Critical Synthesis

PART C

A reflection on how my view of the role of the teacher librarian has changed over the course of this subject.



When I thought about career change for the third time in my life, I wondered what I could do that utilised my degrees I already had. I had always loved going to the library when I was at school and I love literacy and children's books and aspire to one day writing a children's picture book. So put all that together and I came up with a Masters in Teacher Librarianship. I never dreamed the role of the TL was so expansive and the course would be so in depth. I must admit my idea of the TL's role was reading stories, coordinating research projects, organising author visits and running book week. I was so wrong and so are many people, the TL might be one of the most underrated professions (second to that of the nurse) in our society. Speaking to a friend who told me this course was a lot of work just to learn how to say SHH made me want to stick the poster "What your Teacher Librarian can do for you" on her head. See blog post 15/5/10. When reading the Australian Library Information Association policies I came across the core knowledge, skills and attributes that a TL should have (blog post 16/3/10). I really had no idea where they would fit into my knowledge base at the time they were just a bunch of skills I did not posses. It was until I continued reading and completing assignment one that the penny dropped and everything fell into place. The library is so much more than a place with books, it really is a learning hub and technology is in the centre of it. Being information literate is crucial in today's society. According to the ALIA, TL’s “have the knowledge and expertise to design, plan, develop, manage and evaluate the delivery of library and information services to meet the information needs of their clients and assist them to become information literate. Through professional education, librarians and information managers will have the ability to analyse, evaluate, organise and synthesis information and to develop programs that will encourage their clients to acquire the sills necessary to effectively acquire the skills necessary to effectively seek, locate and use the information they need” (www.alia.org.au/policies/core.knowledge.html 2005).

Research confirms that it is the TL that is the link in creating information literate school communities and information literate students. The role of the TL and the library is to allow students to develop skills necessary to become life long learners by enquiry, decision making, and analysing, recognising and evaluating information. These are some attributes and skills of an information literate person according to one definition that Herring gives in A Critical Investigation of Students and Teachers Views of the Use of Information Literacy Skills in School Assignments. (Blog entry 13/5/10).
Information literacy models have been developed to improve students learning and help them become information literate. In assignment 2 I researched 3 models and how they compared to each other. This task reiterated the TL’s role and put it into context for me. I could see that the idea of being information literate was only possible if you were taught to be so. The models are a tool that TL’s use to help students learn and develop problem solving strategies. The standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians were also critically evaluated, the following are a summary of the 3 standards, which encompass 12 elements. Within the standards of a TL according to the ASLA the TL will possess: 1-Professional Knowledge which will encompass the principles and understanding of lifelong learners, have knowledge of teaching and learning across curriculum areas, understand the school community and curriculum and have a solid foundation of information, resources, technology used in library management. 2- Professional Practice where the TL creates information rich learning environments, access to information resources, collaborates and plans units of work with other teachers to ensure that programs are accessible to the needs of the learners and monitor and evaluate learning to improve outcomes. 3- Professional Commitment outlines the TL’s ability to empower the school community to become life long learners, show a commitment to promoting the profession and literate community, show leadership by collaboration and sharing of knowledge and information services. Choosing three of these standards that enhanced student learning outcomes was an easy task compared to finding their strengths and weaknesses. I can almost say that I can tick one element of the standard 1.1 knowledge of the principle of lifelong learning- well informed about information literacy theory and practice. Looking back on my blogs I noticed that in First Achievement 24/4/10 I discuss the standards in relation to assignment one and the teachers role. I also say I hope I am on the right track, I know now that I was not quite their and I would not have been ticking off one of the standards. I would not say that I was at a standard of excellence but I did learn something.

My greatest challenge in this subject was participating in chat rooms and forums. I would access the forums and read the posts but most of the time I would get confused with different points of view. I managed to supply my blog address, introduce myself and ask a question, which no one replied to. I thought maybe the chat rooms would be more my style of learning, although these sessions would frustrate me. The pace was extremely fast, my queries were not answered and when I was confused about a topic or question people would start talking about Neighbours or Roy's biscuits. I am not an interactive learner, I like to be face to face, sit around in tutorial groups and discuss the issues.

Now the course is coming to an end, I must make some decisions of where to now- do I defer, continue or change topics. Time is something I need and at the moment it is limited, I think I need to read Covey one more time.

References

• Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). (2005), The Library and Information Sector: Core knowledge, skills and attitude, http://www.alia.org.au/policies/core.knowledge.html


• Australian School Library Association (2007), Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians, retrieved 5-4-10, http://www.asla.org.au/policy/standards.htm



• Herring James, Critical Investigation of Students'and Teachers' View of Information Literacy Skills. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume9/informationliteracy.cfm



• Skrzeczynski, C. (1999), Ch 16 Breaking the barriers: sculpting an information school community, pp 241-258 In Henri, J. & Bonanno, K. (Eds). The information literate school community

If I could turn back time

If only time could be turned around or stopped... I am out of time and assignment 2 needs to be sent off, and I have that sinking feeling of total disappointment. I struggled to understand this subject failed assignment one and now as assignemnt 2 travels through internet world I fear it is a doozie as well.

Am I cut out to be a TL

WOW


Can one person really be all these things

School Library Association of Victoria http://www.slav.schools.net.au/

Information literacy

Time for another blog.... finally have five minutes to sit at a computer and blog. I have been doing a course on Autism which I have found fascinating and realise because this is what I work with it is relevant to me. i have had so much difficulty wrapping my head around the TL because I do not work in a library and have had limited exposure to it. I have been in Special Ed for over 6 years why am I not doing my Masters in Special Ed one will never know. Anyway my folder with notes and readings in it, has become my best friend, it comes with me everywhere I go in case I get five minutes waiting in the car whilst picking up my daughter to read and make more notes.

Information Literacy and the need to be information literate has changed the role of the librarian dramatically. Gone were the days of looking up a book in the catalogue flipping through the cards till you found the right book, searching the shelves, only to find someone has put the book you want on another shelf. Now when we want to find information we use the computer, type in the subject and there is all the information you need right before your eyes and you have not even left your chair. So how does the Librarian fit into the process.... I guess it is the TL that will teach our learners how to process and locate this information. Anyone can give students Literacy models but it will be the TL who will teach, explore and develop the Literacy models for learners. Langford 1998 confers that information literacy is understood as something that is teacher librarian orientated and not part of the general curriculum.

Herring a Critical Investigation of Students and Teachers Views of the Use of Information Literacy Skills in School Assignments gives the reader a number of definitions on what Information Literacy are. They are as follows;

1) Doyle (1994) Information Literacy is "the ability to access, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources, to recognise when information is needed, and to know how to learn".

2) The National Forum on Information Literacy (2004) states information literacy as "The ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand"

3) Moore (2002) States it is a dynamic concept which extends basic reading, writing and calculating skills for application in information and technology rich environments,

4) Kuthlthau (2001)... for the purpose of learning and solving problems.

5) Herring (2004) "the skills which pupils use ti identify the purpose of, locate, process and communicate information concepts and ideas and then reflect upon the effective application of these skills"

There are many more definitions but it would take me forever to list them all. So to get information literate we use the information literacy models to assist us in getting there, more on these later.

Baby awake, must get out of study mode and into mummy mode (only took me an hour to get into study mode) that's alright maybe I will get some more time tonight.

Reference,

Herring James, Critical Investigation of Students'and Teachers' View of Information Literacy Skills. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume9/informationliteracy.cfm