Graduation Time & Year in Review

I want to congratulate those who are graduating with me this week from my Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) Degree.

I decided to graduate in absentia so I will not attend the graduation ceremony in Wagga Wagga tomorrow.

Looking back at 2012, I'm thrilled that I finished my masters especially when you hear of the stories of those who have struggled to complete the course; the fact that some pull out because of time committments and not complete the course. Some have to scale back their studies to the one unit per semester and the talk of people failing units.

Just finishing a course is a big achievement in itself.

I got there because I was focused and committed. I wouldn't let any challenges outside of my studies intrude on it. In fact I let the challenges encourage me to work harder because the rewards that await will be far greater than anything.

If I look back, I am glad I undertook certain actions like volunteering at All Saints Grammar. It boosted my self esteem and it helped me develop as a professional in a more relaxed setting where I did not have to be as scrutinised as in the classroom. I was amazed by the professional relationships that I actually created there. I hope to continue that committment next year.

I was also glad that I did my professional experience there too. Small schools have helped me thrive as a teacher and the fact that everyone knows and helps each other makes the work alot easier.

The volunteer work also helped in the classroom as well as a casual teacher as well. I noticed that I was alot more relaxed and confident and prepared to face up to the challenges of teaching even better than ever. I was eager to help kids in the classroom as well as much as I could even outside my subject areas. It might be helping students to locate information and seek clarification about something that they do not understand. Some might need help writing and presenting information. I found myself in that situation many times of helping and guiding students in their learning. I could go home with my head up knowing that I did something other than "babysitting".  I am not a casual teacher that likes to sit at the front of the room and reads a book like other casuals. I like to interact and support the learning process as much as possible.

I did not predict at the start of 2012 that I would do a paid casual block as a teacher librarian either and that gave me a full immersion into what I will face as a full time teacher librarian. I was lucky too I managed to learn alot more about my professional role, which sadly was overlooked in my actual studies. There was alot that had to be learnt but it was done and done well. I'm grateful that Waverley College gave me such an opportunity and the students liked my presence there.

I still felt that my knowledge of Information and Communication Technologies was lacking and I decided to take advantage of the offer by the Catholic Education Office Sydney to do a Web 2.0 course for teachers. Immersing myself in some new web tools has stimulated my interest in using them for teaching but even for leisure too. Students don't even know that some of the tools even exist. I cannot wait to teach them how to use them and they will surely love using them in their learning. I'll admit to having a lot of fun myself playing around with the tools. 

It was encouraging that so many teachers in the schools that I have been involved with have been supportive in my studies and endeavours this year. I've also enjoyed sharing my experiences and knowledge with them as well. I hope to continue this next year


I can hold my head up high at the end of the year with these achievements. I may not have a full time job for 2013 but if I can keep the good work up, the full time job will come. I'm ready to face up to the challenges of being a teacher librarian. Even if I have to work in a classroom, I will be able to undertake that role even better than when I completed my post graduate studies. I am better informed about pedagogy and practice. I want to apply it and help the kids aspire to their full potential.

Web 2.0 Course - My Learning Journey

It has been a very exciting journey for me. I was motivated to do this course for the following reasons:

• My university studies (particularly undergraduate) placed little emphasis on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT's) in the Classroom. I graduated with little knowledge in this area.
• Eagerness to integrate more Web 2.0 tools into my classroom teaching.
• Become better informed on latest teaching developments.
• Highly relevant to my career as a Teacher Librarian and my role as a manager of information. I also would have to lead classroom teachers in incorporating online technologies such as Web 2.0 Tools into teaching and learning programs.
• Allowed me to build up my knowledge of ICT's in the classroom from my Master of Education (Teacher Librarian) Course.

I come to the end of this course and I have embraced the opportunities that have been provided to immerse myself in Web 2.0 tools and experimented with how I could use them in the classroom as a classroom teacher.

Some highlights from my learning journey include:

• Creating pages through IGoogle & Google Reader that allow me to centralise the flow of information from sources that I regularly visit, instead of going to each site individually. The internet experience becomes much more simplified and centralised. With so much information around us, we need a location where we can view the information that is important to us.
• Google Docs - Out of the tools that I have used in this course I have found this to be most useful resource for classroom learning. It allows for groups to collaborate in real time and removes the barriers associated with machines and emailing. It makes learning more productive and even better, students don't have to be in the classroom to learn.
• How to engage in Digital Storytelling - It encourages creativity and expression. Even though I may question the features of online tools compared to offline tools, I think its a great method for students to learn but also to communicate their information in multiple forms. Students love their technology and digital storytelling responds to their interests. Even I get excited and I have ideas in my head about some stories I want to share. 
• Prezi - Adds a new dimension to the presentation of information and goes beyond the functions of Powerpoint. It encouraged me to be more creative in presenting factual information and summaries. Anything that is brief does not require Powerpoint slides. I think students will love it especially in subjects like history where creativity might stimulate interest. I'd still use Powerpoint for presenting information that more abstract or detailed. In fact I think both can go hand in hand like embedding Prezi into a Powerpoint slide. 
• Bubbl.us - An excellent tool for mindmapping which is no longer limited by the size of the paper. 
• Using Twitter as part of professional networking.
• Consolidating my knowledge with Web 2.0 tools such as Blogs, Social Network sites and Photohosting websites and reflecting on their potential use in the classroom.

