Professional+Practice

2.1 __Learning Environment __ > > // My observations and numerous discussions with the school’s Information and Communication Technology teacher and the teacher librarian support the views held by (Lankshear, 2000, p 23) //"For many teachers the task of trying to integrate new technologies into literacy education in meaningful and effective ways is something they tackle "on the run" making it up as they go along, grabbing ideas where they can find them."//
 * //** create and nurture an information rich learning environment which supports the needs of the school community **//
 * //** provide access to information resources through efficient, effective and professionally-managed systems **//
 * //**foster an environment where learners are encouraged and empowered to read, view, listen and respond for understanding and enjoyment** //
 * //** appreciate the dynamic nature of ** ////**Information and Communication Technologies **////** and their role in education **

As part of my professional practice I have on numerous occasions advised and worked with a variety of teaching colleagues at different year levels to assist those who feel comfortable in “attempting” the integration of Information and Communication Technology within their curriculum plans. Two examples of curriculum integration are attached. The Christmas Webquest was developed in association with an integrated unit "Christmas Around the World" written by a group of year 2 teachers in collaboration with the school's curriculum support teacher. The Alternative Energy internet research document below was developed in association with an integrated unit "Alternative Energies" written by a group of year 6 teachers from two different schools, again in collaboration with the school's curriculum support teacher. Further details of this unit are outlined in 2.2 Learning and Teaching of my portfolio. 2.2 __Learning and Teaching __

 //"Collaborative teaching and learning teams are recommended for the development of learning experiences that recognise individual learning needs and styles. ......The objective is to integrate appropriate teaching and learning practices and a wide range of information services that will enhance the development of lifelong learning."// (Curriculum Council, 2001, Pages 9-10)
 * ** //collaborate with teachers to plan and implement information literacy and literature p// **** //rograms that result in positive student learning outcomes// **

During curriculum planning days this semester I have worked collaboratively with classroom teachers, and curriculum support personnel to develop units of work using both Outcomes and Essential Learnings. One particular example of this was

The teacher librarian at this particular school is not involved directly in planning sessions other than providing bulk loans to support the unit of work that is developed. One frustration which occurs as a result of this is that a unit of work can sometimes be developed with little regard given to the fact that there may be limited resources to support the unit within the library. I have previously experienced working with teacher librarians who play a more active role in the development of these units. On these occasions I feel that there was a more effective use of existing resources in the library. As a teacher librarian I feel that it is essential to play an active part in curriculum planning and implementation within the school setting in order to develop units of work that will result in positive student learning.

A particular priority within a primary school is to encourage students to become independent, discerning readers. It is part of the responsibility of a teacher librarian to //"foster an environment where learners are encouraged and empowered to read, view, listen and respond for understanding and enjoyment."// (ALIA/ASLA. 2004).
 * ** //ensure that their programs are responsive to the needs of learners in the school community// **
 * //**support learning and teaching by providing equitable access to professionally selected resources **//
 * //**assist individual learners to develop independence in their learning **//

During the development of any unit of work the individual needs of students need to be always a primary consideration. As part of my professional practice during 2009 I have collaboratively developed a number of reading projects with teacher colleagues, with input from the teacher librarian for a group of middle school students. This particular group of children, while enthusiastic towards activities, needed a lot of guidance when it came to being able to select books and information resources suited to their needs. A large number of these students tended to stick to familiar novels ,authors and information sources. In order to broaden the students experiencing with fiction books, we developed a number of reading projects, as part of integrated curriculum plans which were also developed at the same time. These included teacher read novels (A Wrinkle in Time and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane), Whole class novel reading (City of Ember), and finally a unit in which children selected their own novel and complete a series of activities, both as part of a book club during library lessons, and through written responses in class. It was pleasing to see the transformation of these students into more independent, confident readers who were more prepared to take a risk and explore a wider range of novels. Examples of a number of these curriculum plans and reading activities are provided below.

