Monday, April 26, 2010
Collaboration
I have been most inspired by the readings on collaboration and the collaborative school. This is not the first time that I have come across this model but whereas my past readings have focused on the collaborative classroom rather than collaboration between staff. This model uses language and concepts that resonate with the Christian understanding of community and I will (when I have finished my assignments) enjoy writing a reflection on this connection.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Teacher Librarian Course
Soon I must spend time sharing what I have learnt in this course so far. Before then, I am going to reflect briefly on the course itself. I am doing both subjects ETL 401 and ETL 503.
I have been very excited at much that I have learnt. Whether it's the topic of information literacy and their accompanying models or the way to evaluate a collection or write a library policy, I have learnt a lot that I am now able to apply. I am able to recognise the connections between the assignments, the reading material and the daily role of the teacher librarian.
However, I am still overwhelmed by the amount of work this course has required. This is the fourth time that I have done a university course by distance education. It it the third Masters degree or Masters degree subjects that I have undertaken. It is not the amount of reading that has to be done, or the difficulty or size of the tasks, it is the online expectations that seem to have increased the workload.
I have found the forums helpful and I have enjoyed the opportunity to help others but making those contributions has taken time. This blog has been one aspect that has not received the attention that I expect was anticipated by the University staff. The other online activity is the OZTL_NET. This has had both positive and negative aspects. There are around twenty emails per day that need to be read and either deleted, saved for future reference or replied to.
This is three online activities that have to be undertaken, in addition to the online presentation of the course material. I support the use of electronic communication. I welcome the advantage that it can bring. However, all such electronic communication adds to the time and financial burden on everyday life. I am already bearing the burden that email and the internet bring with their intrusion into domestic life.
I have taken small steps into the world of Web 2.0 in the past but I now restrict these to the needs of work and study, rather than have them take over even more of my time. I think that being aware of the various online options is important. However, I would like to reserve the right of age and wisdom to only use those forms that genuinely make life easier, not that just fill it up more.
I have been very excited at much that I have learnt. Whether it's the topic of information literacy and their accompanying models or the way to evaluate a collection or write a library policy, I have learnt a lot that I am now able to apply. I am able to recognise the connections between the assignments, the reading material and the daily role of the teacher librarian.
However, I am still overwhelmed by the amount of work this course has required. This is the fourth time that I have done a university course by distance education. It it the third Masters degree or Masters degree subjects that I have undertaken. It is not the amount of reading that has to be done, or the difficulty or size of the tasks, it is the online expectations that seem to have increased the workload.
I have found the forums helpful and I have enjoyed the opportunity to help others but making those contributions has taken time. This blog has been one aspect that has not received the attention that I expect was anticipated by the University staff. The other online activity is the OZTL_NET. This has had both positive and negative aspects. There are around twenty emails per day that need to be read and either deleted, saved for future reference or replied to.
This is three online activities that have to be undertaken, in addition to the online presentation of the course material. I support the use of electronic communication. I welcome the advantage that it can bring. However, all such electronic communication adds to the time and financial burden on everyday life. I am already bearing the burden that email and the internet bring with their intrusion into domestic life.
I have taken small steps into the world of Web 2.0 in the past but I now restrict these to the needs of work and study, rather than have them take over even more of my time. I think that being aware of the various online options is important. However, I would like to reserve the right of age and wisdom to only use those forms that genuinely make life easier, not that just fill it up more.
ETL 503 Assignment 2
It's hard to know whether the number of confused postings on the Forum are the result of the way the task is set out or the difficulty of the task itself, or the failure of we students to make the necessary connections. It's obvious that this is a great task to have under your belt, in the same way that pre-service teachers create lesson units. A collection policy is an excellent thing to have. Understanding how to write one or revise one is valuable skill.
The problem is that the actual writing of a policy seems an enormous task, if the one that I am revising is anything to go by. Even revising it seems a big task, when you have to support your decisions based on the readings. This is only because the readings seem vast and what I think that you need to do is to pinpoint only the readings that address the sections that you think require revision (selection, acquisition, funding, evaluation)
The problem is that the actual writing of a policy seems an enormous task, if the one that I am revising is anything to go by. Even revising it seems a big task, when you have to support your decisions based on the readings. This is only because the readings seem vast and what I think that you need to do is to pinpoint only the readings that address the sections that you think require revision (selection, acquisition, funding, evaluation)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Assignment Reflection 2
Roy Crotty has suggested that we record the "aha" moment for the assignment. Some of this I have already recorded, such as my struggle to grasp the nature of the obstacle in the ETL 401 assignment. The other key thing has been recognising the reason for the literacy skills posters of various types around the library, but more importantly realising that I can assist with the students acquiring these skills even more by designing my tasks with the steps explicitly identified, in other words using a Information Literacy model. As others have noted we often tend to follow these steps intuitively but it doesn't follow that our students will do this. Even designing the task, I include steps such as brainstorming, even if the question or questions are set but I don't ask the students to reflect on that session and record their understanding and their next step.