I've started to share with students some of the tools that are available to them and many of them have been amazed at the fact that Web 2.0 tools are easily accessible especially Google Docs. I filled in for a Year 11 Economics Class at one school recently and I explained to the students how they can use Google Docs to share notes with their peers as some of them share their notes via "old" methods online such as Email.

Hopefully as I get full time work as a teacher librarian, I can share my knowledge and experience of using Web 2.0 tools with other teachers, especially those that may be reluctant to use them and suggest strategies in how they can be incorporated into their teaching even if they have to start with something very simple and basic. I found that taking small steps does make a difference. The students I feel will welcome any use of technology even if it starts with something simple. Then I can work on teaching more complex tools and strategies. Rushing does not help.

If I do end up in a classroom role, this course gives me the scope to become more creative in my teaching. I'm lucky that I have a background in expressing myself creatively (photography) and I need to capitalise on it and use it to provide positive and engaging learning experiences.

Module 9 (Web 2.0) - Networks on the web – professional and social

Like many others in Generation Y, online social networking has become a significant part of our lives. I think the challenge for me as a professional is to move beyond the social use of social networking and take advantage of the educational and professional opportunities that it has to offer.

I'll comment on each of the tools explored in Module 9 individually in terms of their educational use and how they can be used to enhance learning inside and outside of the classroom.


Scootle

I think it is a fantastic tool for teachers because it allows resources to be easily shared amongst teachers but also with students through the one site.

Exploring the History section of the site allowed me to access many resources that would otherwise not be accessible either online or in hard copy formats.

I like the fact that I can create Learning Paths containing resources from the database that are most relevant to student learning and make that accessible to students.  I also provide learning activities through Scootle.

I was also impressed that students can upload and host their own content provided it is their own work of course.
Facebook

In my Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) Degree, I did an elective on ICT use in the classroom. As part of our studies, we were required to engage in discussion via a Facebook group created specifically for the subject.

Our lecturer Lyn Hay made a very good point about its educational use which I did not pick up. I was interacting with other Facebook users yet I was not their friend.

You don't need to be a persons friend to interact with them on Facebook.

There was alot of discussion going on in the group on our learning experiences as well. I thought it was nice that were learning and using a social networking site as a means to learn.

Lyn was also the administrator for the group and only let those study the subject access the group and contribute to discussions.

So lets shift towards the classroom.

I think Facebook does have educational use in the classroom given my experience of using the site provided that the teacher can control the activity that goes on within the group. Obviously I would have not "friend" any of them for professional reasons. I didn't "friend" my lecturer in my studies nor did she with me.

My concern is that restricting access to sites such as Facebook can actually do little in terms of encouraging responsible use of the internet and develop appropriate digital citizenship within our students. If a site is blocked they are more likely to use the alternate sites to break the firewalls of the servers especially with Facebook. I think it also prevents students from exploring alternative uses for Social Networking, which can help them in their tertiary studies or careers.

I think within the next few years, restrictions on Facebook etc will have to be lifted. Social Networking has become a crucial part of life in our society and it is inevitable that this will have to happen.

In the meantime, I have to accept restrictions placed by educational authorities and explore alternative sites that cater to school students.

LinkedIn

I signed up with LinkedIn earlier this year and in a professional sense I think its a great way to promote myself as a professional. If you are to look at my account, I've been able to virtually make my CV available in electronic form. If professionals want to know about my work history etc, they can access it. There is also scope to engage in professional discussions by joining various groups that exist online.

I have noticed too that people have actually viewed my profile that are curious to find more about who I am professionally. These people are usually listed on my page. Its good overall.

Twitter

I find that Twitter is quite limited in how one can express themselves. 140 characters is quite limited to express yourself. The curriculum requires students to engage in critical thinking and Twitter sadly does not allow this. I would not use it in this format.

However I do like Twitter as a form of communication to remind students of upcoming assessment tasks, posting useful links etc. It can also be used for lesson reviews e.g "List one thing that you learn't today". For learning it can be good for keeping records of events happening at a moment in time e.g. "What is the temperature at home?" or to report on findings.

In professional contexts as a teacher, I am trying to explore it as a tool of communication with members of the profession whether it may be sharing items with other professionals or contributing to professional discussions. This was after being encouraged by this article published in The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday (click below to read):

http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/teachers-unlock-tweet-smell-of-success-20121109-292zz.html

I would love to get in touch with other teachers not just in my area of expertise, but also other areas.

You can follow me on Twitter at @FabianAmuso1.

Second Life

I've always been curious about Second Life and what it offers. I have never considered its educational use at all. I like the fact that you can provide a virtual experience of the world and how it works whether it may be viewing artworks, experiencing life in Ancient Rome or visiting a village marketplace to understand how business transactions may take place.

