Mastering Librarianship – Page 2

ETL533 – Assessment 2: PART B: Literature in Digital Environments

What makes a good digital text, what counts as one, and what purpose do digital texts serve?

To determine what makes a good digital text, we first must define what a digital text actually is. The changing landscape of reading is why we need to define a digital text as it affords so many new possibilities for reading and engaging with content in the electronic environment (Lamb, 2011). According to the NSW English K-10 Syllabus (2012), a digital text is “audio, visual or multimodal texts produced through digital or electronic technology which may be interactive and include animations and/or hyperlinks.” But how do we determine if the digital is quality in the abundance of choices? Interacting with the text in order to support reading and enhance enjoyment is the ideal design (McGeehan et al., 2018, p. 58). But the affordances that are offered by way of choice, one needs to be careful to consider and examine the content and what the text has to offer in the way of features, understanding, and experiences that can be offered beyond what the print book can (Yokota & Teale, 2014) as well as the “literary worthiness of the text” (Dobler, 2013). With such an abundance of digital text at our fingertips, available on multiple devices, the decisions we make when choosing a digital text for learning become more and more important (Leu et al., 2015), and in addition to the quality, a sound set of criteria to evaluate effectiveness and comprehension is also necessary (McGeehan, 2018).

Compare your experience of reading digital texts with reading print.

Reading for enjoyment has always been at the core of my being. Being read to as a child was a joyous occasion by my animated mother and as an adult constantly on the search for my next book to fall in love with. Though I read more online now than I ever did, having gone back to studying, Jabr (2013) aptly honed in on my sentiments in favour of printed books in his findings on paper versus digital texts. It is no wonder I prefer this method, as our brain interprets and responds differently to written language on screen when compared to on paper (Jabr, 2013). Like Jabr’s findings (2013) I too find I lose my place when scrolling through seemingly endless words on a screen as the text cannot be viewed in its entirety. The physical aspects are also more taxing (Jabr, 2013), and I have had to resort to wearing glasses due to eye strain from reading online and constant headaches. Yokota and Teale’s findings (2014), suggest both digital and print-based texts play an important role, something I consider when transferring this into my teaching role. I enjoy the occasional YouTube clip as part of the modules, to break up the monotony of readings. Being online has made access to readings much easier than my first stint at university when I had to physically go into the library and use microfiche to find journal articles (now that’s showing my age!).

Choose the digital text you most enjoyed and discuss how you might incorporate it into a program at your institution.

The last grade I taught before moving into the library was Year 6. I loved taking them to Canberra for their annual Year 6 camp and going to the Australian War Memorial was a highlight. Life during WW1 is incomprehensible for 11 and 12 year olds, so to bring to life some of the hardships we would look at archives of images, letters, and radio broadcasted sound recordings. Life in the trenches was a small aspect of all of this, but when visiting Canberra the experience would become far more meaningful and emotive.

BBC Bitesize’s image (2022) that I reviewed was similar to one I had used, though the previous one only offered text links to the images. BBC Bitesize’s (2022) image activity was superior in incorporating sound recordings, photographs, and informative text. Disappointingly, I discovered the sound recorded feature was only available to UK residents. Upon completion of my review, I sought alternative digital texts using the same image. Brown’s (n.d.) presentation on Blendspace, is a collection of digital content on one page. Mendivil’s (2019) Prezi presentation interacted with the image similarly to my original post, where hyperlinked portions of the image produced informative text and photographs from the time. As a teacher librarian, I would be interested to use these resources with Year 6 to support and extend their learning in the classroom, by having them create their own digital text using Prezi, Canva, or similar and present it to the class. Their creativity is astounding and their enthusiasm in presenting information in a new way, and transferring what they have learned to their visit to the Australian War Memorial is invaluable learning.

References

BBC Bitesize. (2022). KS2 What was life like in a World War One trench? BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zqhyb9q/articles/z8sssbk Brown, J. (n.d.). World War 1 trench warfare. Blendspace. https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/c-Wm64x_n5iKzw/world-war-1-trench-warfare-by-jamie-brown

Dobler, E. (2013, April/May). Looking beyond the screen: Evaluating the quality of digital books. Reading Today, 30(5), 20-21. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=f1a0d0fa-45d0-46c2-8871-ec1f3871f561%40redis

Jabr, F. (2013, April 11). The reading brain in the digital age: The science of paper versus screens. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/ Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning & leading with technology, 39(3), 12-17.

