LIBE 467 – Information Services I

Theme 1: The foundation of Reference Services

If I were to use a quote to represent the role of a Teacher Librarian and the Library Space in current education as opposed to when I was in school, it would probably be: “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”  Advances in technology has changed the way that we define reading, learning and education.  The goal of the teacher librarian (TL) has not changed, in the sense that their job is to foster life-long learners and to continue to help students answer inquiries about the world around them. 

https://slm-assets.secondlife.com/assets/9525579/lightbox/3snlud.jpg?1397601049

A theme in my journey towards my TL certificate is that we are trying to steer our image away from the ‘old librarian with glasses and a bun who shushes everyone’ to someone that is seen as a source to help find the answers to their curiosity.  We are not only there to provide and show information but keep fueling the need to learn more:  “For school librarians reference services are more than just information skills or activities: these services represent significant and meaningful engagement in a profoundly human activity, ministering to one of the most basic needs of humans–the desire to gain knowledge (Riedling, 2019, p.2).”   TL’s are here to point students in the right direction of what the best resources or tools may be. 

The idea of a specific definition for ‘reference work’ is never going to be concrete.  We have learned, “…No definition for “reference work” is entirely satisfactory for GRS’s purposes, especially in the Age of the Web, and I will not attempt one beyond saying that “you know one when you see one.”(UBC, 2021).”  As TL’s we need to be aware that we cannot categorize or define any resource as ‘reference’ or ‘non-reference’ as it may depend on the Inquiry of the user. 

We all know that one can take various paths to get to the desired destination and I feel like this is what holds true when it comes to the Inquiry/Research process.  There are many different models and steps that can be taken, but in the end, it is all about fostering life-long learners.  So far in our coursework, various models have been referenced such as:  BCTLA’s Points of Inquiry, Big 6, Information Seeking and the Research Process (UBC 2021).  In our course textbook, Riedling defines the reference process as having three primary elements and five steps:

“The Reference Process:

  1. Information
  2. Student
  3. Answer

Five Steps

  1. Need for information
  2. A question
  3. The search for information
  4. An answer or response
  5. An evaluation

(2019)”

Our job as TL’s is to guide students through these various processes and steps and lead them to the answers of their Inquiry.  This process will include getting our students to be a ‘literate’ 21st Century learner.  As I mentioned earlier, the definition of a TL has differed a lot over time and this is equal to what we as educators should be expecting of our students.  The advances of technology and information has changed our view of what it means to be literate.  We are expecting our new students to: “Analyze information critically in all its formats and in media contexts; work independently and collaboratively to solve problems; make decisions based on accurate and current information; respect information sources and diverse perspectives; and communicate effectively and expressively using a variety of information and media formats (UBC 2021).”  A lot of these skills are and can reference online resources that students are often using as reference material. 

When building a reference library for your students, many factors are involved.  One of the biggest that most TL’s face is funding.  There is a lack of funding for the education system (do not even get me started on this one) so many TL’s know best practice, however, they cannot follow through because of budget restraints.  In this course Theme we reflected on whether supporting both print and electronic resources is a losing battle, and in my honest opinion, I think it is.  I am fortunate that my district has invested in many electronic resources that have been evaluated by our Library Coordinator and Technology team.  Licenses have also been issued district wide, so there is no cost to the school or library.  TL’s often must make some hard choices when it comes to budget, so why double up on one resource if you are missing another. 

Our course readings offered information that traditional books and resources are still being used at a high rate, however the study that is being referenced is from 2003 (UBC, 2021).  To some of us that may not seem like a long time ago, however, for me, that is the year in which I graduated high school and still had a pager (I did not even own a cell phone, never mind a smart phone as they were not invented yet).  I feel like this should put the advances in technology into perspective.  I am curious as to what the data would be after the year 2007 when the iPhone was released, or I am sure even by 2010 that data would be extremely different.  Let us fast forward now to 2021 where we have undergone a global pandemic, and EVERYTHING is facilitated online.  As we move forward, I think we need to follow the words of the Mandalorian and agree that “This is the way.”  There have been so many advances to e-readers/programs and online resources in the last year that it would be hard for a lot of students to ‘go back’ to the old ways.  I am not saying that we need to get rid of print based text entirely, however, I am a strong advocator for access to resources 24/7. 

Staring Star Wars GIF by Disney+ - Find & Share on GIPHY
Star Wars Reaction GIF by Disney+ – Find & Share on GIPHY

There is a lot to say and argue when it comes to ‘out with the old and in with the new’.  There are a lot of good things about skills that students can learn from traditional print-based resources, however, as we have learned in this Theme, there are so many other types of multimodal texts that students are constantly being exposed to.  As we move forward, I feel like the best thing to do is to utilize everything that you have in your Library, or Library Learning Commons (Library Learning Commons).  It may not be ‘out with the old’ but ‘rethink the old’ and what value it holds in your LLC. 

To sum up, we live in a different world and now I feel like we will be referring to our drastic change as a ‘post 2020’ world.  There is always a time and place for print resources, however, we need to accept how convenient e-resources are for access to everyone.  A prime example is our course textbook, I purchased mine and received it instantly on Amazon and can read it on my computer, tablet, and iPhone.  This is convenient, as any time that I find myself waiting (like the hairdresser for example) I can read on my phone that is always with me.  I have seen that others are waiting for a print copy, but how long do you wait?  If there is access, then I feel we should be using it. 

To finalize this post, ever since I watched Kurt Browning perform his on-ice version of ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ I have been drawn to old musicals.  I loved watching Shirley Temple while dancing and singing in front of the TV as a child.  I came across this lovely video that takes the old and reinvents it in a way that is enjoyable for everyone.  I hope that this is the approach that TL’s can use when thinking about Resources in the LLC. 

Works Cited:

Nerd Fest UK. (2015, October 6). Old Movie Stars Dance to Uptown Funk [Video]. YouTube.  Old Movie Stars Dance to Uptown Funk

Riedling, A. M., & Houston, C. (2019). Reference skills for the school librarian: Tools and tips (4th ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Star Wars Reaction GIF By Disney+. GIPHY. Star Wars Reaction GIF by Disney+ – Find & Share on GIPHY

The University of British Columbia. (2021). Module 2: The Reference Process and Information Skills. In LIBE 467: Information Services I. Vancouver, BC: UBC.

