Blog post #1- Constructivist learning and the Australian curriculum

“Constructivist learning transforms the student from being a passive recipient to an active participant of the learning process” (O’Connell, 2013). This statement suggests that students are guided by the teacher yet they are responsible for their own learning process. Two examples of constructivist learning are inquiry learning and project-based learning.

My personal understanding of the role of the teacher librarian is that we need to provide opportunities that put students at the forefront of their learning. Inquiry learning is a learning process, often described as a cycle that allows students to formulate questions, investigate and create a solution or an appropriate response to a particular topic (Edutech wiki, 2012). The purpose is to ensure that students are actively engaged, that they examine more complex problems and in turn discover possible answers themselves (Wilson & Murdoch, 2004, p. 1).

Inquiry learning, within the Australian curriculum, is moving towards the use of digital technologies to enhance student learning outcomes. A teacher librarian should be focusing on such resources to accompany their programs to effectively engage students. A great deal of my own teaching incorporates such technologies including iPads, internet-based research, e-books and e-resources on a daily basis whereby students are in control of their learning and I in turn guide them through this process. Inquiry learning must be central to the student and allow them to be a part of the decision making process. This will give them ownership over their work and will impact overall on enjoyment and on-task behaviour (Wilson & Murdoch, 2004, p. 1).

While inquiry learning has many benefits it is also said to have its challenges. Murdoch & Wilson (2004, p. 1) believe that it requires a high level of organisation, flexibility and collaboration. Unless you are at a school where this type of learning is supported, it would be quite difficult, but definitely not impossible, to administer such programs.

Another constructivist learning approach is project-based learning (PBL). This type of learning focuses on the creation of a product or project aimed to develop student learning skills, as well as their knowledge, using digital devices to do so (Boss & Krauss, 2008, p.12). Using such digital technologies allows for learning to be new and exciting and to achieve learning outcomes in a different way that is relevant to the world of the student.

Personally, I have seen programs implemented that would relate to the PBL approach and the way in which students respond is tremendous. Students are actively engaged in the learning process because the learning is relevant to them. “From a student’s perspective, there’s no substitute for the real world when it comes to generating interest in learning” (Boss & Krauss, 2008, p. 6). I find this statement to be entirely relevant to my own teaching as I would much rather see my students engaged in a hands on task in the library than listening to me speak about something they could instead be doing themselves. 

As we begin to integrate the new curriculum into our teaching, we will soon see how important using such digital technologies is in achieving student learning outcomes and wish that they had been around much longer. Using constructivist approaches such as inquiry learning and project-based learning will definitely be worth integrating into our programs as teacher librarians to achieve such success.

Boss, S.  & Krauss, J. (2008). Excerpted from Reinventing Project-Based Learning. Your field guide to real world projects in the digital age. International Society for Technology in Education. 1-24. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/REINVT-excerpt.pdf

Edutechwiki (2010). Inquiry based learning. A very useful introduction to inquiry based learning. Retrieved from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Inquiry-based_learning

O’Connell, J.  (2013). Teacher Librarian and the Curriculum [ETL401 Module 3.1] Retrieved March, 2013 from Charles Sturt University website: http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/site/ETL401_201330_W_D

Wilson, J. & Murdoch, K. (2004). What is Inquiry Learning? Adapted from Wilson, J. & Wing Jan, L. (2003). Focus on Inquiry. A practical approach to curriculum planning. 2^ND ed. 1-9. Retrieved from http://resourcebank.sitc.co.uk/Resources/Priority2/2Noumea/NoPr_T006inquiryLearning.pdf

The role of the teacher librarian

 When thinking about the role I see myself fulfilling as a TL, I really start to reflect on myself as a person and as a teacher and what I could honestly bring to the role. There are so many ideas and theories behind what makes a great teacher librarian and what a great teacher librarian should say and do but how many of us have actually stopped and thought ‘Am I really capable of doing this?’ If I’m being completely honest I will say that I have definitely thought this, many times. Yet this thought soon is replaced with a more positive ‘of course I can!’, because this is what I want to do.

Lamb (2011) sees that the media specialist in any given forum should “have a palette to mix elements and create meaningful learning experiences”. This PALETTE refers to many different roles of the teacher librarian and doing these roles well.  Whether it is collaborating and co-operating with other people within the school system, promoting lifelong learning or facilitating information use. Herring (2007) also comments on the multi-faceted role of the TL and how to prioritise many of these different roles according to what suits at any given time.

