Final Vision Post

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/31595634856413190/

          

My final Vision Project is a SMART notebook lesson entitled Using Technology To Support 21st Century Literacy in the Elementary Classroom. Using evidence from Will Richardson’s Why School, the NCTE and the new B.C. Curriculum, I hope to demonstrate to colleagues the importance of integrating technology into their teaching pedagogy. I also wanted to give my colleagues some ways to start the process of integration, so they don’t think that it’s all about the teacher using the technology in their lessons. We want the use of technology to be student centered.

I would like to demonstrate for teachers that one way technology can be integrated into their pedagogy is by using iPads. As I worked one this project, I began to see a clear connection between the 21st Century Literacies and Bloom’s Taxonomies. All of the new literacies are addressed using the taxonomy.  For example,” Designing and Sharing Information for Global Communities” fits perfectly with Creating in the Bloom’s. As I was learning about iPad apps, I found “abundant” information and graphics linking the taxonomies with the iPad apps. This connection between the new literacies, Bloom’s and the apps was new to me, but made perfect sense. I also discovered that teachers and learners don’t always have to start at the bottom of the taxonomies with only a few of us reaching the top of the pyramid.  It’s ok to start at the top and work down.  Start with creating and learn from your successes and failures and you end up remembering and understanding the knowledge even better. I also included links to websites and YouTube videos for the teachers to go to for more help getting started with the iPads. It is my hope that all the students in the school have the opportunity to use the iPads to enable and transform their learning.

                                                   

                                                     

https://anethicalisland.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/27-things-your-teacher-librarian-does/

Taking LIBE 477 has been an interesting journey.  I have been reminded of the importance of many ideas, as well as, being introduced to new ones. The roles of the teacher librarian have again been brought to the forefront of my thinking. Fostering a culture of reading is a role that needs to be constantly reinforced and revised. I have really focused on the role of the T/L as a leader during this course especially with my final project. Learning about PLNs, new technologies, and the use of social media (blogging and twitter technology have been a challenge for me) for professional development for myself and my colleagues has really helped me with this leadership role.  Looking to other T/Ls in my district and to my PLN can provide so many fresh ideas to achieve a T/L’s goals. I hope through my focus on leadership, my most important take away from this class can be achieved. My most important take away is from Will Richardson’s Why School?  “In the end, the “why school” question comes down to the somewhat larger one of what we truly want for our kids.” I think parents and teachers alike want “…them to love learning...to be able to solve real problems…and to be independent thinkers.”

Vision Project link
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B46Kve_2Pk9OTHF2VFVBdHVQRWM

To open my Final Vision Project you may have to down SMART notebook software from SMART technologies. They have a free 90 day trial period.

https://www.smarttech.com/downloads

                                                           Works Cited

"Digital Literacy Standards." DRAFT Digital Literacy Standards. B.C. Ministry of Education,                     n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

           http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/dist_learning/dig_lit_standards.htm

McCall, Michelle. "Bloom's Taxonomy." 21st Century Literacy Project. N.p., n.d. Web.

          12 Nov. 2015.

        http://21stcenturyliteracymccall.weebly.com/blooms-taxonomy.html

Richardson, W. (2012). Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and                             Information Are Everywhere. TED Conferences Publishing. [EBOOK]

"The NCTE Definition of 21st Century Literacies." National Council of Teachers of English.
            Http://www.ncte.org/, Feb. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

            http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/21stcentdefinition

draft final vision project

Judy's Library Blog: Final Vision: Posting Three

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B46Kve_2Pk9OckQtZXRFZ3BXdHc

Final Vision: Posting Three

I decided to use the technology available at my school to record my final vision project. Currently, we have five SMART Boards and a class set of iPads available to our 300 plus elementary school.  The teachers with the SMART Boards in their rooms have SMART Notebook skills that range from complete novice to advanced novice.  This group includes myself. The iPads skills of the entire staff are about the same. I wanted to become better educated with this technology, so I can support the staff.

Problems I have run into so far:

1.  Sharing the presentation with the members of LIBE 477 - I first thought I would have to send the project through email. I have since discovered that the blog I am using will allow me to add a link. If I upload the project to Google Drive this allows me to have a link to upload. I haven't tried it yet, so I hope it works.

2.  iPads lack of Flash - 

     a) The iPad does not have flash technology so I decided to use a variety of activities. Some will work on the iPad and some will not.

     b) Adding sound effects - on the SMART Notebook software I was able to make any of the sound effect objects transparent, but when I opened the project with the SMART Notebook express on the iPads some of the objects were no longer transparent. This limited my choice of sound effects. I could use only objects that would appear transparent on the iPad software version.

     c) Object animation - Again because of the lack of flash, I was unable to lock the object animation fade out. This will allow the object to be moved manually on the iPad to reveal the text below while still allowing the object to fade out by touch on the SMART Board.

