Professional development can be likened to crafting a patchwork quilt. Just as a quilt is made of various fabric pieces stitched together to create a cohesive whole, professional growth comprises diverse experiences, skills, and knowledge acquired over time. Each fabric square represents a learning opportunity or skill gained, contributing uniquely to the overall design. Just as a quilt grows more intricate and valuable with each added piece, professional development becomes richer and more robust with each skill, experience, or lesson learned.
One method of professional development that has gained popularity over the past fifteen years by teachers is by building a Personal Learning Network (PLN). Every learner forges their unique personal learning network, extending education beyond the classroom. This network serves as our personal learning environment, linking us with individuals sharing similar interests. Initially, we participate as consumers in discussions, transitioning to creators as we gain expertise and confidently generate content in our areas of interest.
Building and participating in a PLN has been a practice I started over ten years ago as an Early Childhood Teacher. Following Utecht’s summary of the five stages of PLN adoption, I knew that I had mastered Immersion (Stage One) and Evaluation (Stage Two) early on, as I had built many networks in the Early Childhood sector for over twenty years.
I achieved Know it All (Stage Three) status after a few years of networking and contributing teaching ideas, techniques and tips on engaging with children and their families. I developed a resource catalogue from various social media and networking sites.
After many years, I am stuck in the Perspective (Stage Four). I knew I had gathered a wealth of knowledge and experience. After reflecting on my professional practice, I concluded that I had achieved everything I wanted as an Early Childhood teacher.
Finding a Balance (Stage Five) was when I knew I had to change direction professionally. I enrolled in the Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) degree to apply my teaching experience in a new setting.
I am starting a new cycle of PLN at stage one Immersion as a student of teacher librarianship.
‘Library 2.0’ is a customer-focused approach to library services aiming to enhance the library community by consistently incorporating valuable changes informed by user input and requirements (Casey & Savastinuk, 2006, p.40). Embracing the ethos of Library 2.0 can significantly broaden a library’s impact, exemplified by BiblioTech – the inaugural all-digital library in the USA! Laura Cole, BiblioTech’s Administrator, presents four essential considerations for information organisations intending to embrace the Library 2.0 model:
Library 2.0 alters our understanding of the role of the library and the librarian: Library 2.0 transforms our perception of both the library’s function and the librarian’s role (Cole, 2016). By embracing digital collections, the library evolves from merely the custodian of information to a liberator. At the same time, librarians transition away from being mere custodians and assume a more proactive stance in their roles.
Transforming Library Environments: While school libraries embody adaptable spaces (Spear, 2018), the shift away from the library’s daily presence necessitates transitioning from a fixed asset to a dynamic communal resource (Cole, 2016). Leveraging digital resources becomes imperative to extend the library’s reach directly to users, regardless of location.
Redefining Libraries as Essential Community Hubs: In the realm of School Libraries 2.0, access to educational resources extends around the clock, catering to students unable to partake in conventional in-person classes, as was the case during the extended lockdown periods in 2020 and 2021. The ongoing pandemic has underscored the communal significance of digital access and literacy. Beyond their educational roles, teachers and school librarians contribute to the well-being of their communities. The libraries themselves are pivotal social hubs, termed ‘third spaces’, fostering a secure and supportive environment. This nurturing environment aids in bridging the academic divide for underprivileged children, minority groups, and those with disabilities (Merga, 2020).
Prioritising Service Over Collections: The evolution of collections isn’t the only shift; the librarian’s role has expanded significantly. It now encompasses fostering reading and literacy, ICT proficiency, collaborating with educators, and assuming a leadership role within the educational sphere. Besides curating collections, teacher librarians serve as resource curators, supporting teachers and students in navigating an overload of information and misinformation. They also act as managers, overseeing teaching and supervising individuals, collections, and spaces (Spear, 2028, p.518).
References
Casey, M. E., & Savastinuk, L. C. (2006). Library 2.0 (cover story). Library Journal, 131(14), 40-42.