We’re not in Kansas-Gesture. Second Life Market Place. https://slm-assets.secondlife.com/assets/9525579/lightbox/3snlud.jpg?1397601049

LLED 462: Librarians as educational leaders: Learning Curation

The essential question that I have chosen for my learning curation is:

How can I inspire my colleagues and students as a Teacher Librarian?

Over the last few years, I have found myself in an ever-changing state about my career.  There is no hesitation that I want to stay in education, however, even in my ‘short’ career of just over 10 years I have seen the tasks and stresses of a classroom teacher increase (especially in our current world state) and I honestly do not know how much longer I would be able to stay in a positive mental state if I keep on this path. 

In 2017, I was presented with an opportunity that gave me a new insight on my career path.  There was a posting for a ‘Technology Support Teacher’ within our district and the job description sounded very intriguing.  I reluctantly applied, thinking it would be great for people to start recognizing my name.  Well, to my surprise I got an interview and was granted the position.  This is where my new outlook on my career started.  I absolutely loved this position because it combined so many things that I loved about being a teacher:  a lot of collaboration with my team, meeting and working with staff all over the district (teachers, Teacher Librarian’s (TL), Vice-Principal’s, and Principals), discovering new technology and troubleshooting how to introduce this into a classroom and lastly, working with students all over the district.  Just over a year after started this position we were blessed with our son and I started a year long Mat Leave at the beginning of 2019.  My district position was only a 2-year role, so my return to work was a very shocking one and then led into a global pandemic. 

While on Mat Leave, I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted to do with my career moving forward.  I loved my role with the district and was trying to think of ways that I could have a similar job.  I had many callouts to Teacher Librarian’s across our district that were just being introduced into transitioning the ‘Library’ to the ‘Student Library Learning Commons.’  This made me think that this is a path that would be right for me.  I love helping others (as we all do as teachers), however, I have always been drawn to working with my peers as well.  When I learn something new, I want to share this knowledge with others, usually to make their life easier.  As a classroom teacher in an Elementary setting, it is hard to have collaboration and connection with colleagues.  We all have different prep blocks and not everyone takes their lunch break to have short discussions in the staff room. 

I am hoping that with a change in position I will be able to inspire others again.  When I was in my district role, the title itself gave some leverage to the information that I was sharing.  I am keeping up with leadership opportunities, such as instructing at upcoming District Pro-D sessions, but I am hoping that this course will give me some more insight on different resources and tools that are exciting and may be of interest to others.  By sharing information and collaborating, I am hoping that I can be a leader in my school or district once I find myself in a TL position. 

The transition from the Library to the Learning Commons has made me think that I can be a leader if I am a TL.  We have learned that, “The role and impact of the teacher-librarian can be synthesized quite simply: teacher-librarians impact student learning and achievement by forming strong and positive relationships with members of the school community, especially the school principal; by collaborating with classroom colleagues to plan, develop and assess independent learning abilities in students; by fostering a recreational reading culture in the building; and by providing informal staff development opportunities (CLA, 2014, p.21).”  As I mentioned before, I hope to inspire by leading others through collaboration and staff development. 

The other way that I wish to inspire others is to continue to learn and grow.  I feel like this is the message that I am getting from all my coursework towards my TL Diploma.  We need to be life-long learners and continue to grow to inspire others to do the same.  I feel like the most powerful way to inspire my peers is to continue this education journey that I am on and keep learning, even once my TL Diploma is complete.  Strive to learn at least one or two new things a month and then share this new knowledge with my fellow staff and students. 

(Couros, 2018)

I came across this TED Talk while researching for my essential question and I feel like Drew (2010) has really nailed it on the head.  My goal is to create those ‘lollipop’ moments in life and really appreciate them.  You do not know the power that your own positivity or wisdom can have on a person. 

Drew discusses ‘everyday leadership’ and how we need to think about leadership from a different viewpoint.

As a yoga instructor, I have had members come back to me months later repeating something that I had said to them before/during or after a practice and they had claimed that it changed their lives.  They were holding onto something that they should not and finally let it go.  They made more time for themselves because I had taught them that self care is not selfish.  At the time, I was just doing my job as an instructor and had no idea what an impact I would have on my members. 

Moving forward, I hope to continue to inspire others without the intention of doing so by constantly learning and growing as an educator.  Even if I can have an impact on just a few people, I know that I am paying it forward and being a successful leader in education. 

Works Cited: 

Canadian Library Association. (2014). Leading learning: Standards of practice for school library learning commons in Canada. Ottawa: ON

Couros, G. (2018, May 30). 5 Crucial Quotes on Leadership and Why They are Important. Retrieved from https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/8277

Dudley, D. (2010). Retrieved January 31, 2021, from https://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership?referrer=playlist-how_leaders_inspire#t-361419

The end of LIBE 477B

Trying to balance my life, one day at a time. Embrace the chaos and enjoy the small moments. Be present and watch the movie of your life.

Whelp, this is it!  To say that this has been a whirlwind in an understatement.  I feel like this has been a long six weeks, yet it has flown by in a sense as well.  I have to say that when we began this course I was a little taken aback by the amount of freedom that we had in our own Inquiries and areas of interest.  Especially since I was taking another UBC course that was extremely structured with a ton of required readings.  Now, I think that this course is such a powerful way of learning and I am so thankful that we were able to research our areas of interest. 

I know that coming from a tech background I have attended workshops that were great, however, I already knew a lot of the content and I honestly thought that I may have been able to deliver it to the audience in a way that may be more applicable, because to be honest, when I looked around the room it was evident that most people were either disinterested or in the same boat that I was in.  I was a little weary that this course would be similar, yet I was pleasantly surprised!  It was so amazing to look further into my own areas of interest and be able to apply some of my findings to my teaching practice. 

