'Converging the Parallels', Primary & Secondary Teacher Librarian, Cross Regional Conference.
Presented on Friday 10 September 2010. Conference held at The Terry Keogh Conference Centre, CEO Southern Region, Revesby (Sydney).
1. Converging the Parallels
21C Teacher Librarian:
rethink, rebuild & re-brand
LYNof HAY Studies
School Information Keynote Address
Charles Sturt University Sydney CEO Primary & Secondary TL
Conference, 10 September 2010
2. Photo: ‘School Library, circa 1978’, April 10, 2007. Permission by Johnjron1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnron1/453419769/
3. Photo: ‘A colourful and vibrant library’, October 13, 2008
by KYD Adviser, http://www.flickr.com/photos/30198568@N02/2936592708/
4. Generational change
“…is radical change that occurs in
an organisation or a population
as a result of its members being
replaced over time by other
individuals with different values
or other characteristics.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generational_change
5. Generational change
“…generally presents both a real and a
perceived crisis.
In an organisation, the unspoken cultural
values held by the longer serving members
may be challenged, threatened or
abandoned by newer members. In an
ecological system, generational change of
the representatives of one species may
threaten the survival of other species.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generational_change
7. Christopher Harris, Crisis Webinar slide 2, April 19, 2010
http://public.iwork.com/document/?a=p147869949&d=crisis.key
8. Christopher Harris, Crisis Webinar slide 3, April 19, 2010
http://public.iwork.com/document/?a=p147869949&d=crisis.key
9. Harris’s 4 scary thoughts
Cuts will happen
Don’t be an easy target
It’s probably too late now
Increased student achievement
Christopher Harris, Crisis Webinar slide 11, April 19, 2010
http://public.iwork.com/document/?a=p147869949&d=crisis.key
10. What do you want your
school library to look like?
WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR
SCHOOL LIBRARY TO DO?
11. Photo: ‘Take a Detour’ May 17, 2009 http://www.flickr.com/photos/playfullibrarian/ / CC BY
2.0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/playfullibrarian/3538080693/
12. Building a vision based
on research and best
practice
TL PRACTICE MUST =
LOCAL ACTIONS
LOCAL OUTCOMES
LOCAL EVIDENCE
13.
14. How students’ needs can
inform your vision...
Students predicted the
digital reshift
in Student Learning through Australian
School Libraries study (Hay, 2004-6)
15. “Flexible access to
computers, printers, internet
and other resources,
including teaching
expertise, before school and
at non class times is valued
highly by students, and they
link their academic success
to such support.” (Hay 2006b)
Photo: ‘RFID loan station’, March 11,
2010. Permission by heyjudegallery
http://www.flickr.com/photos/heyjud
e/4423931008/
16. “Loved this learning space. There are two or three elementary classes in the
rounded area of the library at the Hong Kong International School. Students
are seated on tiers together with their teachers, listening to an expert speaker
teach them using a mobile interactive white board. The rounded area is
surrounded by computer desktops for student use. ”
Photo: ‘Classes in the library learning space’, September 30, 2009 by annemirtschin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/annemirtschin/3968922684
17. Photo: November 9, 2009, msannakoval
http://www.flickr.com/photos/msannakoval/4088742803/
18. Photo: ‘Project in the library’, February 2, 2009.
Permission by PegBecks http://www.flickr.com/photos/8509162@N05/3245404595/
19. We’ve learnt about
how the author
can use different
words to make the
story interesting …
how the illustrator
has used colour and
put expressions
on the animals’ faces
to help us while
reading. (Yr 2 )
We love using the
[IWB] because it
makes it easier for us
to read the emails
together . (Yr 2)
NSWDET Possum magic
book rap mail list, (2007)
Photo: ‘question quilt 1’,
September 15, 2008, by
purple.glasses
http://www.flickr.com/photo
20. School library as production facility
<10% of all ICT statements mentioned school library
assistance with the creation of Powerpoint
presentations!!
assistance in designing/constructing webpages
access to a range of presentation software to
complete projects
demonstrated significant involvement of TL (in
this study) in the Organising & Presenting phases
of the information process
students without Internet access@home find
access to printer facilities essential
value the school library’s ‘just-in-time’ help
the place to get help when having an ‘ICT crisis’
21. Photo: ‘Teacher planning’, August 27, 2009 by Barrett Web Coordinator
http://www.flickr.com/photos/barrettelementary/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
22. Thinking beyond the physical
Photo: ‘Hardwired desktop computers, on March 11, 2010. Permission
by heyjudegallery http://www.flickr.com/photos/heyjude/4423947038/sizes/l/
23.
