Newspapers in school libraries

I'll admit that reading the newspaper is part of a daily routine for me at the start of the day. This is the same as those who need a coffee to start the day and something I could easily go on and on with

There has been so much discussion within the media itself about the role of newspapers in society. The rise of the internet has cut the cost of publishing news down to zero. Online news sites can cater to specific audiences or topics. News can be relayed through television, radio and the internet as soon as it happens. Competition is tougher than ever.

Printing a newspaper has never been cheap either. It's the advertising and classified sections that has kept the cover prices down for decades. With revenue falling, cover prices have had to rise. Back in Year 10 (2001), newspapers cost around half the price they are now.

More and more, people question the need to read (or buy) a newspaper. This question also comes up with School Libraries. For newspapers like The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian they no longer offer heavily discounted subscriptions to schools, not even to students themselves. Merely, they have given up on trying to recruit new readers. As they say, "get em when they're young". That message is gone.

There are digital subscriptions available for The Sydney Morning Herald that allow access to digital replicas of the days paper and archived papers (from 2006 onwards) but they are not necessarily cheap.

I have found in many instances, students barely touch the newspapers in the libraries that have them, Schools have stopped providing newspapers altogether. So what is the problem even though this saves the student from going out and buying their own copy?

I feel that students are probably not aware that they are available in the first place. They don't know that the library provides them. At one school we encountered this by promoting their availability in print and electronic form especially The Sydney Morning Herald. Alot of subjects still require students to collect a portfolio of newspaper articles especially at HSC level. I even tutored one student in how to access it online and this was only after I told them that it was available. Make sure its reported in your library feature in the school newsletter. I should challenge myself at any school to promote periodicals including its relevance to learning,

The other big issue is that young people can have a mindset that the web is the "be all and end all" for news but this isn't good for learning. As a Teacher Librarian, I have to educate students on the need to use a variety of sources in their learning. Newspapers are invaluable in providing material to support student learning. I think newspaper websites leave out alot of the smaller articles that might be embedded say 12 pages in on the top right corner of the page.

Schools now have photocopying systems that have free scanning to the persons email address. Again, us library staff forget to remind our students that such a service is available. No pages need to be cut out at all and the student can always print the clipping out if they need to.

I have been impressed how teachers at some schools rely on the newspapers to aid their classroom teaching and learning especially where the articles will relate right back to what they are learning. Newspapers can make the learning more relevant because the link to the real world is established.

Boys, Underachievement and fixing the problem

I came across an article written by Dr. Peter West this morning. It was funded by The King's School at North Parramatta and the University of Western Sydney. 

What I did like about it was some of the strategies that he has recommended to engage boys in their learning. 

I tended to take more interest in the reading side. I would agree with the need to promote non fiction literature because it can relate back to their interests. The Book Week idea was excellent because it allows one (especially teachers) to share their favourite literature with others. Imagine a PE teacher sharing one book that they love reading. It allows the boys to learn something about their teacher that they may not know. I think they like surprises. 

Another point of interest was active learning.  I think you still follow a guided inquiry process for learning, but rather than an essay or report, the information is presented through engagement in the role play or debate. Debating does also require critical thinking as you must justify a particular point of view while at the same time rejecting the alternative view. 

Libguides & Research

Recently, I decided to give Libguides a go which my current school has provided for some time now. I was quite surprised at quickly I mastered it being able to draw on my experience with Web 2.0 technologies.

What I love most about Libguides is how you can gather library resources for a selected topic and host it in one location without the need to browse the OPAC in depth. Not only can you list the varying resources (and links) but also documents and other details.

I created my first libguide for Year 8 students studying Geography where they have to complete a research assignment on global issues. I found it challenging as a professional just to locate the resources on the OPAC and search engines. I wonder how the students would have coped on their own. Also I felt that online resources were in abundance on their topics, especially some of the topics were print resources were quite limited (few books are actually published on them sadly). I decided to focus on the harder to research topics and managed to find some resources for them. I bought these together all on the one page.

An awesome feature about it as well is how easy it is to update. As websites change and as the curriculum changes, I can modify the libguides. If anything new appears, it can be added in an instant.

For extra measure, I got the web resources added to the OPAC as well and even ensured that current links in the OPAC were still working.

