michelle's reflective blog: : Page 4

Bundled Sets

There is equal divide between the pros and cons of buying bundled sets of resources according to Kimmel (2014)

Pros:

No need to replace lost or damaged books, easier to weed unused items from the collection, easier to purchase new, relevant and current materials, access rather than ownership.

Cons:

The number of simultaneous users can be limited by licensing issues (single,multiple, unlimited), ownership of content – the library has access but doesn’t own collections to fill their shelves, subscription costs – one off or annually, does it easily integrate with the libraries catalogue system.

Considerations to selecting content that is provided via online access but not owned by the library according to Kimmel (2014), should be to the merit, ease of use, authority and value of the bundled set to the collection. Also do the bundled sets offer the ability of users to access the ideas and information required.

I feel bundled sets are an important part of the future of the library resource collection and if managed well are a great benefit to students. My concerns are with the licensing and subscription costs. Navigating these with the best interests of students needs and access to information is a challenge but one I think as a TL is worth embarking on.

Kimmel, S. C. (2014). Developing collections to empower learners. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Patron Driven Aquisition

Tynan,Mark;McCarney, Eoin 2014. Patron Driven Acquisition in University College Dublin. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 20 (2):

233-250. DOI: 10.1080/13614533.2014.906352.

Five keywords – Patron, Driven, Acquisition, just-in-time, collection

The journal states that the most consistent argument made in support of PDA is that PDA material is borrowed much more often than material selected by librarians or academic staff.

The findings found that over the initial trail of PDA in their university libraries “63% of print PDA orders were placed by students, with the remaining 37% placed by academic staff. Usage among students is higher, but they are the larger cohort and always the greatest users of library books”.(Tynan,McCarney 2014)

The journal discusses the problems incurred using PDA during this time. “The percentage of print PDA material not yet borrowed is, however, a cause of concern. Over 300

print PDA orders were never collected. There are some reasons for this. For example, we

know some academics used print PDA for collection development purposes, and ordered

multiple titles that they did not necessarily want to borrow when received. One academic, for example, ordered over thirty print PDA books within a one hour time frame. Other

academics, from different schools, ordered over twenty titles over the course of the project.These academics ordered these books because they felt the collection needed them, and the opportunity was there, but they did not necessarily want them for themselves. Some orders received were from postgraduate students whose library cards had expired by the time the books they had ordered were received. A lot of the uncollected books were from orders placed in the first month of the new term by students who were new to the university and the library catalogue. They may not have understood how PDA worked, and may have been confused by the PDA MARC records in the catalogue.” (Tynan, McCarney, 2014)

The University of Dublin felt that these problems occurred because PDA wasn’t promoted correctly to the staff and students to ensure it was being used appropriately. Further that the right information on how to use PDA using everyday language and avoiding library jargon wasn’t used with students and staff.

Retrieved from:

https://researchrepository.ucd.ie/bitstream/10197/5600/2/RACL%20906352%20-%20Mark%20Tynan%20and%20Eoin%20McCarney%20-%20with%20amendments.pdf

Teacher Librarian in the Information Landscape

It’s important to have an understanding of the broader information landscape because it has changed the way in which information is now available. Information can now be accessed at anytime. As stated in Module 2, ‘The developments in technology affect the landscape and the humans that inhabit it. What humans do with the technology, how they view/perceive it, and how they use it affects developments in technology’. Therefore libraries need to keep up with these changes and developments by engaging a diverse group of users in resources, digital services and both print and electronic materials that are instantly available and inclusive.

The information landscape enables libraries ‘to manage complex collections of print, digital and electronic materials, to deal with both owned and licensed content and present modern used interfaces’ Breeding (2012)

Watch this useful clip for understanding the Information Landscape and how it affects the role of the teacher librarian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POq9zzIwKnw

Reference

Breeding, M (2012). The Library Information Landscape approaching the year 2050. Inf. Services ans Use, 32(3-4), 195-201.

Assessment 1: Online Reflective Journal

I have been a primary school teacher for 17 years and have taught all grades from Kindergarten to Year 6. In those years I have worked and taught at various Catholic and Independent schools with students from a variety of social, ethnic and academic backgrounds. Over the years I have had the opportunity and pleasure to work with some brilliant teacher librarians who have inspired me to develop my competencies as a classroom teacher and become a teacher librarian.

