Learning Support Program – Using teacher librarian skills to help students with learning problems.

Learning Support Program – Using the teacher librarian skills to help students with learning problems.

It's time too to reflect on a volunteer initative that I undertook between June and August of this year managed by the Learning Support department at a secondary Catholic College in Sydney's south.

The school undertakes a Allwell test for incoming year 7 students while they are in year 6 to test their general skills such as literacy and numeracy. 16 students were identified as having weaknesses that needed attention.

So where do I come into it?

Well I wanted to increase my employability and I thought working with students with learning needs would be beneficial. I enjoy working with such kids and generally they good students. They want to do well. Also it gave me a chance to also apply my skills in information management, because I felt that they would benefit from it.

I was invited to create a research skills seminar for the students. I was going to teach them the PLUS model for research as devised by James Herring. Sadly, time constraints meant that this could not be done. At least I have created some resources that can be used as a teacher or teacher librarian.

Apart from that, I would turn up to the sessions and assist the students as they were taught skills including: memory skills, organisational skills, basic research skills (such as summarising key facts) and basic numeracy skills such as reading graphs and tables. I think the areas covered are very important for development of ICT skills – you need to have literacy, numeracy and organisational skills if you are going to be able to process information. Learning support staff actually agreed with me on this matter.

Given that I was not a teacher at the school, I was quite impressed at the rapport that was established with the students. I was not afraid to work with them or ask them questions. I was also able to gain an understanding of how they learn – e.g "how did you locate this?". They were able to reflect on their learning and I was able to direct them further providing them advice on how to approach it.

From this experience what have I learnt and what do I need to consider in my professional role as a teacher librarian or educator?

To answer this question, I look at my observations of the students and my role as educator.

· Make sure that I know learning preferences of students – do not be afraid to survey them about learning preference in "getting to know you" activities. Lessons must reflect their learning preferences.

· Make sure handwriting is legible – Might look silly to include here but I recall the importance of having legible handwriting during my HSC year. Poor handwriting means that words may be misinterpreted and this can impact on what is communicated . In assessment this can mean that the student is denied marks unnecessarily. This is even more important as school students type written responses instead of writing by hand. For some students legible handwriting makes the difference between passing or failing.

· Effective communication – make sure the students know what is going on and how to do it. Talk to them and follow up if necessary.

· Make sure they know what you want them to locate and be specific – "I am looking for facts relating to….."

· Provide a scaffhold – they need to know how to find, locate and present information. If they have these skills, good learning will occur.

To conclude – here is a link to read a little Allwell testing: http://www.allwell.com.au/html/1.0.html

Lets wrap it up for Semester II 2011

We'll its over for Semester II, 2011. I'm pretty happy to see it over. It has been a tough slog. For me I need to answer the question – What did I Learn?

Intro to Educational Research (EER500) – The marks will show that I learned little and reflects the struggle I've had in understanding the unit content. The mode of delivery through online learning is not effective for a complex unit like this particularly for a unit that requires you to learn a set of theories relating to research such as qualitative/quantitative research and paradigms. There were no modules to guide my learning. I have found that the modules form the basis for any learning in this course. The content in them is directly linked to the assessment – directly or indirectly. I had none of that guidance. In fact what I've learnt about research has only made me feel more confused in answering fundamental questions – What is research? Why do we do research? How should we undertake a research task? This is coming from a person who is noted by his peers and colleagues for their good ability to research naturally. I have also identified a few breaches of policy in relation to assessment, which will be drawn on if I do fail the unit.

I think I will stick to fundamental research skills for any research which is creating the research question to be answered, and how I am going to answer it and what I need to answer the question. Theory makes me more confused.

ICT in Schools Online Conference (ETL411) – Definitely doing better here. I have been interested in developing ICT skills and applying them to the classroom setting. I've just completed a portfolio, which I am intending to upload when marking is done because I think that sums up how I have developed learning wise during this unit including ICT Skills attained, issues that increased my professional knowledge and how online technologies used in the unit can be used in the classroom setting. I have to admit I enjoyed the online conferencing through Wimba because as an auditory learner, I can listen to others and share my ideas. I did not get that opportunity in EER500 as the focus was virtually on completing assignments. The online ICT skills survey is also being processed. I hope to share and reflect on that too.

Theres the wrap!!!

Wifi , Electromagnetic Radiation and student health

I've been thinking as I sit here this morning, how to respond to the the use of wifi internet in the classroom, electromagnetic radiation and student health.

I have been looking a webpaper by a student Linda Park who studies ETL411 (ICT Experience) where she looks at the issue.

I did not know about the electromagnetic radiaton that stems from the use of Wifi Internet and that it could endanger human health - just like mobile phones.

Now I will have to consider this? But what should I do as an educator?

