Professional+Knowledge

**1.1 understand the principles of lifelong learning**
**-** are well informed about information literacy theory and practice

**1.2 know about learning and teaching across curriculum areas and developmental levels** - are thoroughly familiar with the information literacy and information needs, skills and interests of learners - fully understand the need to cater for the social, cultural and developmental backgrounds of learners in program implementation and curriculum resourcing

 “The world in which a man lives is largely shaped by the way he looks at it.” **//Schopenhauer//**

__Information Literacy or ICT literacy (lessons, curriculum development) __
What is information literacy? “//Information literacy is knowing when and why you need information, ////where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner.” // (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, 2004) //Learning for the Future// states//,// ‘effective learners are not just those who are knowledgeable but rather they are people who are able to find and use information as required. It can be said that effective learners are those that are //information literate//. Information literacy is synonymous with knowing how to learn. This means that the ability to process and use information effectively is more than a basic tool for the empowerment of school students: it is in fact the basic survival skill for those who wish to be successful members of the 21st century’ (ASLA & ALIA 2001, p.2).

School libraries have traditionally been home to many 'information technologies' such as filmstrips, videos and sound recordings in the past, but the Internet has eliminated most of those resources (Doiron & Asselin, 2005) Resources have changed and broadened dramatically. A school library still maintains a solid collection of fiction and picture books, as well as a wide range of the latest information books. Information books, though, have changed and with innovations in digital technologies have come many new types of resources. These include web-based sites and more interactive, virtual learning environments. All this has heightened the need for more expertise in selecting and accessing these resources; it has also called for the teacher-librarian to take on an instructional leadership role so as to integrate these resources into teaching and learning.

Not only must we be discerning learners but, in addition, we must be constantly learning. As the pace of global change has increased, so has our need for learning (Hume, 2003). Therefore change requires us to know more and learn more about the world around us through a variety of different media. The definition of information literacy has become more complex as resources and technologies have changed. Multiple literacies, including digital, visual, textual, and technological, have now joined information literacy as crucial skills for this century.

View the [|YouTube] video below to see the array of technology mediums in which 21st century students learn.

media type="youtube" key="gW_pBLzhpfI" height="342" width="452"

According to ALIA’s Statement on information literacy for all Australians, information literacy can contribute to:
 * learning for life;
 * the creation of new knowledge;
 * acquisition of skills;
 * personal, vocational, corporate and organisational empowerment;
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">social inclusion;
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">participative citizenship; and
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">innovation and enterprise. (ALIA, 2006)

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The TL at Cairns School 1 has a strong commitment to excellent educational outcomes for the students in the areas of critical thinking, problem solving, and information skills. The TL at Cairns School 1 has a focus to stay ahead of the game in terms of content, pedagogy and other changes that influence the way they go about their work. He plans his each of his units with the [|‘Big 6’] information literacy model as the foundation and builds his lessons accordingly. During his lessons, children are required to identify each stage of the literacy model as they use it.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"> "The Big 6 Model, image courtesy of www.big6.com"

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The TL likes to integrate the [|‘Big 6’] model into lessons from as young as Prep as he believes ‘they are never too young to learn how to learn.’ The Big 6 website is a great reference tool for printable lesson plans according to year level or subject, as well as graphic organisers, assessment tools and other wonderful resources that the TL’s can use to supplement their own planning. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The TL plans each lesson to cater for three main groups within each class, whilst also bearing in mind the array of learning styles that each class consists of: the main stream class, the hearing impaired/deaf children and also the special needs children/learning disabled. Many classes have integrated special needs and hearing impaired children. There is a special education unit (EDU) at the school, however many children have integrated lessons in which they are co-taught by another teacher translating via sign language ([|Australian Sign Language]). <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">As a TL, I would aim to share my new found knowledge of enquiry models via presentation at staff meetings or PD days that are held at the beginning of the school year. The aim would be to make teaching staff and the administration team alike to be familiar with the inquiry model so that they could discuss and apply them within their own program. I think for my own professional development it is necessary to meet regularly with other teacher-librarians in the school district as well as attend networking days to ‘prepare and share’ ideas and lessons with other TL’s and LA’s. I feel that drawing on the experience of other TL’s and their wealth of knowledge and practise would be invaluable to a new TL. Referring to relevant professional literature and forums such as OZTL and Magpies Magazine when seeking new information or other points of view would also be an avenue I would pursue when planning my curriculum. Ultimately, I envision the school librarian playing a significant role in creating students who “create the future”.

