SLAQ / IASL 2010 ConferenceBrisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
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Concurrent session 6 | Concurrent session 7 | Trade presentations 3 | Trade presentations 4 | Concurrent session 8 | Concurrent session 9
CS6.1 – The leadership role of the teacher-librarian in technology integration – Dr Nancy Everhart and Dr Marcia Mardis, USA (Research Forum)
In 2008, the United States’ Institute for Museum and Library Services funded Project Leadership-in-Action (LIA) that included surveys of the technology integration practices of teacher-librarian leaders with National Board Certification. Preliminary 2009 survey results suggested that the 295 respondents worked in well-resourced libraries with personnel assistance as well as numerous computers and devices. Respondents reported that they led school technology integration in many areas but also had areas in which to improve such as services to special needs learners, participation in student assessment, and transferring their leadership success to professional and local communities.
CS6.2 – Developing independent learners – Sarah Pavey, United Kingdom.
Box Hill School is an independent school in Surrey, England. In 2008 the English curriculum was abandoned in favour of the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBD). A library is a statutory requirement of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) endorsement who also recommend this be managed by a qualified teacher-librarian. In May 2008, I was employed to create a library and develop independent learning throughout the school. This paper considers the rationale behind the physical design. It outlines the implementation of independent learning in an international school community where no infrastructure to promote this style of teaching and learning previously existed.
CS6.3 – One-to-one mobile computing devices – Anne Weaver, Australia.
To maximize learning value from 1-to-1 programs in schools, computing devices need to be personal, portable and multifunctional. It is likely that shared devices will not be as effective. The increased access provided by 1-to-1 devices creates great opportunities for school-librarians to support their school technology directions and to implement 21st century information literacy and reading promotion programs. Increased access will mean greater utilization and demand for online resources. The key factor in the success of 1-to-1 programs is teacher implementation of appropriate pedagogies. Teacher-librarians have the chance to provide leadership in pedagogies that most effectively utilize these devices to improve learning outcomes. If we consider how iPods have revolutionised the music industry, what are the implications of personal, portable, multifunction-devices (PPMs) for learning and school libraries? Increasingly, the anecdotal and research experience is that learning needs to be continuous, not discontinuous and a personal part of a student’s learning life. If a teacher has to book a computer lab or book a laptop trolley, there is discontinuity - learning stops and starts, and there is no ongoing personal relationship with the learning device. Computing devices need to be integrally blended into learning, both inside and outside the classroom.
CS6.4 – Razzle dazzle: creating interactive library spaces – Barbara Combes, Australia.
Creating a school library environment that is interactive and engaging for your school community is an important prerequisite to establishing a creditable identity with teaching staff, which in turn, leads to opportunities to develop collaborative curriculum programs. The library and its personnel must be perceived as a hub for learning and part of the core business of the school by the whole community including senior administration, teachers, students and parents. Such an environment demonstrates the value adding to the curriculum, literacy and information literacy student learning outcomes that is the result when professional library staff are part of the staffing equation in a school. However, schools are volatile environments, heavily influenced by both local community factors and systemic initiatives. They often tend to be workplaces where crisis management or just-in-time management rules the working day. Having enough time to be creative is a major issue for all staff including library personnel, who must deal with an overcrowded curriculum and an overloaded information landscape. Therefore creating an interactive, engaging school library space requires careful planning, delegation and implementation strategies to ensure ongoing success, plus smooth operations which do not impinge on staff workload. This paper will present some initial ideas and strategies for the development of an interactive and engaging library space with particular reference to physical, social and virtual spaces. It will include discussion about infrastructure, collection management and access, physical layout, use of light and colour, displays, social hubs, student publishing, virtual libraries and information pods. The workshop session will be interactive and provide opportunities for participants to share their ideas. At the close of the conference, a wiki will be established on the IASL portal, in the School Libraries in Action section where the discussion can continue and participants from around the globe can share their ideas, creativity and expertise.
CS6.5 – Through the lens of new school libraries: the application of standards to deliver excellence – Barbara Schultz-Jones, et. al., USA.
