Cataloguing

I went to the local library this afternoon for clarification on some cataloguing questions. Boy am I glad that I did. I think I learnt more in 30mins. at the library than I have in the last few days glued to the computer!! The local government amalgamation has meant an update of the OPAC to incorporate all the former council libraries into one system. The staff were busy cataloguing new material to be dispersed throughout the local region. I was so glad they could spare some time for me. Anyway, with assignment due dates looming, soccer presentation and construction of evidence for my ICT licence time surely moves at a rapid pace.

We never stop learning

I can't believe that I almost failed a subject. I am such a procrastinator I am probably typing this instead of finishing my assignment!!! This teacher librarian course is opening my eyes wider than they have ever been before. Not only do TLs require teaching skills and ICT skills, they also have to be adept at managing a library. At the moment I am learning how to create catalogue records for library items. I thought this would be pretty simple. Just enter the Dewey no's and SCIS does the rest. Not so, there are a great many rules that are applied to cataloguing. There are also punctuation requirements, just like references. I have found a new respect for the cataloguers at SCIS.
During my first term as temp. TL I couldn't understand why we had to send books to SCIS in Brisbane for cataloguing. Now I understand that you have to have all the required information before applying the correct rules as per AACR2. It would be great if I could process those books myself without having to send them away. ( Tell me I'm dreaming).

Reflections of a learning journey

At the beginning of the Autumn term I had already completed 2 subjects for my MedTl degree. I thought maybe I had learnt all there was to learn about the role of the Teacher Librarian. I was wrong! In my first post (8/3 Cyclones at home and at sea) I mention the challenges faced by Teacher Librarians concerning day to day management of the resource centre.As I have digested the reading material I have become more aware of the challenges that exist beyond the library walls.Challenges such as initiating dialogue with staff to encourage collaboration, developing resource based units to assist with motivating students and advocating for a greater profile for the resource centre and the staff who operate within.Helen Rowling's post to the topic 2 forum (6th March) encouraged me to reply with my own thoughts regarding the role of the teacher librarian. I believed that all Tls must be teaching Resource Based Learing(RBL) and that information literacy is the norm in most libraries. You can imagine my surprise then when I read the article posted on the OZ_TL Net listserv which stated that only 13% of school libraries are staffed by qualified Tls!
Why is this occuring? Is it because Teacher Librarians are no longer necessary within the education industry? I certainly do not agree. Research shows that the presence of a qualified Tl can increase student achievement in standardised tests by 10-20% (Spence,2006). I am now beginning to see why investing in the school library should be a priority within education. This investment could include professional development to alert teaching staff to the benefits of collaborating with their Tl. As a member of teaching staff in a primary school I was unaware of the benefits of RBL. A recent blog post (15/4)demonstrates how RBL and guided inquiry are necessary as we attempt to educate students how to navigate their way through the enormous amount of information available. A unit that has been developed collaboratively by the teacher and Tl can provide an array of resources to choose from that will suit the variety of learning styles students display. The Tl and teacher can ensure that curriculum outcomes are being met while providing motivating and interesting learning experiences for students.
Information literacy is another concept that I had limited knowledge of before starting this course. I"m sure that I will continue develop my understandings in this area as there is an immense amount of literature on the subject.As noted in blog entry (15/4) There is a distinct lack of interest shown in this area. I think that educators are producing programs that encourage the development of information literacy skills but it has not been explicity taught within the curriculum. I struggled with this concept last year when I attempted to integrate Essential Learnings (QSA 2007)into the library program. I viewed information literacy skills as a separate entity to be taught in isolation. I now understand why that approach is unsuitable. Kuhlthau (2007)explains the process as Inquiry Learning. She suggests that students learn as they are guided through the inquiry process. When they are inquiring about subjects that interest them ( such as a student directed research task) they will be motivated to learn. I agree as that is how I learn and that has been the basis for my interest in this course.
As I am developing my understandings of the role of the Teacher Librarian I am beginning to understand that many of the initiatives necessary to provide a standard of excellence require time. Time to build relationships, to develop partnerships, create a learning community and engender respect for the Teacher Librarian. It also takes time to aquire skills and establish opportunities for professional development. I have also learnt that Tls are constantly advocating for their position.
Throughout this course I have developed skills that enable me to search for online material that assists me to learn. I am learning to do this with the assistance of qualified teacher librarians who have a wealth of experience. We cannot expect primary school students to research without the guidance and experience that a Tl can offer.
Teacher Librarians possess a unique set of skills that allows them to be educators as well as librarians. I am slowly beginning to understand the depth of knowledge required to achieve excellence in this profession. There is still much to learn.