One teacher librarian that stands out as an inspiration was from the first school at which I taught. She was very passionate and created an inviting space that reflected her love for books and reading. Many weeks throughout the year the library would be themed and lessons would be centred on the theme. Even the librarian herself would dress up! As a result, the students were always engaged and excited to attend their library lesson each week. Part of her role was to manage the library’s collection of resources. She was often very helpful and knowledgeable and would encourage teachers to give her a list of their requirements at the beginning of the term of which was then promptly completed. Frequently, she would go above and beyond to find additional resources that she thought teachers may need or would offer further suggestions to consider. One thing I was surprised to learn was that much of the time that it took for her to collect and find the resources was after school hours. As a one stream school she felt over stretched as there was very limited relief from face to face teaching to do the many duties her role required.

As teacher librarians I feel we need to draw upon education policies to provide inquiry-based learning using an information skills model (Brock, 2010, p.9). In the ASLA submission Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian schools (Brock, 2010, p.15) it outlines that ‘teacher librarians are needed more than ever to take on a leadership role to assist teachers and students to engage with digital technologies to seek meaning not information. Assisting and instructing students and teachers to ‘use digital technology, communication tools, and/or networks to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information in order to function in a knowledge society (Serim, 2002 pp.1-5). Developing digital literacy competencies is a key role of teacher librarians.

The teacher librarian needs to manage a budget and select reading material that contributes to student appreciation of literature and that appeal to the differing interests, abilities and changing tastes of young readers. Further collection development in the school library requires the selection of resources in a variety of formats to cater for individual differences (Stripling 1996, p.5). They need to create a library that is comfortable, well lit and appealing to students. Signage and labelling should be clear and instructive. There should be places to display all aspects of student work. The library is for students and they should have a sense of ownership (Brock, 2010, p. 9).

References

Brock, K (2010, April 23) Submission to the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian Schools. Retrieved from:

http://asla.org.au

Serim, F 2002 The Importance of Contemporary Literacy in the Digital Age:

A Response to Digital Transformation: A Framework for Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Literacy. Retrieved from: http://www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id=157

Stripling, B 1996 Quality in school library media programs:

focus on learning. In Library Trends 44(3) 631-657. Retrieved from: http://libsnap.dom.edu/Reserves/Removed%20Reserves/Lis764Cason_Quality.htm.

Information Society

I think the term ‘Information Society’ is determined by several factors as stated by Frank Webster (2002, p.8). The first being technology. Today technology is more accessible and affordable for all ages. Children are given access to technological devices from a very young age, some before they can even talk. The older generation are also becoming more digitally literate. Technnology has changed the way our society connects and recieves information. It presents easy access , one to many interactive devices, social and relationship connections through media platforms such as Facebook, instant messaging, talk and face to face – Facetime and interactive gaming such as Fortnite.

As humans we are sociable and need to interact. Technology is now a common way in which we connect with others locally and world wide. It leads us to question though are we becoming so consumed, in out time poor lives, to only having time to make connections with others virtually. Are these ways of delivering and processing information authentic?

With this in mind I reflected on whom are the drivers of the change to a ‘Information Society’. Are we as intelligent information seekers demanding new ways of receiving and delivering information. Are we wanting to be stimulated in innovative and exciting ways by technology. Is it consumer driven or we just trying to keep up with the amount of information? Information that we seek and other information that embedded AI algorisms influence us to access.

Another factor considered by Frank Webster (2002, p.8) is economic. I think libraries are engaged in distributing information and cultural products but not producing them. They manage and distribute information as well as provide the means to transmit information, data or communications and are not just data processors. Creating a collection of resources for the library may involve some data processing but it is not the only role of the library.

Another factor that Frank Webster (2002, p8.) states is occupational. I reflected that in todays society you can be successful without being a qualified professional. The opportunities to network, promote and communicate information from one-to-many means individuals can create products, deliver services or influence others through social media platforms. As an Information Society consumers are already in the door of a business, celebrity or local expert by owning a device. Our Information Society presents information to us through technology that is fast, easy, global and robust. The information is convergent (everything is on one device). Anyone can publish a website and communicate information of the web. Embedded AI mean that large business’ can attract more customers, by tracking the information you seek. This part of the Information Society is what I find the most scary. I don’t want, as a user, to have my privacy and power taken away. I want to be able to seek my own information and not have that choice taken away from me. I think this is also true for our students.