I'm also beginning to wonder if I should have copied some of my forum posts into my blog. If I have time and they're still up I might go back and check on these. For example, I recently talked about the role of the model as a diagnostic and supportive tool.
Of course, I'm speaking as a class teacher. What this course is teaching me is more about the role that our teacher librarian plays. We work closely together and our library is a valued place. So much of the obstacles and lack of principal support and funding that I read about don't apply. However, we have had some wonderful conversations in the course of both assignments. It was Lyn's observation that teachers don't know what the library has to offer that prompted my choice of obstacle in the assignment. She also noted that information literacy is not taught in pre-service training and so teachers aren't aware of this need or of her role in meeting this need. They continue to see a disjunct between the classroom and the library; wanting their children to come, especially at assignment time but not always sure what support is available. They then discover this wonderful person able to open up the Aladdin's cave of information and support. But unless this is documented and placed in the Year program, the constant changing of staff means that this important information is lost.
Cue readings on collaboration and the professional learning community.
I'm also beginning to wonder if I should have copied some of my forum posts into my blog. If I have time and they're still up I might go back and check on these. For example, I recently talked about the role of the model as a diagnostic and supportive tool.
Of course, I'm speaking as a class teacher. What this course is teaching me is more about the role that our teacher librarian plays. We work closely together and our library is a valued place. So much of the obstacles and lack of principal support and funding that I read about don't apply. However, we have had some wonderful conversations in the course of both assignments. It was Lyn's observation that teachers don't know what the library has to offer that prompted my choice of obstacle in the assignment. She also noted that information literacy is not taught in pre-service training and so teachers aren't aware of this need or of her role in meeting this need. They continue to see a disjunct between the classroom and the library; wanting their children to come, especially at assignment time but not always sure what support is available. They then discover this wonderful person able to open up the Aladdin's cave of information and support. But unless this is documented and placed in the Year program, the constant changing of staff means that this important information is lost.
Cue readings on collaboration and the professional learning community.
More on Assignments
Roy Crotty has kindly reminded us that there are a number of items about presentation that we, or at least I, have overlooked. Fortunately, both he and Ashley have been generous and understanding. With the on-line environment, it's so easy to read something and then lose track of where you read it or not make a note of it to remember. I suppose that this blog is one place to keep those records. For example, I read the CSU email about a title page some time ago but then totally forgot about it in my desire to submit the assignment. I've downloaded it now and I shall paste it into the start of each new assignment. The other problems with spacing and referencing I've discussed earlier.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Assignments
I suppose that I should deal with the assignments for each subject separately. However, the difficulties that I had really applied to both of them. The first was with layout, which I've talked about elsewhere. The second is the addressing of each element of the assignment. With the ETL 503 assignment, I submitted it four times, not just because I could but once to correct the layout spacing, the the third time because I realised that I had not adequately addressed the element of acquisition. I don't know that I have still done this, and I didn't put it as a separate item with its own subheading, but I did include more information and a reading reference. Then I realised that this had put me over the limit, so I then had to edit the assignment again and then re-submit at 4pm on the due date, after first submitting it almost a week earlier.
With the ETL 401 assignment, I think that mu choice of obstacle and solution will be questioned. I chose not to go with the obvious obstacles of principal or funding. Instead I chose lack of recognition of the role that the teacher librarian plays in an information literate school community. I also provided a two=pronged solution. I don't know what the markers will make of that. I suspect that they would prefer an obvious obstacle and clear solution, supplied by the readings. We'll see.
Finally, despite knowing that the markers are looking for evidence of wide reading, in the ETL 503 assignment I only used three sources. The problem was that the task focused on selection and acquisition and this really only required a set of criteria, possible resources and justification of those selected. I did make up for this with the ETL 401 assignment but it doesn't quite work like that.
By the way, I did work with the marking guidelines in front of me. They are useful. Time would be even more helpful.