I think that the biggest take away from this course is the PLN that has been created through our Blog posts and following each other on social media.  I have thoroughly enjoyed learning from my peers in this course and finding out more about them as people and educators.  I am really hoping that this will kickstart my active involvement in educational social media.

I really enjoyed completing the final project.  It was reminiscent of preparing for presentations, which is something that makes me nervous and anxious about, however, once I am finished I feel like I have accomplished so much and have improved my presentations skills every time.  I miss this aspect of working with my peers and I am hoping that there is a school  out there looking for a TL that is enthusiastic about teaching staff about tech gadgets.  I know that I have made a step in the right direction by furthering my education yet again and I hope that this will help me reach my goal. 

I leave this course with so much hope and wonder about the future of the Library and our education system in general.  This pandemic has been filled with its ups and downs but I do feel like it has brought a little bit of light to the state of our education system.  I am hoping the next time we try to negotiate for small class sizes, increased wages and more funding in general, the public will be behind us this time. 

Hopefully I will keep up with my blog as it was my vision when I started this website a couple years ago.  The content will change, but I love getting my thoughts out and these blog posts have almost been therapeutic.  I leave you with this powerful video that was presented to me at the end of my other UBC course, it’s too good not to share to others that will appreciate it.  Let’s shift our thinking, move forward into the 21st century and guide our fellow staff members to join that journey with you.  We have been told to lead by example, so as staff we all need to be moving forward as a unit and learning together. 

LIBE 477B – My vision or rant? Take it how it is!

My vision – Sorry if it’s a little long, as mentioned I am used to giving long presentations and like to talk a lot, as most teachers do (I apologize for the title slide! I just noticed the rawness of it now!).

When thinking about my vision project I was a little stuck.  I was not quite sure how I wanted to portray my vision for the Library Learning commons and/or learning in the 21st century.  I have been inspired throughout this course through our readings and different sources that I have found on my own, yet I was still unsure about how I wanted to move forward with this project.  I have a passion for educating other teachers so I wanted to approach this final vision project with other teachers in mind and use concrete examples from my own experience and through the texts and sources that I have found throughout this course. 

I was presented with one video from my other UBC course that was my beginning inspiration for what I wanted to see as the future of the LLC.  Throughout this course I have discussed the shift of the LLC and how I want to expand my social media presence and use social media as CPD.  I think that my current school may be shifting towards this type of model after our library had been weeded through and we had a change in admin in February.  I feel that with new leadership we are going to be moving forward with how Education needs to shift.  Our new administrator is active on social media and is up to date on Ed Tech pedagogy.  I feel that this support is so important when it comes to shifting the LLC or being supported in 21st learning practices.  I had talked in previous blog posts how I got shut down a lot when it came to moving forward, however, I feel under new leadership this is going to change.  Even though I am not the TL at my school, my goal for next year is to work closely with the TL at my site and help her move forward with media curation in the library.  When I was working part time at the district we shared an office and she was always eager to learn and try new things.  I know that she does her best to stay current, so I feel that with some guidance we can work together to shift the Library space to the LLC. 

My vision project evolved into some things that I am passionate about and wish to see as we move forward in education.  Most of the things that I am passionate about are moving forward with technology and using these tools and resources to their greatest capacity.  Again, as I mentioned before I have tried to highlight many of these tools in education to my fellow colleagues and it took a global pandemic and shift to remote learning to get them on board.  There is a big positive from all this, in that they have expressed that they will continue to use these platforms moving forward because of the ease of use, tracking and student engagement that they saw during remote learning. 

What I also noticed while working with teachers across our district is that is may not necessarily be access or skills, but it’s just what our job is evolving into, which does not naturally allow us to grow as educators.  As mentioned earlier, we are faced by obstacles and some teachers will try to overcome those obstacles and some will just let it go and move on.  My vision is a little bit about teacher empowerment and what I feel needs to be done in order to move forward with anything in our careers, however, a lot of the times we are stopped dead in our tracks and unfortunately sometimes things cannot be done. 

It’s actually kind of fitting that we get yet another update from Mr. Fleming about the return to school.  What I really want teachers to focus on my vision is my final point of keeping life balanced, because we are not superheroes and we cannot do it all with ease and grace.  Sometimes we are going to seem like we’re falling flat on our face (like I was last week trying to figure out how I was going to complete two final projects!) and that is ok.  Take a breather, go on a walk, pet your dog and take some time to be you.  Ultimately the better we take care of ourselves, the better people we will be to those around us. 

LIBE 477B – Inquiry Blog #4 – Moving forward with mobile devices in developing and developed countries

When I first looked at the topic for this week’s Inquiry Blog I was a little taken back and thought to myself, ‘Ok, this is a lot different from what we’ve been talking about.’  I was working ahead in all of my Blog’s, but this one got me stuck.  I started looking through scholarly journal articles on our UBC library site and found 7 articles that related to the topic, but I still was not ‘inspired’ to write anything yet.  Throughout this course I have had moments (mainly in the evening) where it clicks and I run to the computer and write my blog post.  I have a moment where it comes together, or I am inspired by something that has come up in conversation or it just seems to make sense in my mind.  It took me awhile for this one!

Once Darcy had posted the mid-week video with a link to the work being done with CODE I thought, ok this has to give me a starting point, and it did exactly that.  I watched the following video and thought that this was so relevant to how the world around us is evolving in so many different ways. 

Cellphone-made short films empower teachers in Mozambique

I think what these youth are doing is a great use of mobile devices.  Not only are these students spreading awareness about gender equality and social justice, but they are also learning to use mobile devices to their capacity.  These students are sharing their voice and using them in a way to empower others.  As discussed a lot earlier in this course it is important for students to be literate, and this is exactly what mobile devices are doing for these developing countries. 

These students are then able to share these issues to their community and maybe even spread their message around the world.  A lot of what I have read in this course comes back to connecting with others, and allowing students access to mobile devices to create media is one of the most powerful ways to connect with the world around them.  No matter what the state of their school library, as long as they have these mobile devices these students are still able to provoke inquiry and find the answers to all of their questions and wonders.  The greatest power is that they are now able to share their stories to such a large scope. 

