ACMA Cyber[smart;] PD Day - November 21

Last month I attended an ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) Professional Development Day at North Sydney focusing on Cybersafety.

It is a course that I will recommend to all teachers because you will be surprised at the insights that are provided into Cybersafety and how we should promote it in the classroom and wider school community. You are guided through possible strategies and approaches to deal with responsible digitial citizenship. 

The day also provided an excellent opportunity to reflect on how I and the schools I'm involved with promote Cybersafety. Now it is up to me to implement those ideas. 

It was great to also hear how those at other schools approach the issue of cybersafety (both strengths and negatives). This is not the place to disclose them. It is great food for thought in my teaching. 

Our presenter (Lesley Harrison) clearly identified some of the trends and issues facing our young ones in the use of digital technologies including sexting, cyberbullying, knowledge of technology, underage access to websites and social networking and accessing content. 

Being young, they lack the understanding of what they do online stays with them for life through their digital footprint. Being teachers, we have to help them understand what they do today online will remain with them for life. It can harm them later in life. Thats why effective Cybersafety programs are important. I will have to always remind students of this.  

We as teachers were also reminded of how we should approach technology in our professional relationships with the students and the possible risks associated with using them. Also as professionals we are reminded about protecting ourselves online. Students just need to Google your name and walla all the information about you can be there. Information that you may not want others to know may be in easy reach. So be careful and this will probably be a future blog entry in itself. 

Another aspect that was covered well as how one can incorporate cybersafety and responsible digital citizenship into the classroom in any key learning area and in a pastoral and welfare program. It is very easy to do, believe me. I didn't feel challenged when considering that for a library program. 

Also I was amazed to learn about some of the tools that our children and teens do use that I had not heard of and how popular that they have become. I'll need to explore them much further. 

Waverley College Reflection 2013

This is an opportunity to reflect on the term that was (Term 3) and to list some of my key achievements:

Achievements

• Involved in the setup of the reading list for the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge including stickering listed items. I think I managed to do about 300 items on my own. 
• Facilitating Overdrive E-Book presentations to Year Nine Students - This included the creation and publication of support materials on the library webpage on Haiku. 
• Updating library databases.
• Facilitating the Homework Club after school for four afternoons per week. 
• Responsibility for a roll call group. I got to establish a good rapport with the students in that group. 
• Recommending items for addition to the E-Book collection through Overdrive. 
• Promote the Annual Writing Competition for 2013 including creation of posters and promoting it to English Teachers. 

The most important aspect of this role would end up taking half of the term. This was the relocation of the library to a temporary site while awaiting construction of a new permanent location. Even before the move, I had begun some tasks including shelf checks of the non fiction collection, some weeding (Term II) and relocation in anticipation of movement. Relocation was aimed for start of term, but the date was pushed back several weeks due to construction delays

There were the general setup duties e.g. shelving collections and shelf checks. As the setup continued, we also had to reconfigure shelf allocations as the numbers of available shelves had changed (particularly non fiction) where more shelves were allocated than planned. As I mentioned back in October, this became challenging and was able to work around it with ease. 

After the store room was ready, I was then given the responsibility to set it up. 

With the library closed (except for study classes and Homework Club), we also managed to do some testing of the new facilities and sort out the teething problems such as our new monitors. I was able to produce a Powerpoint Slide to welcome students to the new facility. 

I was fortuante to attend the official opening on November 14, and was able to explain to those present some of the new features of the new facility. The general feedback was quite good.

Reflection

I look back and I think the most important skill or activity to me was the library relocation. As a Teacher Librarian, I have to be able to effectively setup and manage a learning space, just like a classroom teacher would do for their classroom. I attained skills in how to effectively setup a library space and had to consider the challenges and limitations based on the resources and spaces that were available to my colleagues and myself. This also requires consideration of the latest trends in learning and library management. As the library was slowly opened for student use (though not fully even by terms end), the effectiveness of our setup could be measured based on the library users experiences e.g. seating arrangements for booked classes. Like a classroom, we have to manage student behaviour. I found the new layout actually encouraged better management. The computer areas were not in a classroom like setting anymore and all screens were easily visible. I could keep a presence that looked "minimal" to the student yet I could see what they were doing. If suspicious, I could move closer as needed. 

In the preparation stage, the shelf check made my work much easier down the at the new site, as I had already ensured that the items were in order. 

I still may prefer printed literature but I've slowly begun to embrace it in an electronic format such as viewing school newsletters, magazines and newspapers online through an Ipad which I purchased mid year. Through the Overdrive Sessions and recommending resources for inclusion in that collection, I begun to apprecipate the reading options available through that medium. Students have much more to gain from it because it allows them to read on devices that normally appeal to them like a tablet computer or their smartphone. It removes some of the "baggage" that comes with having to read.  However I felt that Overdrive itself is still limited in the literature available. Australian Literature is limited at the moment and I hope they add more. However it did open me to new items that otherwise may not be available to them. 

As for the Homework Club - I will take this to any school that I work full time in or retain if such a service is already offered. I think having a service like this to students helps them with their learning. Apart from having access to full library services, it gives students a chance to consult me or library staff in a more relaxed setting. We dont have the time limitations that before school or lunch brings. Teachers can come in and do seminars or assist students for instance (It didn't happen in Term 3 but I'd support it). It gives the students an option to complete homework or study in relaxed and familar settings with support right at hand. Even I felt more relaxed for some reason as well. I liked being available to help the students as needed. 

CEO Sydney I Le@RN with Mobile Devices - Ipad 2 - Module 3 (ii)

In reflecting on my learning for this module, I learnt two useful skills.

The first skill that I attained was learning to evaluate an app for the purposes of classroom learning. I've been fortuante as part of my Master's degree to have been taught to evaluate a web site and assess its relevance to learning particularly the usefulness of the app, features, user friendlyness, assessment and where relevant website support. I was able to apply those skills to provide an assessment of an app.

The second skill I learnt was using ITunesU to find relevant learning resources to support my teaching. I did not know that this feature is available at all whether it was on an Ipad or computer. I think there is much greater scope for its use in the classroom as I did find that the resources available were somewhat limited. I hope as time progresses more resources become available and I'd like to see if I can eventually try and host resources there for my colleagues to use.

CEO Sydney ILe@rn with Mobile Devices - Ipad 2 - Module 3

This entry is being done on the Ipad which is already jumping a step ahead with the next module. I'll reflect on that a little later.

For my evaluation of an app, I have decided to evaluate Popplet. I have included a copy of the evaluation for your viewing. 

My scan will includes my evaluation and suitability for the app. The limitations of Ipads do let the app down at the moment. I do see potential once such updates to software to support the app are done. Because of these limitations, it has hard to access relevant support pages which cannot be viewed on an Ipad at this stage.

Learning wise, it does have potential for classroom learning and as a Teacher Librarian would recommend it across any Key Learning Area. 

Within the context of the ILe@rn framework, I chose the app because it supports the development of Information Literacy Skills (ILS) relating to the communication of information. Within the framework it addresses communication and collaboration skills through communicating ideas (brainstorming notes). This includes mind mapping, which requires the student to complete notes in their own words to communicate their understanding of the ideas and/or concepts. It can be done either individually or in collaboration with their peers. It also supports critical thinking as mind mapping requires the student to identify linkages and relationships with the content that has been learned. As a teacher it allows me to assess student understanding of content as through use of the app they are communicating their own ideas.