With the ETL 401 assignment, I think that mu choice of obstacle and solution will be questioned. I chose not to go with the obvious obstacles of principal or funding. Instead I chose lack of recognition of the role that the teacher librarian plays in an information literate school community. I also provided a two=pronged solution. I don't know what the markers will make of that. I suspect that they would prefer an obvious obstacle and clear solution, supplied by the readings. We'll see.
Finally, despite knowing that the markers are looking for evidence of wide reading, in the ETL 503 assignment I only used three sources. The problem was that the task focused on selection and acquisition and this really only required a set of criteria, possible resources and justification of those selected. I did make up for this with the ETL 401 assignment but it doesn't quite work like that.
By the way, I did work with the marking guidelines in front of me. They are useful. Time would be even more helpful.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Layout of Assignments
I've just discovered a question and response from Roy Crotty regarding the setting out of assignments. It says double space everything.Somebody else posted a similar question (as yet unanswered on the 503 forum for Ashley Freeman.
I followed the subject outline and referred to the presentation website when I wanted to know about spacing. There was no information there so I posted an email question to the help line. The message came back that there was no CSU standard (unlike the old days when we received a book that had this information) and the respondee, Stewart McKinney from the Askus help line said that 1.5 would be acceptable. I use this for the body of the assignment but not the synopsis, nor the references. I suppose that I have a day or two to make use of the EASTS multiple submission facility.
I followed the subject outline and referred to the presentation website when I wanted to know about spacing. There was no information there so I posted an email question to the help line. The message came back that there was no CSU standard (unlike the old days when we received a book that had this information) and the respondee, Stewart McKinney from the Askus help line said that 1.5 would be acceptable. I use this for the body of the assignment but not the synopsis, nor the references. I suppose that I have a day or two to make use of the EASTS multiple submission facility.
Friday, April 2, 2010
ETL 401 Readings
I thought that might reference list might be useful in identifying helpful reading. I think most are the essential readings anyway.
References
Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and Australian School Library Association (ASLA) Statement on teacher librarian qualifications retrieved from http://www.asla.org.au/policy/teacher.librarian.qualifications.htm
Campbell, L., Flageolle, P., Griffith, S. & Wojcik, C. (2002). Resource-based learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Resource-based_Learning
Hay, L. and Todd, R. (2010). School libraries 21C: the conversation begins. In Scan 29(1). February. 30-42
Haycock, C-A. (1991). Resource-baed learning: A shift in the roles of teacher, learner
Haycock, K. (1999). Fostering collaboration, leadership and information literacy: Common behaviours of uncommon principals and faculties. NASSP Bulletin, 83(605), 82-87.
Hazell, A. (1990). School library and information services in Australia. In M. Nimon & A. Hazell (AEds.), Promoting learning: challenges in teacher librarianship (pp. 17-22). Adelaide: Auslib Press
Henri, J. (2005). Understanding the information literate school community. In The information literate school community 2, J. Henri and M. Asselin (eds.) Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University, Australia, 135-145.
Herring, J. (2006). A critical investigation of students’ and teachers’ views of the use of information literacy skills in school assignments. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmcontents/volume9/informatioliteracy.cfm
Jamieson, A. Library books fall by two million a year amid warnings of cuts and closures in The Telegraph, 14-02-2009, Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4622812/Library-books-fall-by-two-million-a-year-amid-warnings-of-cuts-and-closures.html
Accessed 31-3-2010
Kuhlthau, C. (2004). Seeking meaning: A process approach to library and information services. 2nd edition, Westport Conn:Libraries Unlimited
Langford, L. (1998). Information literacy: a clarification. In From now on: The educational technology journal retrieved from http://www.fno.org/sept/98/clarify.html
McLean, I. (2009). Kindergarten weaves a wiki: the learners tell their stories. In Scan 28 (1). February, 30–37.
McKenzie, J. (2010). Teacher librarians: leading, connecting and innovating. In Scan 29(1). February. 6-9.
Stripling, B. (2007). Assessing information fluency: gathering evidence of student learning. School library media activities monthly, 23(8), 25-29.
Todd, R. (2003). How to prove you boost student achievement
In School Library Journal, 4/1/2003 retrieved from
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA287119&publication=slj
Todd, R.J. (2007) Evidence-based practice and school libraries. In S. Hughes-Hassall & V.H. Harada (Eds.), School reform and the school library media specialist (pp. 57-58). Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited
Voertscher, D. with Todd, R. (2003). We Boost Achievement: Evidence-based practice for school library media specialists Salt Lake City: Hi Willow Research & Publishing
As well, if you are wanting to identify the school principal as anobstacle the readings by Gary Hartzell "Why should principals support school librarians?" and Anne Oberg "Developing the respect and support of school administrators" would be useful.
