Z is for Zmukic

Question: How can mobile devices help libraries, both in developed and developing nations? Your task this week is to explore online and learn about specific library projects in a developing nation. How are they creating new literacy opportunities and expanding access to the internet and information databases? How can they best move forward to support the local needs of their communities? Also explore how mobile devices might assist in this endeavour and what new affordances they bring to the developing world that will allow them to provide greater and more democratic access to information, unfiltered and uncensored? Access to technology is a privileges but access to information is a human right.     Looking at my 738 sq ft apartment I recognize how even in a small space it's filled with technology. Between my partner and I there are 2 iphones, 1 laptop, 1 ipad, 2 desktop computers, a televisions, and multiple video game systems. It would not be a far reach to say that ou...

Question:  Our perspective now shifts to a larger view, to include the rest of your colleagues, educators, peers and admin at your own school environment. In many ways, Teacher-Librarians are looked to as school leaders in developing new skills, evaluating and acquiring new resources and leading workshops and in-service around new strategies, resources and school technology. How can we, as educators and Teacher-Librarians share what we’ve learned with our wider communities of practices? How can we best respond to the needs of our staff, in their wide spectrum of abilities and experiences, with the most appropriate and useful professional development? What tools and strategies are best implemented to meet the professional development of staff? “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe” (Sinek).     A new school year is upon us. A new eager teacher-librarian steps into her new library space excited to engage with s...

Question:   Explore how you can continue to develop your own skills, pedagogy and professional development on your own, back in your own library/classroom and environment. What strategies, tools, resources and networks can you implement to maintain your explorations and development? What are some of the ways that educators and professionals are connecting and sharing their learning? What can you do during this class and after it is over to maintain your connections and networks, to further develop your knowledge, experience and skills? Based on the results of The Teaching and Learning International Survey it was shown that " teachers have been found to learn more from each other than with mentors or in traditional classes and workshops. Even better news is that teachers using collaborative practices are more innovative in the classroom, hold stronger self-efficacy beliefs, and have higher job satisfaction" (Patzer).  In his book Why School? Education Must Change when Learnin...

Question:   Fostering Reading Cultures in Schools - In your school and practice, how do you already foster a reading culture? What tools, strategies and resources can be implemented to encourage and support a school-wide reading program? Figure 1: Daily 5 by The Daily Cafe As a classroom teacher of 3 years now fostering a passion for reading has truly been one of my own passions. This curiosity to get students more engaged with books and give them both voice and choice has lead me to try lots of different things in my own classroom such as: Running the Daily 5 program in my Intermediate Classroom which allowed students to have voice and choice  Keeping a well stocked classroom library which included over 1000 books in different forms (comics, manga, non-fiction, fiction) and of varying levels - With the goal being to have options for all readers Daily read aloud to model good reading skills and fluency - This year we read all 5 books in the Magesterium series and students were...

The use of Inquiry Model & Digital Literacy in the Library Learning Commons "Inquiry-based learning is not a new pedagogy, but it has come back into fashion in progressive education circles recently because of new emphasis on the power of students' innate curiosity to drive learning. Inquiry-based learning asks students to discover knowledge on their own with guidance from their teachers. Rather than receiving information up front through lectures, students research guiding questions, ask their own follow-ups and get help along the way" ( Schwartz). When I think about Inquiry-based learning it can seem daunting to let go of where the learning is suppose to take my students. To trust them to meet those deadlines and to actually develop knowledge on their own. As educators we are constantly going through the inquiry cycle ourselves, I would say almost daily. These processes we have learned throughout our own education and career lead us to reflection and then change. ...

As September rolls around I begin my transition from a classroom teaching of 3 years into a teacher-librarian. This will not only be a shift in my physical space but also a change in the way I think about students and teachers. One part of my practice that I have always felt drawn to is collaboration, being in a teacher librarian position will allow me to collaborate and create a wider impact. The idea of collaboration reaches broader horizons when we think about how the library space can be used as a tool for community building for not only our students but also teachers and other community members.  In the past year I have taken a number of LIBE and LLED classes through UBC. I have continued to broaden my understanding of what it means to be a teacher-librarian. The best way I can explain this roll is that it is multifaceted. We are involved in assisting staff as well as students. Furthermore there are many hats we can wear such as teaching about new sources of media, databases, ...