Although it will be an ongoing process and at times highly stressful I am aim to have that PALETTE that Lamb talks about and to ensure that I am constantly promoting this throughout my leadership within the school environment. I want to be the person who other teachers come to for professional advice, whether it be about resourcing or collaborating on particular programs or units, providing informational advice or just asking for my own professional opinion about a related topic.

In regards to the way principals perceive the TL, I really think that depends on what the principal truly knows about the role of the TL. Teacher Librarians need to develop a strong relationship with their principals and involve them in their ideas and planning. Oberg (2006) states that research in this field has shown that although teacher librarians view their principal’s support as critical, very few engage their principals in what they are doing. Furthermore, there are principals who do not respect or support school library programs at all and “believe that libraries are basically warehouses” and “that teacher librarians are not leaders or proactive educators but service providers who merely respond to teacher or student requests” (Oberg, 2006). I believe this has a lot to do with a lack of information about the role of the teacher librarian and therefore a disjointed view of this.

In my own experience, I have and continue to have the full support of my principal and I believe he trusts and believes in the decisions that I make. I do however think that I fall victim slightly to the lack of understanding of my role but I aim to change this perception step by step. By keeping my principal up to date with the programs I am administering and the school wide promotion of events in the library, I aim to show just how huge my role is and the impact it has on the school environment and student learning.

Lamb, A. (2011). Bursting with potential: Mixing a media specialist's palette. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 55(4), 27-36.

Herring, J. (2007). Teacher librarians and the school library. In S. Ferguson (Ed.) Libraries in the twenty-first century : charting new directions in information (pp. 27-42). Wagga Wagga, NSW : Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.

Oberg, D. (2006). Developing the respect and support of school administrators. Teacher Librarian, 33(3), 13-18.

Are school librarians an endangered species?

Whilst viewing each of the podcast videos of 5 library leaders and their thoughts on teacher librarians  as endangered species, I realised that each of the speakers were doing exactly the same thing... Defending their profession. Although they strongly believe that teacher librarians are definitely not an endangered species in which they proceeded to educate us on why, they know (or more so, WE know) that we must constantly prove the worth of our work and our expertise if we want to continue to exist in a world where almost anything can be replaced.

For me the take home message is that we should never feel complacent in our role. We should always be fighting for our (soon-to-be) profession and consistently working to improve upon our development as an information specialist and adapt to the ever changing times.

American Association of School Libraries (2012). 30 Second Thought Leadership. Insights from leaders in the school library community. Retrieved on Thursday 21st March, 2013 from http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/aboutkq/30second_JanFeb12

Library databases

So navigating through the library databases has been a extremely helpful process. I've never felt entirely confident researching journal articles and I'm so glad I took the time to watch those tutorials and wish I had a better understanding of it years ago.

I spent most of my undergrad degree struggling to find recent, quality journal articles and instead resorted to books most of the time. What a waste of time that was!

Because of this whole process, I now feel a little better prepared and my anxiety levels are decreasing by the day.

What are the implications of this changing information and library landscape for the broader information profession?

Libraries are definitely at the forefront of an ever changing technological world. It is our job as librarians to make available a world of technologies and digital devices for research and information purposes, but as a teacher librarian we must lead others into this world with our knowledge and expertise.

Frey (2007) explains it perfectly when he talks about 'evaluating the library experience' and 'embracing new information technologies'. We must be constantly evaluating the library as a whole and the space it provides for a community. It needs to be the hub of that community and must be adaptable to the changing technological world.

The implications of this changing information and library landscape are that it will never slow down. Libraries will continue to press on and adapt and there should always be someone there to lead this change.

Frey, Thomas. (2007). The future of libraries. Beginning the great transition. Da Vinci Institute. Louisville, CO: http://www.davinciinstitute.com/papers/the-future-of-libraries/

Finally!

That is the word that entered my head as I successully set up my google account to begin blogging with Blogger. Now I wasn't originally planning on using Blogger but with all the trouble I just encoutered trying to set up an account with edublogs, I decided to give something else a try.

I must say, as I'm typing this I already feel more relaxed and less anxious about the whole blogging experience. It's not as if this is the first time, as I've used blogs in the classroom before. However personal blogging is a completely different experience. It's a little scary putting your thoughts and feelings out there.

With a little time and researching, I'm sure I can get used to this.