What are the implications for the role of TL?

Just cataloguing a couple of new Geography text books and noticed that they have built-in information skills.

Geography for Global Citizens

3rd ed. p. 40 has a section on using mind maps, p. 48 a section on using the internet.

Geography for Australian Citizens

3rd ed. includes information about how to design a webpage (p. 177) and criteria for evaluatiing a webpage (p. 278).

Is this an impact/the result of lack of TLs in schools already?
Will teachers be confirmed in their perception that a TL is not necessary if they are doing this themselves anyway?

RBL by any other name

Was interested to read (Haycock, C. 1991, p. 16) that RBL is not mentioned in education literature but is very similar to Student Centred Learning.

Although Haycock says that "teachers are not trained to facilitate" and basically that the TL must be instrumental in helping them to restructure the learning process, learning environment and student/teacher relationships (I read 'retrain' the teachers); and warns that the teacher will fear not meeting learning objectives, and classroom management chaos.

Well I'm not surprised that the teachers are scared - it sounds as if the TL is taking over the school. Even though the principal's support is emphasised as being critical to the development of an ILSC - the TL must negotiate and advocate, sounds like the TL is or wants to be a very powerful person.

I'm not sure that the 10-20% improvement in student outcomes (Haycock, K, 2003, p. 9) is worth all the agro - stress, angst, pussy-footing diplomacy.

I know the results sound wonderful and I honestly really enjoy the satisfaction students experience when I assist them to find and use information more effectively but in the real world I think that most of the literature is aiming way beyond where we'll ever get to.

New ideas - to me anyway!

Some things have surfaced during the last couple of weeks of readings and networking that have been rather like 'the light coming on' - aha moments (?Hay), if you will.

Bruce's (1997, p. 22) idea of "co-existing literacies" has clarified role discrepancies which have been making me feel uneasy for several years. At a school I know well, the library is managed by someone who has undeniable organisational and entrepreneurial skills but no formal TL qualifications. The principal appointed a specialist ICT teacher to collaborate with the class teachers in putting the technology aspects into their programs. They plan collaboratively but the lessons are separate/isolated and I now comprehend that this is placing the focus on only 1 or 2 literacies out of the many, although this is where the NSW Board of Studies has also placed major emphasise.

The lack of collaborative teaching also disadvantages the students in that they miss out on the benefit of having two teachers in the room guiding them in their information gathering and coaching them in their development of relevant skills.

I now believe that this ICT specialist (who has also evolved into the website developer/manager) is a substitute TL. It appears obvious that there is either no school-wide information literacy policy incorporating the role of the TL, or the principal has not been aware of the content of the policy, or perhaps previous TLs have been too pre-occupied (through lack of support staff) with Librarian/Manager/Administration aspects of the role that the T part has completely slipped through the cracks.

A comment from a casual teacher who was visiting the school (and who has completed this subject last year) also highlighted the fact that the staff at this school do not appear to really understand the concept of collaboration. Each stage (group of teachers) allocates one of their number to write each unit of work - they also incorporate resources which they believe should be used, but which often turn out to be their own individual resources which are no longer available when they leave, and are often unavailable/out of print, etc.). The school works on a two year teaching cycle and when each unit comes around one teacher is allocated to teach every class in the stage for that particular unit. Again, no real collaboration.

This also means that the resources are very specific - little provision is made for students finding their own information, or collaboratively constructing their own new knowledge.

An attempt at modelling resource based learning with a stage 3 class during a library lesson highlighted the fact that some students do not accept the concept of group work at all. This would indicate a need for further training and practice for these students.

Disturbing thoughts

I have been pushing myself very hard to complete ass. 1 before Easter to take the pressure off time with family. Have now got a reasonable draft which I can just add to/amend as I continue to read over the break without feeling panicked. Have been thinking about constructivism v. behaviourism. Am disturbed about the implications of the former. Especially after reading an article by Judy O. about blogging, twittering, etc. during lectures/presentations. My behaviourist background says that when someone has taken time and effort to prepare something then the 'listeners' should pay attention out of respect - maybe make some notes for later review/discussion. I also find it hard to comprehend how one can be discussing the presentation (either face-to-face or online) while the presenter is still presenting. How can you be sure that you hear the rest of the presentation accurately? You may miss some really important point - perhaps they were just warming up in the first part?

I think that RBL can be a very effective tool and really like the idea of learners discovering things for themselves - much more meaningful/lasting but there must be an introduction/setting of the scene (RBT) to start from - there has to be someone who is the 'sage on the stage' (?McKenzie) who then becomes the 'guide on the side' - supporting and encouraging discovery and synthesis.

Assignment lodged...reading again

Well I actually got the assignment for my other subject lodged on Sunday night. Phew! Am back to madly reading again for this subject. Very interesting readings. Friend loaned me "The Information Literate School Community 2: Issues of Leadership" edited by James Henry & Marlene Asselin. Excellent resource for Assignment 1!

Have had two needles this week - whooping cough booster and flue vaccine. ugh.

Am slowly catching up at work - we got a new library management system installed in January and I've been paddling very fast ever since trying to keep our heads above water and figure out how to make the various modules do the things we want them to; and how to modify our procedures when they don't. ;) One of my casual staff lost her mum this week - very distressing.