                                           https://youtu.be/JXELFSFZ3bE

3. Switching between the school's computer and the iPad - Currently I don't own a computer. I can pry my son's laptop out of his hands when he has to go to work, but it doesn't have the SMART Notebook software, so most of my work on this project had to be done on the school's computer. Because the school's computer doesn't have a microphone, I had to record the audio on the iPad. At first, I was worried it wouldn't transfer when I opened the project on the computer. Thankfully it did, but not all the time, so there was a lot of back and forth which was frustrating and time consuming.

What I have learned about the SMART Notebook is how to embed a browser, add audio, make objects transparent, and download sound effects from SMART Exchange.

Future Learning

Currently, my school computer is using SMART Notebook 11. I will have to ask the overworked, under-appreciated IT department to upgrade to notebook 14.2, so I can try out the Maestro add on. This will allow me to wirelessly connect my iPad SMART Notebook Express app to the SMART Board. I will then be able to control what's going happening on the SMART Board from my iPad.

                                                https://youtu.be/1SR6kwj2t_4
google drive does work checkout a draft of my project on next post

Audience and Platform for Final Vision

     My vision project will be for my colleagues.  We have a great PAC that have bought smart boards, iPads and document cameras, but our staff either doesn't use them or doesn't use the tech to it full potential.   This is why I have chosen the staff as my audience. My colleagues all have different opinions about the use of technology in school. Some are very resistant

                   http://ratkacher.blogspot.ca/2012/11/getting-best-performance-out-of-laptop.html

while others have a willingness to learn if provided with proper support. They also have a variety of technology skill levels. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues tech skills are almost nonexistent. Others have bits and pieces like myself. My colleagues and I really need to focus some of our Pro D time on becoming familiar with the schools technology in order to integrate its use into our pedagogy.


     Hopefully, if the resistant teachers can be persuaded that the integration of technology is no longer an option and all the teachers can be comfortable using the technology we will be better able support our students use of technology to enable their learning. Our students learning is the ultimate goal.

 http://2.bp.blogspot.com/yqPZCvPnN5U/T8LEg8COVoI/AAAAAAAADzk/A93qFFCf7fk/s1600/Screen%2Bshot%2B2012-05-28%2Bat%2B12.09.02%2BPM.png

     Please don't misunderstand the bluntness of my description of my colleagues. They are very hardworking, dedicated professionals. I am lucky to work with them and have great respect for each one of them.

     The platform for my project will be a smart notebook lesson. I am eager to become more familiar with the technology in my school so I may be encouraging and supportive of the staffs use of our  technology. I have had the smart notebook and smart board in the library for a few years, but this project has helped me to discover things I didn't know. I didn't realize that I could add audio to objects. How did I miss this? I also learned that I could embed a browser directly onto a slide, so you don't need to leave the application to view a web page or YouTube video. I will still provide links below the browser because it doesn't seem to work all the time. Another reason for the smart board lesson is that it will allow the presentation to be a little more interactive. Teachers can check their understanding of the content by participating in the activities the notebook can provide.

                                                       http://youtu.be/i0Yv7JYklQw

     Hopefully, I will get the lesson on the schools iPads as well since this is the device my vision project is promoting. I know my colleagues need practical experience in addition to theory.  I hope the notebook lesson provides information my colleagues can use while they transform their pedagogy for use with the new curriculum, while at the same time provide them with some  entertainment at the end of a long day.

    A ray of hope! My staff just attended a pro d event on the new curriculum. We were asked to bring a laptop, or an iPad . Many of the teachers don't have either, so I brought some of the schools new iPads. One of the teachers really liked the iPad and the next morning wanted to take them into her room to introduce Toontastic app. Luckily, I was not teaching that day and was able to go in and help. Really, all I did was observe. The teacher wasn't familiar with the app but it didn't seem to matter. She had the kids work in pairs to discover the app. It was fabulous. All the kids were engaged, working together and teaching each other. She will be using the iPads again and will begin to set some criteria for the students work. The teacher approached this lesson from the top of Bloom's and it worked great. This isn't the way I would have normally taught the first lesson, but I'm glad she did because I can now see that we don't always need to begin with Remembering. Both the teacher and I are so excited for the future.

Works Cited

Riddle-Mills, Amber. "Smart boards and Education." YouTube. 3 Dec. 2008. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.

http://youtu.be/i0Yv7JYklQw

Final Vision Beginnings

    My final vision project is for both the library and the classroom. I am planning on creating a smart notebook presentation for  Using Technology to Support 21st Century Literacy in the Elementary Classroom.  More specifically, my project will focus on how iPads will be implemented into my school and integrating this technology into Hatzic teacher's pedagogy. I feel this final vision will have other benefits for my school besides just implementing the iPads. It will encourage the integration of technology into the new curriculum in general. The project will also allow me to practice my role as a curriculum leader as it will highlight collaboration between myself and the staff and between teachers. This project will serve as professional development not only for me, but for my staff. I am eager to become a better leader.

