Sixth rung - INF506 - Module 4; Information professional 2.0

Module 4; Information professional 2.0

The essential knowledge, skills and attributes required of a information professional in a Web 2.0 world, is a multifaceted obligation. But does it require a new bred of librarian? Not really, external influences have constantly affected the roles required of librarians. Librarians are practiced at providing and accessing the technologies required with dealing with an amalgam of information formats. The technological advances that have caused the current changes in how and in what format we provide information, are no more complex that those caused the aligning of methodologies from Browne card systems to microfiche to computers (Lawton, & Scott, 2005).

The new methodologies of academic libraries now revolve around technology and have required library staff to again evolve their skills in order to become a combination of reference librarian and web specialist, utilizing a working knowledge of social media platforms and teaching technologies.

A willingness to adapt our thinking to include the new is essential, especially when we must come to terms with the fact that some, if not all, of our clients may not be physically in front of us. Social networking, both from our client’s standpoint as well as our need to be in ‘contact’ with other information specialists, requires us to take advantage of what Google and others have to offer, rather than avoid them (Cohen, 2006).

We are a ‘greying’ profession. Those who work in libraries are, as a group, significantly older than those in other professions. Lynch (2007) states that 67 percent of librarians are over 40 years of age, and only 7 percent of librarians fit in the 20-29 year age range. This is in direct contrast to the age groups of the majority of their ‘digital native’ clients who know no other world than the one that encompasses technologies that gives them instant access to information in work, study and social activities.

Library staff must cultivate their own Web 2.0 skills in order to take advantage of the technologies that are increasingly being accepted as the norm by their clients, in order to continue to perform in our information profession we must learn to embrace the formats that now provide the information we transact business from.

References

Cohen, L. (2006). A librarian’s 2.0 manifesto. Retrieved from; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZblrRs3fkSU

Lawton, F. D. & Scott, C. (2005). Integration: the glue that holds the digital library together. In Huthwaite, A. (Ed.), Managing information in the digital age: The Australian technology network libraries respond (pp. 29-51). Adelaide: The librarians of the Australian Technology Network.

Lynch, M. J. (2002). Age of librarians. American Library Association. Retreved from; http://www.ala.org/research/librarystaffstats/librarystaffstudies/ageoflibrarians

Sixth rung - INF506 -Module 4: ASU Libraries

Module 4: ASU Libraries

The fifth law of Ranganathan’s five laws of library science states “The Library Is a Growing Organism”, transforming and constantly adapting to new social conditions, technological developments, and the changing needs of our clientele (Mitchell, 2007).

Arazona State University (ASU) have adapted their service to met these needs through the use of a diversity of platforms including blogging, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.

By presenting a casual, personalised approach to their Library Minute series, the host Librarian intimates an availabilty to provide support as they take the viewer through an abundance of material concerning the library, its services and how these services can be accessed. By utilizing the available Web 2.0 tools ASU has endevoured to provide service to their clients both within and without the physicall boundries of the University (Miller, 2005). This use of Web 2.0 mobile technology makes full use of the four C’s of social media, content, conversation, community and connections in the search to provide point-of-need service.

The majority of the social networking tools that ACU provide to their clients can be easily replicated by almost any library, with the resources and an understanding administration. The ‘Ask a Librarian Chat 24/7’ would be difficult to fulfill in most libraries, given the 9 to 5 staffing arrangements currently in place, however substituting or utilizing an existing “Ask the Librarian’ email system would service, albeit not providing the ‘instant’ responses our I-generation clients are use to.

Library instruction and information tutorials must evolve to encompass all the mediums that are used by their students in order to be relevant and achieve results. The term transliteracy embraces the use of all the developing information Medias, Libraries and librarians need to expand into these mediums and not rely on limiting their client information to demonstrating skills in using Teats, journals and databases (Newman, 2010). To this point the ASU library website is an admirable model of the future of libraries as they adjust to the information environments that are emerging and their willingness to adapt their activities to accommodate these environments.

 Miller, P. (2005).  Web2.0: Building the New Library.  Ariadne 45.

Retrieved from; http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue45/miller/

Mitchell, W. B. (2007). Reflections on Academic Libraries in the 21st

Century. Journal of Access Services. 5(1/2), 1-9. Retrieved from; Doi: 10.1080/15367960802197509

Newman, B. L. (2010). The role of libraries in a transliterate world. Retrieved from;

http://librariesandtransliteracy.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/the-role-of-libraries-in-a-transliterate-world-new-york-metropolitan-library-council/ 

Sixth rung - INF506 - Module 3: Second Life

Module 3: Second Life

Posted on April 14, 2015

Prior to enrolling in INF506 I had never used Second Life but was enthusiastic to attempt its use. I recognized that it was created in 2003 by Linden labs (Helmer & Learning Light, 2007), consisted of user-created 3D virtual worlds, was used by gamers but not really considered to be a game (by devotees of online gaming), however I could not immediately see any benefit to education.

