Inquiry Blog Post 5: Reflection & Direction for Phase 2

Taking a look back over the last 4 inquiry topics for Phase 2 of LIBE 477, I have set many goals to improve my library program and practice as a teacher-librarian. Collating all of the goals and avenues for development, I can see that I need more than 2 months (I plan on taking Maternity Leave in May 2015) to tackle many of these skills and programs. Thus, I have added dates to the goals below to set some realistic timelines. Many of the technology applications introduced in the course are tools that I have already started to use. I have marked these goals as “ongoing” as they continue to be integrated further into my everyday personal and professional practice.

My key takeaways from Phase 2 of LIBE 477 are centered on the use of technology to expand my personal and professional development in the library, classroom, school, district, province, and global learning network. For example, to foster more of a reading culture in my school, I explored 21^st Century Book Talks using various Web 2.0 tools. In my second inquiry post, I looked at various social networking tools, websites, eBooks, and blogs in order to develop my own ICT skills. Further, to better support the on-going professional development of staff at my school, I discussed the role of the teacher-librarian as a technology leader. Finally, in the last blog post I focused my research on a provincial initiative called the Write To Read Project that has partnered with Telus and the Merritt Rotary Club to build a library on a local rural First Nations reserve, recognizing the power of joining literacy and technology to share culturally relevant stories and provide access to information both in print and online.

As I continue in my career, I hope to use the goals and explorations of this course to build a stronger Personal Learning Network that utilizes technology to reach out beyond my local community and improve my practice as a teacher-librarian.

In summary, here is a list of the goals I posted over  Phase 2 of the course:

Topic 1: Fostering Reading Culture in Our School

Goal (before May 2015): I would like to take our book talks and book advertising one step further to help promote reading at MSS. I plan to enlist their help to create 21^st Century Book Talks and trailers using our library iPad minis following “The Process” outlined on the 21st Century Book Talks graphic. The trailers and book talks can be uploaded onto our library webpage, school twitter account @MSSpanthers, and Facebook page Merritt Secondary School. We can also generate QR codes for the trailers/book talks and place them next to the book on the shelf using our shelf labels

Topic 2: Developing My Own ICT Skills and PLN

Social Bookmarking– Delicious  Goal (Ongoing): During one of our course Google Hangouts our instructor, Aaron, showed us how to automatically add any links that you favourite in Twitter to your Delicious account using a website called If This Then That . I plan to set up this feature and be more social on Delicious by adding other educational professionals so that I can see what they are bookmarking. I will also spend some time adding my bookmarks bar on my laptop to my Delicious account for easier access and use.

Social Pinning –Pinterest Goal (Ongoing): I would like to contribute photos of my own library displays to share with the Pinterest community of librarians. I feel that sharing what I am doing as I progress along in my career is an important part of creating a learning network.

Professional Reading Goal (2015): I plan to read another book by Will Richardson titled Personal Learning Networks: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education. I have read several reviews that recommend this book to educators who want to expand their own learning communities.

Social Networking-Twitter Goal (2015): I have started a twitter account for my school @MSSpanthers and plan to create a list for educators at my school to follow, as demonstrated by Aaron during one of our Google Hangouts. I am more confident tweeting out on this account about school events and pics, but I plan to start using my own twitter account @lia_larson to share my own learning journey instead of just re-tweeting useful links and resources!

Online Courses Goal (2016): I plan to complete my UBC TL diploma by 2016!

My School- Teacher Talk Goal (May 2015): This year I would like to put forward Richardson’s book Why School? for our book study to further explore the issues discussed in LIBE477.

My Library Programming- Learning@Lunch Goal (Ongoing): We have not hosted any sessions this year as our District Technology Coordinator moved out of district. I would like to revive this program with our new coordinator and perhaps be a presenter myself on Learn Now BC.

My District:–SD58 Connect  Goal (2016): The blog was suspended while the District searched for a new Technology coordinator, but I would like to push myself to post on the blog this year when it is back up and running. I could share teaching resources and advocate for our libraries!

Blogging Goal (Ongoing): I would like to post more regularly to my library blog and add more educators to my Diigo RSS blog  feed to stay connected to what is happening in education on a national and international level. I need to make my library page more interactive and allow students and staff to engage with the site, instead of just posting upcoming events.

Useful Websites– TeachBC Goal (2016): I plan to share some library resources on this site and check out what other librarians have contributed. If this site takes off it could be a wealth of information for educators in our province.

Topic 3: Supporting Teachers’ On-going Professional Development

Goals (Ongoing): Here are some ways in which I have seen excellent TLs supporting other teachers with technology in my brief time as a new TL. While I have not mastered everything on the list so far, I am constantly working towards being a technology leader.

• Advocate for more technology in your school
• Provide access to technology for students and staff in your library
• Offer to host teacher pro-D events in the library to make the Library Learning Commons the hub of teaching and learning
• Be the Yes Person in your school. When someone needs help with their projector, a missing cord, a forgotten password, the photocopier, embedding a You Tube video, or whatever the technology road block may be, be the personal who helps by Googling it on You Tube or lending a helping hand
• Provide learning opportunities for staff on using School District subscriptions and resources for learning, including online research databases, video streaming sites, etc.
• Support your school based Professional Development Chairperson by advertising staff pro-D events on your website and social media, providing space for functions in your library, or lending a helping hand

Topic 4: Library Projects and Mobile Devices in Developing and Developed Nations

Library Club Student Goals (2016): So how can students at our school get involved with helping library projects in developed and developing nations? I posed this question to my Library Club this week. After a little research the students came up with the following ideas:

• Volunteer to help set up the Nooiatch library through the Write To Read Project this April (2015)
• Send book donations to Better World Books
• Lend a micro-loan to individuals on Kiva who need money for literacy, education, or access to technology for education

Now, onto Phase 3 of the course:)