Possible Project outline

1. Why we must integrate technology into our pedagogy.

Resources for support -

a) Will Richardson's Why Schools

b) NCTE Definition of 21st Century Literacies and the

c) K to 12 Draft Framework for Applied Design, Skills and Technologies.

Possible quotes and images

“Students in kindergarten to grade 5 will have opportunities to develop foundations in applied design, skills and technologies within the context of existing curriculum.”

 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/31595634856413190/

2. Emphasis on student use of technology not just teachers

Resources for support –

a) Harold, Benjamin. Why Ed Tech Is Not Transforming How Teachers Teach
"Student-centered, technology-driven instruction remains elusive for most,"  Benjamin Harold.
"In general, teachers at many schools seemed to view technology as a more valuable tool for themselves than for their students," Ms. Shapley wrote.

b) Unesco's ICT Competency Framework for Teachers. “UNESCO's Framework emphasizes that it is not enough for teachers to have ICT skills and be able to teach them to their students. Teachers need to be able to help the students become collaborative, problem-solving, creative learners through using ICT so they will be effective citizens and members of the workforce.”

3. Present NCTE's definition of 21st Century Literacies and the connection of these literacies to Bloom's Taxonomy, specifically the higher order thinking taxonomies, and the New Curriculum.

Resources for support -

a) Quotes from - Michelle McCall’s 21st Literacy Project

b) From Draft Curriculum -  Curricular Competencies  “Using oral, written, visual, and digital text students are expected individually and collaboratively to be able to create and communicate.”

4. Connect Bloom's Taxonomy to iPad apps

Resources for support -

a) Allan Carrington's Pedagogy Wheel,

                      http://www.edudemic.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-using-ipads-in-the-classroom/

b) "I purpose before iPads" by M. Glesson

5. Provide websites, YouTube videos and parts of the Draft Profile for Digitally Literate Students, that teachers may use to help them begin integrating the iPads into their pedagogy.

YouTube
Toontastic at Bel-Aire School
Transforming the Classroom with IPads."

                                                  https://youtu.be/6vl7cti0WEg

Websites
Kathy Schrock
The Ultimate Guide to using iPads in the classroom
BC Digital Literacy Standards

Example from Draft Profile for Digitally Literate Students

Grades 3–5 (Ages 8–11)
The following experiences with technology and digital resources are examples of learning activities in which students might engage during Grades 3–5 (ages 8–11):

Produce a media-rich digital story about a significant local event based on first-person interviews. (C, T, RI, CI)
Use digital-imaging technology to modify or create works of art for use in a digital presentation. (C, T, CC, CI, TOC)
Recognize bias in digital resources while researching an environmental issue with guidance from the teacher. (C, T, RI, CPD)
Select and apply digital tools to collect, organize, and analyze data to evaluate theories or test hypotheses. (T, RI, CPD, TOC)
Identify and investigate a global issue and generate possible solutions using digital tools and resources. (C, T, RI, CPD)
Conduct science experiments using digital instruments and measurement devices. (T, CPD, TOC)
Conceptualize, guide, and manage individual or group learning projects using digital planning tools with teacher support. (T, CPD, TOC)
Practice injury prevention by applying a variety of ergonomic strategies when using technology. (PS, DC, TOC)
Debate the effect of existing and emerging technologies on individuals, society, and the global community. (T, PS, RI, CPD, DC, TOC)
Apply previous knowledge of digital technology operations to analyze and solve current hardware and software problems. (T, CPD, TOC)
The letters in parentheses after each item identify the cross-curricular characteristics (C, T, PS) and the digital literacy characteristics (CC, RI, CPD, CI, DC, TOC) most closely linked to the activity described. Each activity may relate to one competency or to multiple characteristics.

   I plan on including smart notebook activities interspersed between the five topics. I am also considering putting the presentation onto the school iPads, so that all the teachers can participate in the activities while getting used to the using the iPad if they are unfamiliar with the technology.  I realize that not all of the presentation will appear on the iPad smart notebook app, but I will be using the full version on the smart board. I am will also be including a handbook of sorts with policies and procedures for use of the iPad cart at Hatzic.

Works Cited

DeLoatch, Pamela. "The Ultimate Guide to Using IPads in the Classroom." The Ultimate Guide to                                Using IPads in the Classroom. Edudemic, 5 Aug. 2015. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

http://www.edudemic.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-using-ipads-in-the-classroom/

"Digital Literacy Standards." DRAFT Digital Literacy Standards. B.C. Ministry of Education, n.d.

Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

           http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/dist_learning/dig_lit_standards.htm.

