Libraries for post-literate society- Doug Johnson

I read this fascinating article in Connections (Schools Catalogue Information Service) Issue No: 72 Term 1 2010 about POST LITERACY. (By the way I had NEVER heard about these journals before our TL popped this one in my pigeon hole at work)

Essentially, the article by Doug Johnson discusses the idea that with the overwhelming amt of technology available feeding us all manner of info at a moments notice, the art of READING a book is actually declining. People are relying on audio, video, graphics and gaming to support their information and recreational needs.

Collaboration

After reading fairly extensively, I have come to the conclusion that one of the KEY elements in creating an ILS is COLLABORATION. This does not only mean between c'rm tchrs but includes, the principal, students and specialists tchrs as well.
A collaboratively organised Unit is one where:

• there is an equal partnership between c'rm tchr and the TL.
• each partner has an opportunity to share their expertise so that learning experiences are enriched.
• activities move away frm behaviourist to the use of cognitive strategies (Herring 2004) so that they are student centred.
• resources, info skills, and objectives are shared and support a common vision.
• the work load is shared throughout the learning process - planning, implementation, assessment and evaluation.

Ideas that speak to me - a work in progress!

Henri, J (2005) "Community is something that transforms thinking within the school and does so in such a way that the transforming pulls the world of school and the world outside school closer together." (p. 12 Information literate school community 2)
Henri, J (2005) "Schools must be places and spaces where people learn to learn and this must be transparently obvious and demonstrable." (p. 13 Information literate school community 2)

Survey at HS

As part of Assign One I thought I'd do a quick survey of members of the HS School Community (this thought occurred one morning at about 2:30am when I was in yet another state of panic!)
Basically I asked similiar questions of the Principal, TL, C'rm Tchrs and Students. I realised afterwards that I'd left out the Parents- oops!!
Summary of results:

Thoughts After Completing Topic One

I have finally completed all the readings for Topic One and have come to some personal and educational conclusions.
* I really NEED to organise a study timetable ASAP! Between work, family, friends,building and study commitments I have felt like I was drowning at times these last few weeks - and it's only the beginning! BALANCING everything is the challenge I have set myself.
* I need to learn to say NO more often so that I don't feel so inundated with projects - though painting the School asphalt so that the kids have some crazy games and murals to look at and use will be fun:)
* I need to STOP being so concerned and critical of my study skills and accept that this is a learning journey that will have ups and downs (hopefully more of the first though!)