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12-17. http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=67371172&site=ehost-live

Leu, D., Forzani, E., Timbrell, N., & Maykel, C. (2015, September). Seeing the forest, not the trees. Reading Teacher, 69(2), 139-145. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1406

McGeehan, C., Chambers, S. & Nowakowski, J. (2018). Just because it’s digital, doesn’t mean it’s good: evaluating digital picture books. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 34(2), 58-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2017.1399488

Mendivil, M. (2019). WW1 trenches. Prezi. https://prezi.com/p/aaqfpmv7t2yc/ww1-trenches/ NSW Education Standards Authority. (2012). English K-10 Syllabus: Glossary. https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/english-year-10/english-k-10/glossary

Yokota, J., & Teale, W. (2014). Picture books and the digital world. The Reading Teacher, 67(8), 577-585. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1262

Assessment Task, ETL533, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

DIGITAL LITERATURE REVIEW 3

August 21, 2022August 29, 2022 Louise

ETL533 – Literature in Digital Environments – Assessment 2: PART A

Review 3 – Stage 3: What things were in a WW1 trench?

informative — **image 3.1** (BBC Bitesize. (2022). KS2 What was life like in a World War One trench? BBC.

BBC Bitesize provides resources to support students, parents, and teachers to learn, revise and teach children of ages 3 – 16+. The website supports all curriculum areas and units linked to the curriculum taught in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales and is available in four languages. Many of these units are comparable to the NSW Education curriculum and the one that I have focussed on is a history unit about World War One. The KS2 (Year 5 and 6) history topic of World War One aligns with the NSW Education Stage 3 and 4 History content.

I will be reviewing the interactive graphic Activity 1: What things were in a trench? (image 3.1).

This graphic can be found as a part of the non-fiction webpage Year 6 World War One, and the learner guide What was life like in a World War One trench? This digital graphic has a hypermedia multimodal format, recorded voice, images, and text to explore. This activity portion of the webpage follows a variety of information sections about World War One trench life, with a quiz at the end consisting of five multiple choice questions to test your knowledge about the preceding information.

This type of infographic, with multimodal hypertext and commentary, offers students a different way of thinking about the topic and extends their understanding of the text (Dalton, 2013, p. 649). With the popularity of graphic novels and manga genres, the appeal of this type of image-based learning and interaction with the text is another option for visual digital literacy with Stage Three students (Dalton, p. 648).

There are ten different objects that can be highlighted individually and explored further (image 3.1). Each highlighted image can be clicked to reveal a combined recording of a British ‘soldier’s’ voice (image 3.2), followed by a black and white photograph from WW1 (image 3.3) and text describing the image (image 3.4).

Each sound recording is of a first-person account and is under one minute to ensure full engagement (eg, Transcribed from BBC Bitesized (2022). Rats: “those rotten rats, we can’t get rid of them no matter how hard we try. I shot five of them the other day myself, no sooner were they gone, than ten more came running…”).

The sound recordings were accessible via an iPhone (using Safari), though were “not supported” to play on my desktop computer via any platform. I discovered that my IP address is the problem as it is not registered in the UK. This limits its use in Australian classrooms.

Following each sound recording is a still image, a black and white photograph from WW1 which clearly depicts the scene.

Finally, textual information explains each image in an authentic and comprehensive manner, while expressed in appropriate and understandable language for the intended audience, children in years 5 and 6. Thus aligning with the NSW English syllabus outcomes for Stage 3, especially EN3-3A (NESA, 2021).

Each image compels the reader to seek more information about the trenches, which can be found in other sections of this webpage. The reader has the opportunity to extend their knowledge about WW1 via the other learner guides on the topic of World War One. This multimodal hyperlinked infographic may also be a way to extend students’ knowledge about a topic. Using this infographic as a starting point to creating their own multimodal hyperlinked image, which could include their own voice recordings, additional information about the topic, and hyperlinks to other findings and would make a valuable assessment tool to evaluate their comprehension and continuing to develop their “interest and skill in analysing, critiquing, and responding to text” (Dalton, 2013, p. 649).

Resources

BBC Bitesize. (2022). KS2 What was life like in a World War One trench? BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zqhyb9q/articles/z8sssbk

Dalton, B. (2013). Engaging Children in Close Reading: Multimodal Commentaries and Illustration Remix. The Reading Teacher, 66(8), 642–649. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1172

NSW Education Standards Authority. (2021). Reading and viewing: Stage 3. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/english-year-10/english-k-10/content/893

Assessment Task, ETL533, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

DIGITAL LITERATURE REVIEW 2

August 21, 2022September 7, 2022 Louise

ETL533 – Literature in Digital Environments – Assessment 2: PART A

Review 2 – Stage 2: Roald Dahl Digital Escape Room

The phenomena of the escape room is relatively new, and the digital escape room even more so, especially within the context of the classroom (Taraldsen et al, 2022). Although game-based learning is not a new concept, it is a way to engage students in cooperative communication and be critical and active learners (Taraldsen et al, 2022). Being a relatively new framework for education, there is not a lot of research studies in this area (Taraldsen et al, 2022). However, Makri et al. (2021) have looked at Educational Escape Rooms and Digital Educational Escape Rooms (DEERs) in their study.

