LIBE Diploma Blog 2020

Final Reflection: LLED 462

This course has offered many opportunities for learning and growth as an educator and teacher-librarian hopeful. The key learnings for me can be explored with the answers to these three questions:

How can libraries help students become critical thinkers?
How can libraries help students be themselves?
How can libraries help students succeed in all areas of learning?

These are similar to Hillary Clinton’s three reasons why we need libraries more than ever, from her speech to the ALA in 2017:

Reading changes lives
Libraries create community for diverse populations
We need critical thinkers more than ever

How can libraries help students become critical thinkers?

One of the biggest challenges facing youth, and society as a whole, is the massive amount of information available online. This course has highlighted the role of teacher-librarian as a leader in analyzing digital data, as someone who helps guide students toward reliable sources and various perspectives. Kimberly Lenters examines how graphic novels as multimodal texts support critical literacy for students: “They learn to decode and encode information, their comprehension of often complex ideas is aided by the use of multiple sign systems, they learn about different ways information and story may be conveyed for different audiences, and they have the opportunity to critically engage with important topics” (645). These are media-analysis skills that can be applied to all texts, multimodal or not, both online and in the classroom.

In fact, Lenters highlights the need for multimodal text analysis given “recent discussions in the media regarding fake news and consumer fraud” and that “people of all ages encounter a plethora of information, ideas, and invitations in the digital spaces in which they participate (e.g. websites, Facebook, Instagram)” (645-6). This was also discussed by Hillary Clinton in her address to the American Library Association: “As librarians […], you have to be on the front lines of one of the most important fights we have ever faced in the history of our country – the fight to defend truth and reason, evidence and facts”. Clinton says this in light of the disinformation spread not only during the 2016 election campaign, but also the corruption of news media that continued afterwards. Three years on from her speech, this is only more obvious a problem, as one of the most influential leaders of the free world continually aims to discredit reliable news sources.

Inspired by the course readings, I did a proper lesson on information and digital literacy with my Social Studies 9 students, whereas in the past it might have been an informal discussion on reliable sources (with me banking on background knowledge of theirs from grade 8). A resource that is both easy-to-use and student-friendly is the Canadian CIVIX, “a non-partisan, national registered charity dedicated to building the skills and habits of active and engaged citizenship among young Canadians. [Their] vision is a strong and inclusive democracy where all young people are ready, willing and able to participate” (CIVIX). Like Clinton noted, “libraries and democracy go hand-in-hand”, and librarians are indeed the guardians of information literacy. CIVIX recognizes this idea that democracy depends on informed citizens, and provides multimodal resources for teachers about how to critically assess media, truth, and bias. It is definitely a source I would keep in my “digital tool kit” as a teacher-librarian, and something I would share widely with humanities teachers.

Screenshot of CIVIX video on Information Pollution.

I have used CIVIX in the past to teach grade 9s about government and democracy, as one of CIVIX’s main programs is called “Student Vote”, where they create detailed resources and lesson plans to enfranchise students in times of provincial and federal elections. But I don’t typically spend enough time on digital/media literacy. I discovered that CIVIX has a program called “Ctrl-F: Find the Facts”, with a focus on “Help[ing] students fight information pollution” (CIVIX). This includes videos on disinformation and misinformation, which I used as an introduction to the topic. After a discussion on the differences between them, and also what to look for when checking a factual claim, students then used checklists provided to analyze sources for reliability and bias: Maclean’s, The Globe and Mail, The Beaverton, and Rabble. I introduced them to Media Bias/Fact Check, and they also did some background research on the sources to see what came up.

Finally, we compared Factual vs. Value Claims, using the handouts, Slides, and videos provided by CIVIX. This non-partisan group uses relevant, contemporary information and examples; for instance, they track celebrity claims on social media about the environment, and then demonstrate the research skills to check the claim. Overall, these lessons with the 9s were a curation from the myriad of sources available through CIVIX. You could probably spend weeks on what they provide! I’m grateful for this course for reminding me of the leadership role that teacher-librarians have in digital and information literacy, where T-Ls can provide tools and guidance to teachers, who also have the responsibility to educate students on how to critically assess sources. It was also a good reminder that multimodal resources are the most engaging for students.

P. 1 of 3 of student handout on Information Literacy by S. Boyer

P. 3 of 3 of student handout on Information Literacy by S. Boyer

This course has also shown me that in a lot of ways, librarians have to be on the cutting edge of technology, literacy, and understanding of local and global social justice issues. This means being aware of what is going on in popular culture, and how modern technologies and ideas are impacting student life and the way they view themselves in the larger society. Teacher-librarians need to be able to connect on a personal level with students, and if they are completely disconnected from pop culture that makes it more challenging. The documentary film The Social Dilemma was released on Netflix around the same time we were looking at critical literacy and the “8 Science-based strategies for critical thinking”:

The premise of the documentary is that social media companies need to take responsibility for the attention-seeking, data mining they are doing that is affecting people and societies on a subconscious level. In a clip from the documentary, Chamath Palihapitiya, an early senior executive at Facebook explains: “So, we want to psychologically figure out how to manipulate you as fast as possible and then give you back that dopamine hit. We did that brilliantly at Facebook. Instagram has done it. WhatsApp has done it. You know, Snapchat has done it. Twitter has done it” (Scraps from the Loft). Shoshana Zuboff, Professor Emeritus at Harvard Business School, is interviewed in the documentary. She sees the impact of social media on our collective thinking as a threat to democratic society: “These markets [that mine human data] undermine democracy, and they undermine freedom, and they should be outlawed. This is not a radical proposal. There are other markets that we outlaw” (Scraps from the Loft). Showing excerpts from this timely documentary (some students even said their parents asked them to watch it), and hearing these perspectives from experts and engineers in the field of social media (most of whom have removed themselves from the industry for ethical reasons) makes a powerful impact on students.

They see themselves in the dramatic re-enactments of the documentary, and many of the students heed the advice given at the end to turn off notifications, to make choices, to unfollow negative influences, to have a look at how many hours they spend on their devices per day/week, etc. Having done this recently, I can attest to the shock at some of their discoveries on the amount of hours spent on their smartphones. Making students aware of the issues with social media and disinformation engages them to think about how they can change their own habits in order to form their own opinions based on facts and evidence. It contributes to their overall media literacy: “that media is constructed […and that] media have commercial, social, political implications” (MediaSmarts), not only on society as a whole, but also on the students as individuals with their own agency to make decisions about how technology affects their perspectives.

We finished the mini-unit with a personal response, where students were asked to show their critical thinking on the topic:

What is/are the main message(s) from the documentary The Social Dilemma?
Do you agree with these messages? Why or why not? Provide at least two examples to prove your point.
What does information literacy mean to you, or how can you use information literacy to your benefit? (think what we learned about misinformation, disinformation, and checking sources and claims for reliability)

These questions were prefaced with quotes from the interviewees in the film; quotes that showed both the good and evil sides of social technology. This self-reflection is an effective way to remind students of the impact of their daily decision-making, and how social media can have both positive and negative consequences. In the end, information and digital literacy have become central to my humanities teaching after this course. I will continue to make these critical literacies a priority as I move into teacher-librarianship, and will commit to updating resources continually so that they remain relevant and accessible for teens.

How can libraries help students to be themselves?

Regardless of your position in the school community, students need positive leadership and role models they can look up to and trust. This is true more than ever in 2020, where leading with trauma-informed practice highlights the need for building relationships and creating safe spaces for students. I’m reminded of the checklist that started appearing in my social media feeds in the spring, as the pandemic led to widespread lockdown. Although I’m having trouble finding the original source, Empowered Teachers, the main message aligns with the learning in this course on the need for care and compassion from teacher-librarians:

In my reflection on Module 7, I discussed how generosity is at the core of Margaret Merga’s 2019 list for what constitutes good collaboration. All other facets of good collaboration start with understanding and the desire to do what is best for others. While Merga’s article “Collaborating with Teacher Librarians to Support Adolescents’ Literacy and Literature Learning” looks at the relationship between teachers and teacher-librarians, the same concepts apply to the T-L collaborating with and guiding students. Similarly, the checklist from Empowered Teachers focuses on safety, comfort, lightheartedness, and love.

Many resources in this course talked about the library as a non-judgmental community space, where everyone is welcome, and where diverse perspectives are necessary. Hillary Clinton recognizes this as one of the reasons we need libraries more than ever: that these democratic places welcome all walks of life, regardless of social, cultural, or economic background. The librarian is often the first person immigrants come to trust for advice and personal growth opportunities, Clinton explains.

This holds true for the school library, where the T-L might be one of the few adult role models in a student’s life. It is often the place ELL students turn to as they look to improve their literacy skills, trusting the teacher-librarian to find them resources that are at their reading level, but that also respect their interests as teenagers. The LLC should likewise be a safe space for LGBTQ+ voices through the literature and resources available. As noted by a participant in “Demand for Diversity: A Survey of Canadian Readers”, “Diverse books are important so that people feel recognized/validated and so that others from outside that group/identity can have a better understanding of what it’s like to live as a member of that group or with that identity. I think this would help lessen racism and homo/transphobia by increasing visibility” (Booknet Canada). Providing these resources to all students, so that they can become more empathetic towards people who are different than they are, is one of the most significant things we can offer as teacher-librarians. As Rachel Altobelli points out in her article “Creating Space for Agency”, “All students need libraries with books, resources, and stories that mirror who students are and who they might become” (11). This course has also taught me that as educational leaders, we have to be willing to have the difficult conversations about how a lack of empathy in society has led to unfortunate circumstances for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ peoples in our own communities and countries. And how books can help to start these impactful conversations.

Although diversity in literature has always been part of my curriculum throughout my 17 years of teaching, I had never considered fanfic or Makerspaces as engines to promote diversity and agency within the classroom or school library. One idea from Shveta Miller’s blog post on student-created graphic novels has stuck with me throughout these months in the course. She says: “Compelling texts are often ripe with ambiguity. Graphic novels, by their very design, contain “gaps” that readers must fill as they connect one panel to the next. By making connections and drawing conclusions in the gutters—the empty spaces between panels—the reader can help tell a story the writer can’t tell alone” (Miller). These empty or “blank spaces” are a metaphor for the school library; by giving students the blank space to be who they are, or to create what they want, through Makerspaces for example, they are empowered to tell their own stories.

In Module 9, I discussed the “Fellowship of the Fans: Connecting with Teens through the Magic of Fan Fiction” by Anne Ford, who highlights the advantages of fanfic. Writers can “change characters’ genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and physical or mental abilities”, contributing to the diversity of voices needed to build empathy in all citizens. Furthermore, “’fan fiction [is] so dear to people [because of] its ability to take characters and adapt them and claim spaces that they’ve previously been denied access to’”, according to Nancy-Anne Davies, a fanfic expert and librarian in Toronto (qtd. in Ford). Populating the blank space of the page, previously unclaimed, gives agency to student writers who may not always see themselves in the literature they encounter. As a teacher-librarian, I would offer the space for these students to fill, with their own ideas, creativity, and perspectives, either through the physical space, the written word, or by offering workshops that breakdown stereotypes (Hunt, Module 9). The hope is that when students feel welcome in the library space, they will feel compelled to create things that matter most to them: “Youth may be empowered within makerspaces to create products that establish and communicate their LGBTQ+ identities” (Moorefield-Lang & Kitzie).

This connects to another major takeaway from the course, which reaffirmed that when students are encouraged to collaborate, be creative, and show their work in multiple modes, specifically visual, great things happen. I am a visual learner who is a doodler by nature, so I tend to give students a lot of opportunities to demonstrate their learning visually. But this typically takes the more formal format of an assignment or group task. And though I have mentioned doodles as a way to help recall information to my classes, I had never actively used it in the classroom as a way to take notes.

Being introduced to the concept of Sketchnotes has had a big impact on my teaching, and is sure to impact my future time as T-L. It not only helped me with recall of my own notes for Module 9, but I witnessed how students could use them to take notes while watching a film or listening to a video lecture. Sketchnotes are more challenging than you think (sketching well while trying to listen closely to a video is tough!), and it is a work-in-progress for me to help students hone the ability to draw their ideas on a topic. One of the positive things I noticed is that they like comparing their drawings, and because what we see in our mind’s eye doesn’t always translate to paper the way we imagine, there is often friendly laughter about what has transpired on the page. People tend to let their guard down when drawing, so it helps improve student relationships when they remove social filters temporarily.

The grade 9s had fun learning the basics of Sketchnoting from the Doug Neill video shared in this course. Moreover, in sharing Sketchnotes between students, there is also a lot of opportunity for encouragement and to notice things about others’ drawings. It’s a small thing that builds community, in the ways outlined by the checklist noted by Empowered Teachers. I similarly enjoyed using Padlet myself and then sharing the resource with students, who successfully created their own digital collages. The student Padlets not only demonstrated strong visual literacy skills, but also critical thinking, and were a great example of multimodality and its usefulness in 21st century learning.

