Tag: teacher librarian

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ETL523 – Module 1

In the current climate, a DLE is enable students to be able to learn from anywhere they can. At my site, students use Google Classroom to be able to access work provided by the teacher. Google Docs also enables students to collaborate with each other in real time. Some changes include the incorporation of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. in our social sphere. This is because our students are living in an ever increasing digital world. Our students spend most of their time on their phones and on social media. As teachers we need to be aware of this in order to understand the world our students live in. This has meant that students spend more time on their phones and are more easily distracted and disengaged in class. As teachers, we need to change our teaching methodology and how we approach the curriculum and content.

Digital Citizenship, to me, is being responsible and understanding the responsibility that a person has when online. Digital Citizenship is something that all students should be aware of from the moment they get their first digital device and then it be continually reinforced. A digital citizen should be someone who can show how responsible they are online and help teach others skills to be the same.

We should be remembering that the digital sphere is a new environment, one that many are still learning.  Many of our colleagues were not raised with the environments that we have. Many new teachers are aware of the technology and how to use it so it is a great opportunity to learn from them.

More and more, we as teachers are expected to use more digital technologies and practices. Implementing these technologies and practices can be difficult because of the divide between staff knowledge and the technologies as well as between students and what we choose to use.

My personal digital footprint is interesting. I have a few social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram are my most commonly used sites. I occasionally use Snapchat and Twitter is reserved for comments about Masterchef) and a YouTube account which is reserved for posting the videos I make for topics.

Digital Citizenship is something that can be implemented throughout the curriculum and that can be something as simple as protocols for computer use in the classroom. 

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ETL523 – Module 0

In our world, no one has escaped the need for digital citizenship and digital learning environment skills. We all need to know how to behave appropriately online, whether you are a parent or a student or a staff member.  That we can access any information that we desire and connect to people on the other side of the world is still something that many marvel at. Students use technology as a mechanism to collaborate with others, build understanding, create collaborative projects either in real time or virtually and be able to monitor their progress.

Online media can be harnessed to access the power of global knowledge and communities at any time or place. Collaboration can take place in different time zones or even different countries. It is just a matter of how we harness the technology that we have.

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ETL504: Assessment 2: Part B

I was a part of case study group eleven and I feel that we displayed primarily situational leadership rather than any other models discussed in the topic. The member that would take the initiative depended on our own individual lives and what we had going on. At times, we would be displaying transactional leadership, asking for each of our input, without much discussion (see Module Two blog post).

When I would engage with the case study content, I would be looking more at the practical aspects, rather than the theoretical. Much of the time, when working, we do not necessarily have the time to stop and think ‘what leadership model do I need to use here?’ but rather just go ahead and do what needs to be done in order to ensure that it all runs smoothly and the challenges are resolved. While I do reflect on what I personally do in my lines of work, I do not tend to break it down to the models that could have been used but what I could do well and what I could improve upon.

One of the biggest challenges outside of curriculum change that teacher librarians face is with technology and ICT. With technology changing rapidly, we need to be able to adapt to what our students are using in their day to day lives and have the knowledge to support classroom teachers with it. Teacher Librarians are also facing additional levels of stress with more responsibilities and additional areas for leadership that put pressure on them. I have elaborated further on these areas within Module Three blog post.

While I have only written and published a limited amount of blog posts I have learnt quite a bit during this topic. I would work through the modules and forget to write a reflection post. This is one area of professional practice that I aim to improve upon as I progress further. By highlighting my own short comings and making plans to improve them, shows that I am displaying good practice and am planning my own professional development.

References

Mickan, N. (2019). ETL504 Module 2 [Blog]. Retrieved from https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/nikitamickan/2019/09/01/etl504-module-2/

Mickan, N. (2019). ETL504 Module 3 [Blog]. Retrieved from https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/nikitamickan/2019/09/02/etl504-module-3/

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INF533 – Module 6

Copyright protection has been expanded upon and changed to suit the climates and the technology that we have today. These are all important for us to acknowledge and to adapt our practice to suit.