Merga, M. K. (2020). How can school libraries support student wellbeing? Evidence and implications for further research. Journal of Library Administration. 60. 660-673. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2020.1773718
An effective teacher librarian is always learning. They are curious by nature, seeking knowledge and understanding. They can harness their passion for reading and the quest for quality information and extend their know-how to their students and the wider school community.
A proficient teacher librarian strives to become an influencer, innovator and leader within their school community. They advocate for the value of the school library as more than a place filled with books; they aim to achieve a special place to ignite the love of learning and a haven to support well-being and connection.
Part B: Critical evaluation of my learning during the Teacher Librarianship course
As I reflect on my Master of Education journey, I never would have expected to learn so much about the diverse role of the Teacher Librarian. In my blog post, Little did I know…My understanding of the role of the Teacher Librarian (Gonye, 2022a, March 10). I had defined the role from the lens of an Early Childhood Teacher. I cringe slightly when I think back to the days before starting this degree and referring to them as ‘librarians’, completely disregarding the teaching qualification and experience that complements the skill set required to become a ‘Super’ teacher librarian.
‘Super Teacher Librarian’ retrieved from Beyond the Bookshelf.weebly.com. The image above has been shared throughout the course, describing some of the varied labels attributed to the teacher librarian.
The diverse role of the teacher librarian is a notion that I have revised constantly in every subject I completed. I had no clue of the vastness of the position. One of my first blog posts I had written, Baby Steps…Early Childhood Teacher to Teacher Librarian (Gonye, 2022b, March 10) I had expressed my desire to become a teacher librarian, listing what I thought would be an ideal job description for my future role. I was naïve to believe that I could articulate the duties and functions of a teacher librarian before I stepped foot into a school. As I progressed through my first subject, ETL401: Introduction to Teacher Librarianship, I realised the attributes I had described were only the foundation on which a career as a teacher librarian can be built.
According to the Australian School Library Association (ASLA), the teacher librarian takes on three primary roles:
As a curriculum leader
As an information specialist
As an information service manager
As I read through my ETL 401 Assessment Three: Reflective Practice Blog (Gonye, 2022c, May 25) I realised just how much I have learned about the dynamic and extensive role of the teacher librarian. I hadn’t considered the primary functions as stated by ASLA.
Above, Holly Godfree (2021) challenges us to rethink our perceptions of the school library and of the qualified staff who work there, in her TED Global Idea pitch.
As I progressed through the course, many themes relating to teacher librarian practice became apparent. I focused my final reflections on the importance of information literacy, the foundations of collection development and collection management and using children’s literature across the curriculum.
The Importance of Information Literacy
Technology is part of our everyday lives; it is used constantly for educational purposes, business and personal use. Consequently, the information landscape itself has been steadily evolving, with information being available and accessible instantly through different sources, including devices in the palm of our hands. This technological influx has also changed how students seek and consume information.
Information literacy is now an essential skill for all twenty-first-century learners. My blog post titled Inquiry Learning vs Standardised Testing (Gonye, 2022e, May 9) discusses the skills needed to support students to be future-ready for higher learning and employment. Finding, evaluating, using and communicating information effectively is valuable and crucial for students to apply in their studies and future lives and work environments. Students can easily ‘Google’ and apply Artificial Intelligence software to find and generate answers, but it does not make them competent in using information literacy.
As described in my blog post titled, The Teacher Librarian and the Information Landscape (Gonye, 2022d, March 16), as the information landscape changes and evolves, the teacher librarian as an information specialist becomes a vital resource. Lupton (2014) states that teacher librarians are supplied with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to facilitate and guide students through their inquiry and research. They also support other teachers with their information literacy skills. The teacher librarian, therefore, becomes an information specialist for the whole school community.
The role of an information specialist is to facilitate and support all users, including students, teachers and the wider school community. This course has given me insight into how to define information literacy, teach critical and creative thinking skills, and provide the tools for optimising the successful searching, locating and differentiation of quality information through multiple methods and formats.
