say in terms of getting and holding attention, I think UNESCO is more successful than ALIA National, simply because they want people to take action on the things they are presenting so they have used various forms of media on their Twitter feed to engage the short attention span of most people. On the other hand, ALIA National are targeting professionals already working in the industry, not trying to continually entice a new audience, and providing these professionals with opportunities to engage in different programs related to their department.

I think most people would feel UNESCO’s feed is more interesting because of the amount of videos and positive images they have used to bring peoples attention to issues and injustices. By varying their media, they are catering to all kinds of people with various interests and skills. ALIA is more cut and dry, less interactive because it is catering, specifically to the professionals and leading them away from Twitter to gather information.

Additionally, ALIA uses more technical jargon than UNESCO, whose language is targeted toward the general public. In order to engage with some of the ALIA posts, you would have to be aware of or working within the industry whereas UNESCO’s less formal approach could be found to be more appealing to the wider public.

While both accounts use hashtags to group and link their posts, UNESCO reuses their hashtag to make the audience familiar with them, specifically, while ALIA posts different hashtags for each post, I am assuming related to the posts, without any of their own presence represented. By adding their own hashtag to things, other could retweet, not only using the @ function, but also the shorter hashtag, allowing them to potentially trend more regularly.

 

INF506 Module 2- OLJ Task 3: Reflections on the impact of change

OLJ Task 3: Reflections on the impact of change

After exploring the resources… choose two ways that you see social media has impacted on an organisation you are familiar with. This could be a business, an institution or a government department. Identify the organisation and write 400 words explaining and analysing the impact.

Word count: 361

Department of Education and Training (DET), NSW Government (https://education.nsw.gov.au/) and NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) (https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/curriculum-syllabuses-NSW)

1) Curriculum changes- the curriculum has been altered multiple times in its existence. More recently, with the development of new technologies and increasingly prominent use of social media in developed countries, NESA has addressed social media in its standards for senior students:

‘respond to social media texts, for example contribute to a class blog, comment on a social media post’ (Year 11-12, English, English Life Skills, Outcome 6)

This would suggest that the government is recognising that social media is large influence predicted to be a part of students lives beyond their education. By acknowledging social media as a tool for students to develop competencies in, NESA and the DET has begun to address a sometimes outdated curriculum in an effort to provide students with relevant life skills. This acknowledgement of social media, from my experience is beginning to filter into the lower years with ‘cyber safety’ being a large focus in education due to the saturation of personal hand-held devices and access to laptops and therefore, the internet. This has resulted in staff needing to be up-to-date on relevant cyber safety and social media information in an effort to help prepare and protect students, some as young as five, who are now accessing multiple platforms online.

2)The DET has established a Social Media page on their website (https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/social-media) detailing which departments use which platforms, including links for the public to follow. I think that this is a very positive step, allowing the public to access caches of information, previous conversations and immediate announcements.

Additionally, the DET has developed a specific ‘Social Media Policy’ and ‘Social Media Toolkit’ to support staff development of professional social media accounts, provide guidelines for expectations and behaviours and to provide avenues for complaint or issues that arise either via social media or as a result of social media in schools. By establishing itself on these social media platforms, it has provided the world an example of  what the DET considered acceptable conduct online, and can be held to account should this conduct be breached by employees of the DET.

References

Department of Education and Training (DET). Social media policy, implementation procedures, November, 2018. Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/associated-documents/social-media-procedures.pdf

Department of Education and Training (DET). (2019) Social media. Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/social-media

Department of Education and Training (DET). (2019) Social media toolkit- education week 2019. Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/education-week/teacher-toolkit/communications-toolkit/social-media-toolkit

INF506 Module 2- OLJ Task 2: The influence of technology on society

OLJ Task 2: The influence of technology on society

“…summarise in 400 words what you know and think about the influence of technology on society in general and specifically on organisations. What are some of the main points organisations have to consider that they may not have had to consider in the past?”

Word count: 347

I believe technology has had a great impact on society and the running and actions of organisations. It is difficult to move anywhere in the modern world without encountering some form of developed technology, whether it be in the form of mobile phones, laptop computers, electronic cash registers or moving billboard advertisements. Developing technology continues to mould the shape of our social and business ecosystems.

