ETL401 - Assignment 2 Task C Blog post

Task C

Word Count: 620

            The concept that has most influenced my understanding of the role of a teacher-librarian is information literacy. It is a concept that is highlighted in the readings and research I have completed and in the thoughts of myself and others in blogs and on the forum.

            One of the first and foremost responsibilities of the teacher-librarian is to promote themselves as an educator (Morrison, March 3 2011), and that “the role of ‘teacher’ should be up the top of the list” (Ronnie, 2011). It is a mistake for the teacher-librarian to be viewed “as being in their own domain, called upon when necessary, but ultimately outside the teaching and learning practices” (Morrison, March 17 2011). There is consensus among the literature (Lamb and Johnson, 2008; Herring, 2007; Twomey, 2007; Sykes, 2001) which has informed my views that “the school library should be seen as a centre of learning first and a centre of resources second” (Herring, 2007, p.27). Teacher-librarians and school communities need to realise that the library has “the potential to be the pulsating technological heart of the learning community” (Varela, 2011) and with this comes the responsibility and role to “support information literacy in the school” (Morrison, March 17 2011).

            One thing that I did not completely grasp until well into the course was how closely linked information literacy is to the role of the teacher-librarian. It was naïve of me to think that myself as teacher-librarian was the sole leader of information literacy in the school. A key idea that has allowed me to evolve my understanding is constructivism. It is clear that information literacy is a process “where learners construct meaning for themselves” (Herring, Tarter and Naylor, 2002, p.2). In order to fulfil their role, a teacher-librarian must also see themselves “as a process, rather than a content, expert” (Johnson, 2011). The role of the teacher-librarian then is to instruct students explicitly about how information literacy can be used “to enhance and enrich their learning and assist their learning processes” (Bisignani-Piepers, 2011). To achieve this a teacher-librarian must work collaboratively to create “an information literate community”, a goal that “is the responsibility of the whole school” not just the teacher-librarian (Skrzeczynski, 1999, p.241; Morrison, May 2 2011).

This links back into the idea of the library as the learning hub, as through their role of promoting information literacy a teacher-librarian must connect “learning inside the school to learning outside” (Sykes, 2001, p.7). This is the most important role for teacher-librarians because if they “focus on the curriculum and student learning, know what teachers are teaching and when, and look for ways that technology can engage learners in meaningful experiences, they can have a tremendous effect on learning” (Lamb and Johnson, 2008, p.2; Morrison, March 20 2011). This is reflected in the Professional Standards where their knowledge and skills can be used “as a basis for providing library and information services” to both teachers and students (Haycock, 2001, 3).

            It is obvious that over time ideas about the role of the teacher-librarian have changed, and my own understanding is no exception. Teacher-librarians are asked to be all things, to all people, all the time. At this point in time, however, I have come to the conclusion that a teacher-librarian’s role in promoting and teaching information literacy should be at the forefront of everything that they do. That being said, I have also learned that the role of the teacher-librarian is a complicated one, and that whichever function is chosen pulls them in a different direction, to promote different values (Abilock, 2004, p.10).

            Therefore, there is one certainty about the teacher-librarians role and which is that it is “constantly changing and they must be able to accept new tasks in order to perform their duties effectively” (Purcell, 2010, p.33).

N.B.

The complete reference list for this section has been incorporated into the reference list for this assessment submitted on EASTS.

ETL401 - Information Literacy again

As I read for the assignment it is becoming clearer and clearer just how important information literacy is. And how it is the role of every educator to be involved in helping students to come to terms with this concept and develop it in themselves and their learning.

A lot of what I have been reading, especially about collaboration and higher order thinking, is tying in with a new push for co-ordinators in my school. We are implementing the NSW Quality Teaching Framework in our classrooms and assessments. In the assessment category especially there is an emphasis on actually having 'proper' higher order thinking skills embedded in our tasks, both formal and informal.

For me, these higher order thinking skills are what information literacy is all about.
It is easy enough for a student to source information, but what they do with that information in the real clincher.

Do students just take everything at face value? Do we as teachers accept that? When better sources are out there do we let students get away with the bare minimum of research and engagement with information? How do we encourage better information literacy?

I read a great reading about how a PLC school in Western Australia has developed their own idea of information literacy, out of ASLA's, and used it to develop their own framework for the development of informaiton literacy in their school.
All the models that we have been presented with are good, but I think this approach - one created through collaboration for the specific needs of a school community - is one that all schools and TLs should adopt.

ETL401 Module 5 - Collaboration

Collaboration in the school as a learning organisation.

I missed the forum I was supposed to comment on last week and so thought I would share some thoughts here.

I think the most glaringly obvious thing is that collaboration is GOOD.

And that, in an ideal world, everyone would be working with everyone else to share ideas, offer support and facilitate growth. It seems to me that learning organisations are so called because everyone is thinking and learning and changing together, and the organisation moves forward because everyone is encouraged to be an innovator rather than following one person who is doing the innovating.

Shared vision and sharing ideas is the cornerstone of the learning organisation, and effective collaboration facilitates this and leads to change.

