The hosts were The Kings School at North Parramatta. The library team including Di Laycock, Tim Ross (university friend) and Mark Kelly presented two items.
Firstly they shared with the group an ICT program (Operation TechSync) that has been introduced for Year 7 students that introduces them to the school's ICT network including their laptop and essential applications. Digital safety skills are also developed so the students can use technology in a safe and professional manner.
What fascinated me most was how the program is delivered. Using a mixture of real (and virtual) characters, they used software including Camtasia (video editor) and Crazy Talk (avatar creating software) to bring it together.
Mark Kelly spoke about assessment and how teachers were able to monitor progress online.
Then the team spoke about the Makerspace which is a key part of their library and how it relates to learning. I was encouraged by the need for students to be curious, and to explore what is around them (reflects my philosophy as a teacher) but be able to think outside the square. I liked the approach to creation e.g. build a robot as part of the space because one can take real ownership of their learning and can express themselves in a way that reflects them. Some students need to present information through acting; others by building objects.
But what could I do in my practice?
- Provide spaces within the library that allow people to be creative e.g. seminar rooms. Don't let them merely be places for collaborative or quiet study. The rooms are better having some sort of activity rather than nothing.
- Encourage artistic works. I remember at Marsden High even offering pencils and adult colouring in sheets to bring out people's artistic side yet allow passive recreation.
- Building activities - Lego, robots. Maybe even have a contest to see who can make the most creative robots or lego works.
- Operation TechCode can be integrated into a broader high school library program. Many schools I have worked at sadly don't provide the technology that many AIS schools do, so I may have to improvise and keep it simple with the technology that is available within the school. The booklet though is fantastic and that can be easily done. Bigger challenge is with BYOD schools. How do I keep a program that can be adapted to any device.