Information Networks have been around for a long time. Humans are social beings and communicate as information givers and receivers. The infrastructure of how the information flows to us has changed. It is now asynchronous meaning we can give and receive multiple information at one time and don’t need to finish processing the current information before moving on. As Teacher librarians we need to ensure our learners seeking information don’t lose meaning, as they filter information. We want them to take knowledge from the information. How can we effectively teach the skills to seek authentic information. What should the criteria be?

The advancements in technology have changed the infrastructure of Information to form what is now called our Information Society. In the past information was delivered in a slower more deliberate manner. Newspaper, magazine, books, tapes, CD, video, letter, fax, phone call and telegram (if it was urgent) are examples. The remote and physical nature of these delivery forms is what strikes me as being so different. The information received was not instant. It took a little more effort than putting a few words into a Google search engine to seek the information but it was still as effective. We were still informed.

Teacher Librarians need to have an understanding of the Information Landscape to ensure that their library collections include a broad range of information networks. First at a local level and then a societal level. This will enable students and teachers to access authentic information in our ever changing Information Society.

What is Information?

This section certainly got me thinking about the question posed – what is information? As teachers we communicate information to our students all day but I don’t think I have ever stopped to think of the complexity of the concept of ‘information’ before now.

As I processed the semantics of the ‘information’ in this section I could relate to the data-knowledge continuum. Whilst reading all the definitions of information my mind was in chaos as began to process the data, the data then became organised (somewhat!) so that it started to convey meaning and as I began to understand what I was reading it became knowledge. I am now hoping through ‘doing’ my reflective post in this forum that I may be closer to the level of wisdom! The process of understanding for me was on the relevance. Is what I am reading relevant to this subject and ultimately to my future role as a Teacher Librarian.

It was also interesting to reflect on information as a commodity and its impact on the economy as a traded good to be bought and sold. We are all consumers in our rapidly changing, information rich society. It highlighted to me the important role we have to help our students navigate this information overload among the constant advances to technology. Recognising what information is authentic is a struggle even for adults. What can we do to understand the complexities of ‘free’ information. Are there hidden agendas to the information being presented? Is the information biased?

The inherent properties of information highlighted how easily information can be both beneficial and detrimental to those understanding it. In our fast moving digital environment information can quickly be transferred to its audience but as it’s inconsumable, untransferable, indivisible and accumulative we need to share and process with caution.

Curriculum resourcing issues

Sunday, November 24, 2019

A 2013 SCIS survey of school library collections asked Australian school library staff what types of resources their school provided… read more

Responsibility for Research Selection

Discuss how the teacher librarian’s expertise and role is different from that required by all teachers.

Teacher librarians have access to up to date resources in print and digital formats that connect to a local, global and physical world of learning.

TL can assist kids become responsible digital citizens, assist with research skills, completing homework and assignment tasks, reading for pleasure (love of books) and privacy settings on social media accounts

Share ideas on how teacher librarians might effectively collaborate with the school community in the selection of resources in a school with which you are familiar.

Send out a survey to teachers, heads of stages about the resources they require to meet learning and teaching needs of the curriculum.

Meet with heads of stage to collaborate on what resources are required, needs of students and discuss whether resources the library have are in need of review or to be disposed of.

Consider also how to engage your learners in selection of resources for their school library.

Student feedback box or form at the end of a unit about what resources they used/didn’t use and what they think they could use next time.

Suggestion box in the library.

Who should have the final say on what is included? Why?

Teachers because they know the curriculum, student needs and what from experience is effective.

Think – Curriculum Topic Resources – What, How , Where?

Curriculum Topic – Water – Our Most Precious Resource

Types of resources

QR codes of internet sites to research

Non fiction texts – water conservation, water pollution, climate change, drought (weather patterns), water cycle

Video – You tube through clickview

Fiction text about marine animals affected by polluted waterways.

Science experiements – water filtering – video and websites

How and where would I find them?

Online, school library (use Oliver catalogue system or speak with librarians)

Module 1 – Managing the Collection

GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) – Libraries sit within these broad cultural and information service sectors.

TL should encourage using local libraries too. I know I even do this as a classroom teacher now. I also like to use the local library services for myself and my family.

What is our school libraries policy? Another question to ask!

Are we influenced by:

Shelf ready processes – what is this?

Challenges by community members or parents.

Are there any other rules and policies?