First, with the development of technology, organisations have gained immediate and impactful access to individuals via television advertising and the internet. A focus on product and company ‘branding’ (Harper, 2015) or how organisations are ‘seen’ has developed to saturate social media and television advertising and production. This will have increased sales, demand for product and transactions, as well as providing immediate avenues for review and feedback on products/services. Additionally, technology has allowed for the development of global connections and ‘interorganisational partnerships’ (Rathi, Given & Forcier, 2014) that were previously impossible due to time and distance.

Technology and the laws that have come to support its prolific use and development, provides the public with easy access to company policies and decisions in organisations. As such, all organisations are being ethically monitored, challenged and held accountable for their impact on the environment and the social ecosystems in which they operate (Livermore, 2012) in real time.

Organisations now need to consider all of these aspects, plus the development of staff specialist knowledge to best access and utilise these technological resources. It has been found that while the purchase of new technology is carefully considered, the training needed by staff to understand this technology is often underestimated (Gaimon, Ozkan & Napoleon, 2011).

Some organisations are a direct result of developments in technology (the internet led to Facebook, Instagram & Google) and have continued to value and promote technology innovation within their workplace, establishing tech-friendly office spaces, work environments and mentalities (Waber, Magnolfi & Lindsay, 2014). These, and other organisations, must consider what it means to maintain relevance in a constantly changing ecosystem (Adner & Kapoor, 2016) and how to compete with new technologies as they develop.

References

Adner & Kapoor. (2016). Right tech, wrong time. Harvard Business Review, Nov 2016, (94) 11. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_37900_1&content_id=_3129974_1&mode=reset

Gaimon, C., Ozkan, G. & Napoleon, K. (2011). Dynamic resource capabilities: managing workforce knowledge with a technology upgrade. Organization Science, 2011 (22) 6.

Harper, F. (2015). Success in programming how to gain recognition, power, and influence through personal branding. 1st Edition. Berkley, CA. ISBN: 1-4842-0001-2

Livermore, C. R. (2012). E-Politics and Organizational Implications of the Internet: Power, Influence, and Social Change. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-0966-2

Rathi, D, Given, L. M. & Forcier, E. (2 Sept. 2014) Interorganisational partnerships and knowledge sharing: the perspective of non-profit organisations (NPOs). Journal of knowledge management. ISSN: 1367-3270

Waber, Magnolfi & Lindsay. (2014). Workspaces that move people. Harvard Business Review, Oct 2014. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2014/10/workspaces-that-move-people

EER500 Week 10

Finally had time to sit down and pick through some EER500 readings in prep for the last assignment.

I think this assignment is too big for my brain. Lucky there is this handy blog here to hold my musings as they progress.

Chapter 9: structured interviewing

My intention in Assessment 3- Research Proposal is to utilise some form of interview process, although I am currently torn between structured or semi-structured interviews and am considering doing a variation of both in my proposed project. I think is important to use this tool as it is the most commonly used method of data collection in social research for a reason.

After reading this chapter, I can say that there is a place for both forms of interview and find myself leaning towards a mixed methodology approach as I would like to marry together both qualitative and quantitative data in my investigation regarding ‘the perceived impact of students with emotional behaviour disorder and trauma backgrounds on the self-efficacy and workload of New South Wales mainstream primary school teachers‘.

By choosing this topic (pending approval from the almighty!) I will be looking at two areas of percieved impact of EBD and trauma students on:

1)the self-efficacy levels of their teachers

2) and the workload adopted by their teachers as a result of supporting these students

This will then link back around to the impact on teacher self-efficacy.

I am thinking, by utilising, initially, a structured interview, with the inclusion of questions involving the Likert scale (do you think your EBD and/or trauma student has impacted your self-efficacy and workload: Strongly agree, Agree, Undecided, Disagree, Strongly Disagree), I will be able to take a broad look at the mind-set and feelings of teachers supporting these students. From there, utilising semi-structured interviews with open ended questions might provide more detail on specific outstanding data from the initial survey.