Learning about various student groups that had used multimodal tools to demonstrate learning, such as Crampton’s Critical Digital Projects and Kozak & Schnellert’s “Critical literacy: children as changemakers in their worlds”, reminded me to slow down in the delivery of curriculum content, and focus more on key skills and collaboration between students.

How can libraries help students succeed in all areas of learning?

I think this last question is closely tied to the first two, and that improving information literacy, while empowering students to discover more about themselves through multimodal learning and makerspaces, leads to success in other areas.

Something that surprised me was Stephen Krashen’s findings on the power of books and reading on overall test scores, and that access to a library could balance the negative effects of growing up in poverty. I was also moved by Julie Zammarchi’s video “The Bookmobile” about the mobile library bus that comes to Storm Reyes’ Native American migrant camp and effectively changes her life. Reyes’ is a difficult upbringing full of hard work and poverty, but she finds solace and hope in the bookmobile that arrives in her community. Reading books teaches her “that hope was not just a word. And it gave [her] the courage to leave the camps”. The librarian makes her feel safe and encourages her curiosity, giving her the power to expand her knowledge and eventually empowering her to leave the community behind to pursue a more fulfilling and safe life.

These stories of small comforts that lead to big outcomes is one of our goals as leaders in communities, serving diverse needs and providing encouragement and hope for people who may have lost the ability to understand their own value as contributing to society. As Clinton notes: “For a young person growing up in a small town, the library can be a lifeline, a place to feel supported and to know they’re not alone”. This was Reyes’ experience, and it is one that echoes so many others who are looking for hope, for a mirror to themselves, for a new perspective on the world, for a way to speak up and have an informed opinion that matters. The immense power of reading and librarians is one of my top take-aways from this course, and something I will carry with me as I continue to educate tomorrow’s leaders and “foster the wellbeing of young people” (Merga, 2020).

Works Cited

Altobelli, Rachel. “Creating Space for Agency.” Knowledge Quest, vol. 46, no. 1, Sept.-Oct. 2017, pp. 8-15.

Booknet Staff. Demand for Diversity: A Survey of Canadian Readers. Compiled by BNC Research, Booknet Canada, Apr. 2019.

CIVIX. “Citizenship Education Resources.” CIVIX, 2020, civix.ca/resources/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2020.

Crampton, Anne E., et al. “Meaningful and Expansive: Literacy Learning Through Technology‐Mediated Productions.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, vol. 61, no. 5, Mar.-Apr. 2018, pp. 573-76, ila-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/doi/full/10.1002/jaal.723. Accessed 28 Sept. 2020.

Hunt, Christopher. “#MakeryBakery from Module 9: Supporting Learners as Inquirers & Designers.” Edited by Jennifer Delvechhio, LLED 462-63A, University of British Columbia, November 2020.

Ford, Anne. “Fellowship of the Fans: Connecting with Teens through the Magic of Fan Fiction.” American Libraries, American Library Association, 1 Nov. 2016, americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2016/11/01/fellowship-of-the-fans-fan-fiction/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2020.

“Hillary Clinton Full ALA Conference Speech.” YouTube, uploaded by CNN, 27 June 2017, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8OEAPSFp4c&ab_channel=CNN. Accessed 28 Nov. 2020.

Kozak, Donna and Leyton Schnellert. “Critical literacy: children as changemakers in their worlds.” YouTube, uploaded by UBC Okanagan, 1 Aug. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuamzeQX6c4. Accessed 6 Oct. 2020.

Krashen, Stephen. “Dr. Stephen Krashen Defends Libraries at LAUSD Board Meeting.” YouTube, uploaded by LA respresents, 16 Feb. 2014, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAui0OGfHQY&feature=emb_logo. Accessed 28 Nov. 2020.

Lenters, Kimberly. “Multimodal Becoming: Literacy in and Beyond the Classroom.” The Reading Teacher, vol. 71, no. 6, May-June 2018, pp. 643-49, ila-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/doi/full/10.1002/trtr.1701. Accessed 28 Sept. 2020.

MediaSmarts. “The Intersection of Digital and Media Literacy.” MediaSmarts:
     Canada’s Centre for Digital and Media Literacy, MediaSmarts, mediasmarts.ca/
     digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/
     intersection-digital-media-literacy. Accessed 29 Nov. 2020.

Merga, Margaret. “Collaborating with Teacher Librarians to Support
Adolescents’ Literacy and Literature Learning.” Journal of Adolescent and
Adult Literacy, vol. 63, no. 1, Feb. 2019, pp. 65-72.

Merga, Margaret. “How Can School Libraries Support Student Wellbeing? Evidence and Implications for Further Research.” Journal of Library Administration, vol. 60, no. 6, July 2020, pp. 660-73, doi:10.1080/01930826.2020.1773718. Accessed 28 Nov. 2020.

Miller, Shveta. “The Surprising Benefits of Student-Created Graphic Novels.” Cult of Pedagogy, 21 July 2019, http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/student-graphic-novels/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2020.

Moorefield-Lang, Heather, and Vanessa Kitzle. “Makerspaces for all: Serving LGBTQ Makers in School Libraries.”Knowledge Quest, vol. 47, no. 1, 09/01/2018, pp. 46-50.

Neill, Doug. “Drawing Basics for Sketchnoters.” YouTube, 21 Sept. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po0IEYeLlq4&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=VerbaltoVisual. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.

Scraps from the Loft. “The Social Dilemma (2020) – Transcript.” Scraps from the Loft, 3 Oct. 2020, scrapsfromtheloft.com/2020/10/03/the-social-dilemma-movie-transcript/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2020.

The Social Dilemma. Directed by Jeff Orlowski, screenplay by Davis Coombe and Vickie Curtis, Netflix, 2020.

TeachThought Staff. “8 Science-based Strategies for Critical Thinking.” TeachThought: We Grow Teachers, 15 July 2019, http://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/8-science-based-strategies-for-critical-thinking. Accessed 28 Nov. 2020.

Zammarchi, Julie. “The Bookmobile.” YouTube, 13 Apr. 2016, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11OvHcgh-E4&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=StoryCorps. Accessed 28 Nov. 2020.

Using UDL and Multimodality to Empower Student Creation and Collaboration

To meet the diverse needs of today’s students, we must provide multimodal opportunities for learning and presenting information that has meaning for them. The teacher-librarian is uniquely positioned as a curator of digital and print tools that serve diverse communities, and as a leader who models collaboration and promotes the individuality of students and teachers. They share information about how to incorporate ADST into classroom instruction, and provide digital support for the school community.

According to Grace Oakley, “Multimodal texts include more than one mode of communication, such as written language, spoken language, visual and gestural modes of communication, movement, image and sound” (160). Allowing students to show their learning through multiple modes, where they are given a choice in how they present information, gives them agency and the opportunity to showcase their unique talents. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) states that educators should “provide[] flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged” (qtd. in Robinson 57).

In addition, one of main philosophies of Makerspaces is that they are “learner-driven” (Makerspace Ed) and that they encourage “creative, ‘playful literacy’” (Meredith, Module 9). Therefore, providing opportunities for collaboration with others in a flexible learning environment is one of the ways to promote the Makerspace philosophy.

Learning and Presenting in Multimodalities: Research Project on the History of Treaties in Canada (Social Studies 9)

In this research project, students worked in the library to gather background information on treaties in Canada, shared this information with their peers, and learned about current events related to land disputes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups (or governments).

Here is a list of what they accomplished over several weeks:

Research on treaties in general, using print and online resources
Research on a particular group of treaties, using print and online resources
A map of treaties in Canada from 1725-1921
A group jigsaw teaching other students about their treaty
A current events analysis of a land dispute in Canada in the last 30 years
A collage or Padlet presenting the information on the land dispute in a visual way
A Noodle Tools Works Cited with their sources for all research information

Students were exposed to various multimodal sources, from digital library collections, to videos on current events, to map reading and creating, to digital collages. This task recognizes the ADST Big Idea for Grade 9, which is that “Complex tasks require different technologies and tools at different stages”. For the purposes of this professional development, I will focus primarily on #5 and 6, explaining how the digital app Padlet helps facilitate the “verbal to visual” (Neill) for students of all abilities.

Using Padlet (or Collage) to show Learning on Current Events

Current events are typically a popular topic amongst high school students, especially when they are given a choice on what event to consider in-depth. This way, they can learn about topics that interest them, such as politics, climate change, social justice issues, science & nature, etc. and they can feel safe in their choices. For example, a student who is LGBTQ+ but who is not ready to share this with their peers, could research a current event around LGBTQ+ issues, under the umbrella of other learning in the classroom, such as the democratic principle in Canada of Human Rights and Equality. They have access to reliable digital resources for news online, something that could be curated in the Library Collections, or through a simple Google Doc or Symbaloo with links to well respected news sites. The great thing about current events is that they can be used in almost all of the curricular content areas.

Screenshot of Library Collections on the topic “A History of Treaty-Making in Canada” with vetted, reliable, digital resources, curated by teacher-librarians L. Ward and L. Trousdell, West Vancouver Secondary School

If you are interested in putting resources together on a certain topic, collaborating with the teacher-librarian is the perfect place to start. As Joyce Valenza explains in “Curation Situations: Let us count the ways”: “K-12 digital curation is about getting our users/students/teachers to the good stuff, pointing them to content and resources they might not themselves discover with their own intuitive strategies, it’s about saving teachers instructional time” (Valenza 1). After all, collaborating with teachers is one of the Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada: “Teachers co-plan learning experiences with [the] teacher-librarian using LLC print and digital resources, spaces, technologies and teaching expertise to address differentiated learning” (CLA 14).

As mentioned, in Social Studies 9, the students did a research project on treaties in Canada. Understanding the history of colonialism and its impact on Indigenous peoples is something that all students in high school should understand. Just like “[d]iverse books are important so that people feel recognized[…] and so that others from outside that group […] can have a better understanding of what it’s like to live as a member of that group or with that identity” (Booknet 20), learning about the issues that affect diverse peoples in one’s country helps break stereotypes and bridges understanding between groups. In addition, the relationships between Indigenous history and Canadian history, connects to all four of the Big Ideas for the course:

Emerging ideas and ideologies profoundly influence societies and events (colonialist attitudes vs. Indigenous spirituality)
The physical environment influences the nature of political, social, and economic change (access to land and water resources impacts treaty agreements)
Disparities in power alter the balance of relationships between individuals and between societies (European settlers, Canadian government as designers of treaties for their own ends)
Collective identity is constructed and can change over time (Indigenous identity before, during, and after treaties)

BC Curriculum Social Studies 9 “Big Ideas”

As a leader in the school, and one who “support[s] student wellbeing” (Merga 662), the teacher-librarian sets the respectful tone for learning about treaties and Indigenous history. They can help teachers establish a vocabulary for the students, in this case using an authentic and vetted source, FNESC (First Nations Education Steering Committee), and they also curate resources that show various perspectives. This includes both print and online sources, so that students can finesse skills in several modes: “Supporting students in their journey to reach their full potential in the digital arena does not consist solely of providing digital resources and instruction. The analog world informs the digital, and vice versa, and no one is better placed than the school librarian to help students find a balance between the two” (Altobelli 11). These resources are made readily available to students if they need to complete work at home, through online databases and library collections. T-Ls are experts at creating student-friendly digital packages.

*Kayak* Magazine Sept. 2018 Issue. p.4.
The teacher-librarian posted the PDF pages through an EBSCO link for the students to access.
They also had access to copies of the print version.

Once the students have enough background information on treaties in Canada, this assignment culminates with a current event related to land disputes. Starting with the Oka Crisis in 1990 and ending with modern-day disagreements around treaty rights throughout Canada, students are introduced to various disputes through a Google Slides presentation that summarizes each event, and links to a video (either a summary or a newscast). Presenting the information in this multimodal context appeals to diverse learners, and allows students to hear voices from different sides of the conflict.

It is also a good point to start discussions around word choice and nomenclature, as we compare the language used in the 1990s compared to the language used today. Students are well aware that we use the term Indigenous rather than “Indian” and that there is more sensitivity towards gender equality nowadays compared to 30 years ago. It reminds them that primary sources can provide a window into social attitudes of the past, and how things have changed for the better in many respects (although there is still a lot of work to be done).

Video on the Transmountain Pipeline Protest – Tiny House Warriors, from the perspective of the Secwepemc people.

As outlined in the “Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies K-9 – Big Ideas”, “Complex tasks require the sequencing of skills” (Government of BC, Social Studies 9). Before moving on to the visual representation of information on their topic, students research their event using at least two reliable sources on the Internet (a skill that has been facilitated through the teacher and teacher-librarian earlier in the course). One source has been linked for them (modelling good sources), but they are prompted to go to an Indigenous source such as APTN for their second source.