My first instincts when I saw the topic of this blog post took me straight to access, which is always a topic that comes up when talking about technology anywhere.  Access to information at your fingertips is exactly where my mind went to when thinking about libraries and mobile devices.  What is stopping a lot of students is not the access to the technology itself, but access to wifi or unlimited data use.  Being a BC Teacher I now how access to 20GB of data every month!  I have no idea when I would ever need that much data.  It is the 30th of the month and I have only used 7.72GB’s. I  might add that 5.5GB’s of that was used to hotspot my phone to start work on my two UBC summer sessions.  I often do not think about how fortunate I am that I have Wifi in my home, or when we had the exterminators in my house the other day I could go to a coffee shop and tap in to their Wifi. 

Now it really wasn’t that long ago that I was only subscribed to 2GB of data, and I thought that was excessive!  As technology evolves the need for this type of access grows.  Companies have made smartphones which are inexpensive and accessible to developing countries, however, what is missing is the infrastructure that students need to be able to use mobile devices for educational purposes.  The following video shows just how much students are wanting to answer and research their inquiries, yet they just need the access to get them. 

Making data free for developing countries | Jimmy Wales

@4min – A very powerful Open Letter from Students

As many educators know this is not just a developing countries problem, this is a problem that classroom teachers are facing on a daily basis.  We all know where to get the ‘Good Wifi’ in our locations which seems a little ridiculous sometimes.  We encourage educators to get onto technology, but it NEEDS to be reliable.  I will never forget showing a Principal and VP how to set up their staff Microsoft Team and accompanying Microsoft Notebook and it kept crashing and spinning forever.  Luckily I had a personal connection with this principal and we laughed about it and I came back on a different day, however, this is not the case with everyone.  I found that whenever I was trying to show educators new technology they almost wanted it to fail.  If one thing went wrong they would go, ‘See!  This is why i don’t even bother trying!’ 

So in order to get everyone on board, the technology and infrastructure to support it needs to be both accessible and reliable to all, whether it be in developed or developing countries.  

LIBE 477B Inquiry Blog #3 – How I built my confidence and leadership skills and how to keep this momentum moving forward.

The topic this week is something that I strive to do once I am in a Teacher-Librarian position.  Teaching other educators is something that I am passionate about and that is exactly the reason why I am completing my TL certificate.  I feel that I am able to build personal relationships with people quite easily and can develop their trust.  I think this is the most important thing that you need to do when you are thinking about offering Professional Development to your staff or any other educators in your district. 

When I first started attending Pro-D Days in our district I knew that one day I wanted to lead a workshop, I just did not know what I would be an ‘expert’ on in able to lead a workshop.  When I took my Yoga Teacher Training in 2014 I thought, yes!  I have it!  I’ll teach yoga at my CTA (Union) Pro D.  Well, 2015 registration came, I thought, no, I’m not ready.  Well, 2016 came and I actually opened the application form this time, yet I was still not quite ready. 

I did eventually teach a Yoga Pro-D session 🙂 This photo was taken from my first session, Feb 2019 at 8 weeks postpartum I might add! I taught another session this past Feb 2020 at our CTA Pro-D and plan to do so until I’m physically unable 😛

At the beginning of 2016 I found myself in my first Continuing contract and thought to myself, ok, I can make some roots here and build connections with this staff, but how?!?!  So I offered to be on the Pro-D committee.  When planning our first in house Pro-D the other members of my staff where wondering if they could find a teacher to come in and talk to them about FreshGrade.  I had been using this platform for the last year and thought to myself, ok, this is the opportunity that I am looking for.  I led a session and from then on my staff came to me with technology questions all the time!  I thought that this was wonderful that I was getting to know so many people so quickly.  I was so happy I made that step to offer up Pro-D to my staff that I was confident I could share my knowledge again or in another way. 

This is where collaboration became such an important part of my job, even as a classroom teacher.  During my days of TTOCing I always saw a lot of collaboration in the Middle School years, however, in Elementary, depending on the school, some settings almost felt competitive and resources and ideas were not shared.  I think that it’s so important to have conversations with other educators so that you can grasp different views and tackle different thoughts and ideas together.  Sue Kimmel discusses the patterns of collaboration with teachers can be broken down into “…orienting, coordinating, making connections, making sense and drifting (2013).” All of these patterns are important but she points out in ‘Making Sense’ that it “…best represents the value of collaboration (2013).” Which I one hundred per cent agree.  If we are not having these conversations with others then we could take hours and hours trying to work thing out on our own, when if we just have a 20 minute conversation with a colleague, you may be able to make sense much quicker between the two or more of you. 

Feeling accomplished after surviving my first board meeting presentation about our new district laptops.

Now going back to my Leadership journey, fast forward to the end of the 2016/2017 school  year when I applied for a 0.5 District Technology Support Teacher role.  I thought, well what’s the harm in applying?  I had great references from the work that I had done with the staff throughout the year and thought there may be a good chance to get some more interview experience.  Needless to say I got the role and continued in this position for 2 years.  My entire job was to give Pro-D to other teachers around the district and I don’t like to toot my own horn, but I think I was pretty good at it.  My Director of Instruction was a very technical person and often talked in jargon that I know a lot of people don’t always understand.  I think I was great at being that middle person for teachers who could explain things in a way that everyone would be able to understand and be on board, or at least give it a try. 

https://twitter.com/rmorwick/status/958021583355838464/photo/1

I gained so much experience and confidence leading workshops to my fellow educators.