24. Five Key Trends - Technology Drivers of
Technology Adoption
Technology is increasingly becoming a
means of empowering students both as a
means of communication and of socializing
Technology continues to profoundly affect
the way we work, collaborate, communicate,
and succeed
The perceived value of innovation and
creativity is increasing
Increased interest in just-in-time alternate, or non-formal
avenues of education such as online learning, mentoring, and
independent study
The way we think of learning environments is changing
Horizon 2010 K-12 Edition (New Media Consortium) http://wp.nmc.org/horizon-k12-2010/. Also refer to 21st Century
Principal post http://the21stcenturyprincipal.blogspot.com/2010/05/horizon-report-2010-whats-it-mean-to.html
25. Taking advantage of the new & emerging
tools
“We can take advantage of the features that new
tools offer… tap into students’ natural affinity for
these tools… to create learning experiences that
expand their worldview and enhance what they
learn… the features are interconnectedness,
immediacy, interactivity, communications, and
community. These are the very features that keep
the global business competitive and workers in
jobs.”
Solomon & Schrum (2007) Web 2.0: New tools, new schools, p.24
26. What the research tells us
the information literacy of young people has
not improved with the widening access to
technology
the speed of young people’s web searching
means that little time is spent in evaluating
information, either for relevance, accuracy or
authority
young people have a poor understanding of
their information needs, thus find it difficult to
develop effective search strategies
Rowlands & Nicholas 2008, Google Gen Report p.12
www.bl.uk/news/pdf/googlegen.pdf
27. What the research tells us
that students lack information ethics skills and
understandings
young people are very willing to reveal personal
information to friends on SNSs with little regard that
strangers see this info as well
Young people desire privacy from their parents and
teachers –get out of MySpace!!
corporations are investing in text-recognition software
to search SNSs as part of recruitment process
curriculum on information ethics is rarely formalised,
taught in a piecemeal fashion (if at all!)
(Refer to Acquisti & Gross 2006; Boyd 2007; Green & Hannan 2007)
28. The Immersive Internet (slide 3) from: Atkinson, T. (2010). Metaverse: A Convergence of Realities. [Keynote Address] The Future is Now: Libraries
and Museums in Virtual Worlds Conference, Second Life, 5-6 March. Retrieved from http://connectpro98649235.na5.acrobat.com/p42687221/
33. As digital citizens, children are now
beginning to develop their own
personal technology toolkit at a
young age…
34. School libraries as
functional, flexible &
responsive
learning laboratories
a dynamic and unique place
individualised & customised attention
at the point-of-need
(Hay 2006b)
35. School libraries
and the home-
school nexus
Hay, L. (2010). Chapter 9: Developing an information paradigm
approach to build and support the home-school nexus. In M. Lee
& G. Finger (Eds.), Developing a networked school community:
A guide to realising the vision (pp. 143-158). Camberwell, Vic.:
ACER Press.
39. iCentre is a
solution to the
digital reshift
Christopher Harris, Crisis Webinar slide 3, April 19, 2010
http://public.iwork.com/document/?a=p147869949&d=crisis.key
40. CSIRO Australia Report
Our Future
World:
An analysis
of global
trends,
shocks and
scenarios
(April 2010)
Hajkowicz, S., Moody, J., & CSIRO. (2010). Our Future World:
An analysis of global trends, shocks and scenarios. Retrieved
from http://www.csiro.au/files/files/pw2c.pdf
41. Core business of an iCentre
inquiry learning, immersive learning
information fluency transliteracy
explicit instruction
pedagogical fusion – integrating & aligning
information, technology, people, instruction
customised ‘i’ support for students, teachers,
school administrators & parents
learning innovation
information leadership
development of students as independent,
informed digital citizens (Hay, 2010b)
43. Transliteracy
“Transliteracy is the ability to read, write
and interact across a range of platforms,
tools and media from signing and orality
through handwriting, print, TV, radio and
film, to digital social networks... it offers a
wider analysis of reading, writing and
interacting across a range of platforms,
tools, media and cultures, transliteracy
does not replace, but rather contains,
‘media literacy’ and also ‘digital literacy’.”
http://www.transliteracy.com
http://librariesandtransliteracy.wordpress.com/
44.