I do know that I have a responsibility to do what I can to minimise the risk of illness amongst students under NSW Department of Education Policy. The radiation can trigger cancer, though this can take decades to happen.

Does this mean eliminating Wifi Use altogether? No

I think of the fact that anything we do in our lives does involves taking a risk. If we play a sport, we know there could be a risk of injury. We may do an activity e.g bungee jumping that may have a risk of injury. We use our mobile phones knowing that there is a risk of cancer. We know eating certain foods or doing certain diets may result in cancer or illness.

Also what other electronic items - I am sure they emit radiation too.

But wait, we are taught the risks involved in what we do. When we do something, we taught how to use equipment safely, how to play safely and how to take care of ourselves when involved. We are told how much of a particular food is ok to eat or not. We are told how we should talk on our mobile phones e.g. not hold them next to our ear. We can make use of what is available to us. Simply we are educated.

I do like the strategies proposed by Linda - because they minimise the risk. I think its the best way to go. Teachers need to know the health risks, but also students. They need to be taught good habits in using technology, like they would with food and social behaviour. As teachers, we can teach those habits to our students. This will enable them to consider the health risks that may be associated with using Wifi connections.

As teachers too - we are obliged to engage students in a variety of formats that are suited to their learning needs. We cannot just rely solely on the internet for learning. It provides alot of opportunities, but there are other formats that can teach concepts as effectively or more effectively.

Also Another opportunity to comment on EER500. Assignment 2 is uploaded. I hope I have done enough to impress Doreen. I have to admit it's likely I will repeat the unit again. Given the difficulty of the unit and my learning style (Auditory learner), I am better off attending a physical lecture and tutorial if I am to get any idea of what I need to know.

Interactive Whiteboards - ETL411

As I probably alluded to some time ago - I'm using this blog to help me complete the assignment by helping me jot down some points which I can use later and even submit the blog entries as part of the portfolio.

Last night I attended Session 3 focusing on Integration of ICTs in teaching and learning. The topics discussed included use of wikis, blogs and interactive whiteboards in learning.

I asked the question to those who presented papers on blogs about how they can be used in the assessment process. I was a little disappointed in the responses, but perhaps I didn't word the question effectively meaning I couldn't get the right answer but from what I can recall - I think the general view was that it can be useful for keeping records of the ICT Skills learnt in the research process.

Interactive Whiteboards were interesting on two fronts - health impacts on children and professional development. On health, I think we have to consider the possible health impacts on children, particularly younger ones. At this stage, I think we should use them for short periods of time. Technology allows students to view video clips and presentations in "segments". In high school, the fact periods are on average 45-60 minutes also mean that this can be controlled.

Professional development is a problem. I thought the paper by Mary Reed (2011) made a very good point about it. I was happy to share my experience as a pre service teacher. I virtually was taught little about ICT's. I was not taught how to use an interactive whiteboard and other ICT's including software. Curriculum units only focused on programming and the syllabus. That made applying ICT's in my practicums a challenge. I didn't want to use it because I didn't know how to use it. I was lucky in my internship to have a mentor teacher guide me in how to use ICT effectively focusing on the IMac laptops. It did change my practice and by the end, I was loving it and that was shown with the students. I felt encouraged by Lyn to hear that CSU does include education on ICT for those doing education degrees at that university so they can enter the classroom knowing how to use them.

It is a pity that the Teacher-Librarian and/or the ICT Co-ordinator have to teach these skills. At I know now that pre service teachers do lack training in ICT and I need to ensure that teachers are familar with ICT Technologies such as interactive whiteboards, given that new teachers may not be trained in this area.

Also I thought I'd comment on EER500 Assignment 1. I did not pass the assignment which for me was disgraceful given the simple nature of the assignment. Unfortuntely, the marker had alot of trouble understanding my content and feedback implied that I was meant to write in a specific "genre" which was not actually specified. "Response" in the unit outline indicated that any form of text could be used to present the answer provided the questions were answered. I was also told that I wrote it as one critque even though I anaylsed them both separately. Looks like I may have to appeal my grade if I fail.

I am a good writer and have normally received good marks so really it came down to how instructions were relayed relating to presentation. I did my research, I had my information, I followed the instructions. What else can I do wrong.

ETL411 - I'm starting on Assignment II

I'm starting on assignment II for ETL411, and part of the assignment will need to focus on some skills that I have learnt.

I hope writing this blog entry will stimulate some ideas which I can use later on, and perhaps this entry can be included as a reference or in the appendix.

I'm sitting here thinking about what I have learnt in using facebook for educational purposes? Well I'm familar with the basics of facebook, but what about in an educational context? Hey this is the first time that I am doing this so thats something new.

But what did I learn?