So moving forward, I strive to keep learning, doing CPD and developing my PLN.  During the most recent events in our school system many teachers had to learn how to use a lot of tools in a short amount of time.  We were also not able to come in to groups for PRO-D in the most traditional sense.  To learn some of these tools our district offered ‘Lunch and Learn Webinars’ that covered topics from how to get the most out of your laptop, various Office 365 tools, and FreshGrade.  Since I had the connection to the team I was invited back to run a Webinar on FreshGrade.  I have to admit it was a little intimidating at first knowing that I was talking to over 100 teachers in our district, but then I thought to myself afterwards about how powerful the tools are that we have access to.  In a short 40min webinar (20min presentation, 20 min Q&A) I was able to get in a lot of information in a short amount of time, yet address a lot of teachers.  This webinar was hosted through Microsoft Teams and then recorded so that others could access later on Microsoft Stream if they were not able to attend.  So my thoughts are now, why stop?  I am completely capable of making little how-to videos for my staff so that we can jump past some of those making sense conversations.  I know that other people struggle with technology and trouble shooting, so why not share my knowledge?  This is exactly why I hop to get into a TL position in the near future. 

A clip from my Webinar on getting started with FreshGrade

Why should we stop sharing our knowledge with not only our own staff, with other educators or Teacher Librarians around the district.  Why can’t we host a bi-weekly or monthly webinars for teachers to attend, or record and have them access later.  I think that since we have this momentum (I know some teachers are exhausted from everything that they’ve learned an adapted to) we should strive to keep moving forward and keep being connected as a district. 

Throughout remote learning a Microsoft Team was also created with other Digital Literate Educators from all around our district.  This acted as an Internal PLN for troubleshooting and questions.  There was so much value having this accessibility to site contacts to act as a way to help staff all around the district.  When something useful was being posted or important information was being passed on to these expert educators we were then to pass this information onto our staff, again, we used Microsoft Teams as our go to for communication on our staff (kind of funny now since I had been pushing it on them for the last 3 years to get rid of mass emails!).  I think this is how we move forward.  I think this is our way to pass on CPD to fellow staff members.  This way we are allowing them to access if and when they feel like it and I think that’s the most important thing to consider when moving forward with staff Pro D. 

You are going to have the staff that take all of the information that you are passing along, you will have some information that interests them and you will have some that may not have the time right now to think about their own Pro D and we need to be accepting of all of these circumstances.  If you post something on Teams that is of interest to a teacher, they will message or come to you inquiring more or ask to collaborate on what you have passed on. 

From all of the reading that I have done through this course it is evident that access is important and teachers have busy schedules.  We do not have a lot of time for discussions throughout the regular school day, so if you are allowing them to access on their own time, then you may be able to have these conversations other ways, be it through Teams, email or various social media.  I also feel like right now, will my current staff, Teams would be a best bet because this is something that they are now checking often.  I would love to set up a Twitter or Instagram for them to check, but this may be something outside of their comfort or interest area so it’s best to stay in shallow water. 

Works Cited:

Kimmel, SC. PASS THE CHOCOLATE planning with teachers. Knowledge Quest. 42, 1, 48-51, Sept. 2013

LIBE 477B- Inquiry Blog #2 – Looking forward at developing my Continuing Professional Development and building my Professional/Personal Learning Network

Well, this is kind of funny and I guess this is why you need to read ahead to know that is coming!  Since the beginning of this course and the reason that I’m taking this certificate is for this exact reason.  I am worried about keeping up with my own skills, pedagogy and professional development on my own.  I am worried that if I am not accountable, then I will not keep on top of it.  As mentioned in my first two blog posts of this course, this is going to be a large focus of my career moving forward.  I do not want to become one of those teachers that is trying to catch up, I want to be one of those teachers who are ahead of the game and exciting their fellow staff members about something new an innovative. 

I have mentioned diving deeper into the Twitter world, and I have literally done just that.  The other day while researching for my second blog post, an hour went by on Twitter that I did not even notice.  After reading some studies on Twitter and professional development I found that many share my point of view in which, “…the collaborative nature of social media provides broader networking capabilities to the faculty members, reaching colleagues who may not have otherwise been able to share their knowledge due to location or distance (Cahn et al. 2013; Donelan 2016; Gruzd et al. 2012; Vasily 2016). This collaboration can result in a much broader, yet refined, collective knowledge of the group, yielding greater insight into pedagogical strategies for the faculty members (Luo et al., 2020).

I feel like this will help solve my problem of being stuck at one site and being able to find other educators that have the same values and passions that I do.  I have the access to network with so many other educators right at my fingertips.  As Darcy has mentioned since the beginning of this course it is important to build our PLN and continue with CPD in order to stay current with our pedagogical practices.  

Social Media: Making Connections Through Twitter

 Instead of flipping through my Facebook or Instagram, I could actually be connecting and sharing with other educators that have the same interests as me.  I think the thing that is holding me back the most is the negativity that I know can come from Twitter.  I know that the online world is not always the nicest, which is why I spend the majority of my social media time highlighting my dog and connecting with other dog owners in my area.  I feel safe with that online community because I find that most people that choose to have an active dog like mine have similar interests and philosophies.  They are also a little more compassionate since they have chosen to adopt or care for an animal.

Soooo, why don’t I think the same way about teachers?!  Isn’t that funny?  Teachers are compassionate and caring and spend their day with students all day long and would do anything for them.  This is all true.  There is a little bit of an ugly side though, and unfortunately I have seen it.  I do not like that I have seen and experienced this, but it is out there.  I have tried to push for more resources in my school and I got shut down.  I have tried to ask for simple things like Wifi in my room and got shut down.  I have tried to ask for classroom iPads and got shut down.  I have tried to help teachers learn new technology and tools and got shut down.  I have used innovative technology such as Minecraft in my classroom and have received eye rolls from fellow teachers and parents because it is seen as ‘gaming’ and not learning.  I have used iPads and laptops with students in innovative ways and it is seen as too much screen time.  So it’s really hard to get a win sometimes!

Photo taken from the diving board at Eagle Ridge pool, my glorious summer job 🙂

I think this is where this course helps me tremendously.  This course is going to make me accountable for taking that leap forward.  This course has already given me connections with educators outside my scope with new insights on pedagogy and professional development.  So my strategy is to really get over my own fear and dive into the deep end.  The connections that I am making here are my steps to get to the top of that diving board before I jump right in. 