 Gleeson, M. "Ipurpose before IPad." Weblog post. Mgleeson.edublogs.org. N.p., Apr.  
                                                                2013. Web.

mgleeson.edublogs.org/2013/04/28/ipurpose-before-ipad/

Harold, Benjamin. "Why Ed Tech Is Not Transforming How Teachers Teach." Education    
          Week. Editorial Projects in Education, 15 June 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/06/11/why-ed-tech-is-not-transforming-how.html

"IPads in the Classroom - Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything."  N.p., n.d. Web. 04  

                                                          Oct. 2015

http://www.ipads4teaching.net/ipads-in-the-classroom.html

Kellogg, Kristi. "Transforming the Classroom with IPads." YouTube. JudsonISDTV, 12

  Dec. 2012. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

http://youtu.be/6vl7cti0WEg

McCall, Michelle. "Bloom's Taxonomy." 21st Century Literacy Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 
                                                         12 Nov. 2015.

http://21stcenturyliteracymccall.weebly.com/blooms-taxonomy.html

"The NCTE Definition of 21st Century Literacies." National Council of Teachers of English.  Http://www.ncte.org/, Feb. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

            http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/21stcentdefinition

"Toontastic at Bel-Aire School." YouTube. Isabel Chang, n.d. Web. 04 Oct.

https://youtu.be/_ZzK0q_36Eg              

Unesco ICT Competency Framework for Teachers. Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2011. Print 

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002134/213475e.pdf

Reflections on Phase Two

Reflections on Professional Development

Teachers discussing data during a Professional Learning Community meeting. Photo credit: Lindsay Osika

http://sites.ed.gov/progress/2014/01/delaware-and-hawaii-putting-student-data-and-teacher-collaboration-at-the-heart-of-instructional-improvement/

     After the exploration of the phase two subjects, the two directions I would like to continue to explore are my own Professional Development and the Professional Development of the teachers I am supporting. Starting my own PLN has really opened my eyes to a way of learning beyond scholarly articles that can only be accessed by subscription and can at times be too theoretical in nature. I think my colleagues might change their negative views of Pro D if they realize so much of their learning can be done with online resources like Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest. Most of my colleagues use these resources, but I don't think many use them for Pro D.  I feel PLNs and PLCs will be the best way to continue my own and my colleagues Pro D. By developing my own PLN and participating in our schools newly formed PLCs, I will be better able to support my colleagues learning of PLNs, 21st Century Literacies, T/Ls role and the new curriculum.

The following videos and blogs from my group members will be useful for myself and my colleagues.

1. Symbaloo - from Heather Brooks and Rose Stuart 

I have found this to be an extremely valuable tool to help keep me organized for this course. I am also making webmixes for different curricular topics which will help me to better support classroom teachers.

                                  http://learning.oconeeschools.org/course/view.php?id=446

2. Digital literacy YouTube - from Heather Brooks

This video helps me to have a better understanding of digital citizenship.

                                      https://www.youtube.com/embed/DJPIVzd_ECQ

3. PLN YouTube video - from Alexis Tsougrianis

A good introduction for teachers who are new to PLNs.

                                        https://youtu.be/hLLpWqp-owo

4. Professional Learning Animation AITSL YouTube video - from Jen  Lane

This video reminds us that great teachers and leaders come from great learners. It is important to support all the learners in your school even the teachers.

https://youtu.be/e6ZifjWftc8?list=PLG4LE4_x42j83aOKspdRNjY_lPMeRJdEt 

5. 10 things classroom teachers need to know about modern school librarians

https://libraryallegra.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/10-things-classroom-teachers-need-to-know-about-modern-school-librarians/ 

A great blog to help inform teachers of the T/Ls role in today’s school. Hopefully it will, in turn, lead to more collaboration.

http://www.slideshare.net/mobile/cathryno/creating-a-positive-professional-presence-9937526

     The one resonating topic from phase two that has been reinforced for me is the importance of the role of the Teacher Librarian as a Curriculum Leader. All too often, I have put the other roles of a T/L, resource selection and management, preparing prep lessons (not our role) and policies and procedures, ahead of the role of Curriculum Leader. I have realized through looking closely at professional development, my own and supporting others, that this is a role that I must improve on.  Also, my experiences in working towards the new curriculum with colleagues this year has shown me how much my staff is in need of support with the new curriculum, 21st Century Learning as well as with technology.

Mobile Devices supporting all learners

Libraries in Developing Countries

     "Should libraries in developing nations rely on donations and weeded books from developed nations?" My answer many years ago would have been yes, but not now. When I stop to think about the weeded books I sent years ago, I wonder, "Why should these students only have access to worn, out of date, and often politically incorrect books. Don't all children have the right to update to date, accurate information about the world?" Of course, they do. Richard Rowe in his Tedx talk, ICTs changing education in developing countries, says that education is the answer to many of the world's problems. This is the reason we must worry about the education of all the children of the world.

