There is much to digest here, along with the completion of Assessment 02, which I found challenging. I am not a natural academic writer, with my background in Performance, meaning I’ve never had to write a research essay or dissertation – a lot to digest after not being involved in academic study or learning for over 17 years!

 

Moving into this role, it isn’t just the information literacy side of the role that I think is perhaps often seen as a focal task of a Teacher Librarian to outsiders, but it has been the sheer volume of technical admin that I have found astonishing. I do pride myself on being a whiz with technology and, having taken over a library that has had six librarians in five years, all of whom were teachers, not librarians, no hand-over and no training on our library management system, Follett, it did cross my mind as I still work my way through cataloguing errors from 18 months ago, that it would have been easier to delete the entire catalogue and start again!

At my current school, we also have specialist ICT lessons, so looking at how I work alongside the department and build upon their teaching is something I need to work towards and continue developing. They take on a lot of online safety, AI, using various devices, etc., where I know my strengths will lie in the teaching of appropriate research, both using the physical texts in the library and our online databases and resources.

I thought it was interesting (and necessary!) that the Australian Government is updating and creating policies that look at the digital economy, AI plans, and the general management of information as it develops and changes, a much-needed and ongoing adaptation for society.