It has been show that educators are, ‘generally favorable about the role of Twitter as a tool for CPD (Continuing Professional Development), primarily because it allowed for both synchronous and asynchronous engagement that fit with their schedules and addressed individual CPD needs  (Luo et al., 2020).’   I feel like this is the most important thing of all as a Mom with a career and a part time job.  The use of Twitter or social media  fits my schedule and needs.  Being active on social media will also open my eyes to other CPD opportunities such as virtual Pro-D’s (which I found many!), webinars, tweetmeets, links to conventions (I’ve always wanted to attend an ISTE convention but have yet to make it to one!), etc.  The list goes on.  I think that is the most important part of being connected on social media is to gain access to what other educators are most interested in and where these resources and information is coming from. 

Using Twitter effectively in education – with Alec Couros

I also feel like the best thing about connecting and growing through social media is the access, which is something we always talk about for our students, but it goes for us as educators as well, ‘ “…I don’t want to become complacent as a teacher, I want to get better avenues, which within my district is limited, whereas on Twitter [I can access information] any time (Richards et al., 2020).”

I am not a person or teacher that sits back and gets told what to do, so I know that I should be able to take any sort of criticism to anything that I may post or share.  I know that for the first part I am going to be more of an onlooker and use Twitter as a source of professional development to observe what others are doing.  Then, once I am more comfortable I can hopefully start to influence and connect with others and have meaningful conversations. 

And to my address my concerns at the beginning of this post.  Social medial does allow you to connect with like minded people who share the same teaching philosophies that you do.  As we have seen in this course, there are various points of view and I value that, however, if you are the only person at your site that has that value, it is sometimes seen as a brickwall blocking you from getting where you want to go.  Turning to social media helps with that sense of community and feeling that you are not alone: ‘[Twitter] brings a warm feeling, like you’re not alone in what you’re trying to do, and you’re being supported…if I have a bad day when I’m not feeling valued, I can always reach out to people and have a conversation . . . a lot of people on [Twitter] have gone through the same things that you’ve gone through (Richards et al., 2020).”

After doing some more research on this topic, I think this is my best source to stay current with my educational practices.  I can follow teachers and companies who share the same values that I do and be presented with different opportunities to grow and learn in the future.  I have already seen several virtual Pro-D’s that I would love to take part in, and the great thing is I can do it from home! 

Works Cited:

Richards, K. A., Killian, C. M., Kinder, C. J., Badshah, K., & Cushing, C. (2020). Twitter as a Professional Development Platform Among U.S. Physical Education Teachers. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 1-10. doi:10.1123/jtpe.2020-0001

Luo, T., Freeman, C., & Stefaniak, J. (2020). “Like, comment, and share”—professional development through social media in higher education: A systematic review. Educational Technology Research and Development. doi:10.1007/s11423-020-09790-5

LIBE 477B – Inquiry 1 – Fostering a Reading Culture

Enjoying reading with my son and teaching him the basics of coding 🙂

When starting to think about this topic of fostering a reading cultures in my school, I know that there are many traditionalists that feel like reading should only be from a paper book.  I think that as technology has evolved, we are slowly moving away from that mindset.  I mean, even for this course we were able to purchase our textbooks on Amazon and read them on a device or print if we felt so inclined. 

Our most recent stint in remote learning also opened a lot of educators eyes to what is available online for our students to access.  I know that many companies were offering free subscriptions and access during this time of remote learning to help out during these strange times, which was greatly appreciated.  I know that having conversations with parents, that they were able to find a whole bunch of resources to keep their child occupied while we were in that limbo phase at the end of March and into April.  In my conversations with parents they were getting a lot of use of virtual field trips found online and a lot of people were using Scholastic Learn at home and Math Prodigy

When I was in my Tech Support role, one of my jobs was researching and suggesting different apps to use in an Elementary setting.  ‘Epic!  Books for Kids‘ was always my number one App that I would suggest and was always well received from both teachers and students.  There are a few things that I love about this App.  I have shown some of my favourites in the video below. 

1. You can use it in a generic sense, without having to ‘set up’ a classroom with students names.  I used to just have grade levels and be logged onto the school iPads and then students could use their grade level to look at different books that I suggested, or they could explore on their own.

2. There are ‘Read-to-me’ books which are in the sense our old ‘reading and listening’ stations that we used to have in classrooms with the cassette tapes or CD’s.  This is a great feature of the app because it highlights the words as it reads, which I think is much more beneficial than just having the book because this way is teaches the student how to track along the words.  There are also audio only (mainly longer chapter books) that can be used for independent book study or helping students who struggle with reading, yet still want to enjoy like everyone else. 

3. There are educational videos that are often related to books that students are reading.  The great thing about this feature is that you can easily toggle this function on and off as an educator.  Personally, I have kept this off for my students when it is reading time so that I know that they are finding a book rather than watching a video.  If we were doing something like research I would turn this function back on.

4. With permission of course, you can set up a class (even use avatar names if you choose) list with names so that you can track the books that students are reading.  You can see how long they spent reading, how many books they have read and also assign books or quizzes to go along with reading. 

During return to school I got to see how much students love this app.  They are able to find books to suit their mood.  My favourite memory of all this was when my students started to ask each other jokes from the books that they had found.  They started to naturally rate each others jokes, which I found hilarious.  It was awesome to hear their discussions.  I could also monitor my students that were still learning at home to see if they were reading. 

My grade 3/4 class reading on Epic! Books for kids during return to school in June 2020

I also noticed that the students who were in class were able to read for much longer periods of time than they had during our traditional ‘D.E.A.R.’ time.  From January to March I used to have to put up a timer on our Smartboard for 15min so that students were aware and could see ‘how much longer’ we HAD to read.  Often times if I felt like this time was not being used for its purpose I would start the timer over, or add a few minutes.  When we returned to school in June my students would be reading for 20 minutes, I would check in and ask if they wanted more time and they always said yes!  I was shocked.  I had students that returned to school that did not enjoy reading in the traditional sense, but they absolutely loved reading on Epic! 

I do believe that this is because they are able to switch to something else very quickly and easily if they find that they are not interested in what they are reading.  This may not be the best for their reading endurance, but at least this way they are not constantly getting up and socializing with their friends along the way as they choose a new book.  So I guess it was also a helpful classroom management tool 🙂

Using Epic! Books for kids App with French Immersion Kindergarten class. They loved the Read-to-Me feature, in French I might add!