What is not good is innovating separately, or innovating for innovations sake. Yes, the goal should be to increase student achievement and help them reach their potential, but it needs to be organic and school wide. Competition doesn’t seem healthy or helpful. Having my students perform best doesn’t necessarily mean that they learn well.

And I think this is where the TL comes in. It is part of the TL’s role to see that collaboration meets student needs, that resources are available for teachers and students to facilitate learning. The TL crosses all curricular boundaries and is in the best postion to front the learning organisation.

Valenza’s article is a map for that ideal world where collaboration is effectively undertaken. The question then is - How do we merge that ideal world with our own?

Don't worry I'm still here

Well, a month has gone by and I have been very quiet on the blog front.
Two assignments are now done and I can think about this again, very quickly before I have to start the others.

I am finding some of the ETL504 course very hard to deal with. It is so theoretical and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do for the second assignment.

All the ideals that are being espoused are good in theory, but how do they become reality? I am not an agitator by nature. It seems that the librarian needs to be an outspoken and bossy person who places the library at the forefront of everything.
And where do they find the time to do this? I'm good at procrastinating but I don't feel like I actually have any time to do anything.

As for ETL401, I'm still trying to create the information literacy programs for my school. I think after the second assignment I will be able to do that a bit more easily. And I haven't commented on the forum yet....

ETL401 - Information Literacy

I had always thought that information literacy was just library literacy; knowing how to find information, figuring out if it was good and using it well in assignments. I never realised just how important and all encompassing it could be.

Prior to starting this module I had written a proposal for implanting an information literacy programme in my school. It looks a little something like this.

INFORMATION LITERACY PROGRAM

Purpose: To explicitly teach students critical thinking and evaluative research skills.

Goals:

For every student in the school to be critical and evaluative researchers.

For every student to know the steps of the research process and use them effectively.

For every student to use the library at school, the Internet and other libraries more effectively to help them with their work.

For every student to question and evaluate their sources.

To eradicate plagiarism in the school.

What has been done so far?

·          Each year, Year 10 completes the “All my own work” programme at the end of the year.

·          Each Year 7 LES class has had one lesson in the library to talk about research processes.

·          I have worked with Kim to develop a research scaffold for a Year 12 Studies of Religion assessment.

What needs to be done?

·          Each year group needs to be taught about information literacy, maybe in a one hour lecture during PC.

·          For each assessment in the school the TL needs to work with the writer of that assessment to develop a research scaffold for students to complete that assessment.

·          Establish an acronym to help students remember key points about information literacy. (POCAMRU)

·          To encourage students to use a variety of digital media.

·          To make digital media more prominent in the school.

Key components:

-          Digital literacy: Do students know how to use their computers, digital resources in the library and the Internet to their fullest potential?

-          Information literacy: Do students question the accuracy and reliability of the information they find? Do they know where to find the best information? Do students know how to annotate texts?

-          Anti-plagiarism: Do students know how to summarise? Do they know how to quote sources correctly? Do they know how to reference?

But after reading the module I think I have so many things to add.

Information literacy truly is an all encompassing thing. It will instill in students the ability to be lifelong learners and critical thinkers. It is about accessing and organising information.

And really I think this is the core of the librarian’s work.

ETL504 - Decision Making and Problem Solving

            I am interested in how decision making and problem solving occurs in a school, and especially the role of a TL in such a process. In our school at present much of the decision making happens at the top, with teachers being told that this or that will happen without any say in the matter. What happens in this process then is a lack of ownership of the decisions by the majority of staff and the lack of implementation of any solutions by them.

            What I wonder is if this would change if decision making and problem solving was lead from the middle. What if concerns were raised by teachers, taken to a middle manager, the TL maybe, and then passed on to the executive? The reading by Harvey (2001) and the subject notes indicates that the more consultation the better the outcome. They also suggest though that in different circumstances different approaches are needed.

            The main point that stuck out to me was that implementing a decision is often more difficult than deciding what to do. And that takes me back to my first point. Everyone needs to be involved in the decision making process in order for the solutions to be viable.

Teacher Librarian as Leader

I have been thinking about this a lot lately.

Not just because it is one of the units I am doing, or because it keeps coming up in just about every reading for every subject we do, but because we are now at the end of Term One 2011. I am now at the end of my first term as a TL. And I feel like I have little to nothing to show for it.

So far the only things I have done seem to be cosmetic. Some new displays, lanterns and  the rearrangement of furniture. (That actually is one benefit, every day I have to rearrange the furniture after some teacher or another has mussed it up. In itself though it is a problem. The library is seen as just a physical space, a place for large gatherings or wet weather activities.)

In one week I will go for an update meeting with my Principal. Convened by me, for the purposes of discussing what I'd actually like to do in the library, the lasting impression I would like to make.

Number one on the agenda is a library website. And if I get nothing else that is my one desperate wish.
Then there is a creative writing programme.
And specific assessment workshops for different grades.
And a gifted and talented programme.
And an information literacy programme for every grade.

That's probably enough for now.
This whole TL as leader thing has got me thinking,
I know I'm a leader
But does anyone else in the school know it?