The purpose of copyright is to protect the authors work, regardless of the form it takes. Some of the main issues with copyright is accessing appropriate documents or literature for our students. It also can affect how we may advance our students learning as well as how we may assist them in their capacity to innovate and be entrepreneurs.

We need to be aware of the legislative boundaries regarding some digital literature, especially YouTube videos were many of it is seen as a ‘free-for-all’ and any person can download what they want. Making sure that we are abiding by the licensing requirements is more than just ensuring that we are paying attention to the AITSL standards, but also displaying best practice for our students.

 

 

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INF533 – Assessment 4: Part A: Context for Digital Storytelling Project

The context for my Digital Storytelling Project is a South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) Legal Studies class at either a Stage One (Year Eleven) or Stage Two (Year Twelve). This subject is often neglected in term of resources, especially in regards to digital resources that are up to date. This subject can be offered either as a semester or year-long subject in Stage One or as a year-long subject at Stage Two. The subject is divided into topics that are required to be studied and this Digital Storytelling Project is a resource for Topic Four: Justice Systems at both the Stage One and Stage Two level (SACE Board of South Australia, 2019).

The intended purpose of this Digital Storytelling Project is as an opening to the section on the Criminal Justice System. It is designed to have openings for students to be active learners and to ask questions within the class; including, but not limited to:

“Why are the cases split between the courts?”

“What cases are heard in the Supreme Court?”

“How much could a person be bailed for?”

“How long is the wait for a trial to start?”

This enables the students to actively participate in discussions about a process that they may have to participate in. It is also short enough that students will remain engaged in the Digital Storytelling Project.

The primary audience would be the Stage One and Stage Two students undertaking the Legal Studies subject; however, it could be used in other classes within the Humanities and Social Sciences stream. These include Australian and International Politics, Research Practices, Research Project and Society and Culture (“Subject search for teachers – South Australian Certificate of Education”, 2019). This can also be used within a Year Ten Civics and Citizenship class.

This Digital Storytelling Project is deliberately factual and not a fictional recreation of a potential case within the Criminal Justice System not only to ensure that is can be used year after year; but also to protect the students from further trauma if they have had to be a participant within the Criminal Justice System. This can suit quite a few diverse learning needs, especially those with attention issues, who may have low attendance or are severely ill and unable to attend school on a regular basis.

The value of this Digital Storytelling Project is that it is a relevant South Australian resource that can be used in a wide variety of subjects and is not restrictive. If the teacher does not wish to use this as a learning resource, it can be used as an example of an assessment piece that could be set to demonstrate their understanding of Legal Studies.

Unfortunately, this is restrictive, in terms of the community utilising the Digital Storytelling Project. This Digital Storytelling Project is designed with students in mind, rather than a wider community purpose. During my practicums in 2018 and contract work in 2019 there was a distinct lack of resources available for Legal Studies teachers. In comparison, with my other teaching area of English, there are plenty of resources, digital and otherwise. It was my aim, with the creation of the Digital Storytelling Project, to create something that fills a need within the SACE curriculum and that can be used by more than one site and on more than one occasion.

References

SACE Board of South Australia. (2019). Legal Studies 2018 Subject Outline: Stage 1 and Stage 2. Adelaide, South Australia: SACE Board of South Australia.

Subject search for teachers – South Australian Certificate of Education. (2019). Retrieved 4 September 2019, from https://www.sace.sa.edu.au/teaching/subjects

Word Count: 554 words

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INF533 – Module 4

Digital Storytelling is primarily a blending of different media forms, in order to tell a story. These can a mix of visual and audio, digital pictures and hand drawn images. One example of this is Gabriel Conte’s Draw My Life.

Many are telling their stories through Facebook and Instagram and even going to YouTube as a medium (See above video for an example). Storytelling doesn’t change, however, the medium does. We, as humans, still tell stories but how we tell them, changes depending on preferences. Some prefer to tell their stories orally face-to-face, others prefer to tell them written (blog post, in a letter etc) and others prefer to use multimedia and other digital forms.