• Posting content in a professional manner.
• Using the word document feature "create doc" as they call it to post a document.
  
• Applying basic web ettiquete - no personal attacks or harassing others, showing respect for other views.

But frankily, I didnt learn much else. I didn't really refine my skills either. Nothing wrong in admitting that when I do the evaluation and reflection.

But what about in professional practice? What implications does this have for me?

I am personally not keen to use facebook for educational purposes just yet. I just want to see some research and practice in this area given the legal issues that schools have with it. I do like the fact that the group in which I take part in for the unit is exclusive - I don't have to be their friend on facebook to join. The creator of the group (lecturer) is the one who decides and the parameters were spelt out very clearly.

I thought about the web publishing skills that I have learn't and I have come a very long way. In an undergrad assignment at ACU in 2009, the marker felt the asthetics were a problem as the page was "plain". To address this, I did google searches to learn the basics of my web publishing software (NVU) such as adding backgrounds, images and files. It was straightforward. It was a little time consuming at times, but I had to take my time if I was to create the site that I wanted.
Obviously I typed the paper on Microsoft Word, did the editing and did a simple copy and paste. I was also able to make adjustments in Microsoft Word 2007 in the final stages though some features were changed and had to be changed again e.g random font changes.

Uploading the site proved to be quite easy once I listened to the podcast that was provided. You upload your html page, the files that will support the content and change the paths to the relevant directory and presto it was there. It was done and I had the page that I wanted. I hope everyone likes it.

EER 500: An update

I am working through my first major assignment where I get the chance to examine two research questions, look at their strengths and weaknesses, and how the research literature is linked to the question.

Alot of people have doubted whether they can do 2000 words, but I knew it wasn't going to be an issue because there is alot out there you can look at. I have even examined the wording as I have found that wording is crucial in the construction of the question. A well worded question will guide one in research, but if not clear, you will find it hard. How will your audience understand it?

Personally, I found my research question poorly constructed, and as part of my evaluation I will have to find how I can adjust the question to focus on the topic and also establish an objective. Without an objective, what is the point of research? Honestly there were few strengths in it

Readings on research methods are limited, but I'm trying to link my evaluation to the literature as much as possible. Thats what will be pivotal to getting the marks - linking it to literature, not just the text by Bryman.

ETL411 - Entries

I'm posting my articles from the asynchronous sessions in ETL411 for record keeping purposes.

1c: Myschool & Assessment of Learning

The general theme in Thomas (2003) is about using data on the academic performance of students, converting that data, identifying trends and relationships and drawing on that information to improve learning outcomes.

Thanks to Myschool, assessment of student learning and increased standardised testing such as Naplan, schools have become heavily dependent on using that information to improve learning outcomes for their students.

I remember a Curriculum Co-ordinator at one school, who spent numerous hours digesting NAPLAN results for that school, staying up until 1am the day he was due to present that information to us. It was a huge chunk of information for that person to digest. I thought it was amazing that the overall trends could be identified.

But I wonder how the school has ended up using the information? Have they made changes to teaching and learning? Did the school see improvement? Did all teachers take interest or was it just those that teach Maths and English?

The main challenge though is informing the wider school community. Teachers may have at least some understanding of the results, but what about parents? What does it say about their child’s performance? What does it say about the school?

What do I see as important in this process?

1. Identify the stakeholders – principal, curriculum co-ordinator, parents & friends association etc
2. Collect the information – review, analyse and discuss
3. What are the general trends in the information? Identify strengths and weaknesses.
4. Have internal or external factors influenced the outcome?
5. How can the weaknesses be addressed?
6. Communicate the information to the wider school community – explain the facts and consider how it will affect each member of the school community. What does it mean for teachers? What does it mean for students? What does it mean for parents?

At every stage of the process, the stakeholders need to collaborate and communicate.

One thing I know from my experience and knowledge of student assessment is that they are not a true measure of whether or not a student learns effectively. That’s a tough comment to make being a teacher. It’s important that schools look at their teaching practices? Are they teaching the concepts effectively? Are the students engaged? Do students end up learning other schools?

Posted on August 10, 2011

1a: Personal Use of the internet in the classroom

Johnson, (2004) makes an interesting point about allowing students to use the internet for personal purposes such as emailing, social networking etc.

It is opposite to what schools normally do where they block email sites such as hotmail and facebook which means that students cannot access the sites on the school premises at all even at recess and lunch.

I remember in my internship back in 2009 that the TL was telling me that sites had appeared that enable students to access facebook etc breaking through the server, easily obtainable by websearch. I tried it for myself and couldn't believe it.

This is also in stark contrast to my schooling at the start of last decade - a time when I could still access hotmail etc on the school computers.