     According to Susan Moody from Worldreader over 80% of people in parts of developing countries have access to mobile phones. This proves to me that mobile devices can play a huge role in the libraries and schools of these countries. Mobile devices will help level the playing field for the children in these countries.

BYOD

     I was surprised to see so much information about BYOD. At my school and in my district, I think, there has been a "no cell phone rule" in place. My district is so far behind.  Because of severe budget restraints, our technology has been archaic and teacher training has been nonexistent, unless you did it yourself. PAC has been helpful by raising funds to purchase technology, but without teacher training the new devices remain under utilized. Until the teachers  integrate technology into their current pedagogy, I don't think they are ready to begin with  BYOD. Regardless of this fact, the time will come when we will need to begin developing BYOD policies and T/L must be willing to take part in the discussion and use their school library as a model for classroom teachers on how personal devices can enhance student learning. By allowing BYOD we will be supporting 21st century literacy.

The Alberta government's guide, Bring Your Own Device: A Guide for Schools, is an extremely comprehensive tool to refer to before developing our own policy.  A quote, from an Alberta teacher, to support BYOD is found at the beginning of the guide.

     “Learning is complex work and like other forms of skilled and technical work it requires that the person performing the job understand and be comfortable with his or her tool set.”

     One thing I liked about this guide was that it included different models for BYOD from a standardized model to a flexible models and many in between. The Standardized model limiting the brands of devices to be used and the flexible model with no limit except that the device be Internet ready. The Pros and cons of each model are clearly presented in charts. The guide also provides many vignettes to provide practical examples of how individuals schools are incorporating BYOD.

     Other articles I read supporting BYOD in schools were  6 BYOD Discussions Every School Should Have by Vicki Davis and Why BYOD Makes Sense: Thinking Beyond a Standardized 1:1 by Andrew Marcinek.  Davis' article offers good advice based in her experience implementing BYOD. She believes BYOD will help students develop their own personalized learning environments. Marcinek believes in BYOD because, "homogenization of any tool is never a good idea in a context that is intended to foster creativity."  Marcinek also states ,"giving choice makes it less about the device and more about the learning." Isn't this what teachers want?

     At first read, the topics appeared different but after doing some reading I see the connection between them. Mobile devices can connect all of us and support learning for everyone, everywhere.

Works Cited

Bring Your Own Device: A Guide for Schools. N.p.: Alberta Education, 2012. Print.

     Davis, Vicki. "6 BYOD Discussions Every School Should Have." Edutopia. Edutopia, 14 Feb.         2014. Web. 31 Oct. 2015.
  http://www.edutopia.org/blog/byod-discussions-schools-should-have-vicki-davis

      "How Mobile Devices Drive Literacy in Developing World." YouTube. WSJ, 23 Apr. 2014. Web. 31 Oct. 2015.http://youtu.be/u3NqU6gqsTM

         Marcinek, Andrew. "Why BYOD Makes Sense: Thinking Beyond a Standardized 1:1." Edutopia.    Edutopia, 11 Dec. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2015.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/byod-makes-sense-beyond-1-to-1-andrew-marcinek

            Rowe, Richard. "ICTs Changing Education in Developing Countries: Richard Rowe at TEDx." N.p., 11 Aug. 2011. Web. 31 Oct. 2015.
http://youtu.be/k1Hvmt4PY_Y

Teacher Librarians supporting Teacher ICT ProD

    During my time as a T/L I have found that many teachers really don't understand the our role  and therefore do not make full use of our expertise. It is up to the T/L to advocate for ourselves by educating teachers on our role. This graphic from Chris Kennedy's article, My take on Librarians, could be used for this purpose.

http://cultureofyes.ca/2011/05/23/my-take-on-librarians/

Chris is a big supporter of T/Ls stating in his article that, "as we move forward “teacher

librarians are more important than ever,"  and that, "the teacher-librarian is often key in moving the learning agenda forward." There are many other articles and visuals we can use

 to advocate for TL. I liked how this YouTube video from the California School Librarians association sums up our role.

http://youtu.be/EyYKkh0n7Vg

      While reading the topic for this week, the following question seemed to be most important. "How can we best respond to the needs of our staff, in their wide spectrum of abilities and experiences, with the most appropriate and useful professional development?" In my opinion,the poster below clearly demonstrates what teachers want from their ProD. 

The question and the poster have shifted my perspective on the ways I can support teachers’ ICT curriculum and pedagogy ProD. This year instead of just making vague suggestions and quoting articles I read, I will take an active role in helping the staff integrate the technology available in the school with the content learning goals. .Benjamin Harold states, "... a mountain of evidence indicates that teachers have been painfully slow to transform the ways they teach, despite that massive influx of new technology into their classrooms. The student-centered, hands-on, personalized instruction envisioned by ed-tech proponents remains the exception to the rule." I fully agree with statement because I witness it everyday at school and I, too, “have been painfully slow to transform the way I teach. "  Harold continues to give the reasons for slow transformation. One reason being, " Many teachers lack an understanding of how educational technology works."

