Next Semester

I am busy studying for my statistics exam and so won't have a lot of time to blog over the next few weeks but I am applying for Master of Ed (Teacher Librarianship) to start of Christmas Hols, starting with Resourcing the curriculum and social media for information professsionals. I plan to keep blogging about these subjects so if you have been following my blog you are welcome to keep reading. I would also love to hear from anyone else who is continuing their studies or who is going to continue blogging. Best wishes!

The Information Super Highway

Much has been written about the information super highway.

If I can extend the analogy, teacher librarians are both driving instructors and highway engineers.

From:
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/rblonline/informationliteracy/infolit.htm

Aha! Moment

Yes I've had my own little aha! moment. The lightbulb is flickering due to our essential reading "Introduction to guided Inquiry - What is it, what's new, why now?" Everything we've looked at so far is connected in this article: the roles of the TL; collaboration; leadership, constructivist learning; information literacy; curriculum; the information process etc. Guided Inquiry connects all this together and in my view should be the main instructional framework for all schools.
What challenges do I foresee in the implementation of such an approach? The main one is probably getting everyone on board - teachers, parents, students, executive. I think it would work best as a whole school approach but if that was not happening you could still make a difference with just a few classes and some teacher support. You are also going to get students who lack motivation, no matter what you throw at them but I think it would be great with the majority of students.

Information Literacy: A Clarification

After some time away (due to a residential school for another subject) I am finally back into the swing of things, if just a little behind.
I have just read "Information Literacy: A Clarification" by Linda Langford and I must say that this article has really challenged me to consider and reach some sort of understanding of what information literacy is.

Throughout the article I was either saying YES or NO on various definitions/ideas, so I thought I might just list a few so you can get a basic idea on where I'm heading.

• There is a multiplicity of terms that could define "information literacy" - YESIt is defined differently by various schools of thought - YES


• It is a transfiguration - YES (if defined as "the metamorphosis of the old house into something new and exciting"


• An embellished view of the traditional understanding - NO, it incorporates new understanding as well


• A full transformation - Not exactly.


• A new literacy - NO


• A shift in educational thinking has occurred in that literacy is more than the ability to read and to right - YES


• Should be part of the natural discourse of teachers as they design and develop curriculum or discuss pedagogical issues - YES


• The label is fuzzy - NO I think it tells us exactly what it is "information" "literacy"


• Teachers are not clear what it means and how it relates to classroom practice - YES


• The process is unclear - YES


• There is a sense of urgency that essential learning areas include outcomes that ensure all learners become information literate - YES : In the school where I currently teach, literacy and numeracy outcomes must be imbedded in all programs. This is a step in the right direction but is not enough.


• Professionals in the information game must become literate in the field of information - YES! I know many teachers who do not know how to find information other than in a textbook.


• The needs of a society at any time determine how a society interprets a concept - YES


• Literacy is a dynamic concept - "mirrors the expanding information needs of society" - YES


• Kuhlthau (1995) To be literate was not only to recognise when information was required, but involved the ability to construct one's own knowledge through a process - YES


• To code and decode symbols...to translate symbols into meaningful messages - YES! I really like this simple definition. It doesn't explain how but it describes basically what we do with information.


• The concept of info literacy really depends on the information needs of the society of the time - YES


• Policy Directions (1990) defined info literacy as a functional literacy: the ability to read and use written information, to write appropriately in a range a contexts, and to recognise numbers and basic mathematical signs and symbols. YES this definition includes reading, writing, using (understanding) info in a range of contexts. This is how I see info literacy - as a functional literacy - necessary to function in society.


• Literacy is evolving - NO - I think the context in which we use literacy is evolving.


• There is a continuum of skills associated with literacy - YES


• Literacy itself is taking on different forms - transforming from a functional literacy through to a set of literacy - NO I dont agree. I think this is what is confusing people. Go back to the label - "INFORMATION" - this continually changes in how it is presented - "LITERACY" - making sense of this information - evolving rather than changing.