Not only do teacher librarians support others with their information literacy needs, but they also provide the physical resources required to engage in information literacy practices. The most important is the school library, which ideally should provide a space to allow the school community to connect to information, reflecting how information is created and shared outside the school community. To achieve this, the library must provide various resources in both print and digital formats, emphasising access to information suited to the specific context of the school community’s needs, wants, interests and curriculum outcomes.
As I step into my role as an information specialist, I am aware of the importance of supporting students to engage confidently in their research skills to become successful lifelong learners. CILIP (2018) states that the teacher librarian, and class teacher play a significant role in promoting and learning relevant information literacy skills to prepare students to become lifelong learners. I look forward to working collaboratively with class teachers to integrate information literacy skills for inquiry-based research projects and during library lessons to seek information for students’ interests.
The Fundamentals of Collection Development and Management
Collection development and management is an integral part of library operations. It is vital that resources, whether print or digital, can easily be accessed by its users. Therefore, the teacher librarian is an information specialist able to navigate the challenges of an ever-expanding information landscape. Jonhson (2014) describes the heightened accessibility to data via technology as a challenge that teacher librarians face regularly.
The primary function of the school library is to provide access to a wide range of books, magazines, eBooks, databases and other print and digital resources. Saponaro & Evans (2019) emphasise the library’s service is to aid its users in finding and accessing appropriate information in print or digital form. Conceptually, I thought this should be an easy task for teacher librarians. Before I had started the subject ETL 503: Resourcing the Curriculum, I never thought about the difficulties having access to a seemingly infinite amount of information might cause for a teacher librarian and its library patrons.
I suspected keeping any library’s physical and digital resources current and relevant was a mammoth task. It takes a qualified and experienced teacher librarian to support the information access and management of the school library. However, not just the expertise alone can keep the collection in check.
Teacher librarians are guided by their understanding of the unique school context, the needs of their students and the curriculum framework. With this knowledge, I began to understand that an infinite amount of information must be curated to suit the learning needs of the whole school community.
This is not done by selecting resources on a whim or the personal interests of the teacher librarian. According to Hughes-Hassell and Mancall (2005), to establish and maintain a collection that concentrates on the learner, the Teacher Librarian must interpret the school’s unique context, focusing on the learner’s needs, teaching styles, and strengths and deficiencies of the established collection (p.35).
They are guided by collection development and management policies closely related to other school or departmental policies reflecting the school’s philosophy. I had not considered the value of collection development and management concepts. (Gonye, 2022f, April 25) in defining a school resource collection.
Collection development and collection management are concepts I had heard before. Still, I was slightly confused about them as I noticed that these terms were often used interchangeably when reading practitioner articles or listening to teacher librarians describe their meanings. Reading Johnson’s (2018) definition of the collection development process with identifying, evaluating, selecting and acquiring appropriate resources helped me comprehend some aspects of collection development. As the collection grows, the new resources must be chosen thoughtfully and assessed for the needs of the learners within the school community.
On the other hand, collection management is how the resources, once added to the school collection, are utilised. Throughout the subject, ETL 503, the importance of an up-to-date collection development policy for the school library was emphasised. In my final blog post for ETL 503 titled, Assessment 2: Final Reflections (Gonye, 2022g, May 30), I expressed my surprise that many practising teacher librarians enrolled in the subject could not refer to a school library collection development or collection management policy. These vital documents were absent in some cases.
As I progressed through the subject, I developed confidence in how elements such as selection, deselection, accepting or declining donated resources and dealing with book challenges can be approached.
When I am appointed as a teacher librarian in my next school, I will make it one of my first tasks to locate these policies update or even write from scratch in alignment with the mission and philosophy of the school. These will serve as vital documents to support building and maintaining a balanced collection to meet the student’s learning needs, teaching requirements, governing curriculum and school philosophy.
Using Children’s Literature Across the Curriculum
A passion for children’s literature and reading to young children was one of the motivators in pursuing a career shift from Early Children teacher to teacher librarian. I connected with the idea that the teacher librarian develops a collection of resources that supports reading for pleasure and promotes positive student reading habits. (Dominguez, et al., 2016).