45. Learning in an iCentre
Students actively engage with diverse and often
conflicting sources of information and ideas to
discover new ones, to build new understandings, and
to develop personal viewpoints and perspectives.
KNOWLEDGE OUTCOME
--------------------------------------------------------------
It is underpinned by stimulating encounters with
information – encounters which capture their interest
and attention, and which motivate and direct their
ongoing inquiry.
INFORMATION FOUNDATION
(Todd 2008, slide 6)
46. iCentre as centre of
inquiry learning
where students find and use a variety of sources of
information and ideas to increase their
understanding of a problem, topic or issue
requires more than simply answering questions or
getting a right answer
espouses investigation, exploration, search, quest,
research, pursuit and study
inquiry does not stand alone; it engages, interests
and challenges students to connect their world
within the curriculum (Kuhlthau, Caspari & Maniotes 2007, p.2).
47. Guided inquiry is core business of an
iCentre
“... is carefully planned, closely
supervised targeted intervention(s )of
an instructional team of school
librarians and teachers to guide
students through curriculum based
inquiry units that build deep
knowledge and deep understanding of
a curriculum topic, and gradually lead
towards independent learning.”
CISSL, Guided Inquiry (2009)
http://cissl.scils.rutgers.edu/guided_inquiry.html
48. The emotional rollercoaster
Very distinctive ebb and flow of emotions
following the demands of the research
process
Constuctivist approach to learning: staged,
guided
Students are not ‘abandoned’ in the research
process
Focus on deep learning, competence,
mastery, and self empowerment
49. Pedagogical fusion
opportunity for learning teams – teacher, TL,
student – negotiating the curriculum
customised authentic learning – individual needs
diagnosed, information & technology at fingertips
infrastructure to support informed technology
use & effective learning through information at
school & home
opportunities for ‘teachable moments’ re
technology use, information ethics, higher order
thinking skills and knowledge construction –
anytime, anyplace, anywhere, anyhow.
(Hay 2010, p.153)
50. Principal of a school
with an iCentre
http://the21stcenturyprincipal.blogspot.com/
55. Policies that support, not ban
http://the21stcenturyprincipal.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-fictional-21st-century-technology.html
56. Your role in an iCentre
Advocate for access to Web2.0, lead with a pedagogical
agenda against those technical blockers– don’t give up!
Provide your principal with the information they need to
make informed decisions about Web 2.0 use in your
school
Work with your school to build a greater understanding
of information policy issues that impact on the daily life
of teachers & students, eg. students’ online safety,
cyberbullying, privacy, IP and copyright, plagiarism,
emerging technologies
Educate parents about potentials and perils of Web 2.0
Become in-house researchers of learning in your school
57. Your role in an iCentre
The use of Web 2.0 technologies is all about information…
and you are the school’s information specialist!
They are online communication and workgroup tools… for
the majority access to these is free and connection is 24/7
Students & teachers can have anytime, anywhere access to
projects, assignments & ‘learning or construction spaces’,
eg. Google Apps for Education
Use sites like SchoolTube, which support collaboration and
teach responsible use of sharing video
VoiceThread, allows users to post files, such as images or
documents, and make verbal or text comments about each
posted file, even Yr 1s can use VoiceThread !!
58.