• Defining and redefining of concept could result in confusion and frustration - YES it is already!


• We are being bombarded by other concepts of literacy - YES


• Literacy is an act of semiosis - every act that records symbols of human communication outside the human body is a type of literacy and every act of communication evolves around the encoding and decoding of information - Not quite


• Literacy is fuelled by information and hence all literacy is information literacy - YES to a point


• Australian definition of literacy: to be able to function well in society which entails the ability to read, used numbers and to find information and use it appropriately. YES - this is simple and easy to understand.


• The concept of information literacy is relatively new - I think the LABEL is new, but the concept is not. I think info literacy is an evolution of the concept of literacy, the inclusion of information used to emphasise "meaning" and "understanding".


• Information literacy - a philosophy (COULD BE), a phenomenom (DEFINITELY NOT), a mere frolic with semantics. (NO WAY!)


• There is considerable support for viewing literacy as a continuously evolving concept allowing for a more liberal understanding and hence development of the initial ideal of the universal right to be able to read and write. YES


• How is information literacy defined? In terms of skills (YES), Behaviours/attitudes (YES), learning library/research skills (NO - more than that!), think critically (YES - this is a skill and an attitude), does it relate to an isolated subject (YES it is related to all subjects), an independent notion (NO), an umbrella phrase that has many parts that when meshed into a pedagogical framework, contributes to the holistic development of the individual, ...pathway to function well in society, empowered to learn independently/interdependently (Owen 1996, Kuhlthau 1995) - YES YES YES!


• A new literacy ? NO


• Still the basic literacy mirroring the expanding information needs of society (Brevik 1993) YES!


• Doyle - attributes of a person - NO


• An attainment of skills, that relies on a process. Takes on many approaches depending what part of the curriculum is in focus. YES


• Info literacy concerns itself with the mastery of processes, is a learning tool, and is also something to be learned - YES


• A lifelong goal - YES


• Knowing how to learn - YES


• Understanding of info literacy to be broadened to be inclusive, that is become the key competence for individual and societal development in Australia. YES YES YES


• We need a definition that can be interpreted universally in terms of processes and outcomes - YES


• Is it more appropriate to see this concern as a fundemental issue for all learning communities whereby each facilitator works towards the prime goal - literacy - YES but I would say the prime goal is Information Literacy.


• What needs to occur is a continuous development in educational circles to shape and deeply instil the pedagogy of info literacy as essential for the information society and hence, the learning society - YES


• It is removed from everyday classroom practice - NO not totally but teachers dont really see it as the key outcome


• Time to redefine literacy (and hence info literacy) - NO not redefine it but there is a need to give it extra PR to push it as the main aim for all programs - so it becomes an embedded practice, the natural or basic practice of teachers.

Inquiry Learning and PBL

I've started reading about inquiry learning, PBL, constructivism, and 21st century learning and what does this mean for us at TLs.

A few points that stand out:

• student centred/student lead


• higher order thinking


• implementation of technology


• collaboration


• 24/7 anywhere,anytime learning


• adapt, adopt, modify


• cyclic inquiry model


• intuitive, deep, conceptual knowledge


• knowledge is created by dynamic interaction with the learning environment


• lifelong learners


• strategies can be interwoven


• student generated questions


• technology


• motivation

Why is this important to TLs?

• related to the information process/info literacy


• show leadership by modelling constructivism strategies


• collaborate with teachers to embed in teaching/learning strategies


• promoted by various pedagogical initiatives


• to help students develop lifelong learning skills in an info-rich environment.

I think as TLs we need to consistently think "outside the box" and consider constructivist strategies whenever we are planning units of work or activities or collaborating with teachers.

Awesome Vodcast!

Watch this excellent vodcast by Mike Eisenberg on the role and image of the TL. He advocates for a "makeover" of the school library program to ensure the TL keeps their job. He has created a to-do list to help transform our image and programs and to transform how we are perceived and what we actually deliver. First on the to-do list is to GET AN ATTITUDE, second is to embrace the BRAND, the MISSION and the FUNCTION. I won't say any more but I would love to hear what other people think about what he has to say.