In addition you might have been following the conversations on the OZTL_NET. Here's one response to a plea from a Teacher Librarians who had her budget cut. The advice and references, including blogs, from Dianne Mackenzie would be good for this particular obstacle.
You need to go beyond just the budget - there is a lot of ground work to do
> before anything involving money will change. Have a look at my blog and the
> strategies I have created that have resulted in consequences far beyond my
> wildest expectations.
> http://librarygrits.blogspot.com
> *
> Some of my successful strategies include : *
>
> - Creating a budget before everyone else does with a "library
> improvement proposal" and specify what you need to improve the library
> program and why.
> - Create an annual report, making it as thorough as possible - see my
> example
> -
> http://librarygrits.blogspot.com/2009/06/importance-of-creating-annual-report.html
> - Create and keep and activity log.
> - http://librarygrits.blogspot.com/2010/03/tracking-my-activities.html
> - Be Proactive in the school - go looking for jobs that will make you
> indispensable
> - Read Doug Johnson's blog
> - Join twitter for great ideas
> - Read Gary Hartzells books
> - Get on committees esp leadership where you can
> - Blow your own trumpet all the time - constantly meet with your line
> manager and tell them what you have been doing, what you plan to do. I have
> scheduled meetings about once a month and it really helps when you need
> someone to go into bat for you.
> - Market yourself to other staff
> http://librarygrits.blogspot.com/2010/01/marketing-possibilities.html
> - Create a yearly plan of what you want to achieve- show your line
> manager.
Further to what I wrote before about strategies for increasing your budget,
have a look at this article from Gary Hartzell ...
*
Why Should Principals Support School Libraries?
*http://www.libraryreference.com/school-libraries.html
There is a checklist of 11 characteristics of a school library that will
enhance student learning, make sure you are doing everything on that list
that you have control over, it is also a good list to give you an argument
about why you need more funding.
Gary Hartzell has a number of other articles here based on the school
library.
http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/hartzell.html
He is coming form the perspective of a school Principal, rather than from a
school librarian and his articles are worth reading for that perspective
alone.
Advocacy is the key to getting a larger budget.
Cheers
Dianne McKenzie
Discovery College
Hong Kong
References
Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and Australian School Library Association (ASLA) Statement on teacher librarian qualifications retrieved from http://www.asla.org.au/policy/teacher.librarian.qualifications.htm
Campbell, L., Flageolle, P., Griffith, S. & Wojcik, C. (2002). Resource-based learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Resource-based_Learning
Hay, L. and Todd, R. (2010). School libraries 21C: the conversation begins. In Scan 29(1). February. 30-42
Haycock, C-A. (1991). Resource-baed learning: A shift in the roles of teacher, learner
Haycock, K. (1999). Fostering collaboration, leadership and information literacy: Common behaviours of uncommon principals and faculties. NASSP Bulletin, 83(605), 82-87.
Hazell, A. (1990). School library and information services in Australia. In M. Nimon & A. Hazell (AEds.), Promoting learning: challenges in teacher librarianship (pp. 17-22). Adelaide: Auslib Press
Henri, J. (2005). Understanding the information literate school community. In The information literate school community 2, J. Henri and M. Asselin (eds.) Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University, Australia, 135-145.
Herring, J. (2006). A critical investigation of students’ and teachers’ views of the use of information literacy skills in school assignments. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmcontents/volume9/informatioliteracy.cfm
Jamieson, A. Library books fall by two million a year amid warnings of cuts and closures in The Telegraph, 14-02-2009, Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4622812/Library-books-fall-by-two-million-a-year-amid-warnings-of-cuts-and-closures.html
Accessed 31-3-2010
Kuhlthau, C. (2004). Seeking meaning: A process approach to library and information services. 2nd edition, Westport Conn:Libraries Unlimited
Langford, L. (1998). Information literacy: a clarification. In From now on: The educational technology journal retrieved from http://www.fno.org/sept/98/clarify.html
McLean, I. (2009). Kindergarten weaves a wiki: the learners tell their stories. In Scan 28 (1). February, 30–37.
McKenzie, J. (2010). Teacher librarians: leading, connecting and innovating. In Scan 29(1). February. 6-9.
Stripling, B. (2007). Assessing information fluency: gathering evidence of student learning. School library media activities monthly, 23(8), 25-29.