One of my concerns is that the nature of this topic might embarrass some staff members or lead to unintentional social desirability bias- few people want to admit if or when they are struggling with something and this is a topic that can potentially be affected by social pressure to be ‘just fine’. In some ways, establishing a face-to-face interview may entice staff to be open with the interviewer and establish rapport, however, as Bryman (2012) warns, it may also lead to interviewer attributes impacting respondents’ replies. As a result it could be worthwhile utilising telephone or computer technology to assist in research.

 

Chapter 10: Self-completion Questionnaires

In an effort to the remove potential bias related to face-to-face and voice-contact interviews, I would consider using self-completion questionnaires to survey teachers of EBD and trauma students as participants are sometimes more likely to give honest feedback, particularly when said questionnaires are anonymous. A slight problem is that these questionnaires need to be simple, short and to the point without room for variance in answers. That said, they could still be useful in the initial stages of research.

I am considering the use of self-completing questionnaires to determine the context of each teacher eg How many st in your school/class? Age/Year/Gender, How many EBD/trauma students in your school/class? Ethnic backgrounds consisting of; Aboriginal, Anglo-saxon etc etc.
Additionally, I would consider investigating how much formal training staff have been given to support EBD/trauma students using bracket ranges to help understand the additional time spent training for these students (adding to workload) and the comparison between trained and untrained teachers and their perceived self-efficacy.

I liked the concept of diaries as recording tools and, although I admit, as a teacher, I would have to really focus to use them, I could see the tool being useful in tracking effects on things such as confidence, optimism and believing in your own ability to achieve. I would use this to track the teachers perceived self-efficacy through the day and maybe even offer space for reflection at the end. I am unsure whether I would specifically ID the presence of EBD or trauma children or ask staff to briefly tick-box who was in the room at the time of recording eg whole class, small group of students, EBD/trauma student/s, other staff etc.

References

Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods (4th Edition).
Available from https://www.researchgate.net

 

With that overloading my brain, I will take a break and find myself some food!

Good luck fellow students, last assessment for this course- we are nearly there!

😉

 

ETL401 Week 5-7 Discussion Posts

Basically, I have done a massive catch-up on the ETL401 course discussion posts today because I seem to have fallen incredibly behind. Is anyone else struggling to keep up with the discussion posts, blog posts, readings (plus ‘essential readings’) in this course?

3.2 The role of the TL

Organisation Similarities Differences
Herring

 

 

 

 

 All 3 authors specifically state that TLs have a multifaceted, complicated, sometimes underestimated role in schools and discuss the different roles of TLs. They all agree that TLs should be and are an integral part of the school environment and not a stand-alone place/tool in the school toolbox.
All 3 focus on the use of terms ‘media specialist’ and ‘media centre’ suggesting they have moved away from the traditional view of librarians as book monitors.
Lamb (2011) and Herring (2007) both discuss the need for prioritisation of TL roles.		 Herring (2007) discusses the use of school internet and intranet specifically.
Purcell

 

 

 

 Purcell (2010) determined that the TL must be the one to define their role for clear expectations of all staff.
Lamb

 

 

  

 

  • How should TLs prioritise the roles they play in the school?

TL roles will be different in each school environment as each one is different with different needs. Purcell (2010) suggests that TLs be in charge of defining their roles to ensure clarity of expectations amongst staff. I agree that TLs must have a large input into the determination of their role but, I also believe that this definition must be a collaborative decision between TL, teaching staff and executive. This collaboration will help develop the TL role as a best fit to the school needs and, from there, TLs can prioritise which roles they take on and justify why.

  • Are there other roles played by TLs eg social roles?

Of course. From personal experience, I have been able to initiate quiet play groups, student support groups and reading support groups during library and play time to support student social development. I would suggest that TLs are in a prime position to support social skill development and establish a quiet place for play for those students requiring additional social support.

  • How do Lamb’s views on the TL’s role compare and contrast with those of Herring and Purcell?

See table above.

  • What existing tasks/roles do you think you, as a TL, could give up in order to be as proactive as Lamb and Valenza want you to be?

I definitely think ‘website devleoper’ could be something to hand off to other staff while maintaining minimal contributions to advertise the library and its events/content. Additionally, the collaborative development of programs with class teachers would lighten the TL load significantly.