I chose the elective subject ETL 402: Literature Across the Curriculum to develop a broader use of children’s literature in all aspects of the curriculum. As I read through the first modules of the course, I began to define my vision for the future of children’s literature by exploring some of the current trends and how they will influence these in the future in the blog post, A Vision for the Future of Children’s Literature (Gonye, 2023a, March 2).
Engaging in literature for all aspects of student learning was a concept explored throughout the course. In subjects ETL 503 and ETL402, I compiled annotated bibliographies for assessments. I had to think differently about using various resources to resource the curriculum. I found the exercise in research and critiquing resources to support learning a valuable practice. I used my critical and creative thinking skills to bring together a collection of resources appropriate for use in the classroom. My First Annotated Resource List (Gonye, 2022h, April 26) explores the reasoning behind selecting the Cross Curriculum Priority of Sustainability as well as the types of resources I had chosen to support Stage One students investigating broad concepts of Systems, World Views and Futures. As I finished my second assessment for ETL 503, it became clear that the school library collection had to support the curriculum content. Oberg & Schultz–Jones (2015) stated that the collection must be matched to the curriculum and that the academic and recreational needs of the users are understood.
In the subject ETL 402, I was challenged with using fiction resources to reinforce concepts and ideas in other curriculum areas in a school setting. I was familiar with using picture books to enhance learning new concepts for young children, as this was a daily practice as an Early Childhood Teacher. A book read to a group of children was often used as a springboard to learning mathematical and scientific concepts or historical and cultural perspectives. (Gonye, 2022i, May 19), Yet I took time to apply this ability to using fiction books and resources to supplement scientific research for Stage 3 students.
The concept of literary learning was introduced during the subject. According to Spinner (2019), Literary learning describes using fictional or poetic texts to support a learning process separate from reading books to gain competence in literacy. This concept will become a powerful teaching tool for supporting classroom teachers with units of work in my future role as a teacher librarian.
Another consideration during ETL 402 was how children use technology and literature in the digital environment. In my blog post, Literature in the digital environment (Gonye, 2023b, March 28,) I stated that the amount of information students refer to digitally is increasing, and more and more reading is done directly from screens, which has changed how students read. Goodwin (2013, p.78) states modern media features such as hyperlinks and notifications interrupt the reading flow, which can potentially take away from the meaning of the text.
Transliteracy is a vital skill for students in today’s classroom. It sets the foundation to become confident and accomplished citizens of the future. With this in mind, as a future teacher librarian, I will prioritise teaching transliteracy skills to students so they can be successful learners in the classroom and into their adult lives.
Part C: Professional Development
The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) & the Australian School Library Association (ASLA), produced a set of Standards of professional excellence for Teacher Librarians in 2004. The document consists of three categories: professional knowledge, professional practice, and professional commitment. These standards are written as goals for which teacher librarians can pursue and strive to implement quality instruction and continuing best practices. This document will form a guide for honing my skills, executing my theoretical understanding and a reference for planning future professional development.
Standard One: Professional Knowledge
As an Early Childhood teacher with decades of experience and practice reading to young children, I developed an appreciation of literature for young children and a passion for fostering a love of reading. This foundation had been built upon as I progressed through the course. The idea of embedding literature and various literacies into my daily practice of supporting student learning is one that I am keen to explore. I am looking beyond this degree and have already completed an ALIA course, Reader’s Advisory, hosted by TAFE online. This has supported my expertise in children’s literature by providing an individualised advisory for students in their reading options.
Standard Two: Professional Practice
I have recently begun working as a teacher librarian in an independent school for stage one students; being part of a larger library team, I have felt supported by more experienced teacher librarians and technicians. Applying the theoretical knowledge I have gained during this course helped to refine my practices. My professional placement has also opened my eyes to best practices. I worked alongside an experienced teacher librarian who leveraged her role to improve literacy and information-seeking skills in students across the school. Engaging with these professionals has inspired me to develop and enhance my practice. My next professional practice goal is networking with other teacher librarians and information specialists. I am a New South Wales School Library Association member and have worked with a mentor over the past year to refine my practical skills and understanding. I will continue participating in events and workshops and engaging in networking opportunities to strive for best practices as a teacher librarian.