**1.2 know about learning and teaching across the curriculum areas and developmental levels**
- fully understand the need to cater for the social, cultural and developmental backgrounds of learners in program implementation and curriculum resourcing

__**<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">Collection development (curriculum mapping/selection and purchase of resources/weeding of collection) **__
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">"A collection development policy is a written statement of your library's intentions for building its collection. It describes the collection's strengths and weaknesses and provides guidelines for your staff. Producing one is a commitment; it takes time and careful consideration to develop a useful and relevant document.” (Arizona State Library, viewed 27th October, 2011)

<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">There is no evidence of a current Library Policy, mission/goal statement or role description at Cairns School 1, rather the TL refers to [|Education Qld’s policy and guideline]documents (found online) frequently. By not having any policies in place, I feel this is detrimental as a policy is essential for assessing the library and its performance, identifying its users, assigning responsibilities, missions and objectives and determining strategies to improve it.

<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">As stated by Tierney and Whitney (1993): <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">"School policies outline the theoretical basis for the library resource centre and the role of the teacher-librarian, and provides a mechanism for the demonstration of accountability. An effective policy should form the basis for planning and decision-making in the school library. Ideally it should be used as a reference whenever changes involving planning and decision -making are made throughout the year." <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">In order to produce lifelong learners, schools should be engaged in rethinking of how teaching faculty and information specialists such as librarians and media specialists can work together toward achieving this. There would need to be collaboration on all fronts such as the principal, as instructional leader, would foster resource-based learning by providing adequate planning time and budget support to staff. The classroom teacher and library media specialist would be actively involved in identifying the learning needs of the students, developing teaching units that facilitate activities which offer meaningful practice in using a variety of information resources, and guiding student progress. (Wisconsin Educational Media Association 1993)

<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">In collaboration with the entire school community, teacher-librarians generate collections that promote high academic achievement and a love for reading. The current collection at Cairns School 1 consists of over 13000 resources and the Library has a budget of $15000 per year. The TL makes sure that the collection reflects what is happening at the school and that it is diverse. He finds it is necessary to be abreast with what is happening with all publishing companies so that he knows what is available, and what the wait time is. As he is also working in the curriculum coordinators role, the TL is often the first port of call when publishing companies send catalogues and information.

<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">"The continuous review of library materials is necessary as a means of maintaining an active library collection of current interest to users." ([|ALA], 2008). De-selection, or weeding is one of the most essential aspects of collection development. It is necessary to weed unsuitable and unnecessary materials. It is therefore necessary to have a plan for constant weeding so as to keep shelves up-to-date. When weeding the collection, the TL and his LA “Lyn” work systematically in sections. They follow strict criteria and look at: the age of the book, relevance and the book’s condition.

<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">There are systems in place for Year Levels to share book and resources and the TL is able to purchase what teachers need in advance, as well as ordering in anticipation so that there is not a shortage of resources when teachers start looking to borrow later in the year. An example of this is the topic of ‘sustainability’ as both Years 5 and 7 work on this unit in Term 3. To eliminate frustration and borrowing, the TL ordered new resources in Term 2 (one set that catered for ‘middle’ and one set that catered for ‘upper’). He also worked out a schedule so that whilst he was co-teaching in the library using these resources, another was circulating on a timetable to other classes.

<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">The TL is a member of [|SLAQ] and attends a number of specific PD days per year. The TL tries to attend as many things as possible that he knows teachers are interested in so that he knows what they will be looking for in the future in terms of information and resources. A recent two day workshop he attended focussed on the literature demands of Australian English curriculum and looked at Web 2.0 tools such as [|Twitter].

====<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">As a Teacher-librarian, my first ‘to do’ job would be to form a Library Advisory Team that consisted of people such as an admin staff member, curriculum officer, teacher, parent and library staff in order to develop policies and procedures as well as prioritise and manage the three core areas of information literacy, reading advocacy and library and information management. By articulating a vision for my library it would also need to support my school vision statement. One statement I came across recently resonated with me: “The XXX Library fosters faith-based, lifelong learning by enabling students to be effective users and producers of information and ideas.” Our week 9 readings in "Learning Hubs" would be particularly helpful<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> as a reference tool when developing policies as we discussed and read about the policies, practice and ethics of collection management. ====