2.+Professional+practice

2.1 engage and challenge learners within a supportive, information rich learning environment
===2.2 collaboratively plan and resource curriculum programs which incorporate transferable information literacy and literature outcomes ===

Information literacy (ICT literacy)
Kuhlthah (2010, 24) refers to reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and presenting as 'literacy competencies'. In a school library setting, information literacy is knowing how to find the required information, assess how useful the information might be and lastly use the information for a specified purpose. ICT literacy is an aspect of information literacy, which can be defined as follows: //ICT Literacy has traditionally been viewed as knowing how to use a computer, use productivity software, access the Internet for information and simple graphic or multimedia manipulation tools. It now includes knowing how to use Web 2.0 tools and other new media tools. // //(Wall & Ryan 2010, 32)// The teacher-librarian (TL) at SPP Site 1 appears to have limited involvement in Information literacy and ICT literacy development outside of the classroom. In discussions with the TL it was noted that he had never observed structured library programs, as used in primary schools, being applied in the secondary school system. His considerable experience as a secondary school TL has enabled him to identify his role as one of providing a service and resourcing the curriculum in consultation with academic coordinators rather than one involving collaborative planning with classroom teachers.

The only information literacy sessions the TL presents are to Year 8 English classes at the beginning of each year. These sessions provide an introduction to how a secondary school library operates and how students can use the various facilities to locate and use information. This year the sessions have not been conducted due to the rebuilding of the library structure, however, an invitation was extended to the TL to present an abridged version of these sessions to the Year 8 Computer Skills classes focusing on electronic resources. These sessions, according to McShane (2012a), will be important for the Year 8 students because 'the ICT capability involves 'students in learning to make the most of the technologies available to them, adapting to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and limiting the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment. '

McShane (2012a) also identifies that 'learning should encompass ICTs, they should not be separate. In this digital age many students are fearlessly embracing new technologies, often taking on the role of teacher in the classroom setting. It is up to teachers to ensure that they embrace the ever changing world of ICTs to ensure that they and their students are not left behind.'

To enhance student learning, as TL I would further develop the existing Computer Skills course to include a more obvious Information and ICT literacy program to support students across the curriculum with their learning. The existing program does not include the library and operates in isolation from any specific course of study as the focus is on the provision of skills. A much richer course could be developed to encompass the library and make more realistic links between the 'literacy competencies' as outlined above. This would more directly enable the implementation of a collaborative environment where teachers plan and implement literacy programs that promote a positive learning environment (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.2).

The above reflection occurred in the first semester of my TL study in 2012. It is heartening that my final placement at SPP Site 2 has given me an agenda to work towards and additionally, resources to use to help me with this endeavour. Upon returning to work I had a conversation with the TL regarding the adoption of a 'Retech' (Stower and Schravemade, 2013) program that would support the current curriculum review that is occurring at SPP Site 1, he was very supportive of this plan. My current role at SPP Site 1 is the teaching and learning coordinator (TLC) which situates me in a position to put forward proposals that have a whole school focus. I have held this position for one year and will continue in this role for the next three years. This role was offered to me in 2013, following on from my role as eLearning coordinator in 2012. I can directly relate this opportunity to my TL study, and even though I am not positioned in the library I do have influence when it comes to whole school pedagogy and program innovation.

The curriculum review and timetable changes that are occurring as a result of the introduction of Year 7 into the school has resulted in the loss of dedicated ICT lessons. In view of what I have learnt at SPP Site 2, I am planning a proposal to present to the principal for the adoption of a 'Retech' approach to the Year 7 and 8 curriculum. The program on offer at SPP Site 2 involves one lesson per week for each Year 8 class plus an extra lesson per fortnight that is devoted to more general topics of research, literature reviews (campfires), as well as how to use the library to access and borrow books and equipment. SPP Site 1 will operate with a nine day cycle, of five one hour lessons per day, beginning in 2015. In order for the adoption of the 'Retech' program to occur I would need to also speak to the deputy principal, who is in charge of timetabling, and the academic coordinators to get their thoughts and views on how this program could be implemented (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.2). According to O'Connell & Groom (2010, p. 55) 'twenty-first century learning leaves the 'technology as tool' approach behind, replacing it with technology that drives critical and information literacy'. The opportunities provided by a 'Retech' program would not only benefit students but teachers as well. As my background is also as a business teacher I have worked with technology for the twenty years that I have been teaching. I am the go-to person at SPP Site 1 for any technology issues that teachers may have and I am also the person responsible for Moodle, our learning management system. My role may not be identifiable as a TL but that is all due to perspective. I consider what I do to be directly related to the role of a TL in a school as does the TL at SPP Site 1.