After reading the Module 3 notes, I downloaded the game and created my avatar, This process was simple enough and, my first interaction was on Welcome Island where I managed to immobilize myself in a rock while trying to come to grips with a number of the Avatars intricate controls and menus, I was eventually saved by teleporting to the CSU site.

I eventually gave myself the same advice I gave my mature age students, ‘Just play with it”, and found how addictive this social media can be. In all I found the experience to be annoyingly enjoyable for the next hour and a half, annoying because of my continued developing experience with the ‘game’ controls, enjoyable because the concept gives you nearest thing to exploration as you encounter new (man made) worlds and peoples, both educational and imaginative (O’Connell, 2010).

When the invitation came to become involved in a tutorial on the controls of Second Life, I finally learned the correct use of the ‘camera’. Guided by our lecturer we explored the CSU site and learned to control our avatars while observing ‘first hand’ how this media can be used as an educational tool. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity of finally ‘meeting’ a few of my classmates and lecturers; I believe that this method of presenting classes would reduce the dis-connectivity of distance education.

Once a student becomes proficient in using Second Life, the environment may be best used to assist learning by allowing them to become immersed in an environment that stimulates interaction (Dass, Dabbsgh & Clark, 2011). By providing a neutral learning location virtual worlds can provide an environment where students can acquire knowledge, exchange ideas and participate in individual and group activities through designed experiences without risk or consequence (Schoonheim, Heyden & Wiecha, 2014).

 Dass, S., Dabbsgh, N. & Clark, K. (2011). Using virtual worlds: What the

research says. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 12(2) Retrieved from: http://www.academia.edu/10849925/USING_VIRTUAL_WORLDS_What_the_Research_Says

 Helmer, J. & Learning Light. (2007). Second life and virtual worlds.

Retrieved from: http://www.norfolkelearningforum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/virtual-worlds_ll_oct_2007.pdf

 O’Connell, J. (2010). Virtual worlds are genuinely real spaces for learning.

Access, 24(4), 15 – 18. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

 Schoonheim, M., Heyden, R. & Wiecha, J. M. (2014). Use of a virtual

world computer environment for international distance education: lessons from a pilot project using Second Life. BMC medical education, 14(36). doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-14-36

Sixth rung - INF506 -Module 2: What is Web 2.0?

Module 2: What is Web 2.0?

The concept of Web 2.0 was originally devised by Tim O’Reilly at a web conference brainstorming session, where it was noted that the bursting the dot-com bubble in 2001 had not ‘crashed’ the Web but allowed it to reinvent itself, thus was born not only the first Web 2.0 conference but the phrase itself.

If there is a concept called Web 2.0, and with Google posting 9.5 million plus citations of the term, then we must accept the concept to be true. We must assume therefore that the precursor to Web 2.0 was Web 1.0. This early innovation of the web existed in a format that one-way commonly provided users with the provision to access information in static, non-interactive formats, where the information content of the site could only be uploaded or altered by the site owner.

The second generation of the development of the World Wide Web would then logically be Web 2.0. This evolution of web technologies has been exemplified by interaction, facilitating the emergence of social media platforms, a collection of collaborative conduits, centered upon the foundation of providing user-driven, interpersonal content. As Tim O’Reilly explained, Web 2.0 relates to people engaged in making connections with others through:

• Forums, OLJ for example
• Blogs, similar to Twitter
• Wikis similar to Wikipedia
• Podcasts
• Social networking formats, such as Facebook

The acknowledged creator of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee labeled the term Web 2.0 as jargon, and states that the idea of the Web was initially and still is interaction between people where they can “interact”. Critics label the concept of Web 2.0 as “a cult of amateurism” and creating a “endless forest of mediocrity and uninformed commentary” as well as inviting exploitation by companies and increased government surveillance of users.

These criticisms may have some validity, but “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, it does not matter what the movement is called, Web 2.0 or any other name, it will not affect the transformation of interactive association that has occurred in education, marketing, business, media and social interaction due to the Web 2.0. As Strategic Business Insights suggests the 2 in Web 2.0 may very well represent the two-way communication that has developed between its users.

O’Reilly, T. (2005), What is Web 2.0? Design patterns and business models for the next generation of software. Retrieved from:

http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

O’Reilly, T., Battelle, J. (2009). Web Squared: Web 2.0 Five Years On. Retrieved from:

http://www.web2summit.com/web2009/public/schedule/detail/10194

Web 2.0 (2015). Retrieved from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0

Sixth rung - INF506 - Social Networking

I perceive social networking as a catalyst where ‘like’ minded people can interact with each other, individually or within groups to discus point of interest through forums, participate in shared activities such as gaming and allowing us to keep in contact with others through sites such as Facebook. Each of these is a promoter of communication, both for private or business use allowing us to contact others and exchange viewpoints and ideas.

Humans have always participated in social networking, long before the keyboard and screen; it was called ‘talking to people’. The Internet and the growth of social media sites have now globalized my access to social assembles, where I can exchange ideas with any like-minded individuals or group in the world, regarding whatever we are interested in.

However I believe that the social media, which are the communal instruments of this two-way interaction, can be the ‘poisoned chalice’ as well as the ‘holy grail’ of being able to be in contact with, and being contactable by others.

