Personal Brand - one of the things I feel least comfortable with!
A google search of my name threw up a well known (presumably!) spiritual healer and a New Zealand Librarian. I flicked on a few pages and abandoned all hope by page 12!
Adding the town I live in at least got me on the first page thanks to an entry on my workplace library website (an old version!!)
Will I bother with Linkedin? Possibly...
Still to be convinced. I have, however, added my photo to my twitter account, but sorry guys - I'm basically a private kind of person :-)
Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Monday, 7 May 2012
QTLS - Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills
May 2012 - have now achieved QTLS status :-)
What did I do to achieve? Well, I did a two year DTLLS course (Diploma for Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector) at the institution I work at. This involved the usual essay / assignment writing and also 150 hours teaching (approximately 3 hours per week). I taught information literacy and was also involved in team teaching IT. QTLS required a webfolio, which included links to 'evidence' in the form of Schemes of Work, lesson plans, resources, reflections etc.
What are the advantages? Well, I'm now part of a team of subject librarians who run information literacy sessions. A teaching qualification has enabled me to develop learner-centred training in line with best practice, utilise a range of resources (including SMARTboards) and reflect and revise the sessions appropriately.
What did I do to achieve? Well, I did a two year DTLLS course (Diploma for Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector) at the institution I work at. This involved the usual essay / assignment writing and also 150 hours teaching (approximately 3 hours per week). I taught information literacy and was also involved in team teaching IT. QTLS required a webfolio, which included links to 'evidence' in the form of Schemes of Work, lesson plans, resources, reflections etc.
What are the advantages? Well, I'm now part of a team of subject librarians who run information literacy sessions. A teaching qualification has enabled me to develop learner-centred training in line with best practice, utilise a range of resources (including SMARTboards) and reflect and revise the sessions appropriately.
The Scarlet Pimpernel!
Well! My promising FE lecturer cancelled with less than 24 hours notice - he had a virus and the students were all going away the following week. Since then have emailed, visited his office at assorted times of day and given him a new name!
"We seek him here, we seek him there...That damned, elusive Pimpernel..."
I will, however, persevere!
"We seek him here, we seek him there...That damned, elusive Pimpernel..."
I will, however, persevere!
Friday, 16 March 2012
The FE Challenge!
Having successfully rolled out a series of information literacy sessions to HE students, it was more than time to pursue some of my more elusive FE tutors to get them to book their classes in.
One tutor had been particularly difficult to track down, had booked a session in the past and then cancelled...had exchanged emails with me, but all attempts to track him down for a meeting had proved fruitless.
When we did meet up it was a very positive encounter; he is a great advocate of independent learning and our IL sessions dovetail in with this nicely. We've set up an internet session focusing on the module and assignment the students are working on at the moment (perfect!)
He was also keen on a 'research platform' or resources links page on our VLE, happily made some suggestions for links, and agreed to have an input.
Lots of boxes ticked here!
Relevance of session to students subject study, which increases their motivation
Collaboration with academic staff
Embedding IL into curriculum and scheme of work
Positive dialogue with academic staff
Now to make sure the session is a good one and my now on-board tutor tells all his colleagues!
One tutor had been particularly difficult to track down, had booked a session in the past and then cancelled...had exchanged emails with me, but all attempts to track him down for a meeting had proved fruitless.
When we did meet up it was a very positive encounter; he is a great advocate of independent learning and our IL sessions dovetail in with this nicely. We've set up an internet session focusing on the module and assignment the students are working on at the moment (perfect!)
He was also keen on a 'research platform' or resources links page on our VLE, happily made some suggestions for links, and agreed to have an input.
Lots of boxes ticked here!
Relevance of session to students subject study, which increases their motivation
Collaboration with academic staff
Embedding IL into curriculum and scheme of work
Positive dialogue with academic staff
Now to make sure the session is a good one and my now on-board tutor tells all his colleagues!
Saturday, 4 February 2012
National Libraries Day
Local authority doing nothing about this, but popped into nearest branch. Very much alive - kids library has Dr Who decor and suitably contained a number of families with small children; all the PCs were busy (with assorted age group) and a young teen putting his name on the waiting list for the next free hour.
Teenagers busy doing homework (impressive!) and librarians friendly & helpful.
No book about Barcelona :-( but can get from Central library.
Debated copying Phil Bradley's idea of visiting my first ever library, but it's now closed!! Presumably the kids on the estate have to go a little further away for the riches of an endless supply of free books! I can remember going on my own to change my books aged 8 and 9 and confounding the library statistics by taking back books I'd borrowed one day because I'd read them all!!
Teenagers busy doing homework (impressive!) and librarians friendly & helpful.
No book about Barcelona :-( but can get from Central library.
Debated copying Phil Bradley's idea of visiting my first ever library, but it's now closed!! Presumably the kids on the estate have to go a little further away for the riches of an endless supply of free books! I can remember going on my own to change my books aged 8 and 9 and confounding the library statistics by taking back books I'd borrowed one day because I'd read them all!!
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Going it alone: innovations in information literacy - Conference
The University of East London (UEL) Library 'Info skills' package is freely available via google and can be repackaged under the Creative commons license.