  • Would you change the order of the roles Purcell identifies eg should teacher come first?

Personally, I don’t believe Purcell (2010) intended to list the roles with one being more important than another. The layout of the paper simply resulted in this being the assumption. Looking at the diagram on Page 31 of the article, you will see that all roles surround the School Media Specialist role, equally placed. I think that each TL will prioritise these roles depending on the need at the time and should remain fluid throughout their role to reprioritise as needed.

Reference

Herring, J. (2007). Teacher librarians and the school library. In S. Ferguson (Ed.) Libraries in the twenty-first century: charting new directions in information (p. 27-42). Wagga Wagga, NSW: Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University. In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 3]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899459_1

Lamb, A. (2011). Bursting with potential: Mixing a media specialist’s palette. Techtrends: Linking research & practice to improve learning, 55(4), 27-36. In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 3]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899459_1

Purcell, M. (2010). All librarians do is check out books right? A look at the roles of the school library media specialist. Library media connection 29(3), 30-33. In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 3]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899459_1

 

3.3 The Principal and the TL

Currently, I am working alongside a wonderful Principal in a very small school and I find her support imperative to achieve just about anything. As I am new to the school, she as an invaluable font of information on previous library processes and the community. Additionally, she is very open minded and willing to listen to new ideas like Drop Ins for kids and parents after school as we don’t have enough staff to have the library open during lunch time.

As for myself, I am able to use my knowledge of technology and experience with developing research and technology skills to supplement areas she is unfamiliar with. Currently, we are planning a history unit together that will differentiate and support Stage 2 and 3 and other collaborative projects that will benefit the school, as suggested by Fitzgerald (2019). I am lucky that she is supportive of all staff and recognises that the library and the TL have a big impact on the student development of reading and writing skills (Bonanno, 2011).

I think that true collaboration (Montiel-Overall, 2005; Langford, 2008) is key, particularly in such a small school. By supporting me in my goal to develop inquiry skills, my principal is giving me the opportunity to support other staff in their classroom programs which, in turn, support her position as principal in the development of student skills and achievements. Additionally, having a supportive executive encourages me to involve myself more fully in the community of the school and potentially invest more time and effort into the school environment and development.

With that said, I don’t think the Principal/TL relationship is exclusive and that it must also include teaching and admin staff for the whole system to work.

References

Bonanno, K. (2011). Opinion: Do school libraries really make a difference? Incite 32/5 Available at http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/inCiteALIA/2011/97.pdf

Fitzgerald, L. (2019). The role of the teacher librarian (TL). In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 4]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899464_1

Langford, L. (2008). Collaboration: Force or forced, Part 2, 27/1, 31-37. In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 4]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899464_1

Montiel-Overall (2005). Toward a theory of collaboration for teachers and librarians, School library media research 8/1-31 In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 3]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899459_1

 

3.4 Accountability in practice

Previously, I have used exit tickets and video and still photography to collect and analyse data in classroom environments and would definitely utilise both again as they provide immediate evidence of engagement and student input into the relevance, enjoyment and understanding of topics.

Additionally, with the development of inquiry learning occurring at my school, I predict I will be assessing and giving feedback on students inquiry projects.

I would like to use digital libraries to assess student reading levels but, in my small school, it will be some time before that is able to be taught to the students and rolled out simply due to their technology skill levels.

 

4.1a Search activity

Garrison, K. L., FitzGerald, L. & Sheerman, A. (2018). ‘Just let me go at it’: Exploring students’ use and perceptions of guided inquiry, 21. Available from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1182159.pdf

I chose this article for a few reasons that interested me:

  • Use of mixed-method information gathering
  • What do students think GI is?
  • What do students think of GI? How useful/helpful it is to them?
  • Australian school used as sample

Unfortunately, the sampled students were in secondary school, not primary so, to recreate this research in my own interest area would require tweaking of methods and questions. Additionally, there was no comment on how long students had been involved with GI nor how intensely.

Still, an interesting read to determine the impression and, to some extent, the success of GI in the eyes of Year 9 students.

 

4.1b Inquiry learning

Are the acquisitions of 21st century skills and the focus on accountability mutually exclusive?