The question I have to ask is - How can I use Second Life in the classroom?

Here are several methods in which I could apply Second Life. 

• Role Playing exercises. Kids love to role play in the physical world, but the big challenge is that they have to do it with no props. You can do that in the virtual world with props. In fact you enter a virtual society and you can immerse yourself, whether it is the world of the 21st century or ancient Rome. 
• You can experience the world as another person sees it through custom built environments and gain insights into how they experience life or even enter an object and explore its functions.
• Its impossible to take people back in time. Second Life can allow the students to explore the world at a certain point in time.
• Scavenger Hunts - locating information relating to a concept or topic. This might be locating definitions, key people or creating a timeline. In a subject like Ancient History, Second Life allows students to locate objects from the historical period that they are engaged in study at that point in time e.g. Ancient Rome. 
• Creating 3D objects relating to their unit of work.

The big challenge in applying Second Life is that this is the time needed to engage in such a experience. As teachers we already have to spend alot of time to cater for set up and pack up. Periods can be short as 40 minutes at some schools - not really much time to get much done.

Glogster

Finally, Glogster got it's act together and I was able to create my glog to show my ideas of Web 2.0 in classroom learning. I enjoyed this because it allows for more creativity and for students, they would make great summaries of what they have learn't in the classroom. Need to play around it a little more to see how much further I can go with it.

Module 3 (Web 2.0) - Google Docs

I had never known of the existence of Google Docs before starting this module and wow I was impressed what you can do with it.

I find that it comes most handy in classroom settings for collaborative learning tasks where students have to work in groups. Traditionally, each group member has needed their own computer with an offline version of Microsoft Office or word processing program. If ideas had to be shared emails with attachments had to be sent to each other. Changes could not be made in real time. You had to wait for team members to reply back to your emails with changes.

Now it can be done in real time. The file is uploaded on Google Drive onto the web and modifications can be made by team members using the apps. This allows for learning to occur at all times of the day. If there is an assessment task, group members dont have to meet at once unless to discuss who is doing what and progress. Content can be added or edited at any time. This works around the schedules of each team member. It also allows for accountability because team members can see who is doing what and when. Learning time becomes more productive, however there is that question of what to do should the internet go down and all the work can be accessed only in cyberspace?

Professional Placement

I've finished my ten day professional placement and I am going to post a summary of what I did and what I learnt during this period at my school.

What I did

·         Completed weeding of the vertical file system retaining only articles from 2010 to present along with items from previous years if they covered significant events or contained useful content relevant to classroom learning e.g. items on Ancient Rome. This had begun prior to placement.

·         Commenced the digitisation of the vertical file. I scanned several items from the vertical file onto the school network and began to classify them by topic. This included creating a filing system that will allow for easy retrieval of items and for record keeping.

·         Compiled a library guide to inform students of the collection and services provided by the library to encourage them to make greater use of library facilities.

·         Created a reading list for Year Seven students focusing on fiction items that are suitable for Year 7 Students including popular authors, series and titles.

·         Organised and presented an information session for Year Seven students on library services.

·         Applied skills in classroom teaching, curriculum, pedagogy and teacher librarianship to guide students undertaking learning tasks.

·         Functioned as a staff member within the wider school community – such as communicating with teachers relating to student learning. I was also required to assist at the school Athletics Carnival on Day 10.

·         Liaised with library staff to ensure that the library operated smoothly.

What I learnt

·         Ensuring clients are aware of library services – Libraries that I have visited such as local libraries, other school libraries and specialist libraries such as Parliament House provide details to their clients about their services. This may be available on the web and/or published as a brochure or pamphlet. This school did not have a website that provided such information nor a brochure. The Teacher Librarian also wanted to encourage younger students in the Senior (secondary) campus to continue to utilse the library as they did in the junior (primary) school maintaining their relationship. I felt that they needed to be aware of the library collection and services. The user guide, I felt would assist in informing students of library services. This would be built up through information sessions. After a session with Year Seven, they had a greater understanding of library services. Some borrowed items and others were asking me questions about the collection and library services.

·         Skills in Collection Management – Creation of a system to record and maintain the files that will form the digital vertical file identifying items  by subject, author, year, and article.

·         Using the library collection to Identify and select a thorough variety of resources to guide students in  their learning e.g. Identifying and selecting items from the fiction, non-fiction and reference collections to assist History Elective Students that were commencing a research task on Myths and Legends.

·         How to effectively communicate knowledge of the curriculum and syllabus to ensure that students meet learning outcomes. This would include explaining learning outcomes and the steps that are required to meet those outcomes e.g To meet the outcome of using a variety of sources, students must not rely on information in one type of format such as the internet. Students meet this outcome by using relevant websites, books, and visual aids. 

The assignment will give me greater opportunity to reflect on my experiences. There will be some items that may come up as the assignment is completed. i'll just add them as we go along. Obviously when you have been out for two weeks working hard, it takes some time to sit back and think back to what was done.