PERSONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT REFLECTION

Reflecting on my coursework this term, I feel that I have laid the groundwork, or root structure for further development in the technology portion of my responsibilities as teacher librarian in my school. Growth has taken place both in collaborative connections with my peers and in personal media skills.

My connections with my community of peers has led to valuable resources which I have added to my toolbox for collaborative practices as well as personal viewpoints and topics of discussion with my staff and administration. All of this supports my strength of purpose and confidence that I am qualified to fill this position and make the necessary changes to serve my school effectively. A deficiency in the collaborative work that I have done with my staff includes ineffective communication of my purpose and possible projects and topics that can be accessed through the learning commons and the team teaching opportunities that are available to them. I have made strides to improve this communication with the development of newsflashes for both resources and collaborative options. (See blog post entitled, for direct links to these templates.)

One of the goals that I have set for myself early in my coursework in this field was to improve the internet outreach of the learning commons for all clients (staff, students and their parents). My frustration has been that there is a disconnect with district staff who are developing a common template for school websites, but as yet have not shared this with schools. I am determined not to wait for this process, but to forge ahead with my book report blog posts and make connections and links on a future developed website for our learning commons. I plan to make these book reports part of an outreach to all clientele, and ensure accessibility in the learning commons itself as a secondary book selection resource beyond the basic Destiny searches. My hope is that students will have peer suggestions for their pleasure reading and won't rely solely on teachers suggestions to inspire their literature choices. To this end, I feel that my growth as a blogger has been evidenced with this blog. I started with a simple narrative statement for my initial post. My first assignment post included a single picture along with my written information. I continued my development including resource lists with links, labels, more pictures and gifs. I began using a variety of fonts, text color and justifications to make my post more enticing. All of these skills will add to the teaching toolkit I am building to help students make connections with their peers using blogs as a safe bridge to social media outreach.

I must say that, though initially reticent or even resistant to the idea of blogging, I have come to embrace the practice and plan to continue in connection to my learning commons transitions. Though I have may some inroads into the use of Twitter as a peer connection opportunity, I am still reluctant to use this tool as a regular part of my personal development. Perhaps this skill or at least the desire to connect in this way will continue to develop in further coursework.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to use the video hangouts, and plan to explore this further in a personal connection with my private music studio. The use of Skype, Facebook Video Messenger and Outlook Hangouts has given me options to help with homebound lessons as well as students who continue their studies while travelling.

My mantra for professional development has always been that if there is one piece of information or a resource that is immediately useful in my teaching, then the workshop or course has been worthwhile. Obviously, there have been some successes in this area throughout my coursework for LIBE 477. Thank you, instructor Aaron Mueller for prodding us into risk-taking in the area of technology and collaboration.

RESOURCE LIST:
Image: pixabay
Gif: Percolate Galactic, retrieved from Giphy, https://giphy.com/gifs/percolategalactic-personal-plant-growth-26vUQL4aMNKuqQg24

VISIONING IS VALUABLE!

Throughout this school year, I have taken three courses and made an ever-growing list of valuable resources, lesson plans and prospective changes to what I do and what the facility that I manage does for its clients. I have developed a vision for the future of OES Learning Commons that is flexible and continually developing. The following is a list of the goals that I have chosen to focus on over the coming school year! This visioning exercise is something that I have undertaken with an administrator, a primary and an intermediate teacher, and two parents. Some points are directed at my personal growth, however several will incorporate input from this Learning Commons Leadership Team.

• Blog updates on facility upgrades 

• I have created an OES Learning Commons Blog where the first posts are about the beginning of our transition from a library to a learning commons. I have posted the url in the year end newsflash, and on the OES Community Facebook page in order to reach out to parents who are interested in following our development. I intend to track the growth and development of our Learning Commons facility for students and parents alike. Follow this link to our new blog: Oliver Elementary School Learning Commons

 

• Collaboration Newsflash

• By sharing a monthly newsflash listing collaboration opportunities, other teachers may be inspired to try something similar or something that they have created. 
• I have created a collaboration idea resource list on Symbaloo for sharing with by staff. I will add and update as I curate further resources. 
• Considering Collaboration

• New Materials Newsflash 

• Using a similar template, I have created a monthly newsflash which will inform staff of new materials both for student and teacher use. This will include print, building sets and web-based materials. 
• What's New Pussycat?

