ETL 501 - Task C

I feel as I am in a separate category to many other students completing the ETL 401 course this semester as I have already completed ETL 502 and ETL 504 in second semester 2009. Even though I had a twelve month leave of absence I did not start this course completely unaware of the role of a teacher librarian. In saying this, my perception of the role of the teacher librarian has changed from my prior learning. This course would have been ideal for me when I first started my masters as it had been a good introduction to the wide role of the teacher librarian.
My initial thoughts of a teacher librarian was one who had many roles within the school as a librarian who taught research from both books and technology, ICT coordinator and as an expendable person who would be able to complete any role within the context of the school as a teacher when people were away. This was formed from my own knowledge of the school I work at and how the teacher librarian was used before the role of teacher librarian was collapsed and she became a classroom teacher. When I first began the course readings my knowledge grew even further of the role of the teacher librarian. Herring (2007) and Purcell (2010) opened my eyes to the roles I was not previously aware of, that the teacher librarian needs to fulfil concurrently to ensure the library runs effectively and efficiently such as library manager, collaborator, teacher, ICT teacher, curriculum leader and literacy leader.
The topic and assignment forums provided me with an informal learning from other people’s experience as teacher librarian as well as their own view from their readings. Even though I did not regularly post on the forum I still participated through reading the posts and reflecting myself. My post on 11 April discussed how teacher librarians need to continually adapt to new technology and change their teaching approach to cater for such (Ianna, 11 April, 2011.
http://forums.csu.edu.au/perl/forums.pl?task=frameset&forum_id=ETL401_201130_W_D_Sub3_forum&message_id=5077944)
The ultimate question that needs to be answered is if I could have learnt more throughout the course. It is true, that I could have learnt more during this semester if I had of completed every essential reading that we were provided with and researched and analysed further reading on each topic instead of the basics. Even though I enjoyed participating and learning throughout the course I found lack of time due to a full time teaching commitment meant that I did not have enough time to do so and continually forgot to post on my blog.
I especially enjoyed learning about information literacy and ISPs and have thought about how I can use Big 6 (2006) in my classroom and teach it to my students. Prior to topic 4 and the second assignment I was unaware of what information literacy was and had not heard of ISPs before.
Overall, the course has increased my knowledge over semester from knowing a small proportion of the role of the teacher librarian to being more aware of the multi faceted role they play within the school as well as what information literacy is and how I can use the ISPs in my classroom and eventually in my library to introduce and teach the skills needed to be information literate.

The Frazzle of Assignment 2

I've been working on this assignment for a bit over a month, at least I hadnt left it to the last minute this time... and I am surprised at what I have found about about ISPs - after never knowing they existed before - and I call myself a teacher... My brain has turned to mush and I feel like a very stiff drink, but no, I have more work to day and would like to get this finished by tonight, with school and then homework centre tomorrow I don't get home till 5 and dont want to have to finish it off then!

During my 4 years at uni it was not often I had to cut back on words, but for this assignment, I feel all I have done has been write a paragraph - check the word count, write another paragraph, check the word count. Oh bother, I am out of words, sumarize what I'd already sumarized and check the word count. But I finished taks a and b and am now quite happily procrastinating about task c - the dreaded reflection. At first I thought it would be easy to do, but upon reflection. THIS IS NOT THE CASE!!!

Now it's up to reflecting on what I have learnt about over the course of the semester............ hmm blank... yep still blank..... think it might be the brain strain.
Ok, Ok, think I need to cook dinner and then hopefully my brain and I can regroup and tackle the last part together.


Not even my post has much sense about it tonight :(

Information Literacy

I started looking at assignment 2 today and realised I hadn't done my topic 4 readings yet so after listening to the podcast and doing the essential readings I have felt rather bamboozled at the plethora of definitions and outlines of what IL is actually about. I've found some good videos from a variety of sources in order to help me define what IL is all about. I'm pleased to say that these readings will be of use in assignment 2 that is looming ever closer!As of yet, I don't really have a clear definition of IL, but I have determined that it is in relation to the metagocnition about learning and the skills used to get to the final product rather than the product itself, something I need to work on myself! From what I have seen, there are 3 different models regarding IL, the NSW one, Herring's PLUS model and the Big 6 developed my Mike Eisenberg - his video is interesting because it provides a deeper insight to what it's all about.

On closer inspection, I don't know how to post youtube vids yet, but I will work it out and post them then...



ABCCLIOLive

i'm back from the dead

It's been about 18 months, but I'm back from the dead and returned from my leave of absence at uni to continue with my masters. I know it's almost half way through the semester and have only just started posting, but hey, better late then never I guess.