I began a search for digital escape rooms as I recalled how much the children in Years 3 to 6 enjoyed the opportunity to engage in a new digital text during the Covid-19 lockdown. I came across a website that features a variety of digital escape rooms for kids and adults compiled onto one page. They are sorted into categories, many with educational themes, and for a variety of levels, and content suitable for family fun, teens, and adults.

I was drawn to a family favourite, Roald Dahl, in the ‘Based on Books’ section. I have read and reread Roald Dahl’s books to my own children and many of my classes in Stages 1 and 2. I discovered that it had been created by Willoughby City Library in 2020, as an opportunity to connect children and their families to the public library and its services during the Covid-19 lockdown. It is recommended to open the digital escape room using a computer screen, rather than a mobile device for the best experience. It was created using Google Sites in honour of the 30th anniversary of the death of Roald Dahl.

It requires the reader to be accomplished or have an adult present to help navigate the text and other features. To begin the experience simple navigation by clicking a ‘next’ button at the bottom of the page, and to advance in the story. Once the main ‘room’ is reached, the layout is a simple two-column webpage to present each ‘chapter’.

Each ‘chapter ‘represents a different Roald Dahl book and is characterised by an image from an Unsplash source (image 2.1).

Chapter One	Chapter Two	Chapter Three	Chapter Four

image 2.1 (all credits can be seen here, provided by Willoughby City Library, 2020).

There is an embedded Google Form in which the digital escape room story and puzzles are played out. Each image has hidden links, which are clues to answer the questions for each chapter. The clues open up in a new tab via Google Slides, Google Docs, Google Drive, or Google Sheets. The clues must be answered correctly, in all caps, with no spelling errors or accidental additional characters to advance. Each question has a required answer and begins as a red line, then changes to a blue line when answered correctly. Completing the first chapter opens chapter two and three questions, and completing these two opens chapter four questions.

After becoming stuck on one question in the first chapter and another in the third chapter. I decided to seek assistance from the source. An email address on the introduction page proved most helpful. I contacted the library to request an answer sheet, for the purpose of my assessment and to support students for use in the classroom setting. Support was prompt and courteous and they were excited that a resource that was created quickly during the first sudden lockdown was still useful.

It is assumed that you have knowledge of the Roald Dahl books prior, as the first question in each chapter asks you to look at the image to determine the title of the book represented. In addition to this, some questions also require knowledge of the characters or storyline to ensure that an answer can be achieved.

The layout could be a challenge for some students and a suggested improvement would be aligning the chapter pictures with corresponding Google Form questions. At times the questions were quite vague and brief. Rewording the questions may be helpful in understanding what was being asked of each corresponding clue. Most of the clues were well placed though and children could be guided to determine a response. I could see how some students could also be easily discouraged if stuck on clues that required some deciphering using numbers and letters or knowledge of the original text. It would be critical for teachers to have the answers to ensure some level of success or support.

DEERs are certainly an innovative way to combine digital skills, critical thinking, and teamwork in education and the online classroom, however, certain considerations need to be taken into account (Makri et al., 2021). Considerations include learning objectives, communicative and teamwork skills of participants, and ensuring students can navigate the experience to achieve success. DEERs may also be a tool for teachers to access understanding about a text read in class or another topic that they have been studying, though they would also need to incorporate a way to gather evidence of their learning such as follow-up polls, quiz scores, or comments on the platform (Makri et al., 2021).

Resources

Makri, A., Vlachopoulos, D., & Martina, R. A. (2021). Digital Escape Rooms as Innovative Pedagogical Tools in Education: A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland), 13(8), 4587–. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084587

Seymour Public Library. (n.d.). Escape rooms and games. https://seymourpubliclibrary.org/departments/escape-rooms/

Taraldsen, L. H., Haara, F. O., Lysne, M. S., Jensen, P. R., & Jenssen, E. S. (2022). A review on use of escape rooms in education – touching the void. Education Inquiry, 13(2), 169–184. https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2020.1860284

Willoughby City Library. (2020). Roald Dahl digital escape. April 22, 2020. https://sites.google.com/view/roalddahldigitalescape

Assessment Task, ETL533, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

DIGITAL LITERATURE REVIEW 1

August 21, 2022August 29, 2022 Louise

ETL533 – Literature in Digital Environments – Assessment 2: PART A

Review 1 – Early Stage 1 and Stage 1: Dr. Seuss Deluxe Books app

The more that you read,

The more things you will know.