• Tech Tuesday lunch sharing for teachers 

• In the fall, I will gauge the interest for staff to attend an ‘in-house’ tech support lunch session once a week. This may evolve into a session offered during our monthly collaboration afternoons. Teachers who have become proficient in certain areas of technology will be asked to share in order to provide opportunities to have grade level, or buddy sharing of web or technology-based activities. 
• A potential staring point for this activity is Ellen Holderman's blog post. 16 Websites and Apps for making Video and Animation

• Learning Commons Webpage (link on school website)

• As our school website is currently under construction, and we have been asked to follow a similar template, I have been impatiently waiting for this to be completed. I hope to include links to 
•  OES Learning Commons blog for transition updates,
• Student book review blog 
• Student reading and math practice sites (teacher recommended) 
• Overdrive access 
• District 53 Destiny link 

• Student book review blog 

•  In the fall, Grade 7 students will begin with a book trailer project, and in turn will create a plan to teach a grade 6 student the process. The plan is to continue this process moving down the grade levels until all students are familiar with the process. After we have the student body able to produce these trailers, we will feature a few from each grade level each week on our student book review blog (links on the Learning Commons website) These book trailers will be accessible at Chromebook stations in the learning commons for students who are needing inspiration for book choices. One interesting source I am planning to adapt for our use was created by a grade 5 teacher and 2 librarians from Virginia. http://digitallearningday.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Student_Blogging_Collaborative.pdf

• Learning commons space redesign 

• Over the summer, I have plans to complete shuffle the small space we have creating a stronger flow, and opening up some opportunities for space flexibility. Currently, we have discovered an access and traffic flow problem with the collaborative space being located just inside the learning commons doors and directly beside the circulation desk. Plans will be to move collaborative space further into the room and re-locate all fiction books closer to the circulation desk. A flexible work/reading area will be created where the library assistant will be able to supervise and sign out materials while a class may be involved in a collaborative lesson on the other side of the room. This will alleviate much of the distraction caused by keeping the learning commons open and accessible at all times. I will encourage teachers to allow students to sign books in or out of the learning commons as needed. I find that many students will read their books immediately upon signing them out, only to have to wait a week to get a new one! It is my belief that this will encourage more reading and increase circulation. 

• Improvement of access to learning commons (teacher librarian, library assistant, education assistant, student leaders, parent volunteers) 

• Currently, students have access to the learning commons from 8:20 – 9:55, 10:10 – 11:15, and 2:30 – 3:15. The slot from 11:15 – 2:30 is only accessible with their classroom teacher, or if they are lucky enough to catch me there during collaboration blocks. This is not a very good schedule, and we are currently in discussion with the administration to work on a solution. We are considering exploration of ‘personal check-out’ options.
• Setting up a Self Check Out Station

In closing, I wish to convey the purpose and rationale for my checklist of goals. Primarily, my checklist is my plan of action. My ultimate goal is to improve the use of our school's learning commons both as a facility and in it's function. In years past, the 'library' was viewed as a resource check-in, and check-out space. Few of its clients used it as a collaborative space, or viewed the teacher librarian as a resource. The teacher librarian was essentially a literature promoter with improving reading and interest in the student population. Within the new vision of our learning commons, I plan to create a broader sense of the purpose for the facility and its personnel. I feel that we are in the 'Emerging' stage of the Leading Learning Transitional Growth Stages. "The school community has embraced the Library Learning Commons concepts and it has established a Learning Commons Leadership Team to begin the work of preparing the library facility, collections, technologies and teaching and support staff for renewed focus on learning in changing environments." (CLA, 2014). We have made some initial steps towards adopting the changes in our learning commons and I hope to be a catalyst for further change and development in this area for our school community.