  //"Pedagogy which develops effective and purposeful use of Information and Communication Technologies will require that teachers spend a great deal more time establishing purposes for learning, helping students to identify a credible body of information and create an author's voice that nurtures and represents their intellectual identity."// (Loveless, 2001, page 79). During my Situated Professional Practice I have developed a much better understanding of this through implementing an internet research project I developed as part of an integrated curriculum unit. I worked with a group of Middle School students on research skills using search engines on the internet. They were given a research task to complete, as part of their integrated unit. As a result of this research task, students began to be more discerning users of search engines, and were also able to identify the limitations of relying on internet sources solely. It is an essential part of my role as teacher librarian to model and teach the appropriate and relevant use of Information and Communication and Technologies. Students need to be given opportunities to explore a variety of Information and Communication Technology tools so that they can becoming both competent but also discerning users of information technology resources.
 * //**teach the appropriate and relevant use of Information and Communication Technologies and information resources **//

As part of my experience this semester also, I have been involved in the initial implementation of a new pod of roving laptops shared amongst middle school classrooms. The use of the laptops in the classroom provided students with opportunities to develop problem solving skills in groups, using a variety of online learning activities associated with integrated curriculum units including [|www.scootle.edu.au]. A number of “new” problems developed as a result of Information and Communication Technology development. Some examples I observed this semester include students using inappropriate language during chats on line, and also students accessing files that they have no authority to access. As part of my professional reading on OZTL_NET I was able to source an cyber bullying resource, [|www.cybersmart.gov.au] which I then implemented as the final part of my Situated Professional Practice this semester. Students were generally very responsive to these activities, and were actively involved in discussions which resulted. After discussions with the school's Information and Communication Technology teacher about this site, it has been decided that this resource will be used in the initial stages of the 2010 school year, in order to assist students in developing a better understanding of their role in regards to the appropriate and relevant use of Information and Communication Technology tools within the school environment. I feel that the ability to teach the appropriate and relevant use of Information and Communication Technologies will become an ever increasing part of my role as a teacher librarian in the future as students are given access to a wider range of these tools.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">2.3 __<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Library and Information Services Management __ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The time consuming task of cataloguing resources was an area that I developed an increased understanding and awareness of during my Situated Professional Practice. Prior to my time in the library I had previously seen the huge pile of new resources within the school library waiting to be catalogued, and often wondered why it often took a long time to see these books on the shelves <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. As part of my Situated Professional Practice I was given opportunity to catalogue books using the ALICE library program and the SCIS system. I soon realised just how time consuming this task is. I became aware of the SCIS catalogue system used by a large number of schools to assist in this huge task.
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">//ensure that the library's policies and procedures implement the school's mission// **
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">//Provide exemplary reference and information services to the school community// **
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">//strategically plan and budget for improvement in library and information services and programs// **
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">//apply information management practices and systems that are consistent with national standards// **

//<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"SCIS (School Catalogue Information Service) was created with the aim of providing school with access to a database of consistent catalogue records created according to agreed national standards. In order to reduce the cost and duplication of effort of cataloguing resources in schools. Since its inception SCIS has been responsible for improving the quality and consistency of cataloguing materials for schools" (Curriculum Cooperation, 2009) //

I was given opportunity to catalogue new resources using both SCIS data and also books which were not on its records. It made me realise the huge positive impact that SCIS has had on a teacher librarian’s ability to catalogue a larger amount of books in a shorted space of time. I was involved in discussions with the teacher librarian in regards to the positives and negatives of this program. While it provides a ready made framework for cataloguing the details of new resources, there are still obviously a large number of resources purchased which are not on its data base, which still results in the time consuming task of manually entering all data.

I was given basic training in the use of the ALICE library system for cataloguing and student borrowing. The school at which I undertook my Situated Professional Practice will in 2010 implement a different cataloguing system, OLIVER. It will be interesting to note the differences between these two systems when this takes place, and the impact that this change has on the information management practices within the library. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">2.4 __<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Evaluation __
 * **//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">monitor teaching practice to ensure improved learning and teaching //**
 * **//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">evaluate student learning to provide evidence of progress in information literacy and reading //**
 * **//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">measure library resources, facilities, programs and services against current policies, standards documents and benchmarks //**
 * **//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">use evidence to inform programs and services //**