Wikipedia as a library of knowledge + tips

Judy O'Donnell has written an interesting article on the role of Wikipedia which allows for the creation of a library of knowledge (as I see it) and how we as a global society can shape it.

There are also some useful tips on how to use Wikipedia in research as well.

However in a classroom context, I feel that while it can guide a student in understanding an idea or concept, they can easily fall into the trap of relying on it solely for gaining information. 

I'd only recommend Wikipedia as a starting point for a research task and generally should not be included in a reference list or bibliography. We need to encourage students to locate resources in different formats from different locations. Students also are taught how to verify their information as they can compare information from one source with another source to ensure that it is correct and accurate.

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 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.

The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn

During the school holidays, I read the book The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn and I would like to offer some reflections on the matters raised.

The position by the Kohn is that he feels that homework does not offer real benefits to learning in terms of student engagement and impact on academic achievement. It rejects traditional approaches to homework.

After reading the book, I still maintain my position of homework; that students do need homework in order to consolidate and apply the skills learnt at school that day.

I do disagree with his claims that homework does not improve academic achievement or increase marks. If you look at the content covered in each key learning area, there is a lot of concepts and information that must be grasped by students. Our brains cannot soak that information straight away. It takes time to build up skills and homework does give students a chance to help them understand concepts and information. This is then built up on in later lessons.

I look at my own experience as a student and without spending time doing homework and revision, I would have not attained the marks that I would ultimately get in my School Certificate and Higher School Certificate. I needed that time after school to revise key concepts and then able to devise methods of applying it. There was memorising, but also a chance to do past papers, additional research, read newspapers, books etc.

Kohn also questions tasks that require students to do "drills" or undertake homework that requires recall or rote learning. Sometimes there are circumstances where this is the only way to acquire an understanding of concepts because some skills have to be mastered through practice. It is like sport. If you want to be a superstar, you will need to practice. Learning a language requires rote learning given the complexity in mastering a language. If you don't memorise or practice it (reading, speaking, writing etc), then you cannot master a language. In maths, students complete exercises as a method of practicing mathematical formula's.

However, I was surprised that he actually agreed with some of the views on how homework can benefit student learning, like watching TV shows etc, or relating our learning to personal experiences.

I do agree with his concerns over anxiety and stress that homework can inflict particularly where students struggle to do the work or intrudes on routines at home. That is what I need to be careful about in setting homework. This means I need to set work that can be attempted by each student and only take up a suitable amount of time according to their stage of learning.  Most importantly, it must be relevant according to what is being learnt in the classroom. This includes explaining to students the relevance of the task and how it helps them. Obviously if there is an assessment task due or heavy workloads in other subjects, there needs to be that flexibility as well. This may mean not setting homework. At least it takes stress of students and lets them focus on the other tasks.

French President Proposes Banning Homework

French President Proposes Banning Homework: Talk about courting the youth vote. French President François Hollande has proposed banning homework as part of a series of policies designed to reform the French educational system. “Education is priority,” Hollande said in a speech at Paris’s Sorbonne University. “An education program is, by...

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It is almost six months since this announcement. I haven't heard anything new since.

I remember at the time speaking to a teaching colleague and even a few senior students at one school and they were shocked at this news and didn't agree with the President's idea. Students, while they may resent homework actually understand why it is important to them in terms of learning.

Homework is essential to student learning. It allows for students to consolidate and apply the skills learnt at school that day. Homework doesn't necessarily have to be based on that day's work, but it can also be preparatory work e.g reading a section of a novel to discuss in the class the following day.

Homework can be interesting and take on many forms.

In a high tech world, homework doesn't have to be pen and paper either or merely reading or writing. It can take on many forms like watching a TV show such as the nightly news bulletin to be informed on the main issues in our world, watching a documentary or collecting information based on personal experiences. We can also get students to be creative too and make it hands on.

As an educator, the challenge for me is always to make the homework interesting whilst keeping it engaging. It is often too easy for me to set a worksheet with questions or questions from a textbook. I need to consider other means. Variation is not confronting.

I think we are also lucky in Australia that students can work in settings free from distraction. There is always the local library and in an increasing number of schools provide opportunities. Homework Clubs and library's staying open after school allow students not just to complete their homework but also seek direct support from teachers that give up their time to allow students to optimize their learning outside of traditional school hours.

As the entry shows, banning homework is not a good idea.

