March 2022 – Jennifer's reflections 'through the looking glass'

The Information Environment

Module 2: The Information Environment was an eye opening experience. This content highlighted and cemented the importance of Teacher Librarians and Educators as essential facilitators in student learning in this information rich world. We must acknowledge that our society influences how we learn and use information.

The Data-Knowledge Continuum was a key part of the readings that will impact how I teach into the future. The attributes of information including chaos, data, information, knowledge and wisdom are essential building blocks for student knowledge, and I propose, our knowledge as educators also. Understanding the continuum assists us in developing information literacy and digital learning experiences for our students so they can gain knowledge to a higher level (wisdom) to be able to make informed decisions with the data presented to them.

Our information society is all-encompassing. The fact that information can impact the economy and be a traded good is an intriguing concept highlighted in the readings. Recognising this impact and combining it with the amount of ‘free’ information available on the internet, our role as educators is an important one as students research and navigate the world of bias, validity and authenticity.

The evolving technology landscape allows our students to connect with information that is readily accessible and on highly interactive platforms. However, this digital environment is extremely dense and continually changing. As Teacher Librarians, we must be a reliable source of guidance and knowledge ourselves, and teach a range of critical analysis and digital literacy skills, in order to assist our students through this complex information landscape.

Oddone, K. (2022). Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom. [YouTube video].
https://youtu.be/9i3_soqoC00

Wideman, R. M. (2008). The Information Hierarchy. [Powerpoint slides]. http://www.maxwideman.com/issacons/iac1013d/sld004.htm

ETL401 Assessment 1: The role of the Teacher Librarian

My understanding of the Teacher Librarian (TL) role in schools is continually evolving as my knowledge increases.

As stated in my Welcome post, I basically fell into my first TL role at my then Primary School. I had no big understanding or lofty aspirations, only that the Principal wished the library to become the heart of the school once more. Upon reflection, I really didn’t encompass or comprehend the role fully. I focused more on teaching the students and the engagement side of the role. To be honest, I was still a Teacher, not a TL. Looking back, I realise I didn’t completely understand inquiry models or how to even accession resources correctly into our various collections to be able to maintain a cohesive system.

Now in my fourth year at another ACT primary school in the TL role, I feel more confident in my pedagogy and my collection development. But I also realise there is still so much to the role. Just beginning with our first module, ‘The Information Environment’ (Oddone, 2022), it is evident the importance of TLs in schools to assist with developing student understandings in this constantly changing world. Librarians may be misrepresented in society’s eyes as storytellers and ‘the keeper of books’ only: that we read books to children and borrow and return. This is a long way from reality. You can read more on The Information Environment on my blog post here.

I am a solo practitioner in this school library currently – just little me, no assistant or ‘team’. However, the idea of TLs being a single entity and not part of a team is not entirely new but hopefully advancing in school environments (Given and Julien, 2005). Although I have my own office in the library and am the only library ‘worker’ at my school, I am part of each and every teaching team. I am in the specialist team with our music, French and wellbeing teachers. I am in the Literacy team, overseeing the budget and advocating professional learning, resources and practices. I am in each cohort team as I work alongside and collaborate, assisting with developing the best learning paths, inquiry and research, arranging rich texts and programming resources. And I am part of our whole school team, with the students being our priority. We all have the same goals, no matter what our role is: to promote a love of learning.

Nonetheless, my role at the school is beginning to weigh on my mind as I approach the arrival of our first baby in August. Who to train into the role to keep the library at the forefront of the school? How and when? Will the school continue to see the library as an imperative asset while I am on maternity leave? Will I have a role to come back to? Advocacy is so important in our schooling climate, with some politicians and the public believing TLs to be a rare and dying resource in schools (Carmody, 2019). Luckily for our wonderful school, we have a supportive Principal who sees our value. She advocated for me to undertake my Masters at CSU, and combined with the ACT Government’s priority for providing scholarships for teachers to complete their TL qualifications (Lewis, 2021), the future’s looking bright.

Carmody R. (2019, 15 September). School libraries hit by the loss of a dying breed as teacher librarians enter ‘survival mode’. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-15/research-reveals-alarming-loss-in-teacher-librarians-in-schools/11494022

Given, L.M. & Julien, H. (2005). Finding Common Ground: An Analysis of Librarians’ Expressed Attitudes Towards Faculty. The Reference librarian, 2005-04-27, Vol.43 (89-90), p.25-38. Retrieved from: https://web-s-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=2800e18e-d7fa-4adc-885b-b53e0a76e3cb%40redis

Lewis, K. (2021, 1 February). ACT government to provide 10 teachers a year scholarship to complete librarian qualifications. Canberra Times. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7106701/scholarships-to-address-shortage-of-canberra-teacher-librarians/

Oddone, K. (2022). 2.0 The Information Environment [Study notes]. ETL401: Introduction to Teacher Librarianship. Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/

Welcome

Rainbow on Jennifer's farm — Author’s own photo

Welcome to Jennifer’s Journal Reflections!

I hope you like the rainbow photo. It was taken on our property just outside the ACT border. We have the most spectacular sunsets overlooking the Brindabella Ranges. On this particular evening we had just had a rain shower come over. Beautiful!

A bit about me and my driving passions and interests. I live with my husband of 10 years, our three dogs and my two horses. I was on a horse before I could walk, so really I had no control over my love for them! I enjoy riding through our amazing landscapes and show jumping. Our dogs are our babies. They are going to be in for a rude shock when our first human bubba comes along in August!

I have been teaching for 15 years this year. Wow! Time really does fly! 10 years of that teaching experience has been as a Primary Teacher and 5 years has been as a Teacher Librarian (TL) for Preschool to Year 6 students.

But alas, I am a fraud! Hence, CSU and the Master of Education in Teacher Librarianship. In a few years I will feel like I truly belong within the esteemed cohort of Teacher Librarians.

Why Library? Initially, the Principal of the Primary School that I was teaching Year 5/6 at approached me with an interesting and brand new proposal: Why don’t I take up the TL role at the school in the new year? They wished to reinvigorate the library as the heart of the school for the students; to get them involved and wanting to use and enjoy the resource centre. I jumped at the chance for a fresh, new role. Wow! What a two year learning experience it was! Luckily for me, I had the most fabulous and supportive Library Technician to show me the ropes (and be my saviour). I adored getting to know the whole school, as I took classes from Kinder to Year 5/6 each week. I revamped the physical space with new bay ends, tables, chairs and senior and junior learning spaces. Additionally, technology, book chats, lunchtime clubs and activities, events and promotions were incorporated to engage students back into the library. And what results we had! You would be hard pressed to find free space during breaks!

Next, I moved to a new school and relished another four years of classroom teaching. Then the call came again from my new Principal, would I take on the library specialist position? Umm… yes! This has been my position over the past three years, with the role still changing each year.

Things that make my heart glow in the TL role: the enjoyment of seeing and knowing 380 faces around the school; the excitement from the students when you find them the right fit book; and especially when students tell me that the library is the best part of their week.

Now I embark on learning. Learning for me. Learning for our students. I can’t wait to embrace the journey, to enrich my practice for not only a strong reading culture in my school, but to develop my knowledge of inquiry learning and the ever changing digital and information landscape in education. The new horizon awaits!