I think we need to revert to that attitude of a decade ago. Blocking a site creates its own problems.

I do agree that personal use would deter people from doing activities that would result in the loss of internet access and in some cases, their laptop. Access to the internet is a privilege, and we should teach students to use it responsibly.

Schools do monitor where students visit, so those visiting pornography and inapproriate sites would still be caught out. ICT policies are generally explicit as to what is appropriate behaviour and what is not.

But the guidelines on when to access such sites should be explicitly stated. Facebook, hotmail etc is OK during break times such as recess. In a school library, priority should be given to students with recreational users expected to vacate computers for students that are working, or maybe designate computers for recreational use.

Obviously during lessons, hotmail etc should not be allowed, unless it is work related.

Posted July 25 2011

1a: Technology and Learning

Dede (2005) makes a few good points relating to learning in the 21st century.

• Reflecting on learning – A good learner is definitely one who can look back at what they have learnt. What do they know? Where can they improve their learning? What concepts are they unsure of?
• Applying real life experiences - Personally I think it’s a good way for students to learn. It enables students to make connections between what they know or have experienced and link that back to their learning.
• Virtual learning environments – We are so lucky that digital technology opens the world up in ways that one cannot fathom. In a learning environment this is great and since children love technology, they will want to interact with it. As many students are visual learners, they benefit from the imagery that is available to them. They would enjoy virtual tours for a site study in subjects like history and geography.
• Students love being creative with technology – For starters they enjoy using technology such as digital cameras, sound recorders etc for social reasons. The classic rule in teaching is to prepare lessons around their interests. They love technology so we as teachers should structure lessons around technology, for they will engage in their learning more effectively.
• Mobile technology – It feels more complex to use for learning purposes, but if we as teachers provide guidelines, it can become a useful learning tool. I do feel we need more evidence of how it is used in practice before we can incorporate it into the curriculum.

Posted on July 31 2011

Yr 7 Program

At present, I am volunteering at St Patricks Catholic College in Sutherland on a weekly basis currently assisting the learning support staff in a program that they undertaking with a group of Year 7 students.

I am doing this for two reasons:

1. Improve my employability - It has become quite difficult to seek a job as a teacher.
2. I want to apply what I am learning in this course within a classroom setting.

I also like helping kids that aren't doing so well in the classroom and may have a learning disability that may result in weaker academic results.

I couldn't attend their first session late last term which was a "getting to know you" session because I was called in to teacher elsewhere, but I really didn't miss anything.

Session Two was yesterday and the focus was on remembering information and identifying strategies. It had alot to do with learning styles, which is an issue that has constantly appeared in my studies, particularly ETL503 last semester.

It was obvious from my observations that many are visual learners because they needed to visualise the information. That was reflective of the research which shows that many students are actually visual learners.

There was an exercise where 20 objects were put on the table and the students were allowed to touch, stare, talk or use the items. After they were put away, they had to list as many items as possible. Also they had to explain how they build a sandcastle. They read the text and then on a blank page, presented that information. Many of them drew pictures, again another sign.

I also spoke with one student afterwards. Jasmine (not her real name) told me she also drew on her experiences of building sandcastles. I asked her "Is that how you normally build a sandcastle?" which she replied to as "yes". It pretty much affirms the need too, as a teacher and teacher librarian that we also consider the real life experiences of our students in teaching. If they can relate a concept to their own experience, they will understand, and will find their learning more engaging.

The next session will look at infering information, something that even the best students can lack strength in at the best of times.

Welcome to Semester II

Here we go again another semester!!!

With ETL503 and ETL504, the good news was that I passed both units easily. I worked hard and deserved it.

This semester I am doing:

EER500 - Introduction to Educational Research
ETL411 - ICT Experience

What I like most about this semester is that I will have alot more control particularly since we get to create our own topics form our assessment. That should motivate me to work hard and hopefully get some higher grades.

I'm buckled up and ready to go.

What did I learn in ETL504 this semester?

Unlike ETl503, I felt that I didn't learn that much because it didn't really focus on what leadership is about in my professional role. It tended to be more workplace oriented and did not address the teacher librarian side adequately.

Some thoughts on what I learnt.

• Online collaboration does not work. It has to be face to face as much as possible. You need communication, where people can actually express their emotions and feelings. I can understand people better if they show emotions and feelings.
• Effective leadership requires good skills in problem solving, collaboration and communication.
• As a TL I need to be proactive and engaging. If I do nothing, I get nowhere. I do not need to be afraid of seeking support from others because they can help me achieve my goals. I have always been taught to "ask and you shall receive". There is no shame in seeking help. Not accepting help actually makes life harder.
• Assignment II achieved little in terms of learning - My vision was poorly created and I feel that I have been unable to explain how I want to achieve my goals. .The theory and application could not be linked. There was little out there that related specifically to my role. I had to piece information from readings and sources that I have compiled over the past 12 months to just get any idea of what was needed?