To further my case, the experience gained at SPP Site 2 from observing TLs as teachers, is also worthy of note. SPP Site 2 was three weeks into their iSolve topic which occurs in Term 4. A synopsis of this is provided below,



I was present for approximately nine of the 'Genius hour' lessons with Year 8 and was also able to consult with students about their projects and offer advice to them. The collegial atmosphere was conducive to my direct involvement and I was also able to offer some advice about using the badging opportunities provided in Moodle as a way of reporting where students were in their learning. Both TLs were very interested in this approach as it was a link to their existing LMS as well as providing an opportunity for students to build their 'Retech' passport. I am also in the process of adopting a badging approach at SPP Site 1 and consider a 'Retech' approach to be the perfect opportunity to begin planning. My vision for this is for students to progress through their tasks earning badges as they progress. Their badges then become part of their Moodle profile which then enables teachers to make considered decisions about the types of activities that could be planned for their class. For example, if a teacher wanted students to prepare a multimodal response to a task, they would be able to identify the level of each of their students from the badges they had earned. This would then guide them to either seek support from the TLC if upskilling was needed or the option to adapt the task to suit the needs of the learner (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.1, 2.2, 2.4).

Collection management
Collection management is an essential element of the TL's role as Kennedy (2005) states 'if collecting occurs there is a need for management of the process'. Collection management according to Lupton (2012) involves 'cataloging, classifying and accessioning the collection'. According to Wall and Ryan (2010, 9) 'the shape and composition of the collection' is determined by the library and the community it serves.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The community served by the library at SPP Site 1 is a Catholic Secondary School and the composition of the collection is guided by the library's mission statement which identifies 'our resource provision and management practices support the College mission by promotion of faith development, responding to individual needs, and providing a learning environment where each member of the College community may attain their individual potential as a discerning, independent and life-long learner' (Ogden 2011, 3). This provides scope for the development of all policies and procedures implemented by the College library. (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.3)

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The publication of a Library Handbook has created a point of reference for policy implementation and the resultant procedures. The handbook provides guidance for how the collection is managed and therefore provides the basis for all decisions regarding the improvement of the library and the services it provides (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.3). According to Debowski (1998, 49) 'policies are statements of principle which should be reflected in the practices to be followed. They offer a general overview, rather than a step by step outline of the procedure which is in operation. Procedure, on the other hand, outlines the current practice which is followed in the library'.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">In view of the devastating fire that occurred in December of 2011, t<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">he preparation of a Library Report (2011) by the TL has proved a valuable source of information on the history of the library collection and provided a starting point for the development of the new library and its collection. The preparation of this report enabled the TL to evaluate current practice and provided opportunity to articulate future plans. This is sound management practice according to McShane (2012b) as 'the school library needs a policy for all procedures because there needs to be a level of accountability for all decisions made whether it is from an educational point of view, a financial point of view or a management point of view. In the event of a disaster ... there needs to be a point of reference to aid in the rebuilding of a system.'

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The report evaluates the library procedures regarding collection development, access to resources, teaching areas and equipment, staffing, finance, and policies (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.4). The following extract highlights the cataloged resources and identifies the 'weeding' that occurred during the 2011 school year. The increase in the Australian Biography collection was a direct result of the inclusion of a Biopic elective unit in the Senior English program. The consultative process that occurs between the TL and all academic coordinators invariably yields positive results.



<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> The report section devoted to future planning highlighted the need to 'increase staff and student use of electronic resources' (Ogden, 2011:12) One of the suggested strategies included providing demonstrations of the library website and the resources it contains at staff meetings and in-services. This strategy has been implemented in 2012 and has proved a valuable resource for staff and students due to the minimal access to print resources (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.4). The ongoing development of the library site, which is situated on the School Portal (Sharepoint), over the past three years has meant that in spite of the destruction caused by the fire, access to electronic resources is readily available. The print collection has also grown over the past three years as well. It has been three years since the following plans were outlined and I am able to provide updates on how some of the plans have progressed in view of the fact that the new library has only just been completed and is still not open for business.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">There has been an increase in the use of electronic resources as a large number of academic coordinators have opted for the PDF version of the selected text. This adoption is not as consistent as the TL would like and as a result of my work placement at SPP Site 2 I was able to provide a recommendation for Learningfield an initiative of the Copyright Agency, in conjunction with some of the leading educational publishers in Australia. The following video is an introduction to the service they provide. The TL was very interested in this and is making an appointment to speak with the principal regarding this resource, in view of the fact that budgets have already been approved (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.2). media type="custom" key="26774378" align="center"

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">A policy exists for all procedures in the school library and if an event occurs for which there is no policy or procedure, one is created. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The document below was created a number of years ago in response to a parent complaint about the language in one of the library books borrowed by their child (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.3). This request form is included as an Appendix to the Challenged Materials section of the Library Handbook (2011).