Not at all. Currently, I believe there is too great a focus on accountability of teachers to see their students achieve specific outcomes eg Basic Skills Tests, NSW. However, there maintains an element of necessity in regards to accountability- teachers and TLs must have guidance in keeping education relatively uniform so we can say that students are graduating school with at least basic levels of reading and writing.

The development of 21st century skills is vital in order to produce students who are successful in life OUTSIDE of school. That said, the skills they need to develop in school must be more than the traditional reading, writing and arithmetic. They must become creative, flexible thinkers, familiar with developing technologies and developing new ideas to support the transformative world they will be working and living in (Tucker, 2014). The use of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Guided Inquiry (GI) in schools is one way to help develop students problem solving, interest in investigation and lateral thinking.

References

Tucker, M. S. (2012). Tucker’s lens: On 21st century skills. In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 4]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899464_1

 

4.2 The challenges

Having worked in the UK for 2 years, I was able to experience their planning and assessment procedures, which included team RFF time each week for teachers on the same stage to collaborate on planning, resulting in a lowered workload and similar lessons and topics being covered across the stage. This collaboration made work days shorter, stress loads lighter and encouraged a positive, collegial environment.

Unfortunately, in Australia I have noted a divide between teachers, rather than a willingness to collaborate, with many CTs reluctant to share their programs, lessons and resources. This is improving slowly with the development of online environments such as Teachers Pay Teachers and communities like Butterfly Wings, created specifically for sharing programs.

  1. Unfortunately, due to confusion over the roles of TL (Fitzgerald, 2019), CT reluctance to share or ‘lose’ their programs and lessons and potential personality clashes, the concept of collaboration, particularly with TLs is something that needs to be approached sensitively and depending on the person or people you would aim to work alongside. I think it is important to clearly outline the expectations eg this collaboration will be used in classes ABC and these people with have these responsibilities. Additionally, it must be clear that ALL parties will be receiving credit and contributing to the assessment of the unit/lesson to continue to review, adapt and improve the final product.
    Another way to approach the topic of collaboration, aside from reassuring all credits are shared, would be to suggest the lightening of the workload- for example, I an teaching an enquiry unit currently, based on the history topic for Stage 2 and 3. We are learning how to search for information while gathering information on a familiar topic which students can take back to class to contribute to their in-class learning. Additionally, I am keeping assessment records of information gathering and IT use for end of year reports.
  2. In short, Bonanno (2011) explains that TLs and libraries contribute to literacy results, development of ICT capabilities, information learning and staff professional development amongst other things. Utilising TLs in this way can potentially lighten the load for overworks CTs and provide another avenue for student assessment in various areas, including literacy, speaking and listening and ICT development. Unlike CTs, TLs have the space and potentially the opportunity to introduce inquiry based learning to students initially, which can then be traken into classrooms. Alternatively, TLs can support students in inquiry based learning in the library, sharpening skills already being used in the classroom (Fitzgerald, 2019).

I think that true collaboration (Montiel-Overall, 2005; Langford, 2008) is key, particularly in such a small school. By supporting me in my goal to develop inquiry skills, for example, my principal is giving me the opportunity to support other staff in their classroom programs which, in turn, support her position as principal in the development of student skills and achievements. Additionally, having a supportive executive encourages me to involve myself more fully in the community of the school and potentially invest more time and effort into the school environment and development.

 

References

Bonanno, K. (2011). Opinion: Do school libraries really make a difference? Incite 32/5 Available at http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/inCiteALIA/2011/97.pdf

Butterfly Wings at https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=butterfly%20wings

Fitzgerald, L. (2019). The role of the teacher librarian (TL). In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 4]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899464_1

Langford, L. (2008). Collaboration: Force or forced, Part 2, 27/1, 31-37. In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 4]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899464_1

Montiel-Overall (2005). Toward a theory of collaboration for teachers and librarians, School library media research 8/1-31 In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 3]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899459_1

Teachers Pay Teachers at https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

 

4.3_1 Curriculum creation and delivery at my school

I would say that the development and delivery of curriculum at my school generally follows the Curriculum Design Principles from Review of the Curriculum Report (Fitzgerald, 2019) with a specific focus on relevance to the local environment and community and development of parent-friendly language.
Staff have the freedom to create, buy or source units of work that fit into the scope and sequence of each subject, which has been designed collaboratively with other CTs, executive and TLs. In terms of assessment, each CT addresses this in their own way but, I have noticed a large swing towards Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005) ‘backward design’ and this is a process I prefer, myself.
As I am working at an exceptionally small school, with a forward-thinking, open minded principal, we are lucky enough to be able to tailor learning to the needs of our students so long as we continually make links back to the social and local environment in order to make learning relevant to our students.