We examined the issues related to delivering service excellence through the lens of 39 graduating school librarians in written assignments for the final course of their certification program, as they focus on what is needed to apply standards to become an effective school library media specialist in the 21st century. Of the 16 issues identified the concern over technology and their role as a technology specialist dominated the ranking. The results reinforce the ongoing need for education program coursework that continues to emphasize the role of technology in the 21st century school learning environment.
CS6.6 – Information literacy competencies among school library media teachers – Tan Shyh Mee and Diljit Singh, Malaysia. (Research Forum)
Library media teachers are key stakeholders in the implementation of information literacy. How do they perceive information literacy? What are the information literacy competencies needed by these teachers? What are the current levels of information literacy competencies? What are the factors affecting implementation of information literacy among library media teachers in secondary schools? These were the central research questions in this preliminary study. A self-report questionnaire-based survey was carried out among 36 library media teachers from Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. The findings reflected that respondents knew what information literacy is and perceived information literacy as much needed skills for their professions. It also revealed that the teacher rates the skill to identify information needed with the mean of 3.94. The skill to synthesise information found in the source scored the lowest mean of 3.47. Their information literacy skills rate slightly higher from average to good. These teachers yearn for continuing education opportunities, professional development, training in information literacy and library and information science. The country needs a well structured national information agenda, policy and guidelines to lay down concrete foundations to the implementation of information literacy. A well equipped information technology infrastructure in schools will revolve school libraries into the information centres. The findings from this study suggest that the library media teachers
CS7.1 – Lost in space: designing for learning – Dr Susan La Marca, Australia.
The design of a learning space, and the many factors that come together to create that space, impact on how we feel and behave in that space and ultimately how we learn. This paper will discuss the importance of mission statements, policy and planning in light of how we create spaces that are learning-driven, human-centred and flexible. Of particular interest is how the culture of the space and the use technology are incorporated into design considerations in light of these factors. This paper explores, very briefly, the theoretical discussion, whilst the conference presentation will consider examples of these views in practice.
CS7.2 – Digital stories: engaging, inspiring and enlightening a new generation of students -- Michelle Ragen & Helen Johnston, Australia.
In this workshop, the presenters will explore the field of Digital Storytelling as a powerful teaching and learning tool in Years 9 and 10 English, and the role of the teacher librarian in assisting to design and support such innovative curriculum initiatives. In particular, they will discuss two interactive, multimedia units in their English programs: the Year 9 digital fiction unit, which requires the students to re-represent a narrative digitally; and the Year 10 digital narrative unit, which involves the students composing a multimodal, biographical story of a leader of their choice. This workshop will focus on the benefits of teaching digital stories, the obstacles that need to be overcome and information about the practical implementation of technology in the classroom. It is important to note that the teaching of precise word choices, syntax and imagery is a fundamental aspect of this genre. Furthermore, digital storytelling by students provides a strong foundation in many different types of literacy, including visual, information and technological, helping connect the students’ learning to the real world.
CS7.3 – A study of students’ decision-making processes – Curtis Watson, Australia. (Research Forum).
This report details an ongoing investigation of the decision-making processes of a group of secondary school students in south-eastern Australia undertaking information search tasks. The study is situated in the field of information seeking and use and, more broadly, in decision-making. Research questions focus on students’ decisions about the relevance and reliability of information. Data collected include video screen captures, think-aloud reports and interviews. Qualitative data analysis developed a preliminary grounded theory to describe decision-making processes. Students depended on system-provided relevance cues, rejected particular resource categories, examined remaining items for general and specific relevance, and primarily used a process of corroboration to assess reliability. Selected implications for educators are raised.
CS7.4 – Cancelled
CS7.5 – Serving up a smorgasbord of collaborative practice – Senga White and Donna Watt, New Zealand.
Collaborative practice which acknowledges differentiated learning needs of students, diverse long-term educational outcomes, and acknowledges the respective skill sets of both teacher and librarian in delivering a curriculum which embraces the future-focused needs of 21st century learners – to be literate and numerate, critical and creative thinkers, active seekers, users and creators of knowledge, informed decision makers, and active participants in their future world. Looking at the journey of two school library managers and their diverse school communities, both involved in the Otago/Southland Information Literacy Project from June 2007 to November 2008. This project, commissioned by the National Library of New Zealand in collaboration with the Otago University Education Department and the New Zealand Ministry of Education, involved the participation of librarians and teachers from seven schools from the Otago and Southland regions of New Zealand looking at a collaborative approach to student learning outcomes and focused on Year 8 students.