   This is how I plan to support to address this problem and to support my staff with their ICT ProD.

1. Know exactly what technology is available in our school.
2. Know how this technology, be it smart board, iPad, computer, document camera works. If I don’t, I will find out.
3. Be available to work along side teachers to develop lessons using the available technology as a tool to achieve student learning.
4. Offer an after school or lunchtime workshop on technology available in our school. Entice teachers to attend by having this opportunity count as the Professional ProD discretionary day each teacher is allowed. Provide dinner or lunch for them.
5. Our school is also beginning to use PLCs.  The focus of these communities this year will be math. Earlier this year I was wondering how I could support each committee. Obviously now I  can suggest and demonstrate ways the school’s technology can be used by students to  improve their learning in math. Some teachers are using IXL already but maybe some apps that support the higher taxonomies can be explored. Most of our school ProD time this year will be spent on this.

     There are always some teachers unwilling to use their own time for ProD. This has been a barrier in my district because elementary T/Ls provide almost all the prep coverage. However, this year I am lucky to be relieved of some of this prep coverage. This will allow me time to work with these teachers during the teacher’s prep time.  Of course, i will have to encourage the teacher to use their prep toward with me. It’s up to me to make it worth their while.

Works Cited

Duckworth, Sylvia. 10 Things Teachers Want for Professional Development. Digital image.N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.

Https://plus.google.com/photos/photo/114228444007154433856/6155062951951599682. 

Harold, Benjamin. "Why Ed Tech Is Not Transforming How Teachers Teach." Education Week. Editorial Projects in Education, 15 June 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/06/11/why-ed-tech-is-not-transforming-how.html

Kennedy, Chris. "My Take on Librarians." Culture of Yes. N.p., 23 May 2011. Web. 24 Oct. 2015. http://cultureofyes.ca/2011/05/23/my-take-on-librarians/

Teacher Librarians and Classroom Teachers: Collaborative Partners. California School Library Association, 15 Mar. 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015. http://youtu.be/EyYKkh0n7Vg.

Professional Development

     In the past, my professional development has been very much like what Jose Luis Vilson calls the "Archaic Model." http://www.teachingquality.org/content/blogs/josé-luis-vilson/why-teachers-need-start-their-own-professional-development. I participated in prod days at the school or in the district, but wasn't necessarily interested in what was being presented. In the past, administrators haven't been exactly thrilled when teachers have asked to use a professional day to pursue researching personal teaching interests. Perhaps some teachers didn't provide evidence of their learning. I  guess it's accountability. School administrators are sometimes to anxious to jump on whatever bandwagon is passing through to justify the time spent on pro d. Unfortunately, "teachers still come out of them feeling like they learned nothing of substance when they hoped for at least a nugget of information." (Vilson)(2013). This “Archaic Model” of Professional Development for teachers needs to change. In Benjamin Herald’s article, Why Ed Tech is not transforming how teachers teach, he supports the idea of “job embedded “ professional development. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/06/11/why-ed-tech-is-not-transforming-how.html This is the kind of PD “ that takes place consistently during the the workday and is tied to specific classroom challenges. This ‘job embedded professional development “ seems to tie in with the idea of using PLNs. Another article, Standards lacking in public schools’ use of technology by Tracy Sherlock, says that “teachers don't know how to use the technology in their classrooms.”  Again more proof that the “Archaic model” of PD isn't working.  In the future, I would like to continue my professional development using what Vilson calls, " third-rail professional development,  a hybrid of tech savvy and a healthy dose of networking."

   T/Ls must make ever effort to stay current with new technology, teaching strategies and learning resources if we hope to the fulfill roles our role. T/Ls need to be part of the leadership team in a school. Teachers need to be able to come to T/Ls for support in using technology's and setting up their own PLNs. T/Ls can help and encourage teachers to pursue professional development by sharing their learning and modelling the behaviours of life long learners.  In the past, I have ventured into some online learning: Ted, webinars put on by the BCTLA, a subscription to LM-Net, and of course, UBC online courses, but I can do more. 

     I have been introduced to new ways of learning over the past few weeks and I hope to continue to use these online resources and to share my learning with colleagues. The resources that are new to me are Twitter, blogs, PLN, and Youtube.  

     Twitter is very new to me and I'm not really sure if I completely understand how it all works. I will need to use online resources like https://support.twitter.com, you tube videos and continue to connect with other teachers/ librarians in my district  to help me learn. In the past I have used the trial and error method to learn how to use new apps and online resources. Sometimes trial and error worked, although I didn't always use these online tools to there full potential, and sometimes it didn't work at all, so i just gave up. Here is a YouTube video I am finding useful.