Wikipedia???

Well I finally found the correct details for Alvin Toffler's quote ""The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." I decided to google the quote and came up with a wikipedia entry. The quote was referenced as belonging to a book with the title "Rethinking the future". The book is not even written by Alvin Toffler and although he has written a foreword for the book, he does not include this quote. It actually comes from a book titled "Futureshock" which was written by Alvin and Heidi Toffler in 1970. He must have had great foresight even then as the computer age was in it's infancy 40 years ago. Anyway this annoyed me that inconsistencies can be placed on a site that is so popular, especially with students. I have been comparing Wikipedia to other online encyclopaedias for students to evaluate. I often find students copying the definitions from wikipedia without even understanding the content or meaning of what they are writing. The value of Information literacy skills is becoming clear to me and although our school appears to be ignorant of the developments surrounding these issues I feel that it is important that someone takes the initiative to at least introduce discussion around the topic.

Information Literacy

Wow I didn't realise how behind our school was in this area. I have not heard anyone mention the term information literacy at any staff meetings, or just in general conversation. I attended a professional development day at Rockhampton last year and was overwhelmed ( and excited ) at the possibilities for collaboration and use of great tools such as noodletools http://www.noodletools.com/ and wikis http://whosrunningthecountry.wetpaint.com/ . So who is responsible for raising the issues regarding information literacy? Is it the sole responsibility of the Teacher Librarian? I think not. As we hve discovered in our Masters course, one of the major roles of the Tl is to collaborate with staff and admin to provide the best programs and outcomes for students. So all staff should be responsible for information literacy. Guided inquiry should be an assessable component of any unit involving reseach skills. In Queensland the Essential Learnings for English devote a substantial amount of space to information skills but I do not see this reflected in the planning in our region. Every term our cohort groups for the region meet to moderate, plan and share. The Tl cohort is currently attempting to integrate the Essential Learnings, ALIA and ASLA standards into a workable document for planning and assessment. Big job you say, but a necessary one. So on the whole the Tl must be resposible for initiating discussion and planning for this very important area of the curriculum. The responsibility then falls to the school community to accept and integrate information literacy as a valuable area of skill development. As Alvin Tofler quoted in one of his books

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot access and evaluate information.

Can't find the direct quote but I think you can understand what he is saying.

Cyclones at home and at sea

Well the threat of Cyclone Hamish is still present . Winds are pretty strong but no rain today. The cyclone has made us become more aware of tidying up and keeping everything in order. It reminds me a little of working in the school library. Roy has mentioned the necessity to be organised and prioritise your time to which I totally agree. The problem with being organised is that as a TL you also need to be flexible. IT problems, class scheduling, timetable changes, library assistants sick and not being replaced, the list of interruptions is endless. How you handle these irritations will determine whether you are organised or not. Sometimes you have to ignore the reshelving, cataloguing etc. just to make it through the day. Somehow we manage to get everything done and still peruse snippets of educational and literary journals. It is not superhuman powers at work . It is the ability to manage our time and priorise our tasks that will get us through the day.

Welcome to my blog! These pages are basically a tool for me to organise my thoughts and invite discussion related to topics studied through CSU. I am currently immersing myself in children's literature and discovering what postmodernism means in relation to it. A lot of the literature I have accessed is over my head and I am making slow but steady progress. I am really interested in the technological applications available for Teacher Librarains as we move forward in the digital world.
I will try to keep my posts up to date and interesting ( no guarantees there ). Until next time, stay safe, be happy!

Wendy