All My Own Work

One of my projects as the Teacher Librarian (Acting) at Mary MacKillop Catholic College, Wakeley in Term 4, 2017 was to oversee the completion of the All My Own Work modules.

Every school will have their own method or approach. Some schools will require that the students complete it in their own time at home. They then will be required to submit a printout of their results module by module to the school.

Some will allocate time for the students to work independently with no presentation/s etc.

I delivered the course over one day with the Year 10 cohort in the final week of Term 4 last year. The model was that the day was split into three parts with two modules in focus for each session. This worked well for a six period day.

Each session began with a 20 minute presentation, where an overview was provided of the key concepts in each module. Short activities using mentimeter were applied with student responses submitted presented on the screen live. Two examples are below.

This was providing me with live feedback on student understanding and knowledge. Even though I was strapped for time, I was impressed.

I also think showing clips of scenes from comedy shows like Mr Bean made a difference in understanding what can be seen by some as complex ideas.

E.g. Girls were asked to identify examples of Malpractice in this clip from Mr. Bean.

Then they were divided into their house groups, where the under the supervision of a teacher they were working through their modules. I set the pass mark as 85% for each module. Learning Support Students had a modified mark of 70% but they generally managed to get to 85% as well. The supervising teacher would initial that the student had completed the module and had cited the mark on the screen.

A registry was created and then sent through to the members of the school executive for processing with NESA.

Several students were absent, with a follow up session organised two days later. One student had actually done it at home and it was merely for me to sign off their confirmation slips.

A big thank you to those who assisted me on the day!!!

I have uploaded my powerpoint slides from the day for those who may need some direction on how to organise the day.

No More Teachers, No More Books - MacWorld Article

I came across a good article from the February 2016 edition of MacWorld Australia looking at the impact of technology on teaching. It also doubled up to as a chance to promote apple products for use in the classroom.

I recommend this article for one to read and I do have three points to comment on from my reading:

• British Educator Sir Ken Robinson mentions that education is at a tipping point as the way we educate kids has been unchanged since the start of the industrial revolution; that education is a production line. All kids do the same work and vice versa. I think we have passed it because it has been accepted for a number of years that we have to differentiate learning according to learning needs. Even as a school kid in the 1990's, I look at situations where lessons etc were modified for me or other students to reflect individual needs. 
• It is suggested that the role of the teacher is under threat. As a Teacher Librarian, I am reminded of those that say that we ourselves are under threat. Not at all. The role of the teacher is ever changing and evolving to reflect the society that we live in. We guide students in their learning and teach them how to use the wealth of information around them. 
• The article tries to suggest that printed books are on the way out thanks to iPad's and eBook readers. Yes, technology gives us greater scope for one to publish their works and to share it, and has opened up opportunities not previously available, but there is no mention of the continued interest in print resources. People still prefer their printed resources, and this can be for various reasons like reading, note-taking, interaction with text or simply the physical feel. Printed book sales have been rising Print is not dead. Technology just opens more options. 

Teach Survive Thrive- Beginning Teachers Roadshow (IEU PD Course)

Just last week (June 10), I attended a Professional Development Session organised by the Independent Education Union (NSW) at their headquarters in Ultimo.

It was themed as: Teach Survive Thrive.The presenter was Glen Pearsall, who has worked extensively with schools right around the country. In the two hour session, he focused on classroom management and engaging students in their learning.

It did look at many of the issues that were covered in the course that I did just a few weeks ago at the Centre for Professional Learning, and the evening for me really allowed me to consolidate what I had learned several weeks ago, as well as enjoying another perspective and learning some new strategies especially keeping students on task and positive reinforcement of student behaviour

It was also a smaller group with about 20 present. Last month I was amongst 180 participants.

The course is free for IEU members and is highly recommended. Click here to find out more.

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.

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.

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.