Saying that I have a few questions that need to be answered:

• What leadership qualities does a teacher librarian need? How does this compare to the skills and qualities required by teachers and adminstrators
  
• Undertaking effective strategic planning? What has worked? What doesn't work?
• The inter-relationship between leadership qualities and how they work together to produce a good leader.
  

What did I learn in ETL503 this semester?

Here are some of the concepts and skills that I learn't from "Resourcing the Curriculum"

• How to construct a collection development policy - I had no idea of their existence and the features that it would contain e.g budgeting, selecting and acquiring resources, dispute resolution.
• Weeding and disposal - This had to be the area that fascinated me most. It isn't that bad to weed books from a library collection. My blog posts will pay testament to that!!!. I have to admit even as amateur photographer, it helps me decide which photos to keep, and which photos to delete. This skill is applicable to anything. If I need to do a spring clean, I know how to do it.
  
• The process of selecting and acquiring resources - I thought the best aspect had to be the professional tools able to assist me, particularly the Teaching and Learning Federation and Scan. Assignment 1 enabled me to recommend resources, and justify their inclusion.
  
• Collection Evaluation - As a user of a library I can understand why librarians expect us as patrons to not engage in particular activities e.g. not restock shelves. It is not merely measuring how many books are borrowed or returned, it is how they are used.
• Role of digital and electronic resources in the collection - It bought me up to date in this and how useful they are.
  

Some might ask what I might want to learn more about?

• I want to learn more about e-learning - What is the impact of that on providing a balanced collection? How can library resources be effectively used in the classroom to cater for smartboards etc. The Catholic Education Office here in Sydney has placed huge emphasis on it.
• The future of print resources in a library collection - Students prefer electronic formats, but does it take away from the printed experience?
  
• If a book scanned is a book read? Senior debators in the Catholic Schools Debating Association (CSDA) had to debate this topic last friday night for round 4. I attended the debates between Waverley College and St Ursula's College Kingsgrove. I couldn't adjucate the senior debates as I am accredited for years 7-10 at present. It raised curiousity from parents and teachers waiting for debates, and I think it would been a key talking point.
  
  

The Weeding issue comes up again

Yet another university is examining discarding print resources - Sydney University

http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/you-can-judge-a-book-by-its-dust-test-as-university-library-cuts-its-staff-and-stock-20110511-1ej0z.html?from=smh_sb

As you may notice, I am personally not a big fan of discarding books. I have to admit I love print books for the tacticle experience that they offer and can be invaluable to anyone who uses them.

What about professionally?

I have come a long way this semester on this issue. ETL503 (Collection Management) does look at the issue of "weeding" or removal of books which also helps me understand the situation occuring at the University of New South Wales as blogged two months ago.

I can understand the need to weed the resources by the university. There are some resources that are not "popular". Some resources are outdated. New editions are available or information no longer relevant or appropriate. What surprised me was that they accepted discarded books from other libraries - maybe a sign of improper selection and acquistion.

I hope they approach it on a book by book basis. Obviously some of the items to be weeded don't need to be. There will still be relevance and usefulness. Otherwise, the rest need to go. It can be painful. It is like the librarians in "The Day after Tomorrow" when they debate which books need to burned first to heat the room that they and the survivors are using.

This Week (ending May 6)

Constructing a Vision for a library and explaining how to undertake is proving to be quite tough. It is even harder when you are not presently employed in a library.

As the end of the week approaches - have I learnt much about the organisational theory or leadership element of it?

I am feeling that I learnt little at all this week. Alot of the resources that I have viewed and will use for the ETL504 Assignment are from ETL401 (Teacher Librarianship). I know what the role of teacher librarian is and how they can contribute towards the school community, but I am finding that identifying the stakeholders and how to explain how I am going to achieve the goals is difficult.

There seems to be a lack of useful professional resources out there to assist me in compiling my paper to demonstrate that I do use a variety of resources, particularly as I was deemed not to have done so in Assignment 1 for the same unit.

I did feel encouraged by L. Welsh writing " Groundwork: The Situational Anaylsis" In "the Other 51 Weeks: a marketing handbook for librarians". which guides me through the process of setting goals, objectives and then implementing the strategies. At least that will make a good table. Articles on identifying stakeholders is hard to find as well because I want to back it up with valid evidence.

Why do librarians ask you to "not reshelve the books"?

Yesterday I was curious to find out why librarians ask patrons to "not reshelve the books".

The ACU Library has used the policy in my time there as a student and still do so.