59. Your role in an iCentre
Blogging, Voicethread, Shelfari to encourage literary
learning
Teacher-TL collaboration on student blogging project
Wiki as school library website + Google doc, Prezi plug ins
Prezi as library research pathfinder, Delicious topic pools
Facebook and Twitter for library announcements/news
Flickr for resourcing, ideas and projects:
Library of Congress, NLA’s Picture Australia, Getty Images, do this search
Library Spaces 2.0, Library Signage, Read Posters
Art galleries http://www.flickr.com/groups/glasgow-museums/,
http://www.flickr.com/groups/worldarchitecture/
Local projects, history, tourism
http://www.flickr.com/groups/renewnewcastle/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/goulburn/
60. Your role in an iCentre
Create timelines of events with Dipity, eg. Right whales,
Haiti earthquake
Brainstorm using Wallwisher
Create word stories & maps, tag clouds, banners, logos
using Wordle
Explore the potential of immersive virtual worlds such as
Whyville (for teachers), Neopets, Club Penguin, Second Life
(for field trips using teacher avatar)
Build your own PLN – blogs, nings, Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIn (Try following http://twitter.com/sandynay,
http://twitter.com/NMHS_Principal, http://twitter.com/buffyjhamilton,
http://twitter.com/lyn_hay)
61. Your role in an iResearcher
If you use blogs, wikis, del.ic.ious, MySpace, Facebook, RSS, web
video creation & hosting tools, podcasting, online gaming or 3D
virtual worlds with students…
we need you!!
With a curriculum unit using Web 2.0 tools include:
a basic research proposal
research questions – what aspects of what you are doing do
you want to examine and document? Focus on knowledge
construction and deep learning – not search, copy-paste, present
determine data to collect, and how to analyse it
share your findings in school, systems (esp. in ‘think before
you ban’ systems) , publish in professional journals, present at
conferences
become part of action research teams
62. Converging the Parallels
Think iCentre
It’s time to rethink, rebuild
& re-brand
LYN HAY Keynote Address
Sydney CEO Primary & Secondary
School of Information Studies TL Conference, 10 September 2010
Charles Sturt University
63. References
Acquisti, A. & Gross, R. (2006). Imagined communities: Awareness, information sharing, and privacy on Facebook. In Privacy enhancing
technologies, Berlin: Springer-Verlag, pp.36-58.
boyd, danah. (2007). Why youth (heart) social network sites: The role of networked publics in teenage social life. In David Buckingham (ed.).
MacArthur Foundation series on digital learning – Youth, identity, and digital media volume. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved from
http://www.danah.org/papers/WhyYouthHeart.pdf
Gillard, J. (2009). Building the Education Revolution: Primary schools for the 21st Century. P21 Round Two factsheet. Retrieved from
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/BuildingTheEducationRevolution/Documents/P21%20Round%20Two%20Factsheet.rtf
Green, H. & Hannon, C. (2007). Their Space: Education for a digital generation (Young people are spending their time in a space which adults
find difficult to supervise or understand...). Retrieved from http://www.demos.co.uk/files/Their%20space%20-%20web.pdf
Hay, L. (2006a). Student learning through Australian school libraries. Part 2: What students define and value as school library support.
[Refereed]. Synergy, 4(2), 27-38. Retrieved from http://www.slav.schools.net.au/synergy/vol4num2/hay_pt2.pdf
Hay, L. (2006b). School libraries as flexible and dynamic learning laboratories… that’s what Aussie kids want. [Refereed]. Scan, 25(2), 18-27.
Hay, L. (2010). Chapter 9: Developing an information paradigm approach to build and support the home-school nexus. In M. Lee
& G. Finger (Eds.), Developing a networked school community: A guide to realising the vision (pp. 143-158). Camberwell, Vic.:
ACER Press.
Hay, L. (2010b). School library evolution, or generational change at the speed of light? [Keynote Address]. Library Evolution, MANTLE
Conference, Newcastle, NSW, 7 May.
Hay, L., & Todd, R. (2010). School libraries 21C: The conversation begins. [Refereed]. Scan, 29(1), 30-42. Retrieved from
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/assets/pdf/21cexsum.pdf
Johnson, L., Smith, R., Levine, A., & Haywood, K. (2010). The 2010 Horizon Report: K-12 Edition. http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2010-Horizon-
Report-K12.pdf
Kuhlthau, C. C., Caspari, A. K., & Maniotes, L. K. (2007). Guided inquiry: Learning in the 21st century. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited.