They use these 2 sources to answer questions on their current event:

The 5Ws – Who was involved in the event? What happened during the event? Where did the event occur? When did the event occur? Why did the event occur? How did the event occur? (4 marks)

What treaty (look on the treaty map you created earlier in the assignment) covers the land where the dispute is occurring? How is this event related to the issues around treaties that you learned about? Consider the influence of colonialism and imperialism in your answer. (include at least 4 sentences here). (4 marks)

Record your 2 sources using Noodle Tools and export them to Google Docs, then copy them onto your document before handing in/printing it. (2 marks)

#1 and #3 could easily apply to any current event analysis, while you could replace #2 with an extension specifically related to your own curriculum goals and/or your need to test background knowledge.

Once they have become familiar with the topic, they move on to Part 2 of the assignment: “Collage or Padlet on a Land Dispute in Canada”, where they present their information as a multimedia collage on the event, using the digital tool, Padlet, or creating a collage using paper sources such as magazine cutouts and news article excerpts. Students may work independently or as a pair for this section of the task, sharing their information and insights into the dispute.

Handout for Collage/Padlet assignment on current events. S. Boyer, Nov. 2020.

Rubric for Collage/Padlet on current event. S. Boyer, Nov. 2020.

Although I did not have much time to demonstrate how to use Padlet this first time around, it is very user friendly, and the students can use it as part of their Google account, so signing up for it is easy. In the future, I would provide them with an introduction to the basics of Padlet, which I have outlined in this blog post, but which was originally created in Google Docs. Feel free to share this information with your students, and also use to for yourself!

Excerpt from “How to Use Padlet” blog post by S. Boyer.

I uploaded this introductory video to Google Classroom after showing the class some of the basic functions. I also went around to each individual or team to highlight some of its uses and to check understanding. Here is a place where the teacher-librarian can co-teach – they might be able to spend more time front-loading students on how to use the technology, and also help with the one-on-one troubleshooting. I spoke to a colleague of mine, who I often collaborate with, about using Padlet, but she opted not to as she “didn’t have the time” to figure out something new in a very time-stretched 2020. However, if teachers can plan in advance to incorporate digital tools such as Padlet into any assignment, the teacher-librarian can lead the way on how to use the tool, since one of their roles is to “foster student and teacher technological capacities and digital literacies” as part of the CLA’s standards of practice (CLA 15).

Once the students had a general knowledge of Padlet, they worked independently and were able to self-start on the task when we went back to it several days later. The class that did this assignment is a diverse group with a wide range of abilities, and one thing many of them struggle with is self-regulation and/or self-starting. So watching them successfully complete this digital task without much coaxing from me was incredible.

The results for the Padlet on Land Dispute were also impressive, and a number of students fared better on this task than they had previously performed on similar tasks. Students who struggle with written output were able to showcase their learning more visually, which led to positive results. Just like David E. Robinson noted in his own experience as a T-L: “I recognized that many of the frequent student library patrons and student library assistants demonstrated strong technical aptitude […] these students were able to express their knowledge in forms other than customary paper-and-pencil tasks” (57).

In addition, there was a lot of variety in the completed Padlets, which showed that the students had personalized their digital collage to reflect their own thinking and personalities. They were asked to curate their own sources for the collage, sharing videos and images they vetted themselves. One of the great features of Padlet is when you add a new “pad” to your Padlet, the magnifying glass/microphone icon (what I call it!) allows you to search the Internet for everything from videos to gifs on a search query. Because the students already had the research background on their topics, they were able to discern reliable and accurate sources for their Padlets.

Grade 9 Student Padlet on the Oka Crisis. Created Nov. 2020.

Grade 9 Student Padlet on Mi;kmaq Lobster Dispute.

And because they are Social Studies students, they learn that citing sources in one of the most important skills in education. Part of the assessment for the Padlet was to give credit to the sources used. Although I did not specifically ask for a Noodle Tools Works Cited for images, videos, etc. (a title, short description introducing the source, and a weblink would have been sufficient in this case), because the students had learned how to use Noodle Tools as part of their earlier research on both the treaties and current events, many of them just naturally did one. MY STUDENTS MADE A NOODLE TOOLS WORKS CITED WITHOUT BEING ASKED.

This is an incredible outcome and what every teacher-librarian and teacher of humanities hopes for. Joy Valenza aptly states that “When librarians model and guide curation, they build more independent, agile learners capable of building learning networks, telling powerful stories, and carving out their own information niches. We may also guide learners as they develop digital portfolios to share their own curated work” (Valenza 1-2). The Padlet is a perfect example of this type of digital portfolio, where students have found the sources themselves, based on knowledge they have built through research and inquiry skills taught in the school library.

A simple digital tool that teachers can use is an online survey such as Google Forms or Survey Monkey to determine student opinion on topics and assignments. This is another place the T-L can help you if you are unsure where to begin. You can also use this tool to gauge background knowledge on a topic, or to find common interests among students, which could help guide course content.

After the treaties assignment, I created a quick survey on Google Forms for the students on Padlet-use:

What did you like about using Padlet?
What did you find challenging about using Padlet?
Would you use Padlet again for projects that require a visual/multimedia element?
How would you rate Padlet out of 10 as a student resource?

The results were very positive, with 100% of the students responding “Yes” to number 3 – that they would use the digital platform again for projects. Of the 10 who completed the survey, 60% rated it a 10/10, while 30% gave it 8/10, and 1 person rated it 7/10. Below is a screenshot of the responses for 1 and 2, but in summary, students liked how it was easy to use, “fun”, and customizable. One student explained: “I liked padlet a lot, you can work with other people on a document and create a collage online, it’s great for the times right now and people can make collages without having to be in the same room. You could design it and make it your own as well”. Another student noted “I liked how you could search stuff on the web from the site and I really liked the layout”.

Survey responses from “Padlet feedback” by S. Boyer November 2020.

UDL is founded on the principles of three primary brain networks, according to the Center for Applied Special Technology. David E. Robinson explains that “The Recognition Networks [of the brain] are best supported in learning environments that include multiple representations of concepts and provide flexibility in modality, explanations, and examples (CAST 2017)” (58). Students were provided with print materials (Kayak magazine, a laminated map for reference) that were also available online for the research portion of the task. Moreover, for the “verbal to visual” portion of the assignment, students could choose to create a collage by hand rather than use a digital app like Padlet. I have a habit of collecting old magazines just for this purpose, and the teacher-librarian might have a store of similar resources available for creative tasks.

Grade 9 “Idle No More (Collage 1)”. Created Nov. 2020.

Grade 9 “Mi’kmaq Lobster Dispute (Collage 2)”. Created Nov. 2020.

About ⅓ of the class choose to do a collage by hand; the hands-on aspect of flipping through magazines, cutting out images (processing and curating the entire time, making connections to previous learning), and designing a way to present the images and information is similar to the elements of Makerspaces, where there are often “loose parts” that do not have meaning individually, but when placed together thoughtfully, tell a new story or perspective. The two examples, “Idle No More (Collage 1)”and “Mi’kmaq Lobster Dispute (Collage 2)” are vastly different in their image choices and layout, but both are visually appealing and present the information with expertise. Graphic design of this type requires higher level thinking, so although a collage may sound like a simple endeavour, making critical choices and connections with clarity and inventiveness is actually a “complex task [that] requires a sequencing of skills” for success (Government of BC, ADST). And like Makerspace activities, the possibilities for creation are endless when students have agency over their own learning, and are allowed to play within the parameters of an artifact.

As Grace Oakley explains, “Because they are difficult to disentangle, Merchant (2008) has suggested that traditional print-based (older) and newer digital literacy skills and practices are best taught together in a parallel or integrated fashion” (161). This assignment on treaties in Canada offered these more traditional skills in conjunction with digital literacy, both of which have critical analysis as the end goal. Presenting information in various formats and with multiple web applications can be daunting as a teacher working singularly. However, there are several opportunities for collaboration with the teacher-librarian on research topics that connect with your specific curriculum. Students also benefit from these multimodalities when they are immersed in these complex issues, and in turn, create their own multimodal interpretations of the content to share with others.

Works Cited

Altobelli, Rachel. “Creating Space for Agency.” Knowledge Quest, vol. 46, no. 1, Sept.-Oct. 2017, pp. 8-15.

Booknet Staff. Demand for Diversity: A Survey of Canadian Readers. Compiled by BNC Research, Booknet Canada, Apr. 2019.

(CLA) Canadian Library Association. Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. 2014. http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/llsop.pdf. Accessed Oct 27 2020.

Delvechhio, Jennifer. “Module 9: Supporting Learners as Inquirers & Designers.” LLED 462-63A, University of British Columbia, November 2020.

Government of British Columbia. “Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies.” BC’s New Curriculum, 2018/2019, curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/adst. Accessed 17 Nov. 2020.

—. “Social Studies 9.” BC’s New Curriculum, 2018-2019, curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/social-studies/9. Accessed 17 Nov. 2020.

“Maker Ed: The Impact of Maker Education.” YouTube, uploaded by Maker Ed, 6 May 2015, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ml9j1UkeI4&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=MakerEd. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.

Merga, Margaret. “How Can School Libraries Support Student Wellbeing? Evidence and Implications for Further Research.” Journal of Library Administration, vol. 60, no. 6, July 2020, pp. 660-73, doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2020.1773718. Accessed 17 Nov. 2020.

Neill, Doug. “Drawing Basics for Sketchnoters.” YouTube, 21 Sept. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po0IEYeLlq4&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=VerbaltoVisual. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.

Oakley, Grace. “Engaging Students in Inclusive Literacy Learning with Technology.” Inclusive Principles and Practices in Literacy Education. Bingley, Emerald Publishing, 2017, ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ubc/reader.action?docID=4826803&ppg=140. Accessed 17 Nov. 2020.

Robinson, David E. “Universal Design for Learning and School Libraries: A Logical Partnership.” Knowledge Quest, vol. 46, no. 1, 09/01/2017, pp. 56-61.

How to Use Padlet

Padlet is a digital app that allows you to create multimodal digital collages in various formats. You can import documents, images, videos, etc. from web sources, and also write new content and create new drawings in the app itself. It is a way to curate resources on a topic, and present it in an exciting and interactive way. Padlet is easy-to-use as a collaboration tool, as more than one person can access the link and add to it.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use Padlet.

MakerSpaces, Doodling, and Fanfic: Empowering students to create artifacts in diverse environments

Learning Log on Module 9

This week, we were asked to reflect on “opportunities that embrace inquiry and design in the library” (Delvecchio) after exploring various formats that encourage students to build their own worlds through writing, drawing, and creating.

Although the resources were diverse in their formats and in their attention to different age groups and creative pieces, the central point for me was that these opportunities for inquiry, art, and design develop communities and relationships between people who would maybe typically not get the chance to interact. The control is in the hands of the students, empowering them to succeed. Furthermore, providing new spaces for building and creation helps to break down stereotypes.

In Christopher Hunt’s “MakeryBakery”, he explains that one of his reasons for building MakerSpace activities was to “break[] down gender barriers to certain kinds of making” by offering activities that were traditionally/historically attributed to boys or girls (Module 9). He discovered that in all his #MakerSpace activities, “Even when gender roles amongst adults are often still quite delineated, the upcoming generation of students excitedly leaps, with equal gusto and pride, into coding, sewing, woodworking, baking, what-have-you, which is as it should be. Gender is becoming less and less an issue within the growing Makerspace ethos” (Module 9). When students can see the physical product of their combined efforts in creating something new, there is a sense of ownership and pride – “I made that!” – that exists outside of any preconceived ideas on identity or ability. The focus is on the journey and the joy. Since MakerSpaces are “a learner-driven experience“, even if the product doesn’t turn out the way it was intended to, “You’re not really looking for the end product. How you get there is more important” (Maker Ed).

Source: An Everyday Story: “The Theory of Loose Parts”

Similarly, in “Story Studio” by Angela Meredith, she explains that the Story Workshop “strongly supports the needs and rights of children with disabilities to learn within a heterogeneous community of peers” (Meredith, Module 9). This is achieved through accessible learning materials that are “loose” and encourage “creative, ‘playful literacy'”,(Meredith, Module 9) and where students are given the freedom to create any story they wish, or to build stories within familiar parameters, such as family traditions (Good, Module 9). Stephanie Good noted that her Story Studio was successful at various grade levels: “[s]tudents in Grades 5 and 6 interacted with story studio materials with the same enthusiasm as our Kindergarten students!” (Module 9). Regardless of their age, when students are given the directive to control the outcomes of their learning through building and play, they tend to come to life in new ways.