 

References

Review of the Australian curriculum final report (2014). Retrieved from https://docs.education.gov.au/node/36269 In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 4]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899464_1

Wiggins, G.& McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. (Ed. 2) Association for supervision and curriculum development (ASCD): Alexandria, Va. In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 4]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899464_1

 

4.3_2 The TL and curriculum

From personal experience and further reading, I believe it is important to develop a school environment that is inclusive and collaborative. To achieve this, it is important that all staff are involved in curriculum development and planning with the opportunity to comment, critique and support changes. By including TLs, CTs have the opportunity to help expand student thinking and impress that learning does not occur in a vacuum (Lamb, 2011). Additionally, there is potential for the improvement of current resources or the development of new resources by utilising TL experience and specialities.

It is realistic, I think, for principals to expect their staff to work collaboratively in schools in order to ensure a flowing, positive environment that supports learners. By planning units of work together, staff are potentially sharing the workload, ensuring a second look over of programs to determine their suitability and relevance to students, ensuring strong links to learning.

By not including TLs in curriculum planning, staff are risking a disconnect between classroom and library. This would not benefit students as the library should be used as a place to sharpen research skills and consolidate learning. By leaving out TLs and the library from programming, staff are potentially saying that the learning occurring in their room has no relevance outside of it, lessening student connection and the opportunity for deeper learning. Additionally, there is the potential for clashing or repeating programs.

 

References

Lamb, A. (2011). Bursting with potential: Mixing a media specialist’s palette. Techtrends: Linking research & practice to improve learning, 55(4), 27-36. In ETL401: Introduction to teacher librarianship, [Module 3]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899459_1

 

ETL401 Week 2 & 3 module responses

2.1

What is information?

From this module, I have learned that information is a complicated concept but there are two main types of information: semantic & classic.

Semantic information is concerned with meaning, without getting hung up on how it is delivered. Classic information seems to be more scientific in process, able to be measured and defined (Fitzgerald, 2019).

How does the information affect how we communicate, learn and use information?

Information has made it much easier to communicate in previous years, across country and internationally, personally and for business. It has helped create new jobs and areas of speciality in business. Advancements in information technology has also helped develop education, provide it to those who, previously found it out of financial or physical reach and create resources and programs within classrooms to support students of all ages. Additionally, the development technology allows people to access information immediately, as Floridi (2007) predicted, making information and technology a part of real life (RL) so much so that some people find it impossible to consider life ‘before’.

References

Fitzgerald, L. (2019). The Information Environment. In ETL401: Introduction to Teacher Librarianship, [Module 2]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899398_1&mode=reset

Floridi, L. (2007). A look into the future impact of ICT on our lives. The Information Society, 23, 59-64. CSU Library

2.2 ‘Information society’

What do you think this term means?

‘Post-industrial society in which information technology (IT) is transforming every aspect of cultural, political, and social life and which is based on the production and distribution of information. It is characterized by the (1) pervasive influence of IT on home, work, and recreational aspects of the individuals daily routine, (2) stratification into new classes those who are information-rich and those who are information-poor, (3) loosening of the nation state’s hold on the lives of individuals and the rise of highly sophisticated criminals who can steal identities and vast sums of money through information related (cyber) crime (WebFinance, 2016).’ (Fitzgerald, 2019)

I connected more with this second definition and appreciated the specific nature of it. Defining information is a complicated concept (Fitzgerald, 2019) and many have tried to do just that with limited success. Looking more broadly at the infosphere (Floridi, 2007) requires a closer look, rather than a broad brush approach.