Sort Out The School Tech Mess (Techlife Australia Article)

The April Edition of Techlife Australia has an interesting article for parents on selecting the right device for student learning given the myriad of options now available such as laptops, netbooks, ipads and tablet computers.

With the future of the laptop rollout in schools in doubt after this year, it is likely that parents will pick up the bill in providing the technology needed to aid student learning in the classroom. Some schools already bill families levies for the hire of laptops for example schools managed by the  Catholic Education Office Sydney have various levies associated with the hire of laptops to students.

To cut to the chase, the article recommends that for the time being, the humble laptop is the recommended device for student learning given that the programs and applications can operate more smoothly. The computing power needed on a laptop is there as opposed to the tablet and Ipad. Also keep in mind that tablets and Ipads are more for consuming content as opposed to creating content. Yes students have to consume content, but they need to also create the content to demonstrate to us as educators that they are indeed learning.

The article also provides useful consumer advice on selecting the right laptop, the essential features of a laptop needed for learning e.g processing speed, batteries etc, several laptops are reviewed plus options for either buying or leasing a laptop.

Technology & Classroom behavior: Do they cause kids to misbehave?

Being a casual teacher, this is an interesting question that I want to take some time to reflect on. Obviously the use of laptops allow for greater teaching and learning opportunities in the classroom on so many fronts whether it may be in the presentation of information or making the use of the world wide web to research for information.

As a casual teacher, I try and encourage the students to use the laptops for their learning. With many youngsters wired up to technology, it is fair that if they enjoy the technology, that should be utilized to allow them to learn. As teachers, we do need to focus on student interests if they are to learn effectively. Obviously there are some who want to opt for more traditional means of learning and I try and accommodate that too.

However I find that using the laptops in the classroom can cause students to disengage from learning and end up off task. This is a common issue that has been raised with colleagues that I work at in the various schools that I am employed at. This becomes more challenging if you are a casual teacher.

For instance, some will end up surfing the web, visiting websites not related to learning. They will listen to music from youtube and/or have music stored on their laptops, some of which contain offensive content.

Gaming has emerged as another challenge. Some have downloaded games or simply can access a website that contains games.

I have found that the only way to control the class is to effectively stand at the back of the room where the screens can be seen and moving around regularly. At the front of the room, you cannot see them so there is little point in remaining down the front at all and ensuring that they remain on task.

Then some will want to test my expectations relating to appropriate use of laptops and that of the school’s e.g. play music aloud or simply not comply with instructions even though those expectations were firmly provided.

Taking away the computers from the students may be a short term solution but then the student cannot learn. A few years ago when training as a teacher and even in my first year of casual teaching, I did that and at the end of the day the situation is not really resolved. If the task requires internet research, to sit there and doing nothing will not work. They do not learn at all and miss out on learning the information and communication skills that they will need as part of curriculum requirements.

Will conventional punishments such as a “work” detention (where the student stays back to finish the work) work? Maybe that is the effective way. If a student wastes their learning time doing recreational activities on the computer, maybe sacrificing some of that time after school might do the job. In the workplace, if we waste our time, don’t we have to make up for the time lost at some point, either directly (staying back at our desk) or doing it in our own leisure time.

I plan to answer this further in my next blog post.

ICT & Maths

I was talking to a friend last month. They are a qualified maths teacher and we discussed some challenges of using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in maths.

I can understand their viewpoint that traditional methods of teaching and learning such as writing on the board and students presenting their work in an exercise book is much more effective. At the end of the day students won't be tested on a computer and hence need practice in presenting their work by hand. The teacher does use a wide variety of resources such as learning kits etc to help in students develop their practical understanding.

After some personal reflection, I realise that there is more scope than ever for using ICT to help students learn.

Many students despise maths and ICT can make maths more interesting for students.

The rise of Ipads in the classroom has given opportunities for teachers to use to satisfy ICT requirements.

Last year, I was asked to identify suitable apps to support teaching and learning. This site contained a list of apps that are available for Maths. Calculators, quizzes, instructional videos are some of the apps that are available. As time progresses they will surely be refined.

And just browsing around today is helping me to identify possible resources that can help teachers. A wiki that I located has a list of resources that a maths teacher can use in a lesson. I like the fact they provide teaching resources to allow students to develop their mathematical understanding by using online sites such as Google Earth. I can even see a cross curricular link right there with Geography.

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.