CD7.6 – Why did a US secondary school district retain teacher-librarians in a time of economic crisis? – Dr Ann Ewbank, USA. (Research Forum).
The number of U.S. teacher-librarians has greatly diminished despite advocacy efforts by stakeholders. This case study investigated the factors that led governing board members in a mid-sized urban high school district to retain certified teacher-librarian positions despite a major economic crisis. Themes constructed through the analysis were: stakeholder involvement; transparency in communication; trust between district leadership and the governing board; a commitment to the district’s core values; and the value placed on the school library program by the district’s stakeholders. Future research should investigate school districts’ decision-making processes in the retention of teacher-librarian positions during economic crises.
T3.1 – T3.1 – How into wow! -- Mervyn Murray, Area Manager, Raeco.
Give me 30 minutes and I will give you a new library!…well the overall vision for one anyway.
During this hands on session you can expect to get involved with
Book early for the session – even if you are not yet talking about your new library
T3.2 – eBooks: build and enhance your e-Content collections, Tim Ramsey, Regional Sales Manager, Follett International, USA.
Learn how to incorporate, source and manage eBooks into your growing library collection. Focusing on the tools available through the various companies under the Follett Corporation, libraries are able to preview an entire eBook before purchasing, purchase eBooks without a subscription or software, and loan them out through the library’s management system. In addition to downloading the eBooks, patrons have the option to access the books online where they can take personal notes, hear audio*, and copy portions*of the books. With the advancement of technology, it is important to implement digital content into the library to keep your students engaged wherever they are. . Find out how to gain access to eBooks and build your eContent collections.
*Subject to publisher’s permission
T3.3 – Reading in the digital age -- Richard Roberts, Director, Ziptales
All teachers are aware that their students are digital natives. But how to successfully sift the internet for valid educational material? How to use technology to advance children in the classroom? This workshop begins with international research on digital media in schools outlining major principles to direct best practice. It then uses Ziptales as a case study, to demonstrate how a digital literacy program works – with particular reference to readability issues and the correlation between motivation and academic success. Ziptales is a vast online library, with some 300 stories, poems, puzzles, comics, videos, jokes, ‘Make and Do’ projects, and lessons in writing and language study. The workshop is very much hands on, leading teachers directly from the underlying pedagogic issues to the practical applications of interactive comprehension activities and the use of follow up worksheets. All participants will be given a ‘take away’ login, to use in their own schools – as well as a free printed manual.
T3.4 – Alexandria: Check It Out!, Stephen Kunzler, Regional Sales Manager, Companion Corporation, USA.
Alexandria Library Automation: Check it Out! Join Stephen Kunzler as he gives an in-depth look at Alexandria’s fully integrated, cross-platform, web-based library automation system used and loved by thousands of libraries for over 20 years. Learn how Alexandria will help increase the worth and value of your wonderful libraries.
T3.5 - T3.5 - What’s New in Online Databases and eBooks -- Olivia Beattie, Account Executive for School Libraries, Ebsco.
School libraries are increasingly moving into the digital world. Providing students with access to online databases and eBooks is a key feature of this and is essential to help prepare students for tertiary study. EBSCO Publishing is the world’s largest aggregator of online databases and can help your library provide students with the high quality research information they need. With the largest electronic collection of Australasian content, and databases that are aligned with the Australian curriculum, many school libraries choose EBSCO as their provider of choice. This presentation will outline our most popular school databases. This will include the Australia/NZ Reference Centre and Australia/NZ Points of View, and subject specific databases in science, history, literature and ESL. This presentation will also take a look at the eBook and eAudiobook collections we can offer your students and how these can be used in your school library.
T4.1 - The Book House
T.4.2 - Books illustrating perspective or different points of view -- Kate Shepherd, Manager/Director, Austral Ed.
