ETL 401 Assignment Part C

My learning journey really began late last year when my then Principal handed me what was known as the golden form in the Department of Education and Communities (DEC).  DEC then sent me out an incredibly ominous Deed of Agreement.  That is around about the time where the feelings of anxiety began. I now know I was in the initiation stage -“when a person first becomes aware of a lack of knowledge or understanding and feelings of uncertainty and apprehension are common.” (Kuhlthau, C., ISP).
Before I knew it, March was upon us and DEC provided air travel to a 2 day workshop in Sydney.  What a relief!
I met all my lecturers and fellow DEC students and found out we were all feeling the same way.  For some unknown reason to me that seemed to slow the heart palpitations. Even though I was hearing all about the big assignments we would be doing and one of them was something called a critical review.
Judy introduced us to a myriad of technology tools which I was very excited to get home and play with.  At that stage I was still naïve about what it meant to be a Teacher Librarian even though I had been bumbling my way through the job for the last 10 years.  Shocking I know.
I was so excited that when I flew back home I created this here blog. That is around about when disaster struck.  My internet stopped working. AHHHHHH!
Numerous phone calls to AAPT and Telstra technician visiting three times finally resolved the issue which was found to be a mysterious malfunctioning floating phone line that was not actually connected inside the wall.  WHEW!  At last I was reconnected and in the business of trying to catch up.
Looking at the roles of the Teacher Librarian led me to my first AHA moment as can be seen earlier in my blog.  I really related to the information I had been reading on the role of instructional partner.  I was then able to make a shift in my teaching from that of classroom teacher who lends out library books and teaches research skills and technology, to that of instructional partner.
My second AHA moment was when I was examining the different information literacy models.  I started trialling Herrings PLUS model in my library.  The children stated it helped them to understand what information they needed to find and they then found it easier to locate the information they needed. Reading Kuhlthau’s ISP has really helped me in recognising those affective stages and helping my students through them.
As far as my interaction with the forums goes it started well with all the introductions and getting used to using them and then I lost internet connection.  I found the forums very useful in reading what other people had posted and particularly the responses from lecturers.  I posted in the forum on the topic I was supposed to even if I was a little bit late.  Usually if I had a question I needed to ask I would go to the forum first and check if anybody else had already asked it.  They usually had and the answer required was found.
What I did find with the whole forum, blog situation is that I am slowly improving at writing my thoughts down.  I did really enjoy sharing things that I had made on the blog and other things that I had found.
So far with the tools that Judy introduced us to at that first workshop I have made a Tagxedo. I have joined Diigo social bookmarking, stumbleupon and Pin It.  I have used titan pad with Module 3 and they loved it.  They now have their own class blog using Blog Ed and are slowly working out what to do with that.  They have just realised the videos we are making together could go on their blog.  I have ventured into the world of wiki’s and voki's with Year 6 and they are communicating with other Year 6 students across the lighthouse valley so they will know each other before they start high school. The journey towards information literacy has begun but, sadly the collaborative planning and teaching has not been possible as yet.
My role as librarian up the creek is still one of RFF and being a small school I cannot see this changing anytime soon.  I have looked at cooperatively teaching some units of work with the HSIE teacher and she is currently considering it. Fingers crossed!
All in all, I never pictured myself doing any of these things this year and we are only part way through Term 2.  I look forward to the rest of the journey.

Reflections ETL 503

The Collection Development Policy was bigger than Ben Hur but an extremely worthwhile task.  Evaluating the library was a huge task but I am more than happy to have a policy to build on in the future. It has however given me a lot more work to do in the investigation of how we go about adding ebooks to the library up the Creek.  Much to ponder, after ETL 401 Assignment 2 is complete. ;)  Most upset it is due on my 39th birthday!

Collaborate

Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate!

PLUS Model

I have actually been trialling this in the library at school with Modules 2 & 3.  The children have since found the process of finding information easier.  So far so good!

Information Literacy Preferred definition

“Information literacy is a transformational process in which the learner needs to find, understand, evaluate, and use information in various forms to create for personal, social or global purposes.” ( Abilock, 2004, p. 1)

I prefer this definition because it is much broader I think.  Information literacy is more of a concept rather than just a set of skills.

21st Century Literacy

Pedagogical Initiatives

Looking at the National Curriculum, it appears to be in line with Quality teaching in NSW. Quality teaching and the National Curriculum are both aimed at meeting the highest quality educational needs of individual students.

To continue from where I left off and explain my AHA moment.

Both Purcell and Herring have a multifaceted view of the role of the teacher librarian.  I feel I relate better to Purcell's understanding of the role.  For me it was examining the 2 roles of information  specialist and the role of instructional partner. As I have been currently working as a T/L and struggling with that role, reading about those two roles enabled me to see the light.  I was able to make a shift in my teaching from classroom teacher to that of instructional partner and truly the role of a T/L.  The children have greatly benefited from this shift already.  I can see the growth in their information literacy skills.
WOW!

The Role of the T/L

Reading Herring and Purcell in regards to the role of the teacher/librarian and assignment 1 has got me examining what I have been doing in my role as T/L for the last 10 years.  I found this very interesting and quite enlightening.

By critically analysing both articles I had to decide what were the most important aspects of my role.  Where as before I had a vague understanding of  what a T/L did, the two viewpoints really gave me food for thought.

Cool Slideshow

Below is a link that  SCAN shared on facebook

New Librarians: This is your time" Slideshow by Ned Potter