What we as classroom teachers and Teacher Librarians need to understand and ensure, is that the digital storytelling is embedded within the curriculum and not used in place of something else, just because they can.

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INF533 – Module 3

When it comes to interactive texts, there are many different forms. But to use these texts, schools and sites need to be able to handle the bandwidth or IT requirements. Many teachers (both classroom and Teacher Librarians) are still resistant to change, however, due to having to try and adapt years of teaching experience and pedagogy to suit the current environment. Students, as they read are now publishing their opinions and thoughts on sites such as Goodreads or publishing them publicly on Twitter.

Authors are now discussing their books with their fans on Twitter and this leads to great engagement on a communal topic.  For really great interaction with their fans, look to J.K. Rowling’s Twitter account. Every year on May 2nd, she apologizes for a character she’s killed off over the course of the Harry Potter series. A current fan theory is that she is planning on releasing a new Harry Potter book/object as there were no apologies this year. And also due to another post that hints to something possibly Harry Potter and the Cursed Child related.

Increasingly, there is a rise of people using images as a form of digital storytelling and this is, in part, due to the higher number of people choosing to scan images and get them digitized. Short term, however, many are still going to prefer print over digital as they have been the norm for a long period of time.

 

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ETL504 – Module 4

This module operates under the premise of what the formal leadership within schools can potentially look like, as well as how Teacher Librarians fit in, within the community.

As Teacher Librarians (as well as classroom teachers) we can struggle to stay positive and happy when faced with disrespectful students and students who refuse to complete the assigned tasks. Students who come from dysfunctional homes or who have severe learning needs can face an additional struggle, and we, in turn, struggle with them.

We need to be able to adapt to the changes in curriculum and approaches that come with being in a 21st-century classroom or site. In reality, most Teacher-Librarians are ‘lone practitioners’ who may or may not have a Library Technician or volunteers as assistants. This means much of the processing, day-to-day work and special event work is left in the hands of one person.

Collaboration is well needed within the school environment and with external bodies in order to give the students the education that they deserve and need.  Successful collaboration includes successful timelines, clear evaluation and allowing time for reflection and evaluation of the process.

Professional learning can come from many different forms including reading journal articles, short courses and even, this degree.

There is much more that can be covered from the module but these were the main points that I felt were the most interesting and the most relevant to me and my situation.

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ETL504 Module 3

Module 3 was concerned with leadership and change within organisations as well as what it means to work in a team – as we inherently do within a school environment.

Change tends to stay within the realms of technology and management on a year-to-year basis; outside of that, there can be some structural change to adapt to as well. With technology, there is very little engagement with the use of it. This could be due to the aging teaching population who dislike the rise of technology use within students lives and in the classroom. It can be argued that younger teachers don’t wish to ostracise themselves from their older colleagues so they don’t ‘rock the boat’ when it comes to the use of technology within the classroom. Downsizing can play a part in terms of change within a workplace and this could be a major part of change within a smaller school or site. This could especially be true if student numbers are dwindling.

Stress can be a factor when coping with change as if we are under a lot of personal or professional stress; we could respond differently to what we normally would. While attitude change can be a normal part of change, a difference in attitude that is beyond what you would normally expect from a disgruntled co-worker; could be a reason for investigating further and establishing what could be wrong.

We all work in teams, and we all need to be able to work in them efficiently. This means dealing with a lot of opinions, personalities and much, much more in order to get the task or job done. Setting boundaries early on can help ensure that the process is fairly smooth. However, conflict and communication (and/or lack thereof) can really hinder the progress of a team so being able to effectively and with compassion deal with them when they arise.

Ultimately, as Teacher Librarians and classroom teachers, we need to be able to adapt to change, stress and being able to deal with the complexities that come with working in teams. We need to be able to be flexible when it comes to our environment and those that we work with; both on a day-to-day basis and on an ad-hoc basis.

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