The more that you learn,

The more places you’ll go. (Dr. Seuss, 1978).

We all know and love Dr. Seuss’ books, and it is easy to become captivated by the verse, rhyming, rhythm, simple illustrations, and imaginative, recurring characters that have made a universal impact over many generations since the 1920s. The original Dr. Seuss books have been reproduced in a multitude of formats including paper, digital, films, television shows, stage productions, and mobile apps.

For Early Stage One and Stage One I chose to look at apps for iPads, these are the device of choice in Kindergarten to Year 2 classrooms in my school setting. According to Dr. Goodwin (2012) in her study of iPad use in the classroom, there is emerging evidence of iPads being educational tools to support learning via the apps available, though research in this area is failing to keep pace with new technologies. Goodwin (2012, p. 11) also suggests that explicit criteria for app selection be developed to critically analyse their relevance.

I began my search on Google and came across the Oceanhouse Media website. They are a publisher of more than 650 apps for mobile, tablet, and computers. Their Dr. Seuss app was most appealing and linked with the current Dr. Suess borrowing trends in our school library. Their two main Dr. Seuss apps for iPhones, and iPads, offer unique features and can be compared HERE. Dr. Seuss Deluxe Books app was the most suitable for my setting.

The app is free to download and offers one free enhanced digital book, Yertle the Turtle, with 16 others available. Each additional book is $5.99, with a recommended grade range of Kindergarten to Year 3. Finding the app through the website provided an opportunity for FREE teacher access to all 17 books via a promotional code. This code is one-time-use, obtained by using the online registration form and a school email address. As promised, the digital books were now available for me to download for free. A substantial saving of AUS$95.84 (as separate purchases), or at a cost of AUS$62.99 for the Read and Play bundle 40, or AUS$57.99 for the Read and Play 37 bundle. This allowed for a more thorough analysis of the app.

The app features an animated version of each book, the characters move simply but do not detract from the text. The settings (image 1.1) allow the reader or parent/teacher to set parameters for different reading modes and other features.

informative image — **image 1.1** (image created by me using Canva and an app screenshot from Oceanhouse Media, 2022)

Let’s talk settings…

The reading modes:

Read to me – text is highlighted as each word is narrated (image 1.2). The reader taps an arrow to advance to the next page.
Read it myself – reader taps each word and is read aloud. After tapping each word a review arrow button appears for a text reread. The dynamic text layout could make reading words left to right challenging for emerging readers.
Auto play – plays the whole story automatically, with each read word highlighted. Play is continuous unless the stop button is held for 5 seconds. This feature was difficult to execute on an iPhone. When autoplay is stopped reading mode reverts to ‘read to me’. A good mode for nonreaders or emerging readers who would benefit from seeing text direction. The reader cannot go back to a previous page and cannot access the activities in this mode.

Other features:

Activities – It is unclear how to access the activities and took trial and error in the ‘read to me’ mode. Touching images on the page reveals a hidden star image that floats to the bottom right corner and can then be tapped to open the activity (image 1.3). Searching for the activity was a way to engage the reader, though could be a distraction, and locating the correct part of the image was occasionally difficult. Instructions for the activity are announced and repeated if idle. Activities are suitable for the intended grade and may include “spelling, sorting, rhyming, phonics, puzzles, memory, word search, sequence, and more” (Oceanhouse Media, 2022).
Picture words – allows the reader to tap any picture and have a word pop out, narrated, and then disappear. A feature that helps to identify items on the page (image 1.4).
Music and Sound – When this feature is left on, it is distracting and the narration is not as clear.

Overall, this app is engaging and can be shared on multiple devices. Parents who download the app can track their child’s progress. The digital books can be viewed on the home page in a variety of ways, including A to Z, favourites, and grades. For this app to play an integral role we need to ensure that nostalgia isn’t getting in the way of knowing an app is appropriate (Yokata & Teale, 2014). Maintaining the aim of this app is not to teach reading, but to access reading in an interactive and engaging way. Undoubtedly this app is fun and entertaining, but in addition could also support student learning at home and in the classroom (Goodwin, 2012, p. 16).

Resources

Goodwin, K. (2012). Use of tablet technology in the classroom: Phase 1 iPad trial. NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre (CLIC). https://www.cirta.org/images/doc_archive/cirta_nouvelles/iPad_Evaluation_Sydney_Region.pdf

Oceanhouse Media. (2021). Dr. Seuss Deluxe Books. (Version 1.0.7) [mobile app].