I'd heard about it on the twitter grapevine and from colleagues who had been along to a TeachMeet and seen a presentation about it. It's impressive and has had good reviews so a chance to go along and find out more wasn't to be passed by!
Points to explore further:
Use of short video clips 'talking heads' (some featuring library staff, some academic staff AND other students) on bite-sized topics are embedded in the website - in short term can use these in our Subject Librarian Moodle pages and in teaching, in longer term, can make our own?
Quick bite-sized approach - 'just in time' resources - exactly what the students need when they just want to find out how to reference an eBook...
Accessibility - video clips sub-titled AND transcripts provided -
Using resources produced elsewhere - no point in re-inventing the wheel, especially if these are readily available and exactly what you need
Collaboration - this word kept recurring - liaison with IT and academic staff, cross-curricular approach - sometimes duplicating resources found in study support 'skill zone' website, but that benefits the learner
However - most importantly - collaboration of ideas with others in your field - this can only benefit the learner as the best results are produced
Quizzes - part of the multimedia approach - interactive quizzes for learners - again, harvested from other institutions
Demonstration videos - just in time - e.g. how to log in to Athens
I'd heard about it on the twitter grapevine and from colleagues who had been along to a TeachMeet and seen a presentation about it. It's impressive and has had good reviews so a chance to go along and find out more wasn't to be passed by!
Points to explore further:
Use of short video clips 'talking heads' (some featuring library staff, some academic staff AND other students) on bite-sized topics are embedded in the website - in short term can use these in our Subject Librarian Moodle pages and in teaching, in longer term, can make our own?
Quick bite-sized approach - 'just in time' resources - exactly what the students need when they just want to find out how to reference an eBook...
Accessibility - video clips sub-titled AND transcripts provided -
Using resources produced elsewhere - no point in re-inventing the wheel, especially if these are readily available and exactly what you need
Collaboration - this word kept recurring - liaison with IT and academic staff, cross-curricular approach - sometimes duplicating resources found in study support 'skill zone' website, but that benefits the learner
However - most importantly - collaboration of ideas with others in your field - this can only benefit the learner as the best results are produced
Quizzes - part of the multimedia approach - interactive quizzes for learners - again, harvested from other institutions
Demonstration videos - just in time - e.g. how to log in to Athens
Friday, 6 January 2012
Tackling a project
I read an interesting blog recently about tackling a big research project, which I identified with!
The author looked at the beginning of the writing process and how ideas seem to go chasing off in different directions. The process of trying to make sense of it all, tie things together and give your project an overall sense of direction, results in a lot of scampering around as you try and round all the ideas up. They seem to diverge and are most unwilling to be contained and made sense of.
This bit is HARD WORK!
This is what I am doing at the moment with my application for QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills) There are plenty of ideas, resources (or 'assets') uploaded to the IfL (Institute for Learning) Reflect database to add to my webfolio, but pulling the whole lot together into a coherent whole is proving most elusive!
I know, of course, because it has happened in the past, that the magic moment will arrive when ideas start to converge, order is made out of chaos, and light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. In the mean time...hard work!
The author looked at the beginning of the writing process and how ideas seem to go chasing off in different directions. The process of trying to make sense of it all, tie things together and give your project an overall sense of direction, results in a lot of scampering around as you try and round all the ideas up. They seem to diverge and are most unwilling to be contained and made sense of.
This bit is HARD WORK!
This is what I am doing at the moment with my application for QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills) There are plenty of ideas, resources (or 'assets') uploaded to the IfL (Institute for Learning) Reflect database to add to my webfolio, but pulling the whole lot together into a coherent whole is proving most elusive!
I know, of course, because it has happened in the past, that the magic moment will arrive when ideas start to converge, order is made out of chaos, and light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. In the mean time...hard work!
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Debut using SMARTboards 2
The Referencing session was also a challenge to develop and make interesting! The lesson was developed by a colleague, but I looked at how we might utilise the functionality of our newly acquired SMARTboards...
With a little experimentation slides were developed where the basic elements of a reference (author, title, date, edition, place, publisher etc.) were typed in separately. It is then possible for each element to be moved around the screen with a finger - thus a full bibiliographic reference can be scrambled up and then moved into the correct order by individuals
Again, the advantages of this approach were to get students up and out of their seats, to the front and actively participating, it appeals to a range of learning styles (visual, kinaesthetic) and is fun.
With a little experimentation slides were developed where the basic elements of a reference (author, title, date, edition, place, publisher etc.) were typed in separately. It is then possible for each element to be moved around the screen with a finger - thus a full bibiliographic reference can be scrambled up and then moved into the correct order by individuals
Again, the advantages of this approach were to get students up and out of their seats, to the front and actively participating, it appeals to a range of learning styles (visual, kinaesthetic) and is fun.
Debut using SMARTboards 1
This term has seen the development of a set of Library Skills Training sessions including plagiarism and referencing. As our new build includes 6 new PC rooms complete with SMARTboards, the challenge was to incorporate the functionality of SMARTboards into our teaching...