Standard Three: Professional Commitment
I am looking forward to gaining a permanent position within a school library. I recently began my first position as a teacher librarian and have learned much from this ten-week placement. I am on the path to professional commitment as I take my first steps as a teacher librarian. My professional engagement will become more prominent as I work within a school community. As I inch closer to completing my course, I have learnt about the value of commitment and lifelong learning within education and information studies. My future learning will focus on applying theory to the daily practice.
I am sure I will not be a stranger to further formal training in the future. This is my mission and I choose to accept it!
The Daring Librarian Mission, is a graphic by Gwyneth Jones from the blog, The Daring Librarian.
The school library often serves as a hub of the school, playing a central role in supporting students’ educational and intellectual development. It is a place where students, teachers, and parents can come together to engage in various activities promoting learning, exploration, and personal growth. Here are some ways in which the school library functions as a hub of the school:
Learning Resource Centre: The library is a treasure trove of books, textbooks, reference materials, and digital resources that cover a wide range of subjects and topics. Students can use these resources to research, complete assignments, and enhance their understanding of different subjects.
Promoting Reading and Literacy: The library encourages a reading culture by providing access to a diverse collection of books, including fiction, non-fiction, classics, and contemporary works. Reading programs, book clubs, and author visits can foster a love for reading and improve literacy skills.
Research and Inquiry: The library offers a quiet and focused environment for students to conduct research and inquiry-based learning. Librarians often guide effective research methods, citation techniques, and information literacy skills, helping students become critical thinkers and discerning researchers.
Collaborative Learning: Many school libraries provide spaces where students can collaborate on group projects, discuss ideas, and work on assignments together. These collaborative spaces promote teamwork, communication, and peer learning.
Technology Integration: In today’s digital age, libraries have computers, internet access, and various digital resources. Students can use these tools to access online databases, e-books, and multimedia materials, expanding their learning opportunities beyond traditional print resources.
Cultural and Community Centre: Libraries often host cultural events, book fairs, workshops, and exhibitions that involve both the school community and the wider local community. This helps foster a sense of belonging, encourages community engagement, and promotes lifelong learning.
Support for Different Learning Styles: The library accommodates various learning styles and preferences, providing a range of materials and resources suitable for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. This inclusivity helps cater to the diverse needs of students.
Personal Development and Well-being: Libraries can offer resources related to personal development, mental health, and well-being. Inspirational books, self-help resources, and mindfulness materials contribute to the holistic growth of students.
Access to Information and Technology: The library serves as a hub for access to information, helping students develop information literacy skills to evaluate, synthesise, and apply knowledge effectively. It also provides access to technology that students might not have at home.
Creativity and Imagination: Libraries often support creative endeavours through makerspaces, art supplies, and creative writing resources. These spaces encourage students to explore their artistic talents and imaginative thinking.
In essence, the school library functions as a dynamic and inclusive space that goes beyond just housing books. It promotes a culture of learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and personal growth, making it an integral hub of the school environment.
Traditionally, the library has been seen by others in the community as a ‘nice quiet place’ where we keep books, and the role of the Teacher Librarian is that of a ‘keeper of books’. This is just one aspect of the librarianship in general. In today’s school libraries, the teacher librarian is a technology guru, a curriculum expert, a research assistant and a collaborator.
This is not done in isolation; the teacher librarian now promotes the value of the school library as the school hub and advocates the importance of such a space. When I begin to work in a school library, I aim to advertise the multi-faceted nature of the library and those who work within it. I want the teachers, students and the school’s leadership to see that we are integral to student learning. In doing this, I hope to influence or persuade others that student learning objectives can be achieved through the library as we are skilled professionals and, regardless of our formal positions, can support the vision and values of the school (Gardner, 2013). This resonates with my learning about transformational leadership, whereby working with other teachers leads to greater collaboration and promoting a culture of innovation (Moir, Hattie & Jansen, 2014). Collaboration is at the heart of the TL’s role, so harnessing the power of this approach is critical to leading from my position.
