Reflecting on Change

Well, I have probably been the one who has dug their heels in the hardest in regards to using technology, and I won’t apologize, but in looking back over the last couple of months during Phase 2 of my blog experience, I’m going to do several things.  First, I’m going to talk about my takeaways, from my classmates and my teacher.  Second, I am going to discuss a couple of avenues that I would like to further develop.  And lastly, I am going to discuss the one topic from Phase 2 that had a considerable impact on me, and why. 

Takeaways:

I am a very visual person, and I love to have a big message in a snapshot, which is actually quite a contradiction to the way I speak...I’m quite long winded and have a difficult time giving a “short version” of anything, which may be the motivation behind my passion for visuals.  They can say, in brief format, what would take me hours to say.  So I am going to give a nod to my Eagle Group members and some of the visuals that they have shared that have had an impact on me. 

From Leisbet’s blog on February 16^th, Supporting Teachers Learning ICT, she shared a visual called What Do You Want Kids to Do With Technology that listed the wrong answers and the right answers, and ended with the statement that “Technology is a tool, NOT a learning outcome”.  I think that many people (parents, students, educators) don’t fully grasp this, and when trying to explain it, I don’t think I do a phenomenal job because I am not, as of yet, comfortable with technology to differentiate between what is the tool and what the intended learning outcome should be.  Well, scratch that, I didn’t know until Liesbet’s share; I can use this visual to help other teachers who are reluctant to utilize technology in the classroom because they, too, are unsure of the value of using a tool to achieve a learning outcome.

The week we had to focus on PLNs I was, no surprise, at a complete loss at figuring out what that was, what it would look like, or how I would even start one.  I perused a few other blogs to get some ideas, and I came across Emily’s blog from February 10^th, Personal Learning Network, and watched the short YouTube clip she had included on her post, called “Sketchy Explanation: Starting a PLN”.  It was a just under two minutes, but managed to answer my questions in a straightforward manner, and made me realize that I unknowingly already had a small PLN started with my Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter accounts, and this blog.  So I was a bit relieved that I wasn’t going to feel pressure to create a PLN from scratch, and in the future, I can use this clip to help other teachers in organizing PLNs of their own, or helping them see that they already have one started.

This will definitely come as no surprise, I LOVE the infographic that Jane used in her blog titled Potential ideas for future vision from March 14^th, I’m only slightly miffed that I didn’t find it first, but I would absolutely use this as a visual aid in advocating the school library and the TL’s position in the school to administrators, parents, and the community. 

Kacy always has wonderful visuals embedded in her blogs, I still haven’t figured out how to embed images AND videos, I seem to be able to do one or the other, but not both.  So I wanted to point out a very powerful image she posted on her March 4^th blog called Where in the world is your library? of a Bookmobile in the Sahara.  The reason I found this image so powerful is because I think developed nations have a tendency to take for granted the resources we have, whereas in developing nations, kids and adults alike will clamor to these rare mobile exposures to literature.  There are complaints that the books we have are out of date, have tears on a couple of pages, maybe have a few pen marks; yet there are people who can look past the imperfections of the book and appreciate the fact that they are actually able to read something, anything.  I would have this picture in my library as a reminder to appreciate what we have, and to think of ways that we could help those who may not have as much as we do.

Aaron has modeled for me how to adapt my expectations based on a student’s background knowledge and skill set that they are bringing to a particular lesson, topic, or unit.  I feel that he has given me the freedom to test my own boundaries, given me the guidance to push myself further than I thought I was capable of, and the acceptance in my own knowledge of technology, even though I thought I was extremely lacking in this area. 

Avenues to Explore:

Amongst all of my classes that I have taken for my TL diploma, Learning Commons has played a role in each one, with varying degrees of involvement, but I find that I would like to explore more examples of what an amazing Learning Commons can be developed, what it could look like, and how it would positively impact the school community.

For my personal development, I feel that I really need to work on extending the reaches of my PLN, and actually be more regularly involved in it so that I will benefit from all the educators that I become connected with.  I need to dedicate some time on the computer so I can become better acquainted with more sites that allow teachers to share ideas, lessons, units, and resources, and find ones that I will be truly engaged and interested in.

THE Topic:

I think that the one topic that had the greatest impact on me from Phase 2 would have to be learning about programs in developing nations that are trying to elevate literacy levels through the use of handheld mobile devices.  This is not something that I had ever thought about before, but when reading through some of the sites, and learning about the lack of available resources, it made me think about what kind of impact could I have on this situation? What could I do as a teacher, or librarian, to help out? What could I do to educate others in the school community about this situation?  I would like to focus some time and energy on making a connection with some programs that bring devices to the developing countries, and see if we could have a mobile device drive at our school, and donate some handheld devices to help bringing literacy to those who could only dream about the access and availability that we are fortunate enough to experience in Canada.

 

Final Thoughts:

I think that I have really gone through a transformation, of sorts, in my outlook on technology being used in the classroom.  One might even say that it’s a complete 180, but I like to think that I am more open to change than what comes across, so maybe it was more like I turned a corner in my thinking.  This course has been quite labour intensive for me in terms of becoming comfortable with the subject matter, and the extra research that I have to do in order to understand all the terminology and references that are being made, that go right over my head.  But I think that it would be very appropriate to close this chapter of my blog with some wise words from Sheryl Crow “A Change Will Do You Good”, because I can support that train of thought wholeheartedly now :) Also, it's pretty entertaining, but more importatnly it visually represents how I have felt during the process of Phase 2; I have felt dioriented, out of place, and confused sometimes about where I was, very much like the characters in this video!  

 

 

References:

Beaudry, L. ( 2014,February 16). Supporting teachers learning ict.Beaudry Library Journey, [web log] Retrieved from: http://beaudrylibrary.blogspot.ca [Accessed: 21 Mar 2014].

Leslie, J. ( 2014,March 14). Potential ideas for future vision. Mme Leslie, [web log] Retrieved from: http://mmeleslie.blogspot.ca [Accessed: 21 Mar 2014].

Morgan, K. ( 2014,March 4). Where in the world is your library? Kacy Morgan LIBE, [web log] Retrieved from: http://kacymorganlibe.wordpress.com  [Accessed: 21 Mar 2014].

Rodgers, Emily. (2014 February 10). Personal Learning Network. Emily’s TL Diploma Blog, [web log] Retrieved from: https://blogs.ubc.ca/emilyrodgers [Accessed: 21 Mar 2014].

YouTube. Sheryl Crow. A Change Would Do You Good. [video] Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDwLPMOzHLY [Accessed: 21 March 2014].