For each of the characterisations in the above definition, I can think of an immediate example, most of which directly relate to my own experiences:

  1. It cannot be disputed that IT is much more integrated and prevalent in everyday life today than, even, fifteen years ago. Hand-held mobile devices, Smart TV’s and increasingly inexpensive portable laptops and tablets mean information is readily on-hand at any time. The availability of internet connectivity with the development and implementation of wi-fi in public spaces also contributes to the current ease of information access.
  2. The development and availability of technology providing access to information has helped create a new class divide in society. Initially, individuals who could afford to buy expensive lap-tops, mobile phones and other personal technological devices had an immediate advantage over their less financially capable counterparts. They were able to develop new skillsets and access new areas of commerce and finance that were unavailable without the right equipment.
    More recently, with the increased presence of technology in education, personal lives and business, the physical devices required to access information have become less expensive and seen less as exclusive and more mainstream, necessary for everyday life, as Floridi (2007) predicted. That said, there remain certain brand names and models that maintain elitist advertising campaigns, targeting those individuals, businesses and schools with a higher spending bracket.
  3. The rise in cybercrime in recent years can be clearly seen in local and international news. The Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN) reported a rise of around 20% in cybercrime from 2017-2018 (Reddie, 2019). The more development in technology, the ore highly skilled criminals are operating in society as characterised by the above definition.

Why is it important for the teacher librarian to have an understanding of the information landscape?

Due to the pervasive nature of ICT (WebFinance, 2016), it is imperative that TL’s possess a relevant and broad understanding of the information landscape for a number of reasons. The idiom ‘forewarned is fore armed’ comes to mind when considering the information society.
It is important to help students develop a firm understanding of the information society at an appropriate level and to also provide support and guidance when accessing the information landscape for their learning and socialising.
Floridi (2007) predicted that ICT would evolve to the point of ‘a-live’ (artificially live), for example, self driving (or autonomous) cars that are predicted to be on our roads some day soon (Porter, 2012; Niccolai, 2012; BMW.com; Allianz.com.au). In the very near future, TL will be teaching students who have never known life without an extremely high level of integrated ICT, if it isn’t already happening. These students will have huge stores of prior knowledge and an elevated ICT skillset that generations before had not had the opportunity to develop. As it is, TL’s are already experiencing this with social media platforms, email and the use of Google. As such, it is the TL’s responsibility to keep up with changes to provide quality, relevant teaching and learning opportunities and develop the necessary higher order thinking skills needed to be a productive member of society.
Additionally, TL’s need to accept the fact that their physical resources will, more than likely, become totally digitised in the future (Ciccone & Hounslow, 2019) and familiarise themselves with appropriate online software and programs to support their fellow teachers and students.

References

Allianz.com.au (n.d.) Self-driving cars- the future of motoring? Retrieved from Allianz Australia website: https://www.allianz.com.au/car-insurance/news/self-driving-cars-the-future-of-motoring

BMW.com (n.d.) The path to autonomous driving. Retrieved from BMW  website: https://www.bmw.com/en/automotive-life/autonomous-driving.html

Ciccone, A. & L. Hounslow (2019). Re-envisioning the role of academic librarians for the digital learning environment: The case of UniSA online. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 16(1). Implementing online learning: Stories from the field, Article 11. Available at https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol16/iss1/11

Fitzgerald, L. (2019). The Information Environment. In ETL401: Introduction to Teacher Librarianship, [Module 2]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_42381_1&content_id=_2899398_1&mode=reset

Floridi, L. (2007). A look into the future impact of ICT on our lives. The Information Society, 23, 59-64. CSU Library

Niccolai, J. (2012). Self-driving cars a reality for ‘ordinary people’ within 5 years, says Google’s Sergey Brin. Retrieved from Computerworld website: https://www.computerworld.com.au/article/437481/self-driving_cars_reality_ordinary_people_within_5_years_says_google_sergey_brin/#closeme

Porter, I. (2012). Autonomous cars soon. Retrieved from https://www.goauto.com.au/news/general-news/technology/autonomous-cars-soon/2012-07-20/22168.html

Reddie, M. (2019). Cybercrime skyrockets in NSW as murders and robberies fall. Retrieved from ABC News website: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-11/cybercrime-skyrockets-in-nsw-as-murders-and-robberies-fall/10776982