     I have always been very cautious when it came to blogs, but I now see blogs as an excellent way to keep current. While I'm not sure that I will continue to write my own blogs, I will continue to read and subscribe to blogs tha tI feel will benefit my learning.  I have used YouTube before, of course, for entertainment and for educating students, but I have never really used YouTube for my professional learning. I will continue to create a PLN using  YouTube, Twitter and Google search and learn more about PLNs using these online tools. In the future, I would like to become a sharer in my PLN. Currently I'm a really good lurker. Here are the links to some PLN resources I plan on exploring or have already used.

http://edupln.ning.com

http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/pln-challenge-1-what-the-heck-is-a-pln/

http://youtu.be/A667plNCzwA

References

Burt, Ronnie. "Step 1: What Is a PLN?" Edublogs Teacher Challenges. N.p., 14 June 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2015. <http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/pln-challenge-1-what-the-heck-is-a-pln/>.

Dickens, Seth. "How To Build Your PLN (Professional Learning Network)." YouTube. Diogitalang.com, 12 Feb. 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2015. <http://youtu.be/A667plNCzwA>.

Meeker, Kelly. "Twitter for Beginners." YouTube. N.p., 13 Apr. 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.

Sherlock, Tracy. "Standards Lacking in Public Schools' Use of Technology." Vancouver Sun. Canada.com, 03 Oct. 2015. Web. 03 Oct. 2015. <http://epaper.vancouversun.com/epaper/viewer.aspx>.

Whitby, Thomas. "The Educator's PLN." - The Personal Learning Network for Educators. N.p., 2015. Web. 17 Oct. 2015. <http://edupln.ning.com/>.

Wilson, Jose Luis. "CTQ." Why Teachers Need To Start Their Own Professional Development. Center for Teaching Quality, 11 Jan. 2013. Web. 17 Oct. 2015. <http://www.teachingquality.org/content/blogs/jos%C3%A9-luis-vilson/why-teachers-need-start-their-own-professional-development>.

Fostering a Culture of Reading

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Fostering a reading culture is an important role for a teacher/librarian. It is a role I would like to improve on and hopefully, in turn, more students will find a love of reading. Currently in my school we have several ways to foster a reading culture. Most of the classes in my school do buddy reading which not only has younger and older students reading together, but often includes working on small projects together. It is a kind of collaboration. The older students often modelling the way people can work together towards a common goal and learn more than they might have on their own. At least once a year, everyone gets together for a school wide book talk. Student are in small, multi-grade, family groups for the event. Each group has a grade six leader running the group and an adult,teacher,ea, parent in the background just to make sure all goes well. Students are encouraged to bring props, or dress in character to enhance the experience. Teachers are free to determine the parameters for book selection. Sometimes the books are fiction, sometimes nonfiction, and often both. Other teachers have asked students to pick just a chapter to book talk from a novel the class is studying.

In the library, I have my usual seasonal and new book displays. I have the most popular series grouped separately in a labeled baskets for easy access. The books are well loved and the baskets are often empty. I also have another basket I call skinny books.  This was not my idea, but I can't remember where I learned about it, so sorry no citation. Skinny books are just that. The books are fast reads and very often high interest, low vocabulary. An example of the kinds of books in this basket are the, And Then it Happened, series.





hotcupofteaandagoodbook.BlogSpot.

I give book talks and show book trailers. Just outside the library I have a,  Need a book, 
Take a book, Have a book, Leave a book, box.  I need to remind students about the leave
a book part because the selection has been pretty narrow lately. Another way I try to
encourage reading is with a used book fair.  The students are always excited to see how
much a loonie can buy them and often leave with bags full of books. They also like to
buy books for their parents. This activity does raise some money for the library, but
from the students reaction to the sale you can tell they are excited to read their new
 a year, the primary teachers and I put on  books for bedtime, a program for 3 to 5 year
olds. The children participate in story time other reading related activities while the parents
are given a short presentation about community resources, like the public library,
or Mother Goose story time, a program for very young children presented by Mission
 Literacy in Motion.  Children always leave with a new book and a bag of literacy goodies.
Our school also hosts,  Little Readers, a parent run program for 3 to 5 year olds. Kids and
their caregiver participate in story time, crafts and a book exchange.
A great way for the little ones to get used to the school they will probably attend and for
parents in the community to connect. All of theses strategies and program help to promote a culture of reading, but I am interested in finding some ideas or ways to spice up current strategies and programs.

When I was searching YouTube, I found some great videos to promote reading. My favourite is Dear Summer Reader. I would love to get the staff together and create something similar for the end of the year assembly.

Another video I like is the  Roosevelt Flash Mob: Gotta Keep Reading. It would be great for the classes to learn the dance and perform it together in the gym before our Book Talk.