References
Gardner, J. W. (2013). The nature of leadership. In M Grogan (Ed.). The Jossey-Bass Reader on educational leadership (3rd ed., pp. 17-27). John Wiley & Sons.
As I posted my first entry for ETL402 in my Thinkspace Blog, Defining Children’s Literature (Gonye, 2023, March 2), I hadn’t considered how writing these two paragraphs defining my understanding of children’s literature would lead to a deeper comprehension of the endless possibilities of teaching and learning for myself as a future teacher librarian and the students whom I am yet to meet.
This subject explored in detail many facets of children’s literature. According to the Library of Congress; Collections Policy Statement, Children’s Literature is described as items that are created and written specifically for children and young adults for their entertainment or to acquire knowledge. In addition, the definition encompasses works that are fiction and non-fiction in digital and physical forms (2022, para.1).
When I initially thought about literature in the digital environment, eBooks, video clips, and film were the resources that came to mind. However, I hadn’t considered interactive online stories or enhanced video versions of books that use dramatic readings or music and sound effects to enhance the emotional connection with the reader. Cullen (2015) adds that children engage multiple senses in interactive media that uses touch, audio, animations and illustrations. As children become more engaged in interactive media, the Teacher Librarian can harness this enthusiasm for discovery and learning by providing a more individualised program allowing them to progress at their own pace.
In my post titled, Literature in the Digital Environment (Gonye, 2023, April 28), I referred to how students can engage in reading and learning anytime using technology. There is an expectation that students can navigate competently in a digital environment to access information quickly and instantly. According to Brueck (2014), today’s students use smartphones to access data quickly from one source to another. Transliteracy describes how to interact with different literacies, as outlined in my blog entry What is Transliteracy? (Gonye, 2023, May 10) The teacher librarian’s role is to teach students the necessary digital and multiliteracy skills to navigate confidently and effectively in the digital landscape.
As an early childhood teacher, I was familiar with using picture books to enhance learning of new concepts for young children. A book read aloud to a group of children was often used as a springboard to learning mathematical and scientific ideas or historical and cultural perspectives. As I have never taught within a school setting before, I somehow thought that using fiction books to enhance or even consolidate learning concepts across the curriculum was a practice that wasn’t implemented. The use of non-fiction books and resources ‘took the place’ of picture books and other fiction forms. I was happily surprised to find this was not the case. Literary learning describes using fictional or poetic texts to support a learning process separate from reading books to gain competence in literacy (Spinner, 2019, p.161).
As a future Teacher Librarian, I am excited about the direction of literary learning. Not only will I promote a wider variety of books in physical and digital formats for reading for pleasure and support their reading choices, but I plan to implement richer learning experiences through the complementary use of fiction with non-fiction resources to support learning across all curriculum areas.
References
Brueck, J. [ideastream]. 2014, November 18). 2014 IDEA talk: Jeremey Brueck – Developing Transliteracy [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/BpQrfPQA1Ao
Cullen, M. (2015, December 21). How is interactive media changing the way children learn? EducationTechnology.
Transliteracy is the ability to read, write, communicate and interact with print to digital as well as across multiple forms of media. At first, I was a little confused by the term, thinking it was the ability to access and read the information in various formats, but it is more than that. Transliteracy is the ability to move between distinct forms of literacy with ease. For example, a student who reads a book and then looks online for further information related to the book is using transliteracy skills.
Transliteracy is a vital skill for students in today’s classrooms. It sets the foundation to become confident and accomplished citizens of the future. Anstey & Bull (2006, p.55) state that we do not know how information in the future will be presented, but we can teach students the necessary skills for interpreting new formats successfully through the ability to interact with different literacies.
According to Brueck (2014) in the Developing Transliteracy video, how students learn, and access information has changed significantly. Traditionally, students learnt linearly, reading from printed materials such as books, journals and newspapers. However, today’s student expects to access information instantly and have it available at their fingertips, such as using a smartphone and accessing data using hyperlinks, moving from one source to another very quickly. With this in mind, there is an emphasis on teaching transliteracy skills to students so they can be successful learners in the classroom and into their adult lives.