I came across this blog entry by Covenant Library:

http://covenantlibrary.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/please-don%E2%80%99t-reshelve-the-books/

The entry itself gave a good answer. The Librarians want to keep a record of the "in house use". I have come across this in reading of the text as a means of monitoring use by the patrons to assess the usefulness and relevance of resources to the library.

It was one of several forms of evaluating the collection. I think it is a good means too. People for varying reasons may not want to borrow a book. They just need a page photocopied, or need it to seek clarification or just a reference book. Sometimes we cannot take the books home with us because our bag may be full or it is heavy.

A book that is heavily used within the library often means that is of relevance or interest.

But we cannot discount other forms of collection evaluation such as surveys and applying techniques applied by other libraries if we want the "big picture" to provide an effective evaluation.

Without that information, we cannot improve the library in terms of what the collection offers, how it can be enhanced and how the library can contribute towards the academic achievement of students.

It was great too that I came across a professional reading that also encouraged it. I have downloaded it but I don't know where it has gone too. Will have to post that later.

The marks are in

The good news at this point of semester is that I am on track to pass both units which is pleasing.

Assignment One was 65 % in ETL503. It shows that I am quite capable of resourcing a curriculum area. The topic that I selected was quite a dry topic overall which I overcame quite well. There is scope for improvement - particularly the application of selection procedures. My tools were not professional enough and need to make more effective use of them in Assignment Two along with the general principles.

Fortuantely I was able to justify how I approached the selection and acqusition of the resources which I think was a saving grace for me. I was also able to demonstrate how the resources satisfy resourcing needs.

ETL504 - The mark was only 52 %, and for the effort put in, that was a very generous mark. Given I was in a group that was not organised effectively that is actually a good mark. The markers comments were generally negative particularly that the assignment had "no single clear direction" that addressed no theory. A comment of that nature is normally rewarded with a mark of no more than 40 %, in fact it would be lower.

I personally have developed good group work skills particularly during my university studies and I did not demonstrate that to a large extent. My self reflection identified weaknesses such as the need to express firmer leadership and effective goal setting. Collaboraition was generally poot and I ended up not working that group culture effectively.

The assignment was generally rushed. I perform poorly in such circumstances and I find it increases my anxiety to a point where I cannot perform. I wanted to start straight away but it was a week before group members were able to locate me and another week to organise a suitable time.

I wanted to communicate with skype, but the group members were reluctant to use that tool. To me Skype is better than a telephone because it's clear and there was also the prospect of using a face cam to provide an emotive element. Online assignments miss that component because you can understand how one feels as well. You cannot see that when in a chat room typing your thoughts.

ETL503.

Resourcing the Curriculum? Collection Management? What did i know before starting this unit?

I definately have forgotten what my initial impressions were. In a year from now, I will be completing a portfolio so it's important that I do this now so I don't forget.

Simply I had no idea about the unit was going to be about.

Resourcing the curriclum to me just a matter of weeks ago was merely about the process of obtaining resources for the curriclum. This would comprise of:

1. What the syllabus requires teachers to teach


2. What the school programmes require teachers to teach to satisfy currilclum requirements


3. What resources are needed to satisfy learning outcomes? Do they contribute towards student learning? Are they relevant?

That is narrow and comes from my teaching background. I have had limited teaching opportunities since I graduated at the end of 2009. I am 100 % certain that there were elements missing.

We are now at mid semester and I have learn't in simple terms:

• How to select resources - What elements do I need to consider - such as information from publishers, web reviews and requests by teachers and students


• The types of resources available.


• The tools available for Teacher Librarians and teachers to select useful teaching resources.


• Creating a system for effective selection of resources.


• How to acquire resources - Budgeting, how to undertake an effective purchase of an item, and how they will be made available to library users.

Now I will have the chance to learn how to manage an entire collection. This is important if we want to resource items effectively. There needs to be a system for me to evalaute existing resources and how andwhy I would approach management of the collection.

While it has helped me grasp a greater understanding of the role of teacher librarian through examining a key element of their role, it helps me alot as a teacher in general. I have been exposed to selection tools that were previously unknown to me particularly online tools such as the Teaching and Learning Federation.

I now have the chance to create a collection management policy, and this is where many of the key concepts will be applied. It will be through this assignment, that I can get a key grasp of the ideas and concepts in ETL503.

Collection Management Policy

For me creating a collection management policy is proving to be quite interesting.

I am amazed firstly by the fact that are quite a number of them publically available:

Georges Hall Public School - http://www.georgeshal-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/collection_management_policy.pdf
Scone Public School - www.scone.ps.education.nsw.gov.au/.../ Collection%20Management%20Policy.doc
St Marys Primary School, Swan Hall (Victoria) http://www.stmarysswanhill.com.au/library/policy.php

These are excellent becaue they give me a template for how I can present the school in question. The school featured in the assignment is hypothetical because I am not familiar with the collection management policy of one school. The practical examples as listed above are there but I am not familiar with the school in a wider context, which has to be considered when writing one.