This idea of control also relates to this module’s reading about fan-fiction (fanfic) titled “Fellowship of the Fans: Connecting with Teens through the Magic of Fan Fiction” by Anne Ford. She explains that fanfic provides the freedom for writers to “change characters’ genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and physical or mental abilities”. Teen writers can control the characters in their fictional world, and are buoyed by the structure that fanfic offers in its pre-determined elements of plot. There is a safety in writing within the parameters of someone else’s basic storyline. Nancy-Anne Davies, a librarian in Toronto who is well-versed in fanfic and its attributes, states: “’One of the things that lies at the heart of what makes fan fiction so dear to people is its ability to take characters and adapt them and claim spaces that they’ve previously been denied access to’” (qtd. in Ford). This idea of populating spaces, even fictional ones, with diversity in its many forms, again creates a new community where people from different backgrounds feel accepted. Like Hunt’s #MakerSpaces, previous stereotypes and identities are shed in the joy of finding new communities and creative opportunities.

As a teacher-librarian, I would find out whether there is an interest in fanfic at my school, both through informal conversations with students, and through book displays that inform the community on the history of fanfic and its modern day iterations. Most people are aware of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but do they know that it was based on a narrative poem, and an Italian novella before that? (Ford). I would combine these historical examples with contemporary ones to show that fanfic is indeed everywhere, and completely viable as a genre. This could lead to lunch hour book clubs or writing sessions, where students share their fanfic forays in a safe setting.

Lastly, the Sketchnoting resources this module reminded me of the importance of visual design in focus and learning. Carrie Baughcum gives some ideas on how to use Sketchnotes in the classroom on her blog:

“When reading text or listening to information: Students can doodle their learning, what they are visualizing right next to the text in the book
Give Them Permission to Doodle: Allow students to share their learning visually. Give them permission to share their thoughts and thinking on paper (its always about the doodle not the art)”

As a classroom teacher, I have often encouraged students to make doodles or visuals to help them remember information. However, reading Baughcum’s post and learning about the basics of Sketchnotes from Doug Neill meant that doodling was front of mind these past few weeks, with positive outcomes for both me and my students.

In terms of the doodling and its effect on my students, I found it to be a useful tool to keep focus. During an Anti-Racism workshop last week, students watched a Zoom presentation, with live speakers who shared photos and slides with information on the topic. Despite the gravity of the topic, and some engaging speakers, the “wall” between the screen and students can often lead to wandering minds with a desire to move or to check a smartphone for status updates. Since the “verbal to visual” was on my mind, and since I had assessed my own use of doodles as a technique to stay focused during high school and university lectures, I quietly put a piece of blank paper on each grade 9 student’s desk, and wrote on the board: “I find that doodling during long presentations can help keep my focus”.

Many of them started doodling immediately after I wrote that, while others had to be coaxed to read the board. One student exclaimed: “Oh! We can doodle on this?!” and got right to it when I explained what the paper was for. And although most of the doodles weren’t related to the topics presented, they did help the class with focus, and the students keenly asked one another what they had drawn after the presentation ended. There were a lot of compliments and also realizations that some students had drawn the same things. In fact, it was quite a window into their personalities to see what they are comfortable drawing. It was a moment of unexpected team-building in the classroom; the space is theirs, they are comfortable enough to create and share in it. I think the exercise also highlighted the value of the doodling and the visual as tools in educational settings beyond the walls of the art classroom.

One way to incorporate Sketchnotes or doodles into library resources would be to adapt Baughcum’s idea of using post-it notes for doodles while reading information. You could collaborate with a class of English students, for example, where they make doodle post-its while reading an independent novel. They could choose their favourite one and leave it in the book for the next person who reads it. This person could add to it or make a new one. Of course, this exercise would need vetting from teachers and T-Ls to be sure all post-its were appropriate, but it might be a neat way to build a community of readers.

In terms of my own learning, I made Sketchnotes for some of the sources from this Module, and looking back on them a week later, the ideas come back more quickly than if I were reading simply written notes on a page. For example, in reference to Bowler and Champagne’s article “Mindful makers: Question prompts to help guide young peoples’ critical technical practices in maker spaces…”, I wrote “Maker-ARTIFACT” using different fonts as recommended by Neill. This immediately stood out to me first when revisiting the notes. Indeed, whether the creation is tech-related or not, when we make new things – stories, doodles, bread – we are making artifacts that represent who we are at one point in our lives. Even something as silly or insignificant as a doodle on a post-it or a handout is an artifact you’ve left behind, and I think one of the appeals of MakerSpaces and Sketchnotes is that the possibilities for design are endless. It’s yours to choose and run with, big or small. And in a space where the answers are often finite, the classroom, having infinite possibilities is freeing.

In fact, this is one of the principles that makes school libraries so appealing; they are spaces of infinite possibility where students are given the opportunity to inquire about any topic, or to read titles from hundreds or more authors in a safe space. Although MakerSpaces are a bit more challenging in secondary school libraries, particularly if your school already offers Home Economics/Foods or a robotics program, they can still build community through literacy and collaboration.

Works Cited

Baughcum, Carrie. “Sketchnoting: I just don’t know how to start.” Carrie Baughcum: Life.Learning.Doodles…Are Heck Awesome!, 4 Aug. 2017, carriebaughcum.com/how-to-start-sketchnoting/. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.

Bowler, Leanne, and Ryan Champagne. “Mindful makers: Question prompts to help guide young peoples’ critical technical practices in maker spaces in libraries, museums, and community-based youth organizations.” Library & Information Science Research, vol. 38, no. 2, Apr. 2016, pp. 117-24, doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2016.04.006. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.

Delvechhio, Jennifer. “Module 9: Supporting Learners as Inquirers & Designers.” LLED 462-63A, University of British Columbia, November 2020.

“Maker Ed: The Impact of Maker Education.” YouTube, uploaded by Maker Ed, 6 May 2015, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ml9j1UkeI4&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=MakerEd. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.

Neill, Doug. “A Warm-up Routine for Sketchnoters.” YouTube, 13 June 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdV7A7e8IGg&feature=emb_logo. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.

Neill, Doug. “Drawing Basics for Sketchnoters.” YouTube, 21 Sept. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po0IEYeLlq4&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=VerbaltoVisual. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.

Teacher-librarians: Collaborators, Leaders, Ninjas

Learning Log #3, Module 7

For this learning log, we were encouraged to try Padlet to present our learnings, so I have created my first “wall” titled “Teacher-librarians: Collaborators, leaders, ninjas”. I took the ninjas concept from Mark Ray’s TedxTalk, “Changing the Conversation about Librarians”, which focused on the future of librarians as “Slayer[s] of Information Ignorance (with a black belt in ‘think-quando’)”, among other creative job titles. Information Media Literacy is one of the most important collaboration roles for a teacher-librarian (Surrey BCTLA), and for educators in general, and I like the modern twist of being the top of your game as a T-L, a “black belt” who knows how to defeat disinformation and fake news, an image that conjures a ninja in my mind’s eye.

Information-ignorance-slaying ninja. Made in Padlet by S. Boyer.

I had fun using the drawing tool in Padlet to make my own ninja slaying a laptop screen (symbolic of information literacy). This web application is a tool I think my own secondary students would enjoy. I often ask them to create mind maps to demonstrate understanding of a topic, and Padlet would be a great, and fun, digital alternative. T-Ls are often considered technology experts, “who foster student and teacher technological capacities and digital literacies” as part of “Cultivating Effective Instructional Design to Co-plan, Teach, and Assess Learning” (CLA 15). They are also responsible for the ICT skills of “Evaluating & Curating Websites and Apps” (Surrey BCTLA); Padlet is an example of an easy-to-use online tool that a T-L could share with secondary teachers, providing new ideas for creative presentation of facts.

Sharing a resource like Padlet not only promotes collaboration between the teacher and the T-L, but the students could collaborate with one another through Padlet, adding to their wall simultaneously as they discover new sources on a topic. In this way, we are encouraging the “teamwork and collegiality” which are considered as highly valuable by modern society (Brown 2004, qtd by Merga, 66).

Although I tried several digital tools for this learning log, at one point I needed a screen break and chose to present ideas on “The Role of the Teacher Librarian as Educational Leader” with an old-school mind map. I like that you can add your own photos to the Padlet in a seamless way, combining digital and non-digital artefacts. For the mind map, I combined ideas from the Surrey BCTLA “What Can Collaboration with a Teacher-Librarian Look Like” and also my own understanding of educational leadership of the T-Ls in my own school.

Mind map on the “Role of Teacher-Librarian as Educational Leader” by S. Boyer

First and foremost is the concept of the T-L as guide or mentor. It is one of the main reasons I chose to pursue this diploma, so it is a significant point for me. According to the T-L at our school, “collaboration is the model here”, and the T-Ls have provided mentorship and support for me throughout my eight years at the school. Like Stephanie in Merga’s article “Collaborating With Teacher Librarians to Support Adolescents’ Literacy and Literature Learning”, the T-Ls at my school have a “relatively high influence in […] collaborative relationships [as] reflective of [the] strong relationships and position of influence [they have] in the school” (69), and my hope is to continue this leadership in the future. Teaching can be isolating at times, and the relationships I’ve built with the T-Ls have helped me feel that I am on less of “an island” when it comes to reaching curriculum and student goals (MacKenzie 3). Collaboration builds confidence for all parties involved, and strengthens relationships and ties to the school community.

Any leadership role is built on relationships, and the T-L is no exception. As Jennifer Delvecchio points out, a good mentor is one who considers “would I appreciate having this, or being offered this, or doing this?”, three questions with service and kindness to others at their core. Similarly, one of the key points that stood out to me in Merga’s list of 11 characteristics of good collaborations was “Generosity”. It stands on its own as #8 of the 11 principles, but I would argue that many of the other ideas stem from generosity, as shown in the spider diagram I created in Google Drawings titled: “Collaboration and Educational Leadership through Generosity” (also included in the Padlet). Being respectful, and valuing the opinions and learning styles of students and teachers, starts with a generous mindset. Delvecchio notes that “Flexible programming and service is inherent as the basis in the very first libraries“. Open-mindedness and flexibility are also related to strong collaboration and generosity, as they demonstrate an understanding for others and honour the validity of teacher prep time.

As Trevor MacKenzie points out in his article “Classroom Inquiry’s Secret Weapon: The Teacher-Librarian”: “I have often stopped by the library unannounced, with the intentions of just asking a quick question […that] ends up in a rich, inspiring discourse that goes well beyond” this (2). I have also found this to be true, which is why I have included the concept of an “Open Door” as one of the “8 Ways to Support Collaboration & Networking as the Teacher-Librarian” in my Piktochart on the topic (inspired by colleague/classmate Tracey Williams, and included in the Padlet). The idea is to “Provide teachers the flexibility to drop-in and have informal discussions when convenient (making more formal plans later in the collaborative process)”. This respects the limited “time availability” teachers may have to collaborate, which was highlighted as one of the major issues in Merga’s survey (68).

“8 Ways to Support Collaboration and Networking as the Teacher-Librarian” by S. Boyer. Created in Piktochart.

The “Open Door” also connects to the Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada, which has a “Focus on Collaboration”. In the introduction to the standards, Sheila Morrisette, Principal of Fraser Heights SS in Surrey, states that the school library is “a learning area for everyone including teachers and students. Our teacher-librarian collaborates with other teachers to plan lessons and helps teachers to develop best practices and strategies. She has an open door policy for all students” (6). And I would guess the T-L mentioned would have the same open door policy for staff; her learning commons sounds like a safe, comfortable space where all are welcome. This safety promotes collaboration.

In my experience, the more you collaborate with other teachers, the easier it becomes to accomplish shared goals as you find your work-rhythm and capitalize on your individual strengths as educators. This is the basis of #3 of my 8 Ways to Support Collaboration Piktochart, which is to “draw on each others’ strengths and co-teach in a way that best highlights these strengths”. MacKenzie views it as “a collaborative alliance”, where the T-L “discover[s his] teaching strengths and weaknesses objectively, without judgement” (3). He also concludes that by including the T-L more frequently, it “becomes a powerful cycle of support that gains momentum and benefits the students, the teacher, and the culture of learning in the school” (4). Every time you collaborate with generosity (and no judgement), you are strengthening the trust between colleagues, and making the overall school environment more enjoyable. This trust is also built on the respect of seeing each other as equals in the collaboration process: to “Divide and Conquer” the workload, and to “Work as Equals” no matter what the situation (“8 Ways to Support Collaboration…”).

Finally, communication is a key piece for any collaboration work to be useful in all its stages: planning, delivering, and debriefing. Collaboration can be promoted in the school through administrative support, as noted in Merga’s article (68), and also through regular communication from the T-Ls, be it staff/department meetings or through emails to staff. Throughout the collaborative process, a simple back and forth via emails, conversations, or shared documents can be effective, especially as we often work remotely from one another. In this exchange, educators should be made to feel “[s]afe[] to articulate concerns and issues without irrevocably damaging the collaborative relationship” (Merga 71), so it is important to keep an open mind while giving feedback. To cap off collaborative work, debriefing is important to highlight what was successful and what could be tweaked in future versions of the assignment (Surrey BCTLA). These are often informal conversations where you celebrate anecdotal evidence of success, a small victory in the often long periods of teaching time that goes unnoticed or uncelebrated.