Assignment One

I am still unsure as to what two aspects of the role of the TL I shall use in my first assignment. I have read a range a articles and still cannot decide. Do I choose aspects of the role that I personally feel are important, or do I choose aspects for which there is a lot a literature available? I was considering that TLs need to be both a qualified "teacher" and a "librarian" and what these roles may involve. The teaching aspect is essential and the role of teacher also overlaps with the role of "instructional partner". Perhaps I have been considering this because I have been teaching for some time and I feel that this has a lot to do with defining who I am. I found myself reading a lot about the role of leader and what that may entail, but I also feel the role of information specialist is important. I'm not sure where I will go to from here. I think I will re-read the Herring and Purcell articles (again!) and hope something jumps out at me. I really want to be able to start writing something concrete down.

Evidence = Assessment = Advocacy

Evidence = Assessment = Advocacy

(By: Kramer; Diekman. Published in Teacher Librarian, Feb 2010, Vol. 37, p27-9

• Advocacy is about educating stakeholders using the best available evidence and it is an ongoing process.


• The message is about how we prepare students to function in the 21st century.


• The issue of evidence: What difference is made by specific library encounters? TLs need to speak the same language as the teachers and focus on student achievement. TLs need to plan strategically and find out what matters most to teachers and administrators. TLs must learn to gather evidence. It does not need to be formal pre/post tests. It can include KWL charts, an exit slip: "What did you learn today?", a check mark on a clip board.


• The issue of education/assessing the evidence: It is not enought just to collect and document the learning. Reflect and retool lessons to improve student learning. Communicate results to stakeholders. Ask the audience to take some action.


• The issue of advocacy: Advocacy links the evidence gathered with the education of the stakeholders to answer the essential question - How does the school library program affect student achievement? Assessment is an ongoing examination of learning and a shared responsibility with other teachers. Data gathering should occur for nearly every instructional encounter.


• Evidence, assessment, advocacy = always. Speak the same language as other teachers and stakeholders. Collaborate with teachers and build relationships. With evidence TLs can advocate for the school library program. Assessment data needs to be reported regularly - a constant stream of why we are at the centre of teaching and learning.


• The real winners in all this are the students.

My Thoughts If TLs want to ensure survival of their profession and survival of the school library program then they must continually gather evidence (data), assess the evidence, and revise teaching and learning programs to meet the needs of students and improve student achievement. I also think learning how to do this should be an essential part of a TL training program.

Go Gadget Go!

The Role of the TL Continued...

Our first assignment for this subject asks us to critically compare two aspects of the views of (a) Herring and (b) Purcell on the role of the teacher librarian. Purcell's article is devoted almost entirely to the various roles the TL takes on, whereas this is only a small part of the Herring article. Purcell gives us snippets of what the different roles entail but doesn't really say why these roles are more important than others. I kind of feel we don't really find out what she thinks - we just get a brief overview. It's like, here - these are the roles and this is a little bit what they're about. Whereas I want to know a bit more why. I also don't feel she has cited enough references. Herring's chapter is presented differently. He's shown us what a few different organisations/people have said and then it's a case of you make up your own mind. Which is good in a way. Everyone's ideas about what the role of a TL is, is of course, very different. Now it's up to us to work out what aspects of the role we feel are important enough to address in our assignment. Personally, I think most aspects could be melded (is this the right word?) together under just a few titles. For example, a TL in the role of teacher, could also be described as a leader. Or, if you are a TL acting in the role of information specialist, then don't you also need to act as a leader and a teacher to fulfil your role? I'm still considering how to work around this in my assignment. Maybe this is where Purcell and Herring fall down - they don't consider how intricately woven the ties are between the different aspects of the roles.

