Teamwork and Collaboration

As part of assignment one for ETL504, we have to construct a rubric where we assess ourselves in relation to:

1. Teamwork


2. Colloboration


3. Communication

Assessing communication is quite simple. The fact there are readings and resources that are out there to construct the rubric for that component are more than adequate.

But Teamwork and Collaboration are another matter. I have not come across one reading that actually explains the difference between both components.

Only one resource gave me any idea of what teamwork and collaboration are. They are individually defined but still share similar meanings

Teamwork is the concept of people working together towards while collaboration referred to the process of people working towards the goal

Still I cannot any system where you can measure both individually. I need to keep trying.

ETL503 - Assignment One

Assignment One was submitted last week and I thought generally it was pretty straightfoward assignment. Initially, I thought it was going to be hard but after doing some reading and visiting a real school library, the ideas flowed in. I have to admit I overlooked one aspect of Acquistion - relating to placing orders for resources such as biblographical details and ordering the item. I only considered the financial aspect and where I would source them from. I will need to examine that in Assignment Two for sure. It will compromise potential for a good mark. I just hope a pass will do. I like to aim for a credit or higher, but given the difficulty of the course and lack of experience as a teacher - librarian, it just will be too hard. I also have to remember that my marks in education subjects were only enough for a pass even if a credit was obtained. I don't really think about that. But then again what did I learn and how will I apply it?

• I knew nothing about the process of selection and acquistion


• I learnt that I don't have to rely solely on catalogues, publisher websites and online bookstores. There are a myriad of curriculum resources also that would be beneficial such as the Teaching and Learning Federation that appeals specifically to teaching resources. I also didn't realise professional experience or simple we searches are also part of the process.


• The process of acquiring resources - In ETL501 I gained insight into the evaluation of web resources. I was able to apply that to this assignment. Even more interesting the evaluation of the resource itself is undertaken as part of the acquistion process - because you have to consider factors such as cost and accessibility along with currency etc. With other resources, I gained a strong insight into the process and what I do need to consider. Assignment Two will help me spell it out clearly given what I have raised.


• The importance of online resources to learning and how to include them in a library collection. It doesn't feel so distinct.


• Able to provide reasons as to why resources have been selected and how they satisfy the resourcing needs of the library. That is most important given they will influence learning outcomes.

ETL504 - Assignment One -Looking Back

I was relived to have finished the group component of assignment one. As I reflect now on how it went, what did I learn? In a group context, I learn't little. Being an online assignment, collaborating was always going to be difficult to undertake. There was no scope for face to face meeting. I had skype and MSN Messenger which none of the group members had. The time was not used productively. I often sat my chair following the chat and wondering where people were at or for the next move. I can understand group members being busy, but the fact it was a last minute effort has shown through in the final product. In fact it wasn't until last week other group members took to meeting daily if possible and contributing their content. I had done some research but couldn't complete it in full until I knew where we were heading. I would say I spent up to half the time working just to get the presentation aspect covered. As a organised person by nature, that was my core strength. It did remove me from the content component of the assignment which is also important. I was more or less checking contributions relating to content, proofreading and making sure the referencing was right. I miss face to face group work. There is also the emotive component of working with other people. You can understand their contributions far better. Face to face you can show research findings, show articles and do alot more. You can type it together and talk. Our group topic was problem solving and I found the topic interesting overall. It is often overlooked as a leadership skill that one will need for effective decision making. As a teacher librarian, I gained alot from my learning and applying it will be the standard especially in issues such as:

• Limited Resources - Balancing needs and wants of the school community


• Budgeting - Dealing with limited funds and making sure it is spent effectively to ensure that students gain most from their learning.


• Collaborating with teaching staff

The majority of all workers in Australia (70 %) do not possess adequate problem solving skills. To possess them will make me stand out.

Plus it allows me to be creative. I propose and implement solutions. It also encourages innovation? Why, because you actually remedy a problem with a solution that I actually propose. I may be inspired by others but I use that information and the outcomes to implement that strategy.