I am already in the drafting process of writing the policy. It feels straightforward. I do have make to sure it reflects the issues that I have identified with existing collection practices. Otherwise I won't get marks.

Teamwork and Collaboration

As part of assignment one for ETL504, we have to construct a rubric where we assess ourselves in relation to:

1. Teamwork


2. Colloboration


3. Communication

Assessing communication is quite simple. The fact there are readings and resources that are out there to construct the rubric for that component are more than adequate.

But Teamwork and Collaboration are another matter. I have not come across one reading that actually explains the difference between both components.

Only one resource gave me any idea of what teamwork and collaboration are. They are individually defined but still share similar meanings

Teamwork is the concept of people working together towards while collaboration referred to the process of people working towards the goal

Still I cannot any system where you can measure both individually. I need to keep trying.

ETL503 - Assignment One

Assignment One was submitted last week and I thought generally it was pretty straightfoward assignment. Initially, I thought it was going to be hard but after doing some reading and visiting a real school library, the ideas flowed in. I have to admit I overlooked one aspect of Acquistion - relating to placing orders for resources such as biblographical details and ordering the item. I only considered the financial aspect and where I would source them from. I will need to examine that in Assignment Two for sure. It will compromise potential for a good mark. I just hope a pass will do. I like to aim for a credit or higher, but given the difficulty of the course and lack of experience as a teacher - librarian, it just will be too hard. I also have to remember that my marks in education subjects were only enough for a pass even if a credit was obtained. I don't really think about that. But then again what did I learn and how will I apply it?

• I knew nothing about the process of selection and acquistion


• I learnt that I don't have to rely solely on catalogues, publisher websites and online bookstores. There are a myriad of curriculum resources also that would be beneficial such as the Teaching and Learning Federation that appeals specifically to teaching resources. I also didn't realise professional experience or simple we searches are also part of the process.


• The process of acquiring resources - In ETL501 I gained insight into the evaluation of web resources. I was able to apply that to this assignment. Even more interesting the evaluation of the resource itself is undertaken as part of the acquistion process - because you have to consider factors such as cost and accessibility along with currency etc. With other resources, I gained a strong insight into the process and what I do need to consider. Assignment Two will help me spell it out clearly given what I have raised.


• The importance of online resources to learning and how to include them in a library collection. It doesn't feel so distinct.


• Able to provide reasons as to why resources have been selected and how they satisfy the resourcing needs of the library. That is most important given they will influence learning outcomes.

ETL504 - Assignment One -Looking Back

I was relived to have finished the group component of assignment one. As I reflect now on how it went, what did I learn? In a group context, I learn't little. Being an online assignment, collaborating was always going to be difficult to undertake. There was no scope for face to face meeting. I had skype and MSN Messenger which none of the group members had. The time was not used productively. I often sat my chair following the chat and wondering where people were at or for the next move. I can understand group members being busy, but the fact it was a last minute effort has shown through in the final product. In fact it wasn't until last week other group members took to meeting daily if possible and contributing their content. I had done some research but couldn't complete it in full until I knew where we were heading. I would say I spent up to half the time working just to get the presentation aspect covered. As a organised person by nature, that was my core strength. It did remove me from the content component of the assignment which is also important. I was more or less checking contributions relating to content, proofreading and making sure the referencing was right. I miss face to face group work. There is also the emotive component of working with other people. You can understand their contributions far better. Face to face you can show research findings, show articles and do alot more. You can type it together and talk. Our group topic was problem solving and I found the topic interesting overall. It is often overlooked as a leadership skill that one will need for effective decision making. As a teacher librarian, I gained alot from my learning and applying it will be the standard especially in issues such as:

• Limited Resources - Balancing needs and wants of the school community


• Budgeting - Dealing with limited funds and making sure it is spent effectively to ensure that students gain most from their learning.


• Collaborating with teaching staff

The majority of all workers in Australia (70 %) do not possess adequate problem solving skills. To possess them will make me stand out.

Plus it allows me to be creative. I propose and implement solutions. It also encourages innovation? Why, because you actually remedy a problem with a solution that I actually propose. I may be inspired by others but I use that information and the outcomes to implement that strategy.