So the last assignment was a little difficult to say the least, I have already completed second semester subjects, I thought that first semester would be as hard -oh how wrong I was!! Just getting my head around the questions was hard enough, the forum was aghast with people pleading for help and others providing their own interpretation of help and in some cases it was wrong - bother!! We went away for a wedding in Brisbane the week the assignment was due in, I tried so hard to have it done before I left and the bit I did I found out was COMPLETELY WRONG so lets start all over again and then realised that I had the wrong reading, needless to say a few choice words came out of my mouth - oops! So at 11:48pm I submitted it - a whopping 11 minutes early and then return to school the next day But its in and let's just wait and see the results, I am just hoping for a pass, please let it be a pass, I will be elated with 51!

So in amongst our time in Brisbane for a week and the assignment due in the day after we returned I didn't submit my forum discussions, so I did it today for topic 3 instead. and here it is, I had a bit of a rant in the end, but it's another thing done!

The learning and teaching environment has changed from when I was a student and from what I have read in the forum it has for the vast majority of us. I grew up with the 'chalk and talk' approach and my education does not appear to be effected too badly, however I was taught the whole word approach with very little phonics and osmosis from posters around the room would help us improve our learning, as a result, my spelling is atrocious - thank goodness for spell check!! In today's learning environment, teachers are changing and adapting to the role of facilitator. This couldn't be truer in the role of TL as we all learnt in our first assignment. Inquiry based learning has become more prevalent with the ever increasing amount of technology being introduced into schools. As the teacher becomes the facilitator, students are beginning to work at their own pace and level individually rather than as a whole class. This is evident at my school with the introduction of Mathletics, the upper primary teachers rave about it and it has been suggested, on several occasions that we, the Kindergarten teachers, use it too. Sorry, no! I believe there is a need for the change in teaching pedagogy at times, as we were taught at uni and new teaching frameworks try to instil in us but there is still a need for the hands on approach, especially in Maths this entails the teacher being the teacher and not a facilitator. The Quality Teaching Framework is a classic example of this, every teacher instils the values into their students without the metalanguage that James Ladwig suggests we use to what point, if it is taught and taught to a high level, is there any need to use the terminology in the Framework, that is until the next person creates a new framework or pedagogy that is taught by in universities and told that this is the only way to do it.

aaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggggg

Wow, well this assignment is due in on monday and i am struggling with section 2. I havent been able to post anything for the last little while because somehow I had forgotten my password, yes cleave I know, but it happened!!! I dont have much of an idea of what I am meant to be doing. Fortunately I have been able to check out other peoples blogs and see what they are doing as well as the forum (oh thank goodness for the forum!!!!).

The best form of communication is to be open with people, to discuss any potential issues that may arrive to to make others feel as comfortable communication with others in both a formal and informal setting. Communication within a school context is essential, teachers needs to be effective communicators with students, parents, executives and other teachers on staff to support the student and the other teachers.

Conflict resolution is a skill many teachers have developed to deal with parents when there has been some form of miscommunication with their child - here we go with the communication bit again.

Yes, yes, this is a little late for my initial thoughts on communication, but better late then never I guess.

Busy, busy, busy

Well 501 is done and part a of 504 is done. Now its part b that i am attempting to complete.

Trevor and I went camping last week to Chamber's Pillar, a reward for finishing the powerpoint. IT was soooo good to get away and forget about uni and school (for the whole 24 hours). Great trip.

I have just realised how handy it is to have a blog, I can go back and check the readings and remember what the article is about instead of reading the whole lot again. So great idea!

Yah, only 1 week left of school. actually its only 4 days because friday is a pupil free and then the in-laws arrive this Thursday so really have to finish this assignment soon!!!!

why oh why

Saturday afternoon was my last netball game for the season, we didnt make it to the finals, but for a team that has only just started to play together i think we did ok. So now sat arvo is free! but of course i cant do anything the easy way i have just joined the gym (after 3 years of not going, was rather sore when i awoke this morning!!!) and have plans on playing mixed netball on Thursday night. guess i've cut off my tongue to spite my face really. Oh well, just have to knuckle down more and lock myself upstairs in my room a little more often.

As i am working through my ETL501 assignment where critical and analytical skills are required (and i struggle with both, oops) I have found myself critically evaluating websites without even thinking about it. Even the sets of criteria i am using i find myself critically evaluating. I guess that is a good thing! on reflecting, i think i have always subconsciously evaluated websites before letting my kids (school kids that is) loose on them, so to understand in more depth what and why i am doing it is a good thing. Huh, i just realised i think i am enjoying 501, amidst the cursing that i am doing about why i am doing post grad studies.

this weeks readings have gone out the window for me, will do them, but just not this week, a little too distracted with 501 and then 504 the following week. at least they werent due in the same day, thanks james for sorting that out!!!

Think i have procrastinated nicely enough - well break really between evaluating my two sets of criteria. Quite possibly my eyes will have turned slightly square ish by the time both these assignments are over.

Well enough for now...

R

Thank goodness for spell check on this!!!