Overall, I flexed some new ICT skills in this assignment, working with Padlet, Piktochart, and creating a spider diagram in Google Drawings for the first time. It was challenging and time consuming, but like collaboration, I am building the skills for future endeavours, which no doubt will be easier for this experience.

My first Padlet! “Teacher-librarians: Collaborators, leaders, ninjas” by S. Boyer

Works Cited

(CLA) Canadian Library Association. Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. 2014. http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/llsop.pdf. Accessed Oct 27 2020.

MacKenzie, Trevor. “Classroom Inquiry’s Secret Weapon: The Teacher-Librarian.” Canadian School Libraries Journal, vol. 3, no. 1, Winter 2019, journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/classroom-inquirys-secret-weapon-the-teacher-librarian/. Accessed 27 Oct. 2020.

Merga, Margaret Kristin. “Collaborating with Teacher Librarians to Support Adolescents’ Literacy and Literature Learning.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, vol. 63, no. 1, Feb. 2019, pp. 65-72.

Ray, Mark. “Changing the Conversation About Librarians.” YouTube, uploaded by TedXTalks, 7 June 2016, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IniFUB7worY&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=TEDxTalks. Accessed 27 Oct. 2020.

Surrey Chapter of the BCTLA, and The Surrey Teachers’ Association. “What Can Collaboration with a Teacher-Librarian Look Like?” Surrey Chapter of the BCTLA, 17 Dec. 2019, surreychapterofthebctla.com/2018/12/17/what-can-collaboration-with-a-teacher-librarian-look-like/. Accessed 27 Oct. 2020.

The impacts of teamwork on reading culture (Module 3)

Source for feature image: “Tips to encourage better teamwork”

For this LLED462 Module, we were posited with a scenario to deconstruct:

A grade 10 student comes into the library weary because he has to submit an intended reading list and goals for the year. The teacher is excited about his/her new syllabus and is making attempts to slowly integrate more choice in reading in combination with the required novels assigned. The only novels he has ever finished, reluctantly, have been the ones that were required reading in class. He dislikes reading and the idea of finishing one novel let alone a pre-determined list for the year is overwhelming. He is thinking of dropping the class.

What do you do/say? How do you help this student? Who do you involve? How do you turn this dilemma into an opportunity?

Response

Establishing a rapport with the student is most important as a teacher-librarian. If he came to me with this concern, I would acknowledge his feelings about it, tell him I was glad he came to see me, and encourage him to work with me, his peers, and his teacher to come up with a list that suits his interests rather than dropping the class.

In his article “Why Our Future Depends on Libraries, Reading and Daydreaming” Neil Gaiman states that “The simplest way to make sure that we raise literate children is to teach them to read, and to show them that reading is a pleasurable activity. And that means, at its simplest, finding books that they enjoy, giving them access to those books, and letting them read them”. From the sounds of it, the grade 10 student has not enjoyed reading in the past, and is reluctant to make reading a part of his daily life through this course.

“Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell on why we need libraries – an essay in pictures”

If the student has only done required reading for courses in the past, it means he doesn’t see the value in reading for pleasure. Donalyn Miller, in Wild Reading, discusses the larger cultural implications of negative stereotypes around reading. She explains “There seems to be a line between reading well enough and reading as a pleasure pursuit […] It’s okay for children to read when asked to perform academic tasks, but if they would rather read than watch TV or play outside, readers become social outliers” (90). I would also add spending time on social media to this list! Similarly, in a study on reading culture at a federal government college in Nigeria, published in 2018, the authors discovered that “students depend chiefly on textbooks, (88.6%), and their teachers (lecture notes) (70.9%) and novels (78.3%) as the most important source of reading material. This finding affirms the reason that students read only to pass examinations”, while other forms of reading are not seen as “important” (Danladi & Soko 32). In my own observations of teenagers, the pull towards technology is rampant; many of them would rather watch YouTube or TikTok videos to fill in leisure time than read.

Although a true mindset shift about the power of reading takes time, at least a year according to Stephen Krashen’s research on Sustained Silent Reading (SSR), I would encourage the grade 10 student to think about how reading for pleasure will improve his overall literacy. Reading for enjoyment can improve cognitive skills, and also impact his success in other courses. As Bavishi et al. point out in their study of the impact of reading on older populations, reading books is “a slow immersive process” that leads to deep “cognitive engagement [… which] may explain why vocabulary, reasoning, concentration, and critical thinking skills are improved by exposure to books”. Getting the student to understand the larger picture, that it’s not just about reading for a course to get credit, will hopefully lead to a more open-minded attitude towards reading new and different narratives.

In his discussion of reading for pleasure, Stephen Krashen cites several case studies and histories to highlight the notion that students who engage in SSR have better writing and test scores overall. He states that in a Singapore study of elementary school students, “The students who did reading did better on grammar tests than those who had grammar classes […] I think it happened because the students couldn’t help it. If you read a lot, your knowledge of the conventions of writing, your knowledge of vocabulary, grammar – it’s acquired not learned, it’s subconsciously absorbed, it’s stored deep in your central nervous system, it becomes part of you”. There is a strong correlation between reading for pleasure and overall literacy and growth in other areas.

Furthermore, I would find out what interests the student outside of school, and discuss novels he has liked in the past. What did he like about them? What novels did he dislike and why? At first, I would guide the student to some titles to take home. Ask him to read the first chapter of each book, and see what sticks. Remind him that reading a chapter a day makes you live longer!

I would also speak with the teacher and encourage her to consider making literacy groups where students support one another in their choice of books. Miller and Kelley discuss reading communities at length in their chapter “Wild Readers Share Books and Reading with Other Readers”. They note that although initially they help students find reading material, that “[…] students must learn how to select books for themselves and that this means forging reading relationships with other readers who support and encourage them” (120). This not only helps struggling readers, but also empowers the strong readers to be leaders in their classroom and community (124). The idea is for the peer group to work as a reading team: “For students disinterested in reading, a reading community provides positive reinforcement and nonthreatening reading role models, by forging relationships with classmates who enjoy reading more” (98). In general, this creates a great sense of community in the classroom, where everyone works together; the onus isn’t solely on the teacher or T-L to provide guidance on reading material. It also connects to the Standards of Practice for Canadian School Library Learning Commons where “Students engage in face-to-face […] book clubs based on their interests” and “Students help build a community of readers” as part of Fostering Literacies to Empower Lifelong Learners (17). Curating a reading list is a skill that takes practice and time, so giving the students class time to work on this is essential if it’s part of the overall course learning.

I also think that teenagers typically have a better sense of what their peers will like, or are more willing to hear recommendations from them or social media. Apps like Goodreads offer on-the-spot recommendations for all types of readers; social media apps such as Twitter can offer a wealth of links to great reading resources (Miller and Kelley). As a teacher, you could make the reading list assignment more contemporary and appealing by having students create social media videos with titles of books they’ve read or want to read. In groups or on their own, they could dress up and do a compilation of characters from the novels they’ve read (there’s currently a TikTok challenge where people dress as characters from TV shows or movies! See image below for an example). Working in groups would make this a fun activity to engage students and promote literacy.

Source: What Would I Wear IF….!!! Tik Tok Summer Compilation

Likewise, as the T-L, I would offer to collaborate with the teacher to help students build their lists, and provide them with library time to discover new titles. A quick Google Survey could help with this too – find out what the students are interested in before they arrive at the LLC, and curate some titles for them to get started. Perhaps the teacher could also consider making the reading list a bit more fluid rather than fixed. For example, if a student gets a recommendation from a friend or discovers a new book to add to their list later in the year, they could swap it out for another title.

Overall, communicating to the student that he does not need to face the reading-list-task alone is key. Getting the teacher on board with reading teams and library visits will encourage literacy and growth for all readers, and give students leadership opportunities in the classroom. Aiming for group discussions and fluidity around reading choices is also important. I’ll end with one of my favourite Neil Gaiman metaphors about literacy: “We need our children to get onto the reading ladder: anything that they enjoy reading will move them up, rung by rung, into literacy”. I think one of the first rungs is to make reading for pleasure acceptable, and to make it central to discussions about success in both academics and life.

Works Cited

Canadian Library Association. Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. 2014. http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/llsop.pdf. Accessed Sept 15 2020.

Danladi, Diyoshak Rhoda, and Yohanna Rejoice Soko. “The Role of School Libraries in Promoting Reading Culture among Secondary School Students: A Case Study of Federal Government College, Jos.” Library Philosophy & Practice, Oct. 2018, pp. 1–40. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lls&AN=133865535&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Gaiman, Neil. “Neil Gaiman: Why Our Future Depends on Libraries, Reading and Daydreaming.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming?CMP=twt_gu. Accessed 21 Sept. 2020.

Krashen, Stephen. “The COE Lecture Series Presents: The Power of Reading.” YouTube, uploaded by UGA Mary Frances Early College of Education, 5 Apr. 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2056&v=DSW7gmvDLag&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=UGAMaryFrancesEarlyCollegeofEducation. Accessed 21 Sept. 2020.

Miller, Donalyn and Susan Kelley. Reading in the Wild : The Book Whisperer’s Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits. John Wiley and Sons, 2013. p.88-128.

How to build an awesome Library Learning Commons at your school (Module 2)

Source for feature image: Mooreco

How to Build an Awesome LLC* (Infographic and Video showing animation of Infographic can be found below)

People (Administration, staff, students) Collaborative Open-minded Supportive Visionaries Solutions-based thinkers	Resources (Print and Digital) Reference works Databases ICT Research materials Fiction Non-fiction
Design (Invite others to participate) Practical Safe Inspiring Modern Comfortable, inclusive, welcoming	Culture and Atmosphere (LLC and larger community) Reading culture promoted in school Celebrates local artists and authors Recognizes diversity through displays and texts Comfortable, inclusive, welcoming Gathering place

“How to build an awesome LLC” by S. Boyer

*In the interest of time and space, I won’t be able to address all of the items in the chart! I will touch on the ones that relate most with the readings for this module.*

The People

The first pillar of a great school Library Learning Commons (LLC) is the people. Certainly the Teacher-Librarian is central to the picture, and has a big role to fulfill, but support from the larger community is necessary. It not only lessens the burden of the myriad roles a T-L plays, it also capitalizes on the talents of others.

For example, in his discussion of rebranding of school library design in New York City, Michael Beirut explains how through a network of community supporters, they were able to design an inspiring space for learners. He describes the first school he impacted with his design community: “It has this glorious frieze of the heroes of the school, oversized, looking down into the little dollhouse of the real library”. The photos had been taken by his wife, a professional photographer, who happily volunteered to help out. Beirut then got local artists involved in designing and painting murals, or creating collages of images and objects, all contributing to a unique, inspiring atmosphere for the students in the different schools. In all, 40,000 students go through these spaces every year. However, Michael Beirut could not have achieved this vision with his skills alone.

The “glorious frieze of the heroes of the school” from Michael Beirut’s TedTalk

In the same way, Teacher-Librarians need support, not only from the larger community such as the school district or Parent-Teacher-Associations who can provide ideas and funding, but also from their school administrators. Working closely with school leaders is one of the central standards for “Advancing the Learning Community” in the “Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada” (SOP). One of the themes for the standard is “Principal Collaborative Role” (13). A well-established school LLC functions best when you have “Principals [who] are advocates and ambassadors for advancing the LLC” and who “encourage all teachers to work collaboratively with LLC staff to utilize programs, spaces, resources and technologies for learning” (13). Therefore, scheduling regular times to meet with your principal to discuss a shared vision for the school LLC is important. The T-L at our school participates in Curriculum Council meetings in order to regularly communicate with teacher leaders and school administrators.

Working collaboratively with teachers is also significant to the development of a school LLC. Teachers have a good sense not only of curriculum needs, but also student learning needs, which are constantly shifting as the list of literacies continues to grow. The SOP states that the T-L is responsible for “Literacy Leadership” in the form of “lead[ing] the school community in designing learning for transliteracy” (17). Transliteracy means that you are able “to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks” (28). This wide range of skills is best addressed when teachers and T-Ls work as a team to instil the knowledge needed for lifelong learning across these literacies. As Terri Hayes points out in her article Library to Learning Commons, the role of the T-L has changed, where now they are “instructional leaders, supporting and collaborating with every teacher in the school, promoting inquiry-based learning and fostering a thriving reading culture”. This is a symbiotic relationship, where the teacher and T-L are continually exchanging new ideas to create better resources and learning opportunities for the students.

From: “What Exactly is Transliteracy?” by Suzana Sukovic

I also believe that hearing directly from students on what they need will help foster a better space for learning and skill development. This can occur through informal conversations or through anonymous surveys conducted either in the classroom or the LLC itself.