I have recently begun working on a list of fiction resource books which can be used to illustrate the concept of perspective as outlined in the Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate. This presentation will look at a range of books which are helpful when discussing the concept of perspective in relation to different points of view. This would be useful for any school curriculum as looking at a variety of points of view can develop international awareness and the willingness to consider other perspectives. The books discussed will be picture books and fiction titles from Elementary to Grade 7.
T4.3 - Softlink presents the new SQL version of Oliver – Oliver v5 -- Susan Gan, Education Sales Consultant, Softlink.
Softlink’s Oliver, is the Library Management System solely dedicated to school libraries. School libraries choose Oliver for its resilience in delivering a stable web based interface catering to the varying needs of students of all ages. With secure online access to digital information and learning resources, allowing for the ever changing technological requirements of 21st Century school libraries. Softlink’s presentation will consist of a preview of the soon to be released SQL version of Oliver.
T4.4 - My Place for teachers: interactive website and digital resources package - Deborah Cohen, Education Manager, Australian Children's Television Foundation
This presentation introduces teacher-librarians to the My Place for Teachers resource package including the book, 13 episode TV series DVD, My Place Teachers’ Guide (DVD ROM) and an award-winning interactive website that supports years 3-6 teachers (& beyond) with implementing the Australian curriculums for English and History. My Place TV series adapts the picture book by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins. There are 13 episodes (2008-1888) in the first series and another 13 episodes in series 2 (1878- before time). Each episode presents a personal narrative about a child who lives in the same house/land across each decade for more than 200 years. The interactive website includes a decade timeline, teaching activities, 39 video clips, content for specific themes and a teacher forum to share strategies and students stories. This teaching content is also included in a My Place Teachers’ Guide DVD Rom for easy downloading and adaption to any classroom.
CS8.1 – MLC Libraries – a school’s journey with students, staff & Web 2.0 technologies – Jane Viner and Amanda Lucas, Australia.
This workshop paper explores the Web 2.0 journey of the MLC Libraries teacher-librarians, librarian, library and audio visual technicians. Our journey was initially inspired by Will Richardson and supported by the School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV) Web 2.0 professional development program. The 12 week technological skills program ‘23 things’ assisted in motivating the MLC Libraries team to adopt Web 2.0 technologies into their daily work with students and staff. Originally in 2008 staff developed blogs as a communication tool between each other and then between students and staff. During 2008 Methodist Ladies' College supported the use of internal blogs by students and staff. Blogs were the initial Web 2.0 technologies adopted by the library staff. The use of wikis followed in 2009 when the College provided a wiki platform for learning and teaching tools within the intranet. The library team members with initial blog experience seized the opportunity to expand their knowledge. Professional development support from MLC and the SLAV program assisted library staff with this educational journey. As confidence with Web 2.0 technologies increased, staff were empowered to broaden their communication experience with colleagues, teachers, students and the school community. In 2010 blogs and wikis are being used to communicate with different groups within the MLC community. Literature Club students enjoy communicating via a blog and Year 11 International Baccalaureate Diploma Extended Essay students have information delivered via a wiki. Year 7 Information Networker students have shared their ideas via a class blog which has now developed into a wiki. The original MLC Libraries staff blog was used to share minutes, ideas, curriculum and photos of library based activities to assist with developing each person’s skills. It is now used for discussion topics. Meeting minutes and professional development reports are now being communicated via a wiki. A co-curricular wiki has recently been developed for lunch time craft students to which students and staff may contribute. In addition some teacher-librarians have collaborated with classroom teachers and added information about resources to subject based wikis developed outside the library. E-books are also another delivery method of information and literature that is being promoted and integrated into the library collection. They form part of the escalating collection of online resources and are changing the face of the school library's collection.
CS8.2 – Building internationally literate school communities – Barbara Philip and Katie Day, Singapore.
How can we as librarians bring children and books from a variety of cultures and backgrounds together to create a more internationally literate community? This workshop addresses that question with a discussion of what it means to be internationally literate as well as internationally-minded, followed by an outline of some evaluation criteria useful in selecting international children's literature. Examples will be offered of what a school library network can do to promote wider reading of literature from around the world.