The Herring Article

It sounds quite austere, doesn't it - "The Herring Article". For anyone not doing ETL 401, this chapter by James Herring (2007) "Teacher Librarians & The School Library" is from "Libraries In The 21st Century" edited by S. Ferguson. The information provided falls under the headings of:

• The learning and teaching context of school libraries;



• The school library mission;
  


• Standards for school libraries;



• The role of the teacher librarian;



• Information literacy in schools;



• The school library website and school intranet.
  

It's like a set of guidelines for the school teacher librarian. An extremely useful document. Every section I found interesting and packed with valuable information. I particularly liked the section on the school library website and school intranet. With the growing amount of resources available online this is one way the TL can select and group together suitable resources for students who could access them during school or outside school. As a parent and a teacher and a TL-to-be, I love the idea of teachers/faculties have their own webpages. Students would no longer to say they lost their homework/assignment sheet or didn't know when something was due, or couldn't find the info for it. Easy access - I love it!

Another youtube video but by golly, I like this one! It could be used by a TL to educate staff on the importance of information literacy and the importance of the TL role itself. It made me realise how important the role of TLs and the school community in educating students in information literacy and how broad an area this covers. I also felt a sense of urgency that we've let this go too long. Even though schools have begun teaching ICT skills and information literacy, they are still moving too slowly. There is so much more to be done, particularly in the area of enabling students to critically evaluate websites and the information they provide.

Leadership

Leadership seems to come up in just about every article to do with the role of TLs and there are even whole articles devoted to the topic. In a nutshell, TLs show leadership to students, staff and parents. They provide leadership as a teacher, as an information specialist, as an instructional partner, and as a program administrator. Importantly, they need to show leadership in advocating information literacy as an essential part of students' education and in making it a whole school focus. In my opinion, this is the most important leadership that a TL must show. All TLs know how necessary information literacy is in today's society. Now we've just got to get everyone else to realise it too.

Role of the TL Part 2

So what else does a TL do? From a term and a half in the school library (and before starting to read about it) I would have added:

• ordering fiction/non-fiction books according to interest and need
• book repair
• crowd control (at recess/lunchtime)
• checking books in/out
• gathering resources on certain topics for teachers
• Year 7/8 information skills lessons
• managing Bookclub
• working with the library assistant (who came in one day/week and was a wealth of knowledge)
• setting up the laptop/projector for teachers/classes
• working with teachers to create units of work
• finding online resources for teachers/students
• managing the library budget

So I think I had a reasonably realistic view of what a TL did. Since beginning this subject however, I have already discovered that the above is only the tip of the iceburg. There is so much more to it that this. I see already that so much more can be done with the school library. There is only one problem. I am no longer working there (back to casual teaching!)

Just to get it off my chest, I was knocked back when I applied for the position because I did not "qualify" for retraining because I was only "three year trained". And high school experience does not count unless you are teaching in one faculty for an entire year. So I am retraining on my own, completing single subjects until I have enough for a degree as I am also enrolled in the Grad. Dip of Mathematics course. I love both library and maths and still cannot choose between the two, so I decided to do both. If possible, I intend on doing another two TL subjects over the Christmas hols, so we shall see how I go.

What does a TL do? PART 1

Well it depends who you ask, doesn't it. Ever watched "The Librarians"? on ABC TV?



I loved it but it doesn't really do much for the public's perception of a librarian.

Have you seen this before?

I'd love to get one, if only to prompt discussion into people's perceptions of librarians.

When I got a term's work as a TL at our local highschool, a lot of people (other teacher's included) told me how lucky I was to land such a cushy job. I only had nine lessons a fortnight.

I wasn't given an awful lot of guidance from the previous TL, so I pretty much made it up as I went along, backed up by 17 years teaching experience and google.

The school library layout had hardly changed in the previous ten years, so that was the first thing I did. I googled and looked at library design and read about that the library should be welcoming and the centre of the school and have lots of different spaces to cater for different people and so on. I made and laminated signs showing what resources were where. A projector had recently been installed so things had to be arranged around that as well. I only wish I had taken before photos.

So I suppose looking at this, a TL is an interior designer of sorts. I mean, you have to create a welcoming environment, don't you.