I used this App to support reading as low as the Kindergarten level.  It is so user friendly and having the ability to assign a collection of books allows the teacher to have a little bit of control instead of a free for all.  The Kindergarten students really enjoyed the Read-to-me books and they were super engaged.   I know that this is in part that they were in front of a screen, but they were still tracking and listening, which is what we want to see in emerging readers.  I think that this is highly important when creating resources for teachers. 

The web allows us to do amazing things, “You create some sort of web tool that students can refer to when you’re working with a different teacher and another teacher comes to you at the same time.” (Fontichiaro & Oehrli, 2014, p. 38)’ Having this access is a game changer for classes who may be working on similar inquiries.  Having a resource like this could allow several classes to be studying the same novel without having to purchase the book, or several classes could be working on the same Inquiry project and the TL would not have to worry about running out of resources. 

As mentioned in my video, if I am to move into a Learning Commons position,  I could see myself using this App a lot  while collaborating with teachers.  It is a great resources for any type of inquiry as it offers both books and videos for the students to learn from.  If teachers wanted students to stick to a general theme of their inquiry, I could also help curate a collection, or maybe several collections of books and videos that would suit the inquiry.

Works Cited:

Fontichiaro, K. & Oehrli, J. A. (2014a). Nudging toward inquiry – Turning the tables on collaboration part I: Planning for successLibrary Media Connection 32(4): 36-38.

LIBE 477B – Reading Assignment Part B

This assignment seemed like an impossible task, but I think that what I’m trying to solve is quite the task to undertake.  I know that I want to look more into my own professional development as well as providing resources to my fellow educators to get them excited to go to work every day.  I think this is something that we all need to be thinking about as teachers, especially if we are feeling like we are ‘stuck’ and finding ourselves recycling our curriculum and activities every year.  I am a strong believer of change and being innovative, I am just in search of answers on how to get other educators on the same mindset. 

This is a resource that I am familiar with and have used in the past for learning about different Microsoft platforms.  When I first started out my District job as a Tech Support Teacher I went through some of the basic badges and re-familiarized myself with Microsoft OneNote.  I was not 100% confident in my skills and going through the courses boosted my confidence as well as taught me a few tricks that I was not aware of.  I was also unfamiliar with Sway, and this was a great way to learn while doing.  Whenever I went through one of these courses I always had the platform that I was learning about open so that I could do a real or mock project alongside.  I am a very tactile learner and I will not absorb anything if I am not trying and troubleshooting on my own.  I think this is what I really need to think about when transitioning my teaching to my students.  They are going to learn by doing.  I believe the last course that I took was on Minecraft education and completed all of the courses to obtain my badge.  When my principal gave me the pilot project to spearhead, this was my only way of learning how to use this game. 

What I have not taken advantage of is all of the other resources that this site gives educators.  There are tons of courses here to keep you updated on the latest pedagogy.  I have not visited this site since before my Mat Leave (January 2019) and even in a year an half it has evolved as a hub for teachers to keep up to date and do PRO-D whenever they want.  I have had a few colleagues mention that they had just been told of this site recently, which is shocking, because I feel like all educators who use Microsoft and O365 in their district should be referring here on a weekly basis (in an ideal world when we have all of this abundance of time!). 

Besides the courses themselves there are other links and pages that give you great ideas on how to use different tech in your classrooms and guiding the 21st century learner.  I also see that they have #tweetmeets which is a concept that is still very knew to me.  Especially after the world’s most recent conditions I think that this is a great way to connect with educators from all over.  I think that having conversations with others is the greatest way that we can learn and become better educators.  I also think that it’s important to have these connections with people outside of your scope (or school) because we can often get stuck in our daily routines, so it’s nice to have our eyes opened to something new every once in awhile. 

The next resource that I want to start using again is TED Talks.  When I was on my own and did not have a family, I used to start my day with a TED talk while eating my breakfast.  Now that I have a family, it is not so simple to have time alone.  What I need to start thinking is that this should be more of a priority in my life.  Not only does it make me a better educator, but it just makes me a better person for thinking more critically about the world that we are living in. 

When scrolling through some of the video topics I saw that there are different playlists.  One in particular, ‘Re-imagining school’ caught my eye since this is the theme that we have started this course with through Will Richardson’s ‘Why School.’  I think that this is the area that I want to explore the most since this is what I am passionate about (at the moment).  I want to learn more from like minded people and try to do something while I’m in the education system.  I am hoping to get a job in the learning commons so that I can slowly open the eyes of my fellow educators. 

Twitter for Teachers

This last resource that I was diving into seems like something massive to take on, but I think I am ready for it!  I know that Twitter has been around for a long time, but I think it was just how it came about and what I was interested in at the time.  I got Facebook when It came out (very reluctantly) when it was only available to University students.  I remember sitting after Cheer practice with my teammates and they all convinced me that it was something that I needed to do.  Well, almost 15 years later Facebook has evolved into so many things that I did not think I would be using it for! 

While looking at who to follow I did not realize that most teachers that I have worked with in my district that are innovative with technology are on Twitter and constantly sharing their teaching philosophies and practices.  I am also seeing a lot of administrators from my District on Twitter, constantly sharing pedagogy and highlights from their school, so it is a great way to stay locally connected even though I am only working out of one site.  It is making me feel a little ‘out of it’ seeing so many people at the party, but better late than never, right?!  The more I read and connect the more intrigued I get.  I know that for my own mental health that I will need to limit my media time, just as everyone else does. 

Works Cited:

Richardson, Will. Why School: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere. TED Conferences, 2012.

LIBE 447B – Reading Assignment Part A

So first things first, I am so happy that I decided to enroll in school again to force me to get this website up and running.  I am hoping that this will become a habit and my vision of becoming a blogger with come true. 