Oceanhouse Media. (2021). Dr. Seuss app features. https://edu.oceanhousemedia.com/dr-seuss-treasury-and-dr-seuss-deluxe-book-app-comparison/

Seuss, Dr. (1978). I can read with my eyes shut! Random House.

Yokota, J., & Teale, W. (2014). Picture books and the digital world. The Reading Teacher, 67(8), 577-585. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1262

Assessment Task, ETL533, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

WHEN IS A BOOK NOT A BOOK?

July 24, 2022December 27, 2022 Louise

ETL533 – Literature in Digital Environments – Assessment 1

Reading for me has always been an enjoyable adventure and becoming a teacher meant engaging children in text through modelled reading. Digital technology was a thing of the future then and big books were the tools to do this.

University began with a typewriter, then progressed to a desktop computer in my first year, with dial-up internet not quite off its feet. Microsoft Encarta ’95 was included in the package and brought a whole new meaning to encyclopaedias, with moving pictures, music clips, videos, and other interactive content. A massive leap from my prized Encyclopedia Britannica set!

Uni introduced me to HyperStudio and Myst, both multimedia software products that allowed interactivity and storytelling using HyperCard as a basis (think of a stripped-back version of Microsoft PowerPoint). In HyperStudio, I created an interactive text based on the lifecycle of a butterfly. We were also introduced to the interactive world of Myst. This graphic adventure began by reading a digital book and then navigating through the world/island by solving various clues and puzzles to unlock the next “Age” and the next part of the story. Rettberg (2012) described this as, playing with technology, and not necessarily where authorship is the focus.

Fast forward to the beginning of my teaching career and I welcomed Living Books into my classroom. The children loved the interactive read-along books and the various clickable images that made sounds and added to the characterisation, but did not necessarily add to the story. So, can reading include graphics, sounds, and motion or only text (Lamb, 2011)?

Though it’s difficult to determine the beginning of electronic literature (Rettberg, 2012), the pace is hard to keep up with and has become a daily source of engagement with texts for most educators. Although there is no single eBook file that is downloadable to all devices the pros seem to outweigh the cons according to Sadokierski (2013).

Lamb (2011) goes on to say that redefining reading is necessary for the digital age, where reading could be now defined as “the process of constructing meaning from symbols” and furthermore, a book as “a published collection of related pages or screens” (Lamb, 2011, p.2).

In the 2011 TED talk by Joe Sabia, he notes that the way stories are told continues to be reinvented. Though how our brain responds differently to onscreen books compared to paper books (Jabr, 2013). Leu et al (2015) say that reading online prepares students for life in today’s world, though many lack the skills to do so and need to be taught to navigate online texts to ensure comprehension.

Yokota and Teale (2014) found that digital formats have moved on from just a novelty and both print and digital books play a role in the primary school classroom. Careful selection of digital texts is required, just like we do when looking for quality print-based texts. Consideration of the criteria for selection is crucial to ensure it is of benefit to the learner and not just a “window dressing” (Yokota & Teale, 2014, p.585) to ensure that readers are developing through engaging and motivating context.

With the flood of digital texts in vast forms, McGeehan et al.’s (2018) research confirmed that as digital technology is being used more and more in schools, educators seek to use criteria to select quality texts, from trusted sources to ensure a rich reading experience with the end goal of creating more motivated readers with deeper conceptual knowledge.

References

Jabr, F. (2013). The reading brain in the digital age: The science of paper versus screens. Scientific American, April 11. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/

Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(3), 12-17. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=67371172&site=ehost-live

Leu, D. J, Forzani, E., Timbrell, N., & Maykel, C. (2015). Seeing the forest, not the trees: Essential technologies for literacy in the primary-grade and upper elementary-grade classroom. Reading Teacher, 69(2), 139-145

McGeehan, C., Chambers, S., & Nowakowski, J. (2018). Just because it’s digital, doesn’t mean it’s good: Evaluating digital picture books. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 34(2), 58-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2017.1399488

Rettberg, J. W. (2012). Electronic literature seen from a distance: The beginnings of a field. Retrieved from http://www.dichtung-digital.org/2012/41/walker-rettberg.htm

Sabia, J (2011, May) The technology of storytelling (TED | 3:45 mins) | https://www.ted.com/talks/joe_sabia_the_technology_of_storytelling

Sadokierski, Z. (2013, November 12). What is a book in the digital age? [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/what-is-a-book-in-the-digital-age-19071

Yokota, J. & Teale, W. H. (2014). Picture books and the digital world: educators making informed choices. The Reading Teacher, 34(6). http://www.academia.edu/3886534/Picture_Books_and_the_Digital_World_Educators_Making_Informed_Choices

ETL567, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

RESEARCH…THERE’S MORE TO IT THAN YOU THINK!