My research on Twitter also lead me to the article, What are Young Learners Reading?or How Does What They Are Reading Fit in with Building a Community of Readers? by Sharon McElmeel.  In the article she makes a clear case against Accelerated Reading, a program I have never agreed with, as a way to motivate readers.  McElmeel goes on to examine what does motivate readers? The key ideas McElmeel focuses on are TIME, ACCESS and CHOICE. I very much agree with her conclusions especially CHOICE. As long as the reader sees value in the book it doesn't matter if  we see the value.  She also brings up an idea that I hadn't really thought about before. "Sometimes books need time to resonate with the reader," says McElmeel. Student don't always understand everything about a story at the time they read it, but later in their life they have an experience that reminds them of something that happened in the book that they always wondered about.  For example, McElmeel tells a story about her son.  He had read  Farmer Boy, by L. Wilder in Elementary school and never really understood how the donuts Ma was frying turned over by themselves. Three years later,  he saw donuts frying at home and saw the donuts flip over alone. He said to McElmeel " I always wondered how they did that."  I love it when students have "Aha" moments.  McElmeel also leaves teachers with a good reminder at the end of the article.

"It is our responsibility as educators to implement the most effective strategies that reach our objectives, to create life-long readers and build a community of readers."

References Cited

Herbert, Jesse. "Dear Summer Reader." YouTube. Np., n.d. web. 06 Oct. 2015.

McElmeel, Sharron. " What Are Young Learners Reading?" Teacher Librarian (2015): 29-33. Web.

Read-A-Thon Flash Mob channel."Roosevelt Flash Mob: Gotta Keep Reading." YouTube. Np., n.d. web. 06 Oct. 2015.

Reading Review #3

     I have been overwhelmed by the amount of information there is about how iPads can support literacy and be used in today's classroom. I was pleasantly surprised on Saturday morning to find an article in the Vancouver Sun, don't worry it was the epaper,  about technology. This article was right on point for me. Peter Ritchie, a teacher in Richmond was  using iPads with his students to show their learning of A Wrinkle in Time. One of the teachers at my school is reading this with her class. I'm looking forward to sharing the article with her on Monday.  I also sent Peter an email through his school email to ask him some questions about his school's use of  iPads at his school. 

     What has also been eye opening for me was the many formats used to impart the information I have found. In the past, when I have thought about research, I always thought about reference materials, mostly old school, but presented online. The kinds of materials  I would use would be university and school district databases, online encyclopedias (WorldBook), carefully vetted websites. The idea of using YouTube, wikis, blogs and "Yikes " Wikipedia seemed less than academic to me. I have come to realize through this experience that the use of these newer formats and PLNs can and do make me a  better learner.

     The articles, websites, videos and blogs that I have included in my references will help me with my final vision project, Using iPads to Support Literacy in the Hatzic Elementary classroom. M. Gleeson's blog "Ipurpose before IPad" /http://mgleeson.edublogs.org/2013/04/28/ipurpose-before-ipad/, brings home the important fact that learning is the goal that is enhanced through the use of technology.  I will use the "Toontastic at Bel-Aire School." YouTube video as part of my presentation to introduce this app to the staff. I know this app is really going to spark our students interest in story telling while they are learning all about the elements of a story.

Getting and Swainey's article "First Graders with IPADs?" http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ991227.pdf, can help the primary teachers and myself see how the ipads can help all students, even the at risk, become better readers and collaborators.

   I have always been an independent learner, in the sense that I have preferred to work alone rather in groups. I am realizing that this is not the only or best way to learn.  At the beginning of this course I wasn't completely clear about what a PLN was. A Prod event in my district was focused on PLCs and I think I got the two a little confused. PLN is new to me and I'm still not completely comfortable learning this way. Over the last few weeks I am beginning to see the benefits of a PLN and will continue working to improve.

 

Works Cited

Delafosse, Sandra. "Teaching in the 21st Century." YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2015.

Dobler, Elizabeth. "Using IPads to Support Literacy in the Primary Grades." Reading Today (2011): 18-19. Web.

Gentile, Mark. "The Importance of Managing IPads in the Classroom." Eddigest.com (2012): 11-13. Web.

Getting, Sara, and Karin Swainey. "First Graders with IPads?" Learning and Leading with 

Technology (2012): n. pag. Web.

Gleeson, M. "Ipurpose before IPad." Weblog post. Mgleeson.edublogs.org. N.p., Apr. 2013. Web.

Hutchison, Amy, and Beth Beschorner. "Using the IPad as a Tool to Support Literacy Instruction." Technology, Pedagogy and Education (2014): 1-16. Web.

"IPads in the Classroom - Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything." IPads in the Classroom - Kathy 

Guide to Everything. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2015.

Sherlock, Tracy. "Given the Technology, Students Always Find Ways to Use It." Vancouver Sun. N.p., 03 Oct. 2015. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.

Shortreed, Dave. "IPads in the Elementary School Classroom." YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2015.

"Toontastic at Bel-Aire School." YouTube. Isabel Chang, n.d. Web. 04 Oct..