Photo courtesy of Love Tree Photography

As you can see I started this website two years ago, basically days before we found out that we would be receiving our first new family member, Nala.  After years of trying to have a baby and start a family, we decided that adopting a puppy would be a great way to pass on all of this love that we had waiting to give.  It was also at this time that we had just finished our third IUI transfer and were crossing our fingers and toes for a positive result.  Our fertility doctor recommended that this was our last try before starting IVF treatments.  I have always wanted to be a mother, so I was willing and ready to take that journey.  Fast forward a few weeks later and we were now a family of three with a baby on the way!  I was really wanting to start this website as an emotional outlet and act as a way to build community with other people who were also struggling to start their family. 

Now to get to our assignment question.  It actually relates to why this website never got the start when I envisioned it all.  I needed to learn more, however, life got in the way and I did not have the time.  This is the issue that I have had this year going back to teaching in the classroom.  I feel like I do not have the opportunity to learn and grow as an educator. 

When I started my position with the District on the Tech Support Team in 2017, I knew that I had been blessed with a great opportunity.  I was seen as an ‘expert,’ in technology, however, most of us on the team felt as if we were given the time to explore any problems that may arise with technology.  We were all great with troubleshooting and if we were not able to figure something out, we used each other  to solve that problem, whether it be over Microsoft Teams or in person. 

I got to PLAY as a teacher, which is something that I did not feel I always did, even coming from an ECE background.  We were given a Dash, Sphero, Microbit, Minecraft, etc. and were just told to explore.  I still remember texting a picture to my fiancé of a BB-8 Sphero and saying I was having a ‘rough day at work!’

Now, it’s not to say that the job was not difficult at times, because it was a lot to take in.  I was travelling to different sites to work with different teachers and had to teach or troubleshoot on the spot about some aspects of technology that I did not necessarily feel I was the expert at.  A lot of the time when I went to work with a teacher they would ask me how to do something that I did not know how to do, however, I did not let this make me feel like I was not good at my job, I always saw this as an opportunity to learn alongside a colleague.  This way we had a shared experience and I felt like it also made them feel that no one is really an ‘expert’ when it comes to technology and it takes a little bit of clicking and fumbling around sometimes. 

On the afternoons that I did not have to travel I got to research or teach myself something new.  I learned things like Scratch, MIEE course, visited various coding websites, researched new and different iPad apps and played Minecraft to name a few.  When I could not quite see how this would work in a classroom, I would approach and visit a teacher and their students and let them explore what I was researching or teaching myself.  Most of the time I learned more alongside the student and another educator.  We would see what the student is exploring and then have a conversation about visions that we could see in a classroom setting. 

Now, it’s 2020, I have a 2 year old puppy, an 18 month old son, and I am back teaching full time in a classroom setting in a grade level that I am not so comfortable with, oh, and throw in a worldwide pandemic!  Now, for most teachers remote learning involved a lot of learning very fast to get familiar with online platforms such as FreshGrade and Microsoft Teams.  Luckily my class was already familiar and set up so that the transition was a little smoother.  My classes were created, they knew how to logon and upload (there was a lot of troubleshooting along the way, don’t get me wrong here) and I felt like I was set.  I just needed someone to watch my child so that I could have some peace and quiet 🙂  

This is my fear moving forward.  I am worried that I will not be ‘ahead of the game.’  I am worried that my teaching style will become outdated.  I am worried that my philosophies and beliefs will not be relevant.  I am worried that I will not have the time to learn and teach myself the things that I need to be a good teacher. 

I have now returned to school three times post university graduation.  Once to get my Bachelors of Education, once to get my diploma in Early Childhood Education and now to get my Library certificate.  As you can see I love learning and this is really why I became a teacher.  Now, this is where I need to take this love of learning and apply it to my teaching in a way that I am learning alongside my students.  This is something that I am not good at.  I am always feeling like there is a pressure to strictly ‘deliver the curriculum’ and the easiest way to do it is through stand and talk instruction.  I always feel the pressure from the parents to give their children more homework or have their children learn how they learned.  I have seen the eye rolls when students tell their parents all about their Minecraft builds in class. 

My big issue right now is how do we change the vision of school to parents.  How do I get my colleagues on board to try something new, but will not budge because, ‘this is the way that it’s always been done’ or they ‘do not have the time or patience to learn something new because the last time they did it just changed again anyways.’  I never had so many colleagues say that they wished that had looked into Teams more with me after I had been promoting it for the last three years!  It took a worldwide pandemic to learn something new.  So how do we move forward? 

How do we change the vision that PRO-D days are not just mandatory fluff days that we have to attend?  How do we get teachers changing their thinking from being an expert to being a learner?  How do we get teachers excited about their own learning? 

I feel like I may be going down a rabbit hole with my questions and concerns but this is so important to our education system.  We all need to be on the same page, however, it becomes very hard when we are not presented with opportunities to grow and learn as teachers.  Once again, I will refer to my dream job that I had where I not only had the time but the opportunities to learn from others.  I was sent to conferences all of the time to increase my knowledge.  We were invited to meetings with Microsoft and FreshGrade to give input and have conversations about moving forward.  We had the opportunity to make change. 

All of this is my biggest concern as an educator.  In some ways I feel that I have moved backward in my career and I am hoping to get a Learning Commons position so that I have more opportunities to work with other teachers collaboratively to grow as educators. 

So moving forwards I feel like I need to be looking more to growing my Twitter presence as an educator so that I can network and learn.  I will be looking into managing our school social media/Twitter so that we can start highlighting some of the innovative learning that is going on at the school.  I will be looking towards different online resources to help me grow and maybe plan out what I need to accomplish in a school year.  I would also love to research more programs like Kids code jeunesse and Finger Food who will come in an teach our staff and students.  I would also love to keep expanding my knowledge and look for short videos to show at staff meetings or Pro-D to spark interest with staff, or maybe even talk to my Admin about a ‘share’ time to help network in our smaller school community. 

I am still going to need to think of how I can solve all of these questions and concerns.  I do not think that there is one solution and it may take a long time and a lot of small steps to get there.  I look forward to researching more personal learning network. 

I think I took the ‘thinking out loud’ very literal to this assignment, but it was good to get all of that out! 

Thank you for listening 🙂