Assignment One - ETL504

I am doing Assignment One in ETL 504 at present. It is a group assignment and I am not enjoying it at this stage. Why? I cannot work at the speed that I am used to. I don't like undertaking assessment at the last minute. Doing it over a period of time, is much more relaxing for me because when the assessment is due, I am not panicking or stressed out. There is stress, but it is over miniscule things such as sentence structure and grammar. Paranoia at it's best. It is only in the past week any significant process has been made. It took me one week to establish contact with my group members and the communication options seem limited because the others do not know how to use skype or MSN Messenger. I have had to assume the organisational side of the assignment, just to get people talking. It is good though that the others are organising times to meet now, but I still have to post resources etc for people to download and read. I proposed the topic of problem solving in the workplace, because it is an important skill that one needs to have for good decision making. As teacher librarians, we will be confronted with problems on several fronts and it is important that we know how to examine a problem and propose solutions. It was good that my group has supported my idea and it is building up. I was impressed in recent days by the items that they had begun to find and post, which I am happy with. This week will tell whether or not this was a good idea.

ETL504 - Some thoughts on the readings

Over the past few weeks, I've slowly trawled my way through the readings. I don't want to comment on them individually because each reading focuses on a specific aspect of leadership.

There are two points that have been bolted into my head after reading. As the unit progresses and I complete the assignments, it will become a little more better.

1. Being Proactive - If you ever want to get your way in life, you must act proactively. That means initating the opportunity to take action on what you want to achieve. You cannot let others do the change for you. There is no way you can establish yourself as a leader.

As a teacher-librarian, it means that I must identify the issues and not be scared to speak to relevant staff or the principal. It may mean taking risks but more often than not there is nothing to lose.

If you can get the ball rolling, others will come behind and back you.

I sat on the Strathfield Campus Student Association (SCSA) a student union at the Strathfield Campus of the Australian Catholic University between 2005 and 2009. I look back and realise that initatives such as a shuttle bus service to Strathfield Station would have not resulted if it was not for me raising the issue in the first place but also taking the time to provide a case as to why it should be offered. I even approached local politicans who ignored us, but it mean't that people were aware of the issue. The university eventually supported the idea and students now have this option when they travel to and from class. I raised the issue at a meeting in 2007, but we had to wait until 2010 before the shuttle bus commenced service.

2. The art of negotiation - It's give and take but also listening to differing views to provide an agreement that will benefit all parties by "meeting halfway". I thought it was interesting to note that it is up to all parties to enter the room and come to agreement.

In my professional role - It is part and parcel of the job. Budgets are limited, resources and facilities are limited and obviously unlimited wants and needs. It is part of anyone's normal life. There are limited resources. We have to make use of what is there to it's best. I have to weigh the wants and needs against the limited resources. Some times it may involve sacrifice but if done rightly will result in maximum gain.

Module 2 - ETL503

For module two of ETL503 - I am going to comment on a recent decision by the UNSW library to reduce it's selection of print resources.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/books-get-the-shove-as-university-students-prefer-to-do-research-online-20110307-1bl8b.html

The argument by the university is simple - the resources are available online and the students prefer getting their material for research online.

However Librarians don't agree with it as they see books and resources of educational value thrown away. In fact they raid the skip bins to save them and the shelves are replaced with tables for students to work on their assignments and socialise.

Even documents of historical nature are thrown away. Once they are gone, they are gone forever even if they are digitised. It brings a sense of authenticenty.

Personally I was astounded by this news. A good researcher is one that uses a wide variety of resources in their study. Print resources have value. While the practical or real world information might be irrelevant, the theory or historical content is still relevant. It will give one the background to understand a concept. I found using old texts provide me the background that I needed to understand and learn. Using that information, I could turn to recent findings to assist using online journals and databases to help. In schools, research projects require that one demonstrate a wide variety of sources. That doesn't just include online resources, but print resources as well. They both go hand in hand with each other.