Rowlands, I., & Nicholas, D. (2008). Information behaviour of the researcher of the future. A CIBER Briefing Paper. Commissioned by British
Library & Joint Information Systems Committee, London (UCL). Retrieved from http://www.bl.uk/news/pdf/googlegen.pdf
Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, new schools. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Todd, R. J. (2008). Meaningful learning through inquiry: The lights come on. Keynote Address presented at the SLAV 'Evidence to Action: Re-
Imagining Learning' Conference, 19 June, Melbourne, Vic. retrieved from
http://www.slav.schools.net.au/downloads/08pastpapers/29possibilities/todd_keynote.pps
Notes de l'éditeur
Abstract The future of school libraries has been a hot topic this past year as a result of Australia's Building Education Revolution, a range of online forums and conferences exploring the vision for 21C School Libraries, followed by the recent Gillard Inquiry into Australian School Libraries and Teacher Librarians... all significant 'blips' on our profession's radar. But what does our future hold? How do we as individuals, our school communities, and our education systems build capacity for a bright and sustainable future for school libraries? This morning I would like to explore some of the myths, realities, pitfalls and potentials of school library futures in 2010, and challenge you to examine how our own practice can contribute to building capacity for a sustainable future where school libraries become key learning centres of information, inquiry, innovation, immersion and instructional excellence. And today I also want to explore these issues in terms of generational change, not just in terms of human generational change, but also pedagogical generational change, generational change in terms of the TL profession, and generational change in terms of technology ‘generations’ which is moving much faster than people, professions, pedagogy and particularly education institutional change.
Has much has changed in the past 40 years, or have we just moved to a brighter shade of pale?
I think this definition illustrates how teacher librarians have felt for some time.
I recently attended a webinar hosted by the TL Virtual Cafe on the future of the school library profession in the United States. The archive of this session is available http://tlvirtualcafe.wikispaces.com/Crisis_Webinar.
A lot of focus in the past year within schools in Australia has been “What do we want our school library to look like?” as a result of the Rudd Govts Building Education Revolution program. The more important question for our profession and our school communities is the latter.
This is where we need to take a detour in our thinking....
Of the 6,718 surveys that were successfully submitted by Australian school students, 5,474 of these included a response to the open-ended critical incident question, with over 1/5 of responses referring to technology use and support of the school library and TL in providing this support (refer to Hay, 2006a; 2006b).
The results of student quantitative data which found that students ranked school library help involving computer and Internet use as the most important form of help the school library provided in supporting their learning (see Hay 2006b). Over one-fifth of student voice responses were found to explicitly state how the school library has supported students’ access to and use of ICTs and digital information resources and services.
The school library as place positive learning environment that supports student learning where students feel comfortable to pursue own information, ICT & recreational interests SL as students’ preferred place to complete project & assignment work an understanding of what the school library can offer - access to resources, technologies, expertise - was shaped by previous experiences SL seen by many students as helping make the research process more manageable & achievable as a social environment that supports the building of relationships & interpersonal skills (Hay 2006a; 2006b)
Demanded access to school library facilities: students appreciated access during class time to complete project work <50% of comments relating to ICTs referred to importance of having access to computers in the school library to complete a broad range of information seeking, information selection, transfer and storage, knowledge creation & production tasks preferred place to go for exam preparation & study time provision of extended hours an issue opportunity to access PCs, printers, Internet & other resources in the morning before school some connected@home kids were disenfranchised with library support at times Students valued help finding quality info majority of statements described assistance with finding relevant resources, quality information majority of students identified library as the main provider of resources to support their learning comments showed students value access to a diverse range of resource formats students acknowledged TL’s knowledge & expertise as a resource specialist >1/3 of ICT statements commented on helping students find “quality information on the Internet” highlighted the library’s leadership in helping them find the “right mix” of resources (Hay 2006a; 2006b)
Importance of TL’s instructional intervention developing students’ search skills, including class-based & individual instruction creation of web-based tutorials, guides on selection & use of search engines subject- and topic-based gateways to pre-selected web resources recalled lessons given on note-taking & how to select appropriate information how to write ideas in your own words, how to correctly acknowledge sources & compile bibliographies what constitutes plagiarism students need project management support – how to organise time & resources effectively + help ‘writing up’ (Hay 2006a; 2006b)
The school library as production facility It is also important to note that students without Internet access at home find access to the school library’s printer facilities essential, not just when they need to print their final assignments, but also when they locate web resources to support information tasks, as one Year 8 student commented, “Now I can print information I find on the internet and complete my projects at home.” Students also value the school library’s ‘just-in-time’ help. Many students recounted times when they had experienced an ICT ‘crisis’ and the school library became their ‘saviour’. Quite often students’ crisis were due to lack of time or poor time management, however, last-minute technical hitches with computers, printers or Internet access can also create stress for students, and students saw the school library as being “the place” they could count on. (Hay 2006b)
And let’s not forget the teachers.... From conversations I have had recently with principals of small primary schools who have recently built fabulous new school library buildings as part of the BER program... they now need a TL!!! But their vision is one of curriculum and technology leaders, one who provides professional development for teachers with regard to integrating new technology tools and instructional initiatives, someone who can lead the testing and trialling of new ideas. They are not looking for a warehousing manager... They are looking for an information leader.