Todd, R. (2003). How to prove you boost student achievement
In School Library Journal, 4/1/2003 retrieved from
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA287119&publication=slj
Todd, R.J. (2007) Evidence-based practice and school libraries. In S. Hughes-Hassall & V.H. Harada (Eds.), School reform and the school library media specialist (pp. 57-58). Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited
Voertscher, D. with Todd, R. (2003). We Boost Achievement: Evidence-based practice for school library media specialists Salt Lake City: Hi Willow Research & Publishing
As well, if you are wanting to identify the school principal as anobstacle the readings by Gary Hartzell "Why should principals support school librarians?" and Anne Oberg "Developing the respect and support of school administrators" would be useful.
In addition you might have been following the conversations on the OZTL_NET. Here's one response to a plea from a Teacher Librarians who had her budget cut. The advice and references, including blogs, from Dianne Mackenzie would be good for this particular obstacle.
You need to go beyond just the budget - there is a lot of ground work to do
> before anything involving money will change. Have a look at my blog and the
> strategies I have created that have resulted in consequences far beyond my
> wildest expectations.
> http://librarygrits.blogspot.com
> *
> Some of my successful strategies include : *
>
> - Creating a budget before everyone else does with a "library
> improvement proposal" and specify what you need to improve the library
> program and why.
> - Create an annual report, making it as thorough as possible - see my
> example
> -
> http://librarygrits.blogspot.com/2009/06/importance-of-creating-annual-report.html
> - Create and keep and activity log.
> - http://librarygrits.blogspot.com/2010/03/tracking-my-activities.html
> - Be Proactive in the school - go looking for jobs that will make you
> indispensable
> - Read Doug Johnson's blog
> - Join twitter for great ideas
> - Read Gary Hartzells books
> - Get on committees esp leadership where you can
> - Blow your own trumpet all the time - constantly meet with your line
> manager and tell them what you have been doing, what you plan to do. I have
> scheduled meetings about once a month and it really helps when you need
> someone to go into bat for you.
> - Market yourself to other staff
> http://librarygrits.blogspot.com/2010/01/marketing-possibilities.html
> - Create a yearly plan of what you want to achieve- show your line
> manager.
Further to what I wrote before about strategies for increasing your budget,
have a look at this article from Gary Hartzell ...
*
Why Should Principals Support School Libraries?
*http://www.libraryreference.com/school-libraries.html
There is a checklist of 11 characteristics of a school library that will
enhance student learning, make sure you are doing everything on that list
that you have control over, it is also a good list to give you an argument
about why you need more funding.
Gary Hartzell has a number of other articles here based on the school
library.
http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/hartzell.html
He is coming form the perspective of a school Principal, rather than from a
school librarian and his articles are worth reading for that perspective
alone.
Advocacy is the key to getting a larger budget.
Cheers
Dianne McKenzie
Discovery College
Hong Kong
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Assignments
I sent of both of the first assignments for ETL 401 and ETL 501 today. After a lot of trial and error and discussion with our teacher librarian, Lyn (which I'll talk about in another post), I chose to use the lack of recognition of the importance of teacher librarians as my obstacle for the 401 assignment. I wanted to use one of the references to the threats to libraries and teacher librarians that have been talked about on the OZTL Net. Unfortunately, I had deleted these emails, as had Lyn. I would have liked to post a request on the OZTL service but I haven't had any success with my previous mass submissions (and I'm yet to work out why). I had to use an English reference instead. This evening I find, reading through the OZTL Net emails that the Brisbane Courier has had two articles on this very subject this week. Here are the links for the blogs of teacher librarians who have featured these articles.
http://hubinfo.wordpress.com
http://readingpower.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/libraries-at-risk-courier-mail-march-30-2010/
It seems that you can be too organised. Well, I wanted to submit the tasks from work, knowing that its internet link was slightly more reliable than mine at home. I also will need the Easter break to make a significant start on the next assignments, as exams and report season has already begun and runs through until after the next assignments are due. Still, it would have been a bonus to include such an up-to-date reference.
http://hubinfo.wordpress.com
http://readingpower.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/libraries-at-risk-courier-mail-march-30-2010/
It seems that you can be too organised. Well, I wanted to submit the tasks from work, knowing that its internet link was slightly more reliable than mine at home. I also will need the Easter break to make a significant start on the next assignments, as exams and report season has already begun and runs through until after the next assignments are due. Still, it would have been a bonus to include such an up-to-date reference.
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