RESOURCE LIST:

• Photos: Pixabay 
• Gifs: 

1. Perpetualpageturner. retrieved from: https://giphy.com/gifs/library-RzXQ6nsbUKmmA
2. MellyLee retrieved from: https://giphy.com/gifs/library-melly-lee-amanda-suk-l0HlMEi55YsfXyzMk

• Holderman, E. 16 Websites and Apps for making Videos and Animation. (May, 2014) retrieved from: https://www.commonsense.org/education/blog/16-websites-and-apps-for-making-videos-and-animation
• Esanu, J., Blaine, A., and Chapuis, G. Steps to Successful Student Book Review Blogging. retrieved from: http://digitallearningday.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Student_Blogging_Collaborative.pdf
• Follett Destiny Library Manager. Setting up a Self Check Out Station. (2014) https://support.follettlearning.com/_files/fsc/pt_external/Destiny/_QRG/Setting%20Up%20a%20SelfCheckout%20Station.pdf
• Canadian Library Association. Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. (CLA, 2014) retrieved from: http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/llsop.pdf

BREAKING BOUNDARIES

Outside our doors:
As much as educators feel that they are open-minded and support a wider world view, we often find ourselves constricted by curricular responsibilities, perceived or real deadlines or completion requirements. We espouse and teach students that having a compassionate world perception is important and may participate in a few ‘fund-raise and send’ campaigns, but when push comes to shove we revert to an insular practice and end up feeling less than productive with our efforts.
How can we reach out to other teacher librarians and their students in our own country whose resources fall short of their needs? If we are weeding books from our own libraries due to lack of use, copy age or significant wear and tear, are they appropriate donations for someone else’s use? Books are not like hand-me-down clothing despite the proliferation of used book stores. Most weeded books from our libraries and learning commons are beyond the age, condition or significance for another lending system. Their next best use would be for someone’s personal library. I know that I’ve found some great copies of beloved texts for my own personal use from used book sales!
The American Library Association uses this disclaimer on its International Donation and Shipment of Books link, “Be aware however, that most organizations only accept new books or books in good condition-these are not places to "book dump" unwanted literature. Books that are outdated, damaged, and worthless are going to be just as useless abroad. Make sure that the information is going to be useful to the schools or people receiving them and that the information is in a language that they can read and understand. Finally, the materials must be culturally appropriate for the audience that is going to receive them.” (ALA, 2006) and suggests that an alternate plan for books that are not appropriate to send overseas is to have a books sale and donate the proceeds to a program that helps with this process.
Now to find an appropriate program to support with these funds! I feel that CoEd has developed numerous opportunities to share information and research skills with less developed countries. The program that interests me most is Computer Centers, which is part of the Guatamala Literacy Project sponsored by Rotary partners. Rural students are able to learn skills which will be useful in finding jobs outside the declining agricultural-based industry. The program creates many opportunities for the communities it connects with and is a sustainable resource. Most importantly, this program provides literacy skills in the first language of the student! CoEd states that, “A 2015 internal study of program graduates from a sample of 22 Computer Centers showed that 95% of students go on to find employment or further their education.” (CoEd, 2017) North American Rotary clubs can help to make this connection, and many of our BC communities already have a local chapter.
Within our learning commons: 
Personal devices are welcomed for staff use, and guest internet is available in our school. We have a bell to bell policy regarding personal electronics in our school, however the grade seven classroom teachers have begun to allow usage during personal work time as many students prefer to listen to their own music while silent reading or focussing on their individual assignments. Just recently, students have been allowed to use personal devices for simple Google searches or dictionary or thesaurus access. I believe that this is a practice that requires a lot of trust between teacher and student, requiring the setting of virtual boundaries for accessing school appropriate music and websites.
 Our school is currently expanding our collection of iPads which can be considered mobile and useful for projects enhanced by video aspects. Students enjoy the ability to take this device and find a comfortable area for collaborative learning or personal study. A class set of iPads is ‘ready to roll’ on a mobile cart for whole class activities. Many teachers have recently been using the iPads for coding activities.
Personal devices can be used in learning commons to access the local resource search engines like Destiny, as well as a personal search for a resource they wish to request at a learning commons. Use of wifi in a local learning commons may help students who do not have home access to search websites for class projects or assignments, or make connections with collaborative partners.
In contrast to my interest in Computer Centers, I have some concerns about the content that is being accessed on the internet in developing countries. Abdulkafi Albirini has claimed in the article, “The Internet in developing countries: a medium of economic, cultural and political domination,” that access to internet has not had the most positive impact on its developing world users. The article states that the “shift to an information-based economy has necessitated new information-based domains and new markets. This explains the intense competition among major technology industries to extend their control over universities, schools, libraries and other public spheres. The ensuing information revolution has generated a dynamic economic sector, incorporating web-based companies, virtual universities, cyber-stores, and so on… Given its predominantly Western design and content, the Internet facilitates the proliferation of Western cultural patterns at the expense of the social experiences of the local cultures.”