April 2, 2022July 24, 2022 Louise

Research in Practice

Beginning ETL567 Research in Practice is seemed daunting, especially when I received the heavy copy of my textbook (I love a physical book and love taking to it with a pencil, ruler, and post-it tags). I was struggling to see how the content of this subject was going to relate to my role in a small primary school library. I was challenged with the new vocabulary and understanding of how the concepts linked but were continually assured that it would all fall into place. I have some big goals to achieve in my little library and as I look back, I have already begun some of these research practices without even realising. Including both qualitative and quantitative techniques, such as end-of-term borrowing statistics and voting on CBCA books. I have also conducted research to find out how the library is meeting the needs of the school community. In the future, I intend to genrefy the fiction section of the library. This has involved background research to justify this decision, involving the students in what genres they love to borrow, experimenting with some genrefication to see how borrowing statistics changed.

Research takes many forms and as I begin to embark on the first assessment, critiquing completed research, things are beginning to fall into place. Now for some more reading and research in practice.

Assessment Task, ETL503, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

RESOURCING THE CURRICULUM IS FUTURE PROOFING – THE ‘TO DO’ LIST

January 26, 2022August 2, 2023 Louise

ETL503 – ASSESSMENT 3 – REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

The role and nature of the school library collection is a vast concept and continually changing at a rapid rate. Dr. Corrall (2018, p. 16) stated that resources in the digital world may be far more “diverse and dynamic” than that of print-based resources, but “the principles of selecting material to meet current and future needs still applies” (Corrall, 2018, p. 17). The speed with which technology is influencing education can often see school leaders become complacent about school libraries and their place within the information environment (Lupton, 2016). Having a voice is important in advocating for school libraries because “students need school libraries”. It is the job of the teacher librarian to ensure that school leaders are aware of why this role is uniquely placed within the school, in supporting and implementing the vision of the school through effective library programs (ALIA & ASLA, 2016 July).

As the school curriculum continues to evolve, the school library collection also needs to be responsive to this. A formal plan assists in this process and a collection development policy (CDP) is the way forward in meeting the needs of the users (Braxton, 2021). Peggy Johnson (2009, p. 72) says goals within a CDP are an effective way to begin. I have learned that developing a collection policy is a critical part of being the teacher librarian and one that is lacking in either currency or existence in many school libraries, including my own. In my reading, I discovered the manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resources centres on the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) website (ALIA & VCTL, 2017). Exploring this resource was common among other students too, some found it broadened their understanding of “what it means to meet the needs of the users” (Kent, 2021, November 28). Establishing a CDP in my current school library will assist in future-proofing the collection, instead of just continuing on the same trajectory of “this is how things have always been done” (Foyel, 2022, January 10).

I was challenged to extend my thinking when comparing collection management and collection development. It seemed the two terms were interchangeable, and yet Rebel (2021, December 12) said that he sees management as a broader term, with development encompassed by this term, which I tend to agree with too. When initiating a CDP for my school library, the IFLA school library guidelines (2015, p33) says, a school library should provide access to a wide range of physical and digital resources to meet user needs, through an ongoing process of collection development. Guiding my formulation of a CDP is defining the “purpose, scope, and contents of the collection as well as access to external resources” (IFLA, 2015, p. 33) and (Foyel, 2021, November 15). I discovered that a collection development policy should cover the acquisition and deselection of resources (ALIA & VCTL. 2017). Selecting resources for the library is far more than just using personal judgement (Foyel, 2021, November), I have come to believe that the selection criteria for deciding this is a critical part of the policy (Braxton, 2021).

The ideology of the longevity of a resource is noteworthy and selection should be based on several factors. Cultivating engagement in school library resources and nurturing a love of reading is a key role of any teacher librarian, with patron-driven acquisition part of this process (Foyel, 2021, November 21). As selection criteria is essential to the CDP, I knew I needed to extend my knowledge and understanding. Braxton (2021) suggests that “selection may be collaborative”, but the final say should always come down to the teacher-librarian. Johnson (2018, p. 83) corroborates this by pointing out that combined with a teacher librarian’s knowledge and experience, they are also best placed in understanding their setting and applying a plan.