With the Web 2.0 environment increasingly becoming a mainstay in our students reality, how does this impact on ‘what we do’ in education as teacher and teacher librarians?
How can we provide opportunities for teachers and students to take advantage of the affordances of Web2.0? Schools need to provide opportunities and document HARD EVIDENCE about the integration and use of these tools because these are an essential part of the ‘connected’ generation’s education to prepare them for successful lives in their future of work and life in general.
In terms of young peoples’ digital information behaviour, the research tells us that students: the information literacy of young people has not improved with the widening access to technology the speed of young people’s web searching means that little time is spent in evaluating information, either for relevance, accuracy or authority young people have a poor understanding of their information needs, thus find it difficult to develop effective search strategies faced with a long list of search hits, young people find it difficult to assess the relevance of the materials presented and often print off pages with no more than a glance at the value of the information or copy & paste into a Word doc young people have unsophisticated mental maps of what the internet is, often fail to appreciate that it is a collection of networked resources from different providers as a result, a search engine, be it Yahoo or Google, becomes the primary brand that they associate with the internet, this also relates to brands of Web 2.0 tools, quite often adopting tools their friends use many young people do not find library-sponsored resources intuitive and therefore prefer to use Google or Yahoo instead these offer a familiar, if simplistic solution, for their study needs observational studies have shown that young people scan online pages very rapidly (boys especially) and click extensively on hyperlinks - rather than reading sequentially they make very little use of advanced search facilities, assuming that search engines `understand’ their queries they tend to move rapidly from page to page, spending little time reading or digesting information and they have difficulty making relevance judgements about the pages they retrieve. These findings are also supported by the research of others (Gross & Latham 2007; Large 2006; Heinström 2006; Heinström & Todd 2006; OCLC 2005; Broch 2000; Ebersole 1999)
Attended: Valerie Hill, Webber, S., Miner, M., Meister, M., & Mon, L. (2010). ‘Teleport to the Future: Libraries and Immersive Learning’. Panel Discussion presented at the The Future is Now: Libraries and Museums in Virtual Worlds Conference , Second Life, 5-6 March. Retrieved from http://www.planetlibrary.info/FIN10/Archive.htm
Also refer to KZero Worldswide. (2010). Virtual Worlds: 2010 and beyond. Key industry trends and market developments . Retrieved from http://www.kzero.co.uk/research-reports.php and KZero Worldswide. (2009 ). Kids, Tweens and Teens in Virtual Worlds: A KZero Worldswide Case Study . Retrieved from http://www.kzero.co.uk/research-reports.php
In 2009 I was commissioned to write a chapter from the ‘school library’ perspective on the strengthening the home-school nexus within the context of a digitally driven, socially networked world – what does this mean for the school library and information services in schools?
At the same time I was working with Ross Todd on the 21 st Century school library project for NSWDET where we hosted an online discussion on envisioning school libraries (refer to Hay & Todd, 2010). This is when I started to feel very uncomfortable about what our future holds in terms of school libraries and TLs.
Ken Maher, Sydney-based architect and Professor of Architecture at the University of NSW was recently asked what he thought was the most innovative product design. His answer? “The continuing editions of Apple computers, including iPod and iPhone – a communications and education revolution of outstanding design, lineage and adaptive reinvention” ( Q Magazine , July 2009) My thought upon rwading this was “Replace ‘iPhone’ with ‘ the school library is a communications and education revolution of outstanding design, lineage and adaptive reinvention’..... I WISH!!!!”