 I identify social networking as the sharing of information and ideas, by personally ‘connecting’ to the world regardless of distance.While I’m not a luddite, ‘use’ is too strong a word to describe the dabbling that take place between me and the following networking tools:

Blogger – for reflection during the Masters course

Facebook – for personal use to keep ‘connected’ with established friends and to connect to new ones

LinkedIn – used to link the following

Twitter – applied for work

Yammer – utilized through work and study

 By embarking on the journey that is INF506 I hope to enthusiastically raise my participation in social media sites from being a lurker to confidently engaging and contributing with my fellow students when sharing online.

I expect to learn a lot more about the technologies I already use and to discover and use technologies I’ve been aware of and others that I have never considered.

Because social networking supports learning and development through teacher and student interaction, I also expect to increase my digital literacy skills in order to support my Teacher Librarian goals through the use of these tools.

Just Think

“LinkedIn is for the people you know. Facebook is for the people you used to know. Twitter is for people you want to know” ~ Source unknown

Fifth rung - EER500 Introduction to Educational Research

RESEARCH PROBLEM

In order to promote quality and purposeful outcomes for students, educators must provide engaging teaching and learning opportunities across all key learning areas that integrate the active use of innovative technologies. To be able to do this, teachers require professional development but unfortunately, there are not enough highly-skilled support systems in place within schools to cater for the ever-growing technology and the growth of teacher capability in digital pedagogy.

DRAFT RESEARCH QUESTION

Is the role of an ICT Mentor effective in increasing teacher capacity in primary schools?

FROM LITERATURE TO RESEARCH QUESTION AND PRACTICAL IMPORTANCE

Report

According to the Assessing Progress of the DER and Potential Future Directions Final Report (Deparment of Education, 2013) there are four strands relating to what is required to effectively use technology in education. These strands are infrastructure, leadership, teacher capability and learning resources. DandoloPartners was commissioned to undertake this mid-program review in order to answer the following fundamental question: Has the DER been a catalyst for positive change that establishes the foundations for improved use of ICT in education? Whilst the strand of Infrastructure has mostly been achieved or has seen significant change; areas such as leadership, teacher capability and learning resources have measures with indicators that have only made small gains. Whilst hardware and software have been a successful implementation, the question arising is to whether the other areas would have success, longevity and sustainability if an ICT Mentor was to be a part of the DER process. (http://education.gov.au/technology-schools?resource=)

Journal Articles

Seemann (2003) emphasises the importance of basic principals in holistic technology in education. He suggests that a holistic approach allows for better informed technical and design decision in a wider range of settings. If ICT Mentors have the skills to understand a particular that is technology, and Seemann (2003) corresponds this with understanding its relation to the whole – it is conducive to suggest that ICT Mentors may be responsible for rich teaching and learning activities implemented by teachers. Technology is identified as a ‘know why’ learning experience rather than a ‘know how’ which has the ability to be supported by ICT Mentors, in particular with the new NSW Syllabus for the Australian English Curriculum.

Prestridge (2012) suggests that beliefs and attitudes of educators may in fact influence classroom practices. Her findings indicated that teacher beliefs have implications for ICT Professional development. It is interesting to speculate that if ICT Mentors have the ability to change teacher competency levels then in turn, it may improve digital pedagogy.

Broadley (2010) has been developing research over many years relating directly to the DER Report (Deparment of Education, 2013). Her focuses are namely around the Digital Education Revolution, learning communities and ICT in rural education. She identifies that some areas are facing significant challenges gaining access to professional learning/development. The provision of ICT Mentors may or may not see the challenges of technology in rural areas altered.

(Hammond, et al., 2009) conducted research on teacher preparedness and factors around support given in school-based training. While results concluded that student-teachers are heavily influenced by mentors there is little evidence in the wider context on how ICT teacher training affects student teacher practice.

As an ICT Mentor and Teacher/Librarian providing support and professional development/training to teachers in a rural primary school, the value and practical importance of this research will be beneficial for teachers, students and the wider professional body to learn and understand how an ICT Mentor may or may not be able to promote well developed ICT frameworks with holistic approaches to best classroom practice through building teacher capacity.

REFERENCES

Broadley, T. (2010). Digital revolution or digital divide: will rural teachers get a piece of the professional development pie? Education in Rural Australia , 63-76.

Department of Education. (2013). DER MID PROGRAM REVIEW Assessing Progress of the DER and Potential Future Directions Final Report. Australia: DandoloPartners.

Hammond, M., Croson, S., Fragkouli, E., Ingram, J., Johnston-Wilder, S., Johnston-Wilder, P., et al. (2009). Why do some student teachers make very good use of ICT? An exploratory case study. Technology, Pedagogy and Education , 59-73.

Prestridge, S. (2012). Computers and Education. The beliefs behind the teacher that influences their ICT practices , 449-458.

Seemann, K. (2003). Basic Principles in Holistic Technology Education. Journal of Technology Education, 14(2). 28-39. Retrieved from

 http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v14n2/seemann.html