The Design, Culture, and Atmosphere

As mentioned earlier, Michael Beirut highlights the importance of working with others to create an inspiring design for libraries, where people want to come read. The library space should be inviting and welcoming to diverse populations of students. In her TedTalk “What to expect from libraries in the 21st century”, Pam Sandlian Smith speaks about libraries as central to communities in the United States. She mentions their significance after natural disasters – that they turn into distribution centres, a place of support and a “hub” for the local community. In general, libraries should be places of comfort and acceptance, regardless of the person or situation presented.

Smith also references a young boy who asked if he could “rent out” a story hour room in the library, and even offered to put on a puppet program for library clientele on Friday afternoons. It was a resounding success, and it was only later that the librarian discovered he was homeless at the time; she said “Little did I know that when he asked that question, how important it was for him to have that space to create, to think, to fulfill some dreams. He needed someone to have the instinct to say ‘yes’”.

The instinct to say “yes”. Image source: Tax Savings Program

This instinct to say ‘yes’ is one of the things I would like to remember myself as a teacher and teacher-librarian who leads a great LLC. Yes, you are welcome; yes, you are free to try and create new things; yes, you are accepted, with no judgment; yes, your opinion counts; yes, you are encouraged to expand your knowledge and ask questions. Being open-minded and understanding means that you will build strong relationships with the students and staff in your community, and people will want to spend time in the library resource space. It can only become a hub of activity if everyone feels invited there. Smith concludes her TedTalk with a nod to libraries as democratic in their acceptance of all people; she says “Libraries are places that support creativity, community, innovation, and entrepreneurialism. We are the cornerstones of democracy. Everyone has a seat at the table.”

One way to show a commitment to diversity is by purchasing and prominently displaying texts written by people of various backgrounds and cultures. Linking these displays to current or historical events helps students make connections beyond a singular book, relating it to a larger social, political, or economic context. For example, when the Black Lives Matter protests started in June 2020, our school library created an entire wall display of texts by black authors who showcased historical wrongs in their writing, but also had strong messages of hope. Furthermore, they have a more permanent display of Indigenous authors, with rotating titles, in recognition of their importance to Canadian history and society. Students need to recognize themselves in the narratives purchased by the school library so that they can feel seen and important.

Book display in West Vancouver Secondary School Library of titles by Black authors in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, June 2020.

This also helps to build “Cultural Literacy” throughout the school, one of the standards for Canadian school libraries (CLA 17); it encourages open-mindedness and cultural awareness for the entire school community. After all, isn’t one of our goals as educators to create more empathetic citizens who consider various perspectives beyond their own? In Jason Reynolds’ talk on the significance of libraries for the American Library Association Annual conference from 2019, he makes the analogy of the body as a library. And that libraries are “warehouses where we build human libraries”, where each person has their own “reference desk” in their minds and in their hearts that they can use whenever they need. As Reynolds explains, this only works if we share each other’s narratives and “store” them within ourselves. He says,“I feel […] so grateful to walk around with narratives that are not like my own but still share parts of me. It’s an incredible feeling to know that I hold someone’s stories that I can then use to be more empathetic”. Introducing students to new and culturally diverse narratives can positively impact their overall view of others and create more understanding. In addition, displaying work from student or local artists contributes to a sense of community and ownership over the space; while encouraging speakers to come in, especially in conjunction with concurrent writer’s festivals, sparks interest in local writers and leaders.

In the end, the school library learning commons, like many libraries that have come before it, is a central gathering place and hub for student communities. It is a place for staff to come together to collaborate, for students to learn skills to become lifelong learners, to build a reading culture, and to celebrate diversity. Being open-minded and working as a team to find creative solutions to issues (to suit your budget!) will help bring your vision to life.

Works Cited

Beirut, Michael. “How to Design a Library That Makes Kids Want to Read.” YouTube, uploaded by TED, 23 June 2017, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsA_JTeHJ6A. Accessed 15 Sept. 2020.

Hayes, Terri. “Library to Learning Commons: A Recipe for Success.” EdCan Network, 23 Jan. 2014, http://www.edcan.ca/articles/library-to-learning-commons/. Accessed 15 Sept. 2020.

Reynolds, Jason. “ALA Annual 2019: Jason Reynolds on Libraries within Us.” YouTube, uploaded by American Library Association, 22 June 2019, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzpgNAZ8MQE&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=AmericanLibraryAssociation. Accessed 24 Sept. 2020.

Smith, Pam Sandlian. “What to expect from libraries in the 21st century: Pam Sandlian Smith at TEDxMileHigh.” YouTube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, 16 Dec. 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa6ERdxyYdo&ab_channel=TEDxTalks. Accessed 24 Sept. 2020.

Final Reflection for LIBE477 Summer 2020

This final “Vision of the Future” assignment brought a mix of emotions for me as a teacher and a learner. After having found my footing with the blog posts and feeling comfortable including research and support for my ideas, this assignment felt overwhelming. The added pressure of knowing that the digital artifact should/could be shared publicly definitely made me feel nervous! However, trying (and fumbling my way through) a new technology has given me some confidence in sharing video resources with other teachers, something I likely would have avoided before this course.

When I started this course, I was already thinking about the idea of streamlining digital resources for students, given some of the technical difficulties that come up regularly in the classroom and online. I was focused on healthy media balance, and teaching students the value of metacognition and being aware of how digital distractions impact learning. Although these things are still important to me, these ideas have become part of the larger context of sharing resources with the school community.

Having enjoyed the assignment of how one would facilitate professional development for ICT, I decided to shift my focus from student resources to include staff resources. In my courses for the teacher-librarian diploma, the importance of staff collaboration has come up several times. It is personally one of my favourite aspects of the educational setting, and something that isn’t always capitalized on. We are surrounded by experts in various fields, including teachers who use technology well in the classroom. Although this expertise is often shared within the school, there is no central place where these digital resources are collected and organized for teachers to revisit when needed. There is usually an email with a link to sources or a Slides presentation, but these are one-offs for particular tech, not a central, shared document.

The Google Doc part of the digital artifact was not complicated in itself, though it did present some challenges. Ideally, I would like my resources to be alphabetized, a tool that can be used in Google Sheets. However, when I tried formatting in Sheets, I found that I didn’t have enough room to write the notes or add links in a way that wasn’t frustrating or confusing. I could take the time to copy and paste cells in Docs to make it alphabetical, but besides the time factor and awkwardness of adding resources later, I also thought that maybe the most widely used resources should come first? This is something I would troubleshoot with a team of teachers on a tech committee.

In terms of stretching myself and trying new technology, and modelling the glories of tech trial and error (!), I decided to use a webcam and record myself while teaching a how-to video for Screencastify. I discovered this feature only now, after doing some research on others who had done similar tutorials. (Links to the videos can be found in my previous blog post: Collaboration in teaching and learning ICT).

Besides the typical errors we make when trying to sound professional and seamless in recordings, there were a lot of other road bumps! First of all, it is difficult to model how to use a technology when you are using that technology to showcase learning. The extension has already been downloaded, and you have already started recording, so how can you show learners what it looks like the first time using it?! I got around this the best way I knew – which was to take screenshots of webpages before starting my own Screencastify video, and placing those screenshots into Google Slides. It wasn’t seamless or perfect, but I think it got the message across clearly enough.

I also struggled with the drawing tools, since I like to highlight/focus the mouse, but it turns out that you can’t use those unless it is an active website (which Google Slides is not). I kept recordings of 4 different attempts, but there were about 5-6 others that I just started and deleted after a few minutes. The whole thing took 2+ hours, which sounds lengthy to create what seems like a simple 6-minute video, but a) the time went by quickly! I think I *might* enjoy making these videos; b) next time it would be much faster as I learned so much on-the-spot; c) I think it is worth investing personally, or convincing the district to invest, in the Screencastify upgrade. I wonder if Screencast O’Matic is an easier platform for these types of videos and will definitely speak to colleagues about it when we return to school. The on-the-spot learning is quite valuable, as every time you try a new technology, you have to use problem solving skills and quick thinking; you are also gaining new insights and building on real-time knowledge as you progress through each technological step. These are skills students should also be practicing in the classroom via digital tech.

In the writing of the final assignment, I drew on learning from the various topics we studied this term, and aimed to summarize key ideas from those sources in my reasoning for collaboration and streamlining ICT tools. One big shift from earlier in the course would be my thinking around smartphones. In fact, it was a comment on my blog post “Personal Strategies for Including Better ICT in the Classroom” by another student in the course, Julia, that highlighted this new thinking. She noted that students “need to see teachers use their phone briefly for a professional reason at a responsible time and then put it away, this models the type of behaviour we should expect from them”. Although I am still concerned about misuse of smartphones in the classroom, I feel that I have a much more positive outlook on how they can be celebrated as tools for learning.

Overall, one of my biggest takeaways from this course is that sometimes we need to be reminded that we are lifelong learners, and that the technological world continues to move forward, whether we are along for the ride or not! And that we can close the generational gap, at least to a small extent, when it comes to digital proficiency and reflecting 21st century standards. It just takes a little time, a lot of collaboration, and the willingness to fail forward.

Collaboration in teaching and learning ICT: streamlining digital resources in-house

Source for feature image: Cisco

Vision of the Future Assignment: LIBE477, UBC Teacher-Librarian Diploma

For the final LIBE477 task, we have been asked to come up with a “Vision for the Future” of teaching and learning for the 21st century, based on our essential learnings in the course. In addition, we are to come up with a digital artifact that supports that vision. The task was daunting and overwhelming at first, but I think that is one of my overall takeaways – learning new skills, in particular ICT skills, is necessarily fear-provoking for many of us, but once we invest time in our new learning, the results are worth it.

The key elements of my vision for ICT revolve around professional development within my own school:

We all need digital literacy skills for the 21st century, and teachers need to model these skills for students
One-on-one professional development is very effective for acquisition of ICT skills
Collaboration between staff members is essential to develop ICT skills and a strong tech culture in a school
Effective ICT skills will help with overall time management and healthy media balance
Centralizing digital resources will be beneficial for staff and students
The smartphone can be optimized as a tool for learning, rather than a wasted distraction

To begin, digital literacy skills are necessary for success in the 21st century, regardless of your professional or personal life. The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) outline six essential “‘21st century literacies’”, as discussed in Will Richardson’s Why School: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere (Loc 177). The first skill on the list is to “develop proficiency with the tools of technology” (Loc 177); therefore, as educators we are responsible for introducing students to new technologies, and providing them with the opportunities to develop the critical thinking and processing skills needed to deal with “a world of abundance” of information and technology (Loc 188).

This is not to disregard the essential learning that occurs outside of technology, but it would be doing students a disservice to avoid working with the tools they will need outside of school to succeed; in addition, it would be a disservice to ignore the important skills that students already possess as prolific users of technology in their personal lives. As Richardson points out in his observation of his son playing Minecraft with a team of friends, gaming leads to “loving learning and […] using technology to solve real problems and think independently” while encouraging “networking, inquiry, creation, [and] sharing” (Loc 600).

Although some educators may not agree, we should be “prepar[ing] students for the world they live in, not the one in which most of us [educators] grew up” (Loc 265). This means that we must also be proficient in “the tools of technology”, but for many of us this feels insurmountable or scary. What if I don’t quickly pick up on how to use the technology? What if I make mistakes in front of students or my colleagues? Modelling how to use technology includes modelling how to deal with mistakes or challenges, so keep that in mind when you are trying something new.

One of the goals of my digital artifact is to take some of the pressure off individual teachers and make learning ICT a shared experience, where teachers are collaborating, working one-on-one to develop skills before sharing these technologies with the class. In this way, perhaps educators will feel more confident about trying new things, having had the one-on-one support prior to testing it out. Kristin Daniels, in her video Empowering the teacher technophobe, concludes that one-on-one work with teachers is much more effective professional development for ICT than larger group settings.

It comes as no surprise that “The use of information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool for responding to the challenges [of teaching] is one of the most sought-after topics regarding teacher training needs” (Castaño-Muñoz 608), so how do we respond to this need when both funding and time are issues facing all school districts? My artifact seems simple: a “living” Google Doc that catalogues a school’s technological resources for teaching and learning. However, it is a way to centralize ICT in regards to school goals, and also takes advantage of the human capital in all schools – experienced educators and administrators who can collaborate to support one another in gaining more digital literacy. This document exists at the district level where I work, with district vetted and approved resources (for legal reasons and privacy vetted sources are necessary). There is a section in the document titled “School Approved Resources”, but I am not aware of a document that is specific to our school. Perhaps it already exists, on a T: drive somewhere on my district computer, but my hope would be for heightened staff awareness and widespread contribution to a shared document; something that is constantly evolving and can also be easily accessed from any computer with internet access.