References
Anstey, M., & Bull, G. (2006). Teaching and learning multiliteracies: Changing times, changing literacies. International Reading Association.
Brueck, J. [ideastream]. 2014, November 18). 2014 IDEA talk: Jeremey Brueck – Developing Transliteracy [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/BpQrfPQA1Ao
Think about how you process information and read. Are young people any different? Do they use technology differently from older people?
Call me old-fashioned, but I do love to read print. The ability to hold the paper in my hands, turn a page or make notes with coloured felt-tipped pens or use highlighters on a crisp white page. However, with my university learning, I have noticed that when I read articles and large amounts of text from the screen, I become easily distracted; (in fact, I made some online purchases whilst writing this post!) by checking emails and clicking between screens can make it more difficult to absorb important information. I often reread the same paragraphs to gain clarity.
I believe younger readers would read more directly from screens for several reasons. First, devices at home, such as pads, laptops, phones etc., make text more accessible and portable. The expectation in schools is to use electronic devices for learning. Google Classroom is an excellent example of teachers assigning work in multiple subjects, and activities such as sports or creative arts programs can be distributed and communicated more effectively. Students become engaged in their reading and learning anytime using technology. Would the increased accessibility also add to increased distractions for younger readers, as I have experienced? Goodwin (2013, p.78) states modern media features such as hyperlinks and notifications interrupt the reading flow, and this distractibility can take away from the meaning of the text. Within the school environment, students must be taught skills and techniques to help minimise distractions to their learning.
Children use technology differently from adults. First and foremost, in the school environment, it is for learning and reading; at home, it is mainly for entertainment and reading for pleasure. In the older grades, for homework as well. Adult use of technology differs as it is predominantly a communication tool, emails, banking etc., as well as for information seeking in the workplace, for study or for personal interests.
References
Goodwin, B. (2013). The reading skills digital brains need. Educational Leadership. 78-79.
What is my vision for the future of children’s literature?
Before I read any prescribed readings, I reflected on my experience as an Early Childhood teacher and asked my eleven-year-old daughter for her opinion. Comparing my notes to those reflected in Short (2018) and the Australian Writers’ Centre Team articles was interesting.
My vision for the future includes picture books containing stories about diversity and representation that goes beyond stereotypes. This shift has happened, but cultural diversity is still somewhat underrepresented in this book format. A variety of simple to complex text and storylines in which picture books can be promoted for reading by a wider age group beyond the suggested early childhood and lower primary years.
In my daily practice, I have used picture books for more than just a quiet time activity. Combining text and imagery representing cultural diversity can provide children with many learning experiences they can relate to on a more personal level, developing understanding and empathy.
My daughter suggested that Graphic Novels are gaining popularity. This was confirmed by a somewhat subjective survey conducted amongst the peer group. Graphic novels not only provide a transition between picture books and young adult fiction novels but can engage the reader through bold and detailed graphics and fast-paced text.
According to the Australian Writer’s Team (2020), graphic novels are increasing in popularity across ages and genres. My daughter added, ‘Sometimes you want a quick-to-read entertaining book. A lot can be said through illustrations.’
Who will be the drivers of change?
The audience for which children’s literature is intended will be the primary drivers of change. This includes not only children but parents, carers and educators. These groups will influence the demand for particular types and modes of children’s literature. For example, young children may be affected by literature that ‘comes alive’ through multi-modal formats such as books adapted for a television series or vice versa and characters transformed into plush toys or action figures. Parents may seek literature ranging from traditional or classic stories from their youth to bedtime reading. Whilst educators may seek more contemporary literature with ‘teachable moments relating to ‘sustainability, diversity and indigenous cultures.
Children’s literature includes stories written for children up to adolescence. The literature engages with their emotional, cognitive and behavioural needs through stories using relatable pictures and words to gain an understanding of themselves, others and the world around them.
Children’s literature is presented in a variety of formats, including traditional print and picture books to multi-modal media. Children’s literature promotes imagination, creativity, empathy and critical thinking skills.