T<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">his TL's experience leads me to reflect that if I were in his position I would continue the excellent practices established for collection management. The structured and considered approach to the management of the library collection has been an invaluable resource for the planned rebuilding of the College library.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The situation at SPP Site 2 is quite the opposite. Their focus on developing an iCentre and library program has left little time for policy development. This is also due in part to a lack of policy and procedures in place when they began their work in the library. The TLs are very open about this. To help guide them with collection management they refer to the WA Department of Education support site for information regarding selection guidelines and challenged resources (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.3). The fact that there are sites for reference is a wonderful part of learning and teaching in the 21st century. There is no need to be isolated and if you choose to focus on program development at least there are guidelines that can be accessed to support you with library management.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">One key document that has been developed is a letter to parents of students who show a maturity and interest in extending their reading (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.1). This system has worked well and students are encouraged to post on Goodreads their reviews. Whilst I was on site an issue arose where a student in Year 9 had been given a book to read before cataloging took place. She is an avid reader and her thoughts are always welcomed by the TLs. The Cybrarian had returned from a book evening where the book in question had been identified as one that would not be recommended for teens. The TLs were quite concerned and called the student down to have a discussion. She was unfazed and could not see what the fuss was about. She was also a student who had the following parental consent to read more adult fiction. The care and concern shown for the student is one aspect of a TLs work that can never be underestimated. Having a good relationship with colleagues and students is vital for developing a strong presence within the school environment.



<span style="color: #800000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Promotion of reading
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Promotion of reading is an important aspect of the TL's role, which involves developing a conducive reading environment (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.1). According to Bonnano (2011, 5) 'school libraries ensure all students have access to a wide range of reading material and encourage students[sic] to love reading'. The two main programs in place at SPP Site 1 are the Junior Reading program developed by the English department and resourced by the TL and the Reader's Cup competition.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The Junior Reading program was given a revamp with new names to bring it into the 21st century as the English coordinator considered the RIBIT title to be very '80s'. The current reading programs in Years 8, 9 and 10 are titled: 'Book Club', 'Reading Circles', and 'Reading Rooms' respectively. The titles selected for these programs are chosen by the English coordinator in consultation with another member of her English department, who is a passionate advocate of young adult literature. Reference is also made to relevant literature sources, some of which can be accessed via links from the library website. Reading journal activities have been developed by the English department for each year level to assist in developing students' vocabulary and to encourage a deeper understanding of the characters, plots, and genres in the books selected for reading. La Marca (2010, 17) supports this view and identifies that reading, 'both for pleasure and learning, and for personal and educational benefit, remains the central function of a school library'.



<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The Reader's Cup competition is promoted through English classes, the school newsletter, and morning notices. This enables an environment to be fostered that focuses on empowering students to read, view, listen, and respond for understanding and enjoyment (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.1) The organisation of this event is a partnership between the TL who completes the 'paperwork' side of the competition and another staff member who facilitates meetings and activities with the students. The main obstacle to the teams preparation this year was the lack of a library facility for meetings. It was identified, during discussions with the facilitator, that her team members, whilst passionate readers, were not used to discussing their love of reading. She considered a contributing factor for this to be the lack of promotional space and promotional equipment to develop a truly engaging display that made links between authors, genres, characters, and plots to encourage her young adult readers to have conversations about their reading. McShane (2012d) identifies that 'the school library needs to provide visually appealing spaces for readers to engage in reading. The TL can make all of this possible with planning and by having a visible presence in the library.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">If I were the TL I would utilise the morning notices, school newsletter, student notice boards and the school Moodle site to promote this valuable learning activity. This year the promotion of 'Reader's Cup has been hindered by the lack of a library space but in hindsight using the digital mediums available would have been an effective substitute for promoting this event. 'Creating promotional displays and providing appealing furniture will draw students in' (McShane 2012d) but if TLs want them to return they need to have conversations with students about what they are reading.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The everyday promotion of reading was evident at SPP Site 2. The following pictures capture the learning space provided for the users of the iCentre. According to La Marca (2010, p. 3) 'the challenge for school libraries is to engage with all of the ways students learn and to offer a variety of spaces to support these different ways of learning'. The creation of spaces that encouraged students to relax and read and chat, as well as the posters and book displays, all served to provided a visually and spatially rich environment for both students and teachers (ASLA-ALIA Standard 2.1).


 * [[image:20141027_084131.jpg width="302" height="394" align="left" caption="Posters designed by TLs to promote reading"]] || [[image:bertssppfolio/20141027_163519.jpg width="511" height="393" caption="Comfortable space for collaboration"]] ||