This “Digital Resources and How to Use Them” document includes hyperlinks to resources, notes and videos on how to use them, login information, course connections, etc. It also has a section “Staff to help”, which would have either departments or specific names of staff members who want to share their technical knowledge with others. In a school with over 100 staff members, having an individual person you can email for help is very useful. I would happily attach my name to any technology I know and use! The idea would be to introduce this at a staff meeting, and send out a survey to teachers to find out a) areas of ICT need; b) staff who would be willing to put their names down to support others with particular resources. In Debra E. Kachel’s “Advocating for Collaboration”, one of her suggestions in implementing strong collaboration is to “identify allies” that can help bring your vision for collaboration to life (49); it is important to find like-minded people who want to be role models for ICT in the school.

Digital artifact: Digital Resources “living” doc for staff collaboration and use of ICT in the classroom. S. Boyer

Collaboration can be challenging due to time constraints and inter-personal issues, but given that “build[ing] relationships with others to pose and solve problems collaboratively and cross-culturally” is another NCTE 21st century literacy, it is a skill that needs flexing, just like learning new ICT (Loc 178). Otis Kriegel in “The Genius Next Door” aptly states when it comes to teaching, “isolation kills innovation” (45), noting that “one of our greatest resources [is] our colleagues” (45). Asking for guidance or observing another teacher’s lesson-delivery does not “show weakness – it simply indicates that you are growing, changing, and looking to improve” (45). And we all know lifelong learning is the ultimate legacy to pass on to our students.

Furthermore, Carla Thomas McClure writes about “The Benefits of Teacher Collaboration” and explains that “[s]chool leaders who foster collaboration among novice and veteran teachers can improve teacher retention and teacher satisfaction […] They have found that new teachers seem more likely to stay in schools [where] all teachers share responsibility for student success” (82). Those first years in the teaching profession are overwhelming, and getting support from other teachers is key to happiness and success. Sharing an easy-to-access document, where several educators are collaborating on best digital resources and practices, is one way to support new teachers. One step further is for experienced staff members to reach out to new teachers, share ICT expertise, and to start building “strong collegial relationships” (82). Personally, during remote learning in Spring 2020, one of my saving graces was collaborating with colleagues for curriculum delivery and tech support.

We often have staff members who present on ICT use in their classrooms, but like many professional development moments, that information is written down and may not translate to classroom teaching. Like Elena Aguilar notes in “10 Tips for Delivering Awesome Professional Development”, acquiring new skills from pro-d requires “a whole lot of practice”, which staff meetings typically don’t allow for. At times, examples of technology use are anecdotal as you catch up with a colleague in the hallway on your break, and these stories get lost amid the mental chaos of returning to the classroom. With a central, fluid document, we could add these resources to the central bank of ICT use in the school, and educators could access links at a more suitable time.

Moreover, teachers could make how-to videos to post to the document. In this way, staff are sharing knowledge widely, and the video itself could be enough for a colleague to figure out the technology on their own. I understand there are hundreds of how-to videos on technology out there, but this way it’s created and vetted by staff in your school (or district); it is much easier than having to find a video on your own, only to realize 5-10 minutes in that it’s not answering your particular technology question. Likewise, if you had questions about the how-to video, it’s easy to get an answer since the creator is on your staff! As part of my digital artifact, I will be demonstrating how to use Screencastify; although I am somewhat comfortable with the technology, I have never made a how-to video, and certainly not one with me visually recorded along with it! Having the ability to overcome fear and create/try new things is important to model if you want other people to do the same.

Ever tried to screen capture a still from a video where you’re talking?! The results are almost never good! But here is a still from the how-to video I made. Links can be found below.

Since I don’t currently have the unlimited version of Screencastify, my how-to video is in two parts (the free version cuts off after 5-minutes). I also made this tutorial using the technology I wanted to demonstrate, which presented it’s own challenges, but I worked around them using previous technical knowledge. Note the big time-difference between videos 1 and 2 – I had recorded Part 2 previously, but wanted to streamline the video for clarity after reviewing it.

Part 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1euJALj-maoSsBjkDa__tg9_hSGUE8LRZ/view

Part 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u5dFV_3yjogYmn7kGy6TYV2ErhJ-Vd-D/view

Hopefully, seeing this would inspire other staff members to create their own how-to videos.

I would take this staff collaboration further by gauging interest in lunch-and-learns about implementing new technologies in the classroom. This could be part of the previously mentioned survey, taken twice a year, where staff could volunteer to help lead sessions on particular ICT topics. Getting administration on board to provide lunch is a great way to make staff feel that their time is appreciated and recognized by other leaders in the school. Monthly would be an easy way to organize these sessions, but realistically, 5-6 sessions per year would be more feasible considering the value of teacher prep time.

Finally, this “Digital Resources and How to Use Them” digital artifact includes a Student section with links to educational websites and apps. This could be made available to students either at the school-level or via individual teachers (or both), who would share the document on Classroom, tailoring it if necessary to that particular course. Perhaps teachers might be inspired to come up with their own central document with links to digital resources that students can use throughout the year.

Related to this, I would like to dispel some of the myths around the notion that “smartphones are evil”, highlighting their value as an educational tool. In Why School, Will Richardson laments the fact that for his teenage son and his friends, “[…] school is the only place in their lives where they can’t use the technology they carry around in their pockets and backpacks to answer questions” (Loc 326). The smartphone, when used properly, is an easy-to-access tool for students who either do not have another device; or for students who aren’t always organized enough to remember their device, and/or have it charged for class time. Also, as observers of high school students, we know “that younger people are more likely to read on a mobile device than older people” (17). This goes back to my earlier argument that we need to be teaching in the current digital world students are accustomed to, and that we must model technology in a way that reflects digital literacy for the 21st century. Mobile devices have been shown to improve literacy in developing countries through programs like Library For All and UNESCO’S Worldreader, and are likely to have a similar impact here on more than one type of literacy.

At times, using your own smartphone to highlight professional learning tools demonstrates to students a workplace phone etiquette that they should be adhering to both in the classroom and in the workforce. Treating smartphones as a tool rather than a distraction is a positive attitude we can pass along to learners. In her article on the possibility of cell phone bans in schools, Katie Martin asks: “[…] if we (both parents and educators) aren’t teaching this generation how to navigate this world, who is? Where do they learn to manage their devices and on-demand access and balance them with key social skills including having conversations, being kind, collaboration, managing impulsivity, prioritizing people, interactions, the things that make us special and human?” Giving students a list of resources, such as review and time management apps, and asking for their input, shows that their knowledge of technology is respected and welcome in the classroom. Researching apps for a particular subject or skill-set would also make a great inquiry project for middle- and high-school students. They could present their findings as part of a Tech Week, hosted by the school library, sharing the pros and cons of various digital learning resources. In the end, it should be at the teacher’s discretion to decide if a smartphone will be part of classroom learning, and the comfort level will differentiate greatly between educators.

Image source: Russel, Dominique. “Mobile phones in the classroom – what does the research say?”, Teacher: Evidence + Insight + Action.

When it comes to implementation of sharing digital resources, there are a few concerns. First are regulations around privacy. If students are sharing their information online, it needs to be done in a secure environment if it is a school-promoted technology. For example, at the beginning of remote learning in March 2020, our district said ‘no’ to Zoom as a platform for video chats with students, because it did not meet Canadian security standards. Likewise, teachers in our district are not meant to include blogging as part of their courses, since anyone can have access to this type of online data. Therefore, the resource links shared at the school-level or with students would need to be approved by school administrators, which could cause a delay in sharing resources. However, this doesn’t mean you should avoid trying new technologies, just that you need to use discretion and critical thinking before using them in the classroom. West Vancouver Schools came up with a set of questions to consider when using public websites or videos to support learning:

Does the website require students to log in or create an account?	If yes, do not use.	If no, move to the next question.
Is the website grade appropriate?	If no, do not use.	If yes, move to next question.
Is the website safe? Is it free of advertisements or other aspects that are inappropriate?	If no, do not use.	If yes, move to next question.
Is the website easily accessible to all students? For example, is it free of streaming videos that may be difficult for some families to access?	If no, do not use.	If yes, move to the next question.
Is the website education specific?	If no, do not use.	If yes, consider using it.

Adapted from: West Vancouver Schools, “Digital Resources Overview”.

To get the digital resources collaboration started at the school-level, I would take the following steps:

Introduce the idea at a staff meeting or pro-d, modeling a short video on how to use a digital resource such as Screencastify.
Send out a survey to find Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT).
Create a team of teachers and administration to help manage and deliver tech education to the school, and possible other, communities.
Follow up with staff to see if collaboration has been effective in learning new ICT; reflect on practices in staff meetings or surveys throughout the year.
Create opportunities for staff and students to share good digital resources in the school community.

For number 3, this could be done via Google Classroom, where teachers who are interested can join the Classroom and share information and resources through the Classroom feed. I noticed this used by a teacher named Mr. Vacca in this video tutorial. We already communicate effectively with students via Classroom, so why not staff?

Our colleagues are our greatest, and often untapped resource; contributing to a shared list of ICT for the classroom is one way to capitalize on that knowledge, while connecting one-on-one with other teachers to try new ICT creates collegial bonds and enhances learning for both staff and students. Trial and error are a big part of acquiring new skills, so modeling this humanity in staff meetings and in the classroom is important. Furthermore, students also have a bank of technical knowledge when it comes to using technology, in particular smartphones. Getting them involved in vetting resources, and allowing them to use their smartphones as an educational tool, will create a stronger tech environment that reflects modern literacies.

Links to Digital Resources and How to Use Them – Google Doc for Staff Collaboration

Resources for Staff (Work-in-progress)

Digital Resource	Description	Topic	How to use the tech	Staff to help	Notes and Logins
Screencastify	Capture your computer screen and narrate slides, videos, etc.	Digital literacy – videos	How to use Screencastify by S. Boyer – Part 1 Part 2 How to use the new Screencastify	Teacher-librarian IT rep.	Chrome extension to download
Screencast-o-matic	Capture your computer screen + video of you explaining	Digital literacy – videos	How to record and edit video with Screencast-o-matic	Science dept.
Libby	App to read e-books, available through public libraries with a library card – FREE	Literacy	Libby Audiobooks, Tips & Tricks	Teacher-librarian	If you get a new library card, wait 24 hours for card number to get into Libby database
GooseChase	Scavenger hunt tool	Student engagement & teamwork			Paid resource Ask admin for login info
Kahoot	Content review toolBasic version is free	Student engagement			Create your own login
Google Meet	Video conferencing	Teaching, student engagement	Make Google Meet better with 5 Chrome extensions
Explain Everything			Explain Everything Tutorial		Has anyone used this or another whiteboard platform before?
TinyScanner App	Convert files to PDF from smartphone	Sharing resources digitally			Worth the small cost to upgrade to Pro version
Turnitin.com	Originality database that checks for plagiarism	Digital citizenship			Paid database
MyEd	Web platform for attendance, grade entry, emailing students and parents	Professional data management	School User Resources	Vice-principal; dept. coordinators

S. Boyer

Resources for Students (Work-in-progress)

Remember that with all new information, teacher-led, or in-person sessions where the technology is briefly explained is an effective way to support learning.

Digital Resource	Description	Topic	How to use the tech	Staff to help	Notes and Logins
G-Suite Google Classroom Google Meet	Classroom webpage to organize resources, create quizzes, collect assignments and give feedback.	Digital literacy	Google Classroom Tutorial Google Meet Tutorial The Beginner’s Guide to Google Docs (with formatting tips)	IT rep.	Login is typical student login and password
Time management apps Focus Keeper Zen Screen Moment Exam Countdown Lite	Apps that can be downloaded to your smartphone to manage time	Healthy media balance			Could be useful tools for Careers 10 in discussion of healthy digital habits
Libby	App to read e-books, available through public libraries with a library card – FREE	Literacy	Libby Audiobooks, Tips & Tricks	Teacher-librarians	If you get a new library card, wait 24 hours for card number to get into Libby database
StudyBlue Flashcards & Quizzes GoConqr	Review tools	Study techniques – on-the-go; web-based
Noodle Tools				Teacher-librarians	Book library time to set up student accounts

S. Boyer

Works Cited

Aguilar, Elena. “10 Tips for Delivering Awesome Professional Development.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 18 Sept. 2014, http://www.edutopia.org/blog/10-tips-delivering-awesome-professional-development-elena-aguilar. Accessed 2 Aug. 2020.

Castaño-Muñoz, Jonatan, et al. “Who is taking MOOCs for teachers’ professional development on the use of ICT? A cross-sectional study from Spain, Technology, Pedagogy and Education.” Technology, Pedagogy and Education, vol. 27, no. 5, 2018, pp. 607-24, DOI:10.1080/1475939X.2018.1528997. Accessed 2 Aug. 2020.