A collaborative approach to resource selection can be a powerful tool to enhance borrowing statistics and ensure that, like Ranganathan’s second law, there is a book for every reader (Foyel, 2021, November 21) or for today’s library users, every person their piece of knowledge, which encompasses e-resources too (McMenemy. 2007). Libraries continue to evolve and must adapt, “change simply is” and we must look for ways to and opportunities for our school library to continue to be relevant (Maddox Abbott, 2020). How we choose to do this is an important inclusion in a CDP and may form part of the procedures manual, where suppliers are outlined and chosen on a set of criteria (Foyel, 2021 December 6). This scrutiny was an essential reflection of the processes I use to select resources in the school library and some that I may not have previously considered for the future. The other consideration in evolution is digital resources and their influence on collection development (ALIA & VCTL, 2017), including legal and ethical issues (Foyel, 2021, December 30).

It seems as I traverse the various Master of Education subjects each semester, I reflect on a growing “to do” list. This subject has been no different. I am continually inspired to be a teacher, a manager, a leader, a collaborator, and an engager (ALIA & ASLA, 2016) to do something innovative, to do something in a new way, to do something inspiring, and to do something that makes a difference to the future of the library users to become lifelong learners. To do this a future-focused principal is the key (Gemell, 2022, January 8). Establishing what school leaders value, open conversation about future plans, and making this achievable within a given time frame continue to future-proof the school library (Kachel, 2017) and (Lupton, 2017). The formulation of a CDP is part of this plan, in consultation with the school principal, and ultimately shared as a public document with the school community (ALIA & VCTL, 2017, p. 35-39).

A priority for the vision in my school library is genrefying the fiction section. I researched the benefits and put forward this goal to the principal. As a result, I have had weeding on my mind since wanting to begin this project. With the current collection crowding the shelves and with aging and underutilised resources, I began to look further into where deselection sat within a CDP (Foyel, 2022, January 7) and how a CDP also supports this genrefication goal. I have keenly read the many examples of collection policies, collection frameworks, and the guiding principles of Braxton’s sample collection policy (2021). I am committed to becoming the phoenix and emerging into the future, continually evolving as a “new and vibrant entity” (Wade, 2005).

References

Australian Library and Information Association and Australian School Library Association. (2016). Joint Statement in teacher librarians in Australia. ASLA: Australian School Library Association. https://asla.org.au/teacher-Llbrarians-in-australia

Australian Library and Information Association Schools and Victorian Catholic Teacher Librarians. (2017). A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres. (2nd ed.). Australian School Library Association. https://asla.org.au/policy-development-manual

Corrall, S. (2018). The concept of collection development in the digital world.

In M. Fieldhouse & A. Marshall (Eds.), Collection development in the digital age (p. 3-24). Facet. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326215985_Collection_Development_in_the_Digital_Age

Gemell, L. (2022, January 8). The future of school libraries. Mrs G’s Masters Musings. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/mastersmusings/2022/01/08/the-future-of-school-libraries/

Johnson, P. (2018). Fundamentals of collection development and management. (4^th ed.). ALA Editions.

Kachel, D. (2017). The principal and the librarian: Positioning the school library program. Teacher Librarian, 45(1), 50-52.

Kent, P. (2021, November 21). Collection development. Forum: Forum 1 – Definitions of collection management and collection development.

Lupton, M. (2016) Adding value: Principal’s perceptions of the role of the teacher-librarian. School Libraries Worldwide, 22(1), 49-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.14265.22.1.005

Maddox Abbott, J. A. (2020). A foundation for change: Using challenges and opportunities as building blocks for collection management. Collection Management, 45(2). 110-123. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1080/01462679.2019.1626315

McMenemy, D. (2007). Ranganathan’s relevance in the 21st century. Library Review, (56) 2, 97-101. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1108/00242530710730268

Students need school libraries. (2020). Students need school libraries. https://studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au/faq/

Wade, C. (2005). The school library: phoenix or dodo bird? Educational Horizons, 8(5), 12-14. (e-reserve) (E-reserve PDF)

ETL503, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

WEEDING…IS IT REALLY THAT HARD?

January 7, 2022July 24, 2022 Louise

ETL503 – Module 5 – Weeding the Collection

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Weeding has been on my mind lately and that’s because I have been wanting to genrefy the fiction section of our primary school library. It has been a goal since I began in the role of TL. I have focused research on the topic, done surveys with the students, and had discussions with the school principal about it. I realised through this process (which another discussion entirely) that weeding had to be at the top of the list before any reorganisation can occur.

It seemed like a huge and overwhelming task and I didn’t want to dispose of any books that may add value to the collection. So I began with what I was familiar with, the teaching resources. I began by collecting and discarding the many outdated syllabus documents (I kept one of each) that had been superseded by new documents. I had the Principal’s approval to recycle them. But, by doing this, I knew I was just avoiding the task ahead of me. After reading through the resources in this module, I began to think about the process a little more clearly. I knew I had to establish the criteria first. Then I decided that I would tackle a couple of shelves at a time, beginning with the Fiction section (rather than the Junior Fiction). I would start at A and work my way through the alphabet when I could. I began with just a physical and visual motivation, removing damaged books and establishing if they could be restored or not, and any that were not appealing to students. I then took these titles to the Library Monitors (who are made up of about 20 Year 5 and 6 students). Who then went through them to see if they agreed with my deselections.