Jaron Lanier in his April 2018 Ted Talk warns that we have made an error in the development of the internet using advertising as a source of revenue to make the information provided therein ‘free’. As a direct result, he feels that we have now created ‘behavior modification empires’ from our intended community networks. His dream is to have an internet where two people can communicate without having a third entity manipulate them (ie Google, Facebook). (Lanier, 2018).  Just image how deeply our western cultures are invested in these two entities and how easily we have fallen into this behaviour modification; how we must instruct our students on how to find the right type of sources for their research. Putting this unwieldy power into the hands of people who are unprepared to filter the information is frightening at best.
As developed world leaders, I feel that we must be cognizant that while we are supporting the access to computers and internet, we should also be prepared to assist the receiving cultural group in the development of databases and information which is culturally and historically correct and in their first language.

RESOURCES CITED:

• "International Donation and Shipment of Books", American Library Association, October 30, 2006. Retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/iro/iroactivities/intlbookdonations (Accessed June 16, 2018) Document ID: 0e25ae5c-3d0e-9e64-15fa-04f346852636
• “Computer Centers: Bridging the Digital Divide in Rural Guatamala”, Cooperative for Education, 1999-2017. Retrieved from: https://coeduc.org/programs/computers.html 
• Albirini, A. The Internet in developing countries: a medium of economic, cultural and political domination. International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT), 2008, Vol. 4, Issue 1, pp. 49-65.
• Lanier, J. (2018, April). Jaron Lanier: How we need to remake the internet [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/jaron_lanier_how_we_need_to_remake_the_internet#t-652124

CONSIDERING COLLABORATION...

As a new teacher librarian, I don’t yet feel that I am a true leader in new skill development or new strategies and technologies. I am, however, feeling more confident at collaborating, and locating new resources and programs or apps which teachers and students can make use of. The learning curve in this position is pretty steep having come from a different specialty. Many of my colleagues still see me in my former role, and are just now starting to ask for help with resources, technology or collaborative teaching opportunities. A monthly collaboration newsflash reaches out to my staff in this area. I feel that with this newsflash, I am connecting my staff with each other (another collaborative process) as well as with the learning commons and teacher librarian. These newsflashes will eventually include links to shared documents and websites.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pcjfgsks12aepn6/CONSIDERING%20COLLABORATION%20newsflash.pdf?dl=0
Using a similar template, I am working on a new resources newsflash which will inform the staff of new print material that has been added to our collection as well as any new apps that have been added to our iPads or programs on our laptops and computers. Next fall, I am planning a Tech Talk Tuesday luncheon once a month, where I will ask teachers to share their expertise on a specific program, presentation method or web-based activity. There are already many staff members who are strong in certain areas that others would like to learn. For example, there are a few teachers who use Minecraft and others are eager to learn how to make use of this program.
Teachers are also interested in new platforms for students to share their learning. I have created a Powtoon which demonstrates many easily learned processes in creating this presentation.
A Growth Mindset for OES Learning Commons
Many teachers find it difficult to make connections with their learning challenged students, so I would include a session where we could share this type of article, small groups of teachers exploring each app, and presenting their findings to the larger group.
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/apps-support-diverse-learners-classroom-chester-goad 
For those who are looking for professional reading, our teacher resource room contains some materials, and our administration is very good at purchasing excellent resources for teachers. We have a learning commons resource request form (soon to be included on Office 365 resources) that teachers can use to request for purchase. At each teacher meeting, I have an allotted time which I make a brief comment. I call it ‘Beefs and Bouquets’. I share my ‘Beefs’ or concerns regarding the use of the learning commons space and/or resources. I also share ‘Bouquets’ like new resources, technology breakthroughs or collaboration successes!
RESOURCES CITED: Goad, C. Apps to Support Diverse Learners in the Classroom. Edutopia. (October 2015) retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/apps-support-diverse-learners-classroom-chester-goad
Image: Pixabay