Developed in August 2009, first published in the chapter: Hay, L. (2010). Chapter 9: Developing an information paradigm approach to build and support the home-school nexus. In M. Lee & G. Finger (Eds.), Developing a networked school community: A guide to realising the vision (pp. 143-158). Camberwell, Vic.: ACER Press.
Quote from (Hay 2010, p. 151) “It’s time that 21 st century schools consider this convergence of facilities, technologies, people and resources. Hence, this proposal to introduce the concept of an ‘iCentre’ for schools. What is an iCentre? It is the central facility within the school where information, technology, learning and teaching needs are supported by qualified information and learning technology specialists. It is a centre that provides students and teachers with a one-stop shop for all resourcing, technology and learning needs on a daily basis. Flexible access to computers, printers, Internet and other digital resources, including teaching expertise, before school and at non-class times, is valued highly by students, and they link their academic success to such support (Hay 2005; 2006b).... While the iCentre is a high-end multimedia production facility, it is also a flexible learning space or “place for collaboration, performance, creativity, interactivity and exploration, both online and offline” ( Schibsted 2005). The philosophy underpinning the iCentre is similar to that employed by information schools (known as iSchools) in universities around the world, that of bringing information, technology and people together to support the machinations of the knowledge society. The concept of ‘i’ also builds on the successes of Apple Corporation’s i-generation of digital technologies which are iconic of 21 st century life.”
The iCentre concept for schools was reaffirmed for me with the release of the Australian CSIRO report which featured the concept of the “ i World” as one of five megatrends predicted as changing “the way we live and the science and technology we need”. Education should not be divorced from such social, scientific and technological trends.
Additional recommended reading for you
Pedagogical fusion is the ultimate goal of an iCentre – bringing information, technology, people, and pedagogy together to support student learning, both in school and at home. Pines (2007) argues classroom instruction is supplemented by personal tutoring, “either at their kitchen table, in the library, in a retail centre, on the Web, or at school” (p. vii). The philosophy underpinning pedagogical fusion in terms of instructional support and intervention is that people value opportunities for ‘teachable moments’ with regard to technology use, information ethics, higher order thinking skills and knowledge construction – anytime , anyplace, anywhere, anyhow . The power of pedagogical fusion stems from the fact that students, teachers, iCentre staff, parents and the broader school community are all working together to achieve informed technology use and effective learning through information through innovative and authentic learning experiences at school and in the home, thus transforming and consolidating the home-school nexus. (Hay 2010) “… pedagogical fusion centres on the school library providing a common place across the school for investigating and experimenting with information, examining multiple perspectives in an environment where students are guided by professionals and given appropriate instruction to effectively utlilise information and the most appropriate technology tools to support student achievement. As such, it is conceived as a unique learning environment – common, central, flexible, open, providing the opportunity for teams engaging in pedagogical experimentation to access and use information and web tools to empower learning through creativity, discovery, inquiry, cooperation, and collaboration” (Hay & Todd, 2010)
Recommended reading: A day in the life of the 2st Century Principal: http://the21stcenturyprincipal.blogspot.com/2010/05/horizon-report-2010-whats-it-mean-to.html “ I maintain a higher level of connectivity to work and to my professional learning network. The online tools “profoundly affected” the way I do my job as an administrator, and I find the way I do my job changing with the technology.”
Eric Sheninger is another great principal to follow on Twitter.
“ A school community needs to develop a much stronger and explicit information ethics curriculum that becomes integrated across subjects – this cannot just be taught in Computing classes! While some would argue the Human Society & Environment and Health & Professional Development curricula lend themselves to the teaching of information ethics, wherever Internet and Web2.0 tools are used to support the learning activities (no matter what subject or grade level), teachers and information specialists need to ensure that measures are in place to teach students at the point of need about an aspect of information ethics when issues, problems or opportunities arise (Hay 2008). Every teacher in our schools must become information ethics aware. So too, must parents of school-age children. Ethical information behaviour is not just a school-based phenomenon, it is central to students’ information- and technology-based ‘worlds’ within the home environment.” (Hay 2010, p.147)
I think this is at the heart of the TL’s role in an iCentre.
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Follow the work of TL gurus such as Joyce Valenza and Buffy Hamilton