I then printed out a list from the Library Management System of books that had not been borrowed in the last 5 years, then I changed it to 10 years because the library itself has been inaccessible to students for many reasons during this time, including COVID and school rebuilds (where the library was used as a classroom for 2 years and the TL had to share a small classroom with the music teacher and had a limited amount of books for loan). Then COVID hit and I was not able to have the children borrow, to begin with, and then they were not allowed to be in the library at all. I was going from classroom to classroom for library lessons and carting trolleys of books with me. This meant that the time I spent physically in the library was very limited and when I was in there, I was restocking the trolleys for children to borrow (when this became allowed).

I see much value in having the students involved in this process of weeding and I hope to use the weeded books for a week of “book tasting”. Students from years 3 to 6 will get the opportunity to look at what has been removed from the shelves and establish (using given criteria) whether or not deselection is justified. Fostering a love of reading is part of my mission as TL and I feel that when this is strongly established, reading for enjoyment increases within the school community.

I loved reading Jennifer LaGarde’s blog post about this topic where she states, “We are educators. We are not curators of book museums” (LaGuard, 2013). This is what I feel I am currently in, a holder of many old and outdated books, many of which have not been borrowed in many years. Weeding in not going to be an easy process, but starting with one section at a time is the way forward for me. I hope that this year will be the year to get the genrefication goal up and running. I also hope to establish a Collection Management Policy in the near future to ensure that there is written evidence for the decisions being made in the school library and a clear framework for the future of our school library, one that I am very passionate about!

Reference

LaGarde, J. (2013, October 2). Keeping your library collection smelling F.R.E.S.H. The Adventures of Library Girl. https://www.librarygirl.net/post/keeping-your-library-collection-smelling-f-r-e-s-h

ETL503, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

INTRODUCING CREATIVE COMMONS

December 30, 2021January 10, 2022 Louise

ETL503 – Module 4 – Educate your community about Creative Commons (CC)

This module is all about legal and ethical issues of collections, including copyright and Creative Commons. The task was to present information to teachers and students to teach them about CC, how to access, or how to attribute. I began by using Canva to create a digital presentation to share with my staff (and their students) about the concept of CC. I envisaged using this at our weekly staff meeting, with a follow-up the following week about how to access CC materials.

Understanding Creative Commons by Louise Foyel

ETL503, Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship)

COPYRIGHT and MUSIC in SCHOOLS

December 28, 2021December 28, 2021 Louise

ETL503 – 4.1 Music Copyright in the Primary School setting

Teachers regularly use music in the school setting, but what are the copyright laws in Australia that must be adhered to? According to Smartcopying, the official guide to copyright for Australian schools and TAFE, music in schools refers to “both musical works and sound recordings” (Smartcopying, Music, 12 August 2021).

In my particular primary school setting, we are blessed to have a specialist music teacher who provides lessons to students each week. Although as part of my TL role I provided the outline for copyright when it was updated this year, all staff were also made aware of these updates too as we were needing to teach remotely. As part of this challenging time of online learning, all staff needed to be aware of the implications of using music in the digital environment, especially when recording themselves or creating videos for their students. In addition, on returning to school, uploading school events such as award presentations were also necessary, as was liturgies and masses (being that we are a Catholic school).

Using music for videos or presentations can be incorporated when it is uploaded to a password-protected intranet or school website. It can also be shared to the school community via email or message through an educational app (such as Compass, but excludes apps such as Snapchat or TikTok). It is pertinent to mention that the school CANNOT upload the content to any social media platforms such as Facebook. Music recording companies may request the event be taken down from the social media platform.

The making and recording of school events is allowable under Australian copyright if it is performed or played and must display ‘This recording has been made under a licence from AMCOS and ARIA for school purposes only’ (Smartcopying, Music, 12 August 2021). For Catholic schools. under section 106 of the Copyright Act, permits schools to play sound recordings in public, such as at school events. In religious services our school often uses music to engage students, when we returned to school during term 4 this year, important celebrations, such as end-of-year mass needed to be live-streamed, to accommodate parents who could not attend the school grounds at the time. Since 30 March 2021, Smartcopying the Religious Education Coordinator needed to be aware of the implications of live-streaming and recording the service when music was involved, since this was a school-based event, and not held in the church, the national schools music licenses were applicable.