CS8.3 – Creative Commons in the classroom - Anne Fitzgerald, Australia.
The ability to access, adapt and reuse content is integral to the digital education revolution. The Internet, digital recording devices and the ready availability of content production software have drastically changed the education landscape, replacing linear models of learning with more distributed, collaborative, user-generated and open networking models. Schools work collaboratively across the globe, students produce documentaries instead of essays, and even major universities are finding benefits from giving their courseware away. Yet the complexity of copyright compliance can make navigating this new environment nearly impossible. As use of digital technologies in classrooms grows, educators are being asked to act as expert, enforcer and advocate for an area of law that is increasingly cumbersome and at odds with ordinary behaviour. Even those with a good understanding of their rights under copyright law are finding that classroom exceptions written in the analogue era are woefully inadequate for the world of Youtube, Facebook and the iPhone. At the same time, the copyright fees paid by schools are escalating to never before seen levels. These factors conspire to prevent educators and students alike from making the most of the new technologies now available to them. Frustrated by the barrier to innovation posed by copyright law, a group of international copyright experts, most notably Professor Lawrence Lessig of Stanford and Harvard Universities in the USA, developed a vision for a space where people could share, remix and reuse copyright material without fear of being sued – a creative commons. To facilitate this, copyright owners would use a generic licence to give permission in advance for certain uses of their material. Lessig aimed to create a voluntary ‘some rights reserved’ system as an alternative to the ‘all rights reserved’ of traditional copyright law. Creative Commons is now a worldwide project that oversees a distributed information commons made up of over 250 million photographs, songs, films and other creative works licensed by their copyright owners for free reuse on certain terms. It can provide a valuable tool for educators, not just as a source of materials that can be copied, modified and reused without the need for legal advice, but as a tool for managing their own copyright material in a collaborative and distributive learning environment. Most importantly, Creative Commons can be a valuable tool for educating students about the ethics and law of copyright, which teaches them what they can do with others’ materials, rather than just telling them what they can’t.
CS8.4 – Read to Learn, Learn to Read @ Your Library – Paulette Stewart, West Indies.
Against a background of low literacy among many Jamaican children and young adults, the Learn-to-Read-Read-to-Learn@ Your Library was launched by the Jamaica Library Service and the Library and Information Association of Jamaica. The year-long program seeks to develop creative and literate learners through reading, writing and artistic expression. It is hoped that by the end of the year participants would have improved their literacy and creative skills and be better able to cope with the communication demands of everyday living.
CS8.5 – Traditional tales and contemporary art to promote multiple literacies – Morgan Schatz Blackrose and Roman W. Schatz, Australia.
Storytelling based arts projects offer a universal and inclusive pedagogy; challenging prejudices, celebrating diversity and promoting tolerance and resilience in participants. In addition they assist in the development of receptive and expressive language skills, provide a credible basis for understanding folklore, cultural traditions and social values, as well as offering a sound foundation for the pursuit of, and competency in, reading and writing. The contention that art and storytelling are global languages, lies at the heart of the storytelling based arts projects conducted by Australian storyteller, author and musician, Morgan Schatz Blackrose and Swiss Australian artist Roman W. Schatz.
CS8.6 – Demonstrating the impact of the teacher-librarian using evidence-based practice – Ann Gillespie, Australia. (Research Forum)
Evidence-based practice as it applies to the library and information sector (LIS) and, in particular teacher-librarians, is the focus of this research investigation. The context for this research is Australian school libraries and teacher-librarians. The contributions of this research will be in developing a framework for the library and information sector with a particular application for teacher-librarians. Providing meaningful evidence of work practices that demonstrate contributions to the schools goals and mission statements in conjunction with contributions to student academic, social and cultural achievements are crucial for the future of the teacher-librarian.
CS9.1 – Delivering learning digitally: digital literacy as the core practice – June Wall, Australia.
