ETL401 Part C Reflective Practice
Part C: Reflective Practice
A linguistics professor has claimed that the rapid expansion of icon communication qualifies as a language appropriate for classroom study (Russell, 2015). Arguably, definitions of the term ‘literacy’ have multiplied (Gabanski-Sykes, 2023a) but most in terms of information literacy: the multi-media component of which is now a learning standard (ACARA, 2015). Information literacy now has to deal with a greater proliferation of modality with the integration of various communicative resources (Leeuwen, 2011). Is it possible for TLs to influence student and teacher participation in this area, the same way as traditional books? Especially when there are multiple complaints that students tend to passively accept such stimuli (Gorman & Eastman) instead of engaging in information literacy practices. At the moment, my experience of TL and teacher collaboration has been limited to TAFE library information sessions, yet these are simply booked by the teacher for their class and led by the TL. At TAFE, the TL still has invisibility (Bonnano, 2015; Gleeson, 2023).
As a current English teacher, I have been thinking about how TL collaboration and inquiry models would work in my teaching practice. How would this necessary content fit into my already full curriculum? Hay (2012) excitingly proposes an alternative iCentre, a multimedia production facility, but my sentiment is matched by Garrison & Fitzgerald’s (2019) observation of ‘one interested teacher at a time’, as I can sympathise with both TL and teacher perspectives of the seemingly mammoth task of introducing TL-teacher collaboration. I realise that inquiry learning using library facilities must be student-centered, but in doing so, it ironically would demand sufficient effort and planning from school staff.
In response to this, I can additionally see that inquiry learning models have their use also with the quantity of academia claiming their success in exam results. I think this would be very much needed to establish collaborative teaching relationships with other teachers, as using an inquiry model could be a very different way for the students to do school work. I can imagine resistance from high and low achievers alike. Using a specific inquiry model gives a standard for the whole school to follow but would also give credence to the exercise, as support from school leaders and TL autonomy would be necessary (Lance & Manilotes, 2020; Yanamandram & Noble, 2005). To this list I would also like to add teaching staff effort and dedication. As a current teacher, team-teaching is a practice that I dread as it is so dependent on the combination of teacher personalities, and the same combined with information literacy and inquiry models would be required to be a school’s key focus (Whittle, 2023). Could success in this area be mainly determined by the culture of the school? Would an appropriate role for the TL in curriculum development (Gagen- Spriggs, 2023), creating policies (Lewis, 2023) and establishing practice be decided by the TL, the principal, teaching staff, or already be established by the previous TL?
This unit has made me realise that observation at a school library would be very important for me, as I have not been at a school that has these practices and do not have a clear idea of to what degree TL and teacher collaboration using inquiry models happens in schools. The academic success results of a school due to a well-resourced library and sufficient TL staff points to the private schools rather than public, as there are only 1486 full-time teacher librarians in New South Wales’ 2317 schools (Chrysanthos, 2020). Tellingly, NSW has around 1000 private schools.
References
ACARA – Technologies. (n.d.). https://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/foundation-year-10/learning-areas-subjects/technologies#:~:text=the%20validation%20process.-,2015,the%20subject%2Dspecific%20achievement%20standards.
Australian Library and Information Association, & Australian School Library Association. (2016, July). Statement on teacher librarians in Australia. Australian Library and Information Association. https://read.alia.org.au/alia-asla-statement-teacher-librarians-australia
Bonnano, K. (2015). A profession at a tipping point – revisited. Zillmere: Australian School Library Association, 29(1). https://www.proquest.com/docview/1672921504?accountid=10344&parentSessionId=0JgMS6QHWpBdogzJvTsPYf4Q2zM2nCwJZ6olPs3AmKw%3D
Chrysanthos, N. (2020, November 23). “It’s a crucial role”: Teacher librarians push to boost their numbers in schools. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved September 8, 2023, from https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/it-s-a-crucial-role-teacher-librarians-push-to-boost-their-numbers-in-schools-20201110-p56dbi.html
Garrison, K. L., & Fitzgerald, L. (2019). “One interested teacher at a time”: Australian teacher librarian perspectives on collaboration and inquiry. In J. L. Branch-Mueller (Ed.), Proceedings of the 48th Annual Conference of the International Association of School Librarianship and the 23rd International Forum on Research in School Librarianship, Dubrovnik, Croatia, October 21-25, 2019 (pp. 1-11). International Association of School Librarianship.
Gabanski-Sykes, P. (2023a, October 3) RE: optional blog- Multiple Literacies (Comment on the online forum post ‘Module 3: Information Literacy) https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68461_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140362_1&forum_id=_316471_1&message_id=_4535695_1
Gabanski-Sykes, P. (2023b, October 3) RE: Forum activity 5.1: Managing people (Comment on the online forum post ‘Module 5.1: Managing people)
Gagen- Spriggs, K. (2022, June 18) Forum activity 4.3: The TL and curriculum (Post on the online forum post ‘Module 4.3: The TL and Curriculum) https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68461_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140362_1&forum_id=_316474_1&message_id=_4454055_1
Gleeson, L. (2023, September 13) RE: Forum activity 5.2: The Principal and the TL (Comment on the online forum post ‘Module 5.2: The Principal and the TL ) https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68461_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140362_1&forum_id=_316475_1&message_id=_4454058_1
Gorman, R., & Eastman, G. S. (2010). “I See What You Mean”: Using Visuals to Teach Metaphoric Thinking in Reading and Writing. The English Journal, 100(1), 92–99. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20787700
Hay, L. (2012, 06). Experience the “Shift”: Build an iCentre: A Spotlight on What’s Trending in Australia. Teacher Librarian, 39, 29-35. https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/experience-shift-build-icentre-spotlight-on-whats/docview/1024433458/se-2
Lance, K. C., & Maniotes, L. K. (2020). Linking librarians, inquiry learning, and information literacy? Phi Delta Kappan, 101(7), 47-51. https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721720917542
Leeuwen, T. (2011). Multimodality and multimodal research. SAGE Publications Ltd, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446268278
Lewis, T. (2023, September 16) RE: Forum activity 4.3: The TL and curriculum (Comment on the online forum post ‘Module 4.3: The TL and Curriculum https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68461_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140362_1&forum_id=_316474_1&message_id=_4454055_1
Russell, C. (2015, May 29). Emoji: The text fad that won’t go away. Independent.ie. Retrieved October 1, 2023, from https://www.independent.ie/life/emoji-the-text-fad-that-wont-go-away/31259005.html
Whittle, R. (2023, September 3) RE: Forum activity 5.2: The Principal and the TL. (Comment on the online forum post ‘Module 5.2: The Principal and the TL) https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68461_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140362_1&forum_id=_316475_1&message_id=_4454058_1
Yanamandram, V. K. & Noble, G. I. (2005). Team teaching: student reflections of its strengths and weaknesses. In R. Atkinson & J. Hobson (Eds.), Teaching and Learning Forum: The Reflective Practitioner (pp. 1-10). Australia: Murdoch University. https://ro.uow.edu.au/commpapers/1390/