Daniels, Kristin. “Empowering the teacher technophobe: Kristin Daniels at TEDxBurnsvilleED.” YouTube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, 6 Nov. 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puiNcIFJTCU. Accessed 2 Aug. 2020.

Kachel, Debra E. “Advocating for Collaboration.” Teacher Librarian, vol. 46, no. 4, Apr. 2019, pp. 48-51, antiochlis.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=49265318. Accessed 2 Aug. 2020.

Kriegel, Otis. “The Genius Next Door.” Scholastic Teacher, vol. 125, no. 3, Winter 2015, p. 45 Accessed 9 Aug. 2020.

Martin, Katie L. “Let’s Talk About Cell Phone Bans: Should We Limit Access or Teach Responsibility?” WordPress, 25 March 2019. Accessed 23 July 2020. https://katielmartin.com/2019/03/25/lets-talk-about-cell-phone-bans-should-we-limit-access-or-teach-responsibility/

McClure, Carla Thomas. “The Benefits of Teacher Collaboration.” District Administration, vol. 44, no. 10, Sept. 2008, pp. 82–83. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=34207153&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Richardson, Will. Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere. Kindle ed., 2012.

West Vancouver Schools. “Digital Resources Overview.” West Vancouver Schools, Scholantis Portal, inside45.sd45.bc.ca/modernization/Pages/Digital-Resources-Overview.aspx#/=. Accessed 10 Aug. 2020.

How mobile technology improves access to literacy in developing countries (and what we can learn from them)

Featured image source: BizEd

Inquiry Blog Post 4

A discussion of libraries in developing countries is necessarily a discussion of literacy and access to materials.

Image from the Library For All homepage.

Books and public libraries have been a refuge for me since I was young; today library time looks a little different, as I most regularly visit with my daughters, aged 4 and 7. I find comfort in knowing the library is a welcoming environment for my girls, where the focus is on literacy and creativity, and where we can wind down after busy days of school and work. In fact, just last night my four-year-old was lamenting a lack of what she calls “mommy-Rosie time” and when we were planning what to do, her first thought was to visit the library (insert heart-bursting emoji here, and also the heartbreak in telling her the library is still closed due to Covid-19).

The ongoing presence of library buildings, with trained librarians, good hours, and great programming was something I took for granted; since libraries have always been “free” to me, books and libraries have factored so centrally in my life. This UBC course inquiry has allowed me to consider the impact of having access to these tools, since millions of people around the world do not. This applies not only to developing countries, but also to low income areas in the developed world. In the UNESCO report written by Mark West and Han Ei Chew titled “Reading in the mobile era: a study of mobile reading in developing countries”, it noted that “According to [researcher Susan B. Neuman], school libraries in poor communities [in the U.S.] are often shuttered, whereas school libraries in middle-income neighbourhoods are generally thriving centres of reading, with one or more full-time librarians” (14). Likewise, across the world in Ecuador, David Risher, founder of Worldreader, discovered that the library he wanted to visit had “a big padlock on the door” and that the woman who worked at the nearby orphanage thought she’d “lost the key” (Neary). The woman explained that it took too long for library resources to arrive by boat, and by the time they got there, students were no longer interested in the content.

The idea of a physical library with print books-in-hand is not feasible when finances are scarce. UNESCO notes that “[e]ven in the twenty-first century, despite enormous advances in publishing, paper books are expensive to design, expensive to print, expensive to distribute, and fragile” (14). This is true regardless of the community in which you live, and library budgets have always been difficult to balance (even digital resources are very expensive to maintain – databases can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars for yearly subscriptions, so if your school district pays for these databases – use them!).

A discussion of libraries in developing countries is necessarily a discussion of literacy and access to materials. The UNESCO report examined the ratio of people to libraries around the world and found that: “In Japan, where 99 percent of people can read and write, there is 1 library for every 47,000 people; in Nigeria, by contrast, the ratio is 1 library to 1,350,000 people (Ajeluorou, 2013)” (14). In other words, a lack of library access leads to higher illiteracy rates. Book ownership is also a luxury that millions of people globally cannot afford: “In Africa a majority of children have never owned a book of their own, and it is not uncommon for ten to twenty students to share a single textbook in school (Books for Africa, n.d.)” (West & Chew 13). These inequities probably do not come as a surprise for many of you, so what can we do about it?

This is a video that narrates and animates an illustrated book from Library For All’s database. I love the unspoken analogy between going deeper and deeper into the sea, and going deeper and deeper into reading and learning through global literacy initiatives.

One group, originally based out of New York, but now based out of Australia, has created Library For All, whose mandate is to provide “a globally available free digital library to provide books to communities where inequality, poverty or remoteness are everyday barriers to accessing education”. They “deliver ebooks to students and teachers, even in low bandwidth environments, at a much lower cost than building physical libraries” (Stegman). Although Internet connectivity is not always reliable in developing countries, mobile networks are, so “library content [can be] accessed through mobile phone networks by using low-cost devices such as tablets, mobile phones, and PCs” (Stegman). In fact, according to UNESCO, “Across developing countries, there is evidence of women and men, girls and boys reading multiple books and stories on mobile phones that can be purchased for less than 30 US dollars” (emphasis added, 16). Furthermore, access to mobile technology is more prolific than access to basic sanitation in some cases: “The United Nations estimates that 6 billion people have access to a connected mobile device of some sort, while only 4.5 billion have access to a toilet” (UNESCO). Library For All capitalized on this phenomenon and had a successful pilot program in Haiti in 2013 with e-readers, and is now promoting and improving literacy on 6 continents and in 18 countries. If you are interested in learning more or donating to their global literacy initiative, click here.

Library For All has an app for accessing content, and is primarily focused on children’s literature for families to enjoy at home, and for educators “to fill resource gaps at school” (Google Play Store). Other applications, such as Worldreader Mobile developed in 2012 by David Risher, offer free books in 52 languages for all ages and tastes. Both apps can be found on the Google Play Store.

Information on the attributes of the Worldreader Mobile app

Mobile devices promote reading for pleasure, which is a significant part of improving literacy; they also promote acquisition of curriculum content. For example, in 2014, a Sri Lankan study of medical students who used Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) found that ““Quick and easy access to reliable and relevant evidence on a PED can improve learning in evidence based medicine and students’ confidence in clinical decision making” (Galappatthy 2). Through these PEDs, students also accessed a number of e-books to guide and support their learning; however, in some cases smartphones were required and these were not always affordable to the students (3). In these cases, the responsibility could be undertaken by the university to provide a loaner device for the duration of course studies for equitability among students. Related to this, many educators and policymakers argue that Internet access, and therefore information access, should be free in a truly democratic society and some countries have moved towards making this possible. In Canada, we have platforms like Shaw Go WiFi hotspots in over 100,000+ locations as a beginner initiative.

From: Galappatthy, Priyasdarshani, et al. “The ‘e-Generation’: The Technological Usage and Experiences of Medical Students from a Developing Country.” *International Journal of Telemedicine and Applications*, 24 Aug. 2017, doi:10.1155/2017/6928938. Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.

Another way digitization and mobile access enhances learning is through Open Education Resources, or OERs. As Mohamed Ally and Mohammed Samaka point out in their article on the advantages of OERs: “Everyone has a right to obtain at least a basic education level so that they can contribute to society and improve their quality of life.[…] Use of mobile technology allows learners to access OER and at the same time participate in learning communities” (15). The OER Commons website is an excellent digital resource that should be accessed and used by educators around the world. Go check it out!

In a previous post, I discussed how a love of reading can translate into success in other areas of work and life. Although many educators tend to shy away from the use of smartphones in our classroom, “[…] mobile devices constitute one tool […] that can help people find good books and, gradually, cultivate a love of reading along with the myriad advantages that portends – educationally, socially and economically” (UNESCO 18). I remember a moment of contemplation when a student asked if they could use Kindle on their phone for silent reading in my grade 10 English class. I hesitated in my conditioning that “phones are bad” in the classroom, but it was a student I trusted to use the time wisely, so I agreed to it. But why hesitate? One of the findings from the UNESCO “Reading in the mobile era” report was “that younger people are more likely to read on a mobile device than older people” (17). Although I don’t think smartphones will replace print books altogether for silent reading (there are still many advantages to printed text), I think they would be a good solution for some of my students.

One of the biggest challenges of silent reading time is “I forgot my book at home”, so there is no consistency in reading as the student picks up a new book each time. Whereas high school students are almost never without their phones in our district. So allowing them to download a book and access it during silent reading time could promote more reading, especially for my low-interest readers. A few things to consider would be: keep them accountable during silent reading time with a guiding question they must answer at the end. This will hopefully help with social media distractions. Similarly, take the time to help students find and choose books. Give them the opportunity to research and download reading apps with free access to books, such as Libby, which allows users to borrow ebooks from their local public libraries (which can be read on a phone or tablet). Libby is new to me, which is embarrassing but also ah-mazing! I will definitely use this as a silent reading option in the future and hope to kindly nudge other teachers in that direction if possible.

In the end, it rests on the individual teacher and their training to work with and share mobile resources to improve literacy. Take Charles from Zimbabwe who states: “‘We live in a remote area where there are no libraries, and the books I have in my own small library are the ones which I have already read. So [Worldreader] is now giving me a chance to choose from a variety of fiction titles’” (West & Chew 40). Here, Charles has taken the initiative to provide more variety to his students, where some teachers may not have the technical knowledge or training to share new resources. Ally and Samaka, in their examination of digital OERs, explained that “It is a simple task giving mobile technology to learners compared to the task of designing and delivering affordable learning materials for access with mobile technology” (16). Can anyone relate to that when they were thrown into remote learning in March 2020 without any additional training?

The authors also noted that technology in developing countries was underutilized in part due to the “lack of affordable learning materials, the lack of motivation of teachers, or the lack of information and communication technology skills of teachers using the devices (Corbeil & Valdés-Corbeil, 2007)” (16). Therefore, one of the ways to promote literacy and reading materials in all educational settings is through professional development, particularly in terms of ICT (a topic I addressed at the personal and professional development level in previous inquiries).

Mobile devices allow free, or very affordable, access to works of literature and other educational resources that help improve literacy and life outcomes for people all over the world. They provide an easy source of information when physical libraries are unavailable, but training and self-regulation around mobile technology is a significant part of using these electronic devices successfully. I hope you will consider donating locally or globally to improving literacy outcomes, or that you will consider trying out mobile devices in a new way in your classroom. Let me know what worked for you!

Works Cited

Ally, Mohamed, and Mohammed Samaka. “Open education resources and mobile technology to narrow the learning divide.” The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, vol. 14, no. 2, June 2013 Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.

Galappatthy, Priyasdarshani, et al. “The ‘e-Generation’: The Technological Usage and Experiences of Medical Students from a Developing Country.” International Journal of Telemedicine and Applications, 24 Aug. 2017, doi:10.1155/2017/6928938. Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.

“Library For All: Digital Library for the World.” Library For All, 2019, libraryforall.org/. Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.

Neary, Lynn. “E-Readers Mark A New Chapter In The Developing World.” NPR, NPR.org, 2 Dec. 2013, http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2013/12/02/248194408/e-readers-mark-a-new-chapter-in-the-developing-world. Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.

Stegman, Emma. “Library For All’s Push For Literacy In Developing Nations.” Teachthought: we grow teachers, 23 Dec. 2015, http://www.teachthought.com/literacy/library-alls-push-literacy-developing-nations/. Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.

West, Mark, and Han Ei Chew. “Reading in the mobile era: a study of mobile reading in developing countries.” UNESDOC: Digital Library, UNESCO, 2014, unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000227436. Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.

Step	Screenshot
Go to www.padlet.com
Click on “Sign up for free”
If you have a school Google account, click “Sign up with Google”. If you don’t have any of the listed accounts, use your email and create a password.
You will arrive at your dashboard. Choose “+Make a Padlet”.
Choose from one of the Padlet options: Wall, Canvas, Stream, Grid, Map, Timeline, etc.
Once your Padlet is open, you can modify the settings, such as the title, description, background, etc. It should pop up when it first opens as a right side menu, but if it doesn’t, click the settings icon at the top right of the page and it will pop up.
After you have customized your Padlet look, you can add content to your wall. Click on the plus sign at the bottom right of the screen.
You will see a new “pad” appear. You can type into the pad, or you can click on one of the icons at the bottom of the pad to add content.
Clicking on the magnifying glass/microphone icon (in the middle), will open up web search options as shown. Type in a search term and look through the sources presented.
Click on the resource you would like to add, and give it a description if you wish in the white space provided at the top of the pad.
Continue building your digital collage with resources you want to share, or content you’ve created. You can even use the drawing tool to draw doodles that illustrate your ideas! *Don’t forget to cite/give credit to the sources you used.
If you would like to collaborate on a Padlet, click the Share button at the top right. The screenshot shows what pops up. If the person you are working with also has a Padlet account, you can click “Invite” and search for them. You can also export the padlet to places like Google Classroom.