This session is aimed at all educators K - 12. It presents digital literacy as the focus for the learning process delivered in support of curriculum. Digital literacy incorporates information literacy, critical literacy and ICT literacy. It is of particular importance in the context of the Digital Education Revolution (DER). Australian schools are moving closer to a 1:1 laptop environment. A 1:1 ratio for learning changes the roles of teacher and learner in the classroom and it can also change the pedagogical practice simply because of the digital tool that all students have. During 2009 a Digital Literacy for Educators course was designed and accredited with the NSW Institute of Teachers as a 20-hour course. The design process of this course and the evaluations of participants have shown a gradual change in practice in their learning spaces whether they were classrooms or school libraries. Understanding the core skills in digital literacy and being able to integrate these into a curriculum is more critical than before the DER. Information literacy is no longer a teacher-librarian’s core business – it has broadened to meet the needs of 21st century learning. This session overviews digital literacy and how it can be integrated with the curriculum. It will also provide an overview of a digital literacy continuum that is in development.
CS9.2 – Measuring Malaysia school resource centers’ standards through iQ-PSS – Fadzliaton Zainudin and Kamarulzaman Ismail, Malaysia.
Monitoring and constantly upgrading the standards of Malaysia 9,843 School Resource Centers (SRCs) are a long and tedious process. A systematic, effective and efficient method is needed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each SRC in order to decide on the form of assistance that should be given to deprived SRC or set excellent SRC as benchmark at district, state and national levels. The Ministry of Education has come up with an innovative way to monitor the progress of the SRCs using an online management information system called iQ-PSS (Quality Index of SRC). This paper aims to describe the data collection method and analyse the current state of SRCs in Malaysia. It also explains how the results of the analysis can be used to make informed decisions on further development and improvement of SRCs. The paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors that are involved in the process of achieving and maintaining the quality and excellence of SRC services to schoolchildren and at the same time, inculcating lifelong learning habits.
CS9.3 –Resilience is as resilience does -- Phillippa Ashbey, New Zealand.
This is an interactive session looking at the nature of 'resilience' and its significance in the world of school libraries. With an ageing profession, a conscious awareness of resilience is needed. It is vital that people working in the sector have the 'resiliency' to keep the profession fresh, innovative and energised. This session will provide a forum for discussion on what makes us resilient. It will explore the strategies that we can employ to keep ourselves, and our services proactive and responsive. Collaborative classroom efforts need to be built on a foundation of strong relationships and current content and theory. Teacher-librarians must be projecting a positive image, building relationships with clients, colleagues and community, proactive in offering new initiatives, responsive to the needs of teachers and students, and above all 'resilient'. School library staff must be resilient enough to do the things that we know we can do so well.
CS9.4 – Future of the book: challenge of the digital world – Pat Pledger, Australia.
In the last ten years there has been much speculation about the role of e-books and e-book readers. This paper will look at the impact of e-book readers on publishing and reading, the types of e-book readers, their advantages and disadvantages. Some ideas for future e-books and e-book readers and their use in the library and classroom will be discussed, as will the skills that are needed to read e-books. The future of the printed book will be discussed.
CS9.5 – Visual literacy using picture books for older readers – Megan Lindsay, Hong Kong.
Over the last 10 or more years, there has been a growing trend to publish very sophisticated “children’s” picture books which contain contemporary themes and imagery aimed at the older reader. These new books are beautifully crafted with eye-catching artwork and textual design features which are perfect tools for encouraging visual literacy and critical thinking skills, and also inspiring technology and design characteristics. They are highly motivating and encourage a new respect for picture books from students in the middle school area. This workshop will explore sophisticated picture books by well known Australian authors Gary Crew, Shaun Tan, John Marsden, UK author Anthony Browne , US authors David Weisner, Jon Sciezka. Through these books, we will uncover clever textual and visual clues to identify visual literacy features, e.g., camera angles, colour, shape, cropping, lighting, textual features, facial expression, body language, stereotyping, roles, icons, objects, settings, framing, and learn to look at our visual world with a deeper understanding.
CS9.6 – Information seeking and avoidance behaviour in school library distance learning – Dr Yunfei Du and Barbara Stein Martin, USA (Research Forum).
Library science students in school librarianship were surveyed to determine their information seeking and avoidance behaviours in Web-based online environments. Two coping styles were identified among students. Barriers to student online collaboration, such as individual preferences, concerns on efficiency, and lack of mutual trust, were observed.
Last updated 5 September 2010