Assignment One - ETL504

I am doing Assignment One in ETL 504 at present. It is a group assignment and I am not enjoying it at this stage. Why? I cannot work at the speed that I am used to. I don't like undertaking assessment at the last minute. Doing it over a period of time, is much more relaxing for me because when the assessment is due, I am not panicking or stressed out. There is stress, but it is over miniscule things such as sentence structure and grammar. Paranoia at it's best. It is only in the past week any significant process has been made. It took me one week to establish contact with my group members and the communication options seem limited because the others do not know how to use skype or MSN Messenger. I have had to assume the organisational side of the assignment, just to get people talking. It is good though that the others are organising times to meet now, but I still have to post resources etc for people to download and read. I proposed the topic of problem solving in the workplace, because it is an important skill that one needs to have for good decision making. As teacher librarians, we will be confronted with problems on several fronts and it is important that we know how to examine a problem and propose solutions. It was good that my group has supported my idea and it is building up. I was impressed in recent days by the items that they had begun to find and post, which I am happy with. This week will tell whether or not this was a good idea.

ETL504 - Some thoughts on the readings

Over the past few weeks, I've slowly trawled my way through the readings. I don't want to comment on them individually because each reading focuses on a specific aspect of leadership.

There are two points that have been bolted into my head after reading. As the unit progresses and I complete the assignments, it will become a little more better.

1. Being Proactive - If you ever want to get your way in life, you must act proactively. That means initating the opportunity to take action on what you want to achieve. You cannot let others do the change for you. There is no way you can establish yourself as a leader.

As a teacher-librarian, it means that I must identify the issues and not be scared to speak to relevant staff or the principal. It may mean taking risks but more often than not there is nothing to lose.

If you can get the ball rolling, others will come behind and back you.

I sat on the Strathfield Campus Student Association (SCSA) a student union at the Strathfield Campus of the Australian Catholic University between 2005 and 2009. I look back and realise that initatives such as a shuttle bus service to Strathfield Station would have not resulted if it was not for me raising the issue in the first place but also taking the time to provide a case as to why it should be offered. I even approached local politicans who ignored us, but it mean't that people were aware of the issue. The university eventually supported the idea and students now have this option when they travel to and from class. I raised the issue at a meeting in 2007, but we had to wait until 2010 before the shuttle bus commenced service.

2. The art of negotiation - It's give and take but also listening to differing views to provide an agreement that will benefit all parties by "meeting halfway". I thought it was interesting to note that it is up to all parties to enter the room and come to agreement.

In my professional role - It is part and parcel of the job. Budgets are limited, resources and facilities are limited and obviously unlimited wants and needs. It is part of anyone's normal life. There are limited resources. We have to make use of what is there to it's best. I have to weigh the wants and needs against the limited resources. Some times it may involve sacrifice but if done rightly will result in maximum gain.

Module 2 - ETL503

For module two of ETL503 - I am going to comment on a recent decision by the UNSW library to reduce it's selection of print resources.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/books-get-the-shove-as-university-students-prefer-to-do-research-online-20110307-1bl8b.html

The argument by the university is simple - the resources are available online and the students prefer getting their material for research online.

However Librarians don't agree with it as they see books and resources of educational value thrown away. In fact they raid the skip bins to save them and the shelves are replaced with tables for students to work on their assignments and socialise.

Even documents of historical nature are thrown away. Once they are gone, they are gone forever even if they are digitised. It brings a sense of authenticenty.

Personally I was astounded by this news. A good researcher is one that uses a wide variety of resources in their study. Print resources have value. While the practical or real world information might be irrelevant, the theory or historical content is still relevant. It will give one the background to understand a concept. I found using old texts provide me the background that I needed to understand and learn. Using that information, I could turn to recent findings to assist using online journals and databases to help. In schools, research projects require that one demonstrate a wide variety of sources. That doesn't just include online resources, but print resources as well. They both go hand in hand with each other.

Back to Uni & Study

It has been a long summer so in a sense it is good to focus on some study.

On the work front, no casual work so far because it's early in the year and casual teachers are not in high demand so it should give me plenty of time to focus on the job ahead for the time being.

This semester I am enrolled in:

ETL503 - Resouring the Curriculum
ETL504 - Teacher Librarian as Leader

I think this semester will be alot more straightforward. By now I should have a good idea about what the role of Teacher Librarian is about and has been documented via the blog entries, plus I know what is required.

Last semester, I obtained a credit with James Herring in the unit ETL501 which was surprising given my lack of technical ability with creating a pathfinder or 'wiki's'. I got a good mark for the pathfinder. I didn't even know if I had done it right but I did take the advice that he gave seriously. I was often relistening to the assignment podcasts to make sure I was doing what he wanted. I also took my time to do it, a key for anyone who wants t0o do well in their study. Rushing it creates too many problems. Doing that unit gave me alot of confidence.

ETL401 was disappointing in the fact that I had to undertake additional assessment to pass the unit. I have to admit that I had trouble understanding documents relating to the professional standards but presenting it as an essay was hard. The fact that a lack of professional experience pulled me down considerably.