Part of the Plagiarism session was used under creative commons license via JORUM and originated at Leeds University. It included a set of case studies for students to analyse in groups. As the tutor responsible for putting together this session, I developed the idea of using the 'vortex' function on the SMARTboard software. The ten case studies were either 'plagiarism' or 'not plagiarism' Two vortexes were labelled as such on the board and learners were invited to come to the front and drag 'Case study 1' etc into the relevant vortex.
This had several advantages; It involved the learners in actively particpating in the session, moving from their seats to the board; It appeals to different learning styles (kinaesthetic and visual); and it is fun!
Part of the Plagiarism session was used under creative commons license via JORUM and originated at Leeds University. It included a set of case studies for students to analyse in groups. As the tutor responsible for putting together this session, I developed the idea of using the 'vortex' function on the SMARTboard software. The ten case studies were either 'plagiarism' or 'not plagiarism' Two vortexes were labelled as such on the board and learners were invited to come to the front and drag 'Case study 1' etc into the relevant vortex.
This had several advantages; It involved the learners in actively particpating in the session, moving from their seats to the board; It appeals to different learning styles (kinaesthetic and visual); and it is fun!
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Support for visually impaired students
The needs of two visually impaired students have come to light this term. The first student said nothing until the end of the session when he informed a colleague that he found the white mouse marker difficult to follow on the SMARTboard. Consequently, we have all changed the accessibility settings on our log ins and a much larger black arrow is used.
The next student came with a classroom supporter and so was identifiable from the start. Single slide PPT handouts were prepared and feedback form, and other print resources hastily printed out in 20 point type size! As a series of sessions had been booked with this learner's class, it was possible to have subsequent resources all ready to hand to her at the beginning of a session.
On reflection, we have reminded those booking library skills sessions to specifically ask tutors to let us know of special needs.
A separate 1:1 (an eConsultation) session was arranged with the second student to look at the accessibility features of eBooks - an hour was given (double the usual time) in view of her difficulties. IT skills were also challenging for this student so time was taken to 'bookmark' the library catalogue, moodle and Athens log in page on her laptop.
A second session with this student resulted in a quick tour of the library and identifying books which she subsequently borrowed - here more difficulties were encountered as the self-issue scout machines are positioned where they get maximum glare from sunlight and the type face used is very small! Fortunately, a member of staff is usually around to help out.
On reflection, I contacted one of the LDD support staff who explained the software they use to translate teaching resources into speech. A visit to this department for a demonstration and explanation of other aspects of their work is booked for the middle of December.
All in all, a useful term from the point of view of empathising with LDD students and finding out how the College supports teaching and learning in this context
The next student came with a classroom supporter and so was identifiable from the start. Single slide PPT handouts were prepared and feedback form, and other print resources hastily printed out in 20 point type size! As a series of sessions had been booked with this learner's class, it was possible to have subsequent resources all ready to hand to her at the beginning of a session.
On reflection, we have reminded those booking library skills sessions to specifically ask tutors to let us know of special needs.
A separate 1:1 (an eConsultation) session was arranged with the second student to look at the accessibility features of eBooks - an hour was given (double the usual time) in view of her difficulties. IT skills were also challenging for this student so time was taken to 'bookmark' the library catalogue, moodle and Athens log in page on her laptop.
A second session with this student resulted in a quick tour of the library and identifying books which she subsequently borrowed - here more difficulties were encountered as the self-issue scout machines are positioned where they get maximum glare from sunlight and the type face used is very small! Fortunately, a member of staff is usually around to help out.
On reflection, I contacted one of the LDD support staff who explained the software they use to translate teaching resources into speech. A visit to this department for a demonstration and explanation of other aspects of their work is booked for the middle of December.
All in all, a useful term from the point of view of empathising with LDD students and finding out how the College supports teaching and learning in this context
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Good feedback!
Well - nearly a whole term of teaching information literacy to HE students in a mixed economy FE/HE college! A team of 3 subject librarians have undertaken this task (2 full time equivalents)
We carefully saved and collated all feedback forms from the learners; these were graded responses to a maximum of 4 questions relating to the learning outcomes. The grades were 1-2-3-4-5 set out with sad and smiley faces at appropriate ends! Each form also had space for additional written comments.
As well as being personally encouraging for individuals and allowing reflection as a team, the forms have been analysed and turned by our Library Manager into bar charts, pie charts...you name it...! The upshot is that over 80% of learners were grading the sessions at 4 or 5 - a fantastic result! The written comments were also very encouraging and used to advertise the sessions on the staff intranet.
Further feedback has come from members of staff by email and also via a Board of Study where an official commendation was made; followed by a commendation being sent to the College Board.
We are, however, reluctant to rest on our laurels! We know only too well some of the problems with our sessions and the need to sort these out before autumn 2012.
We carefully saved and collated all feedback forms from the learners; these were graded responses to a maximum of 4 questions relating to the learning outcomes. The grades were 1-2-3-4-5 set out with sad and smiley faces at appropriate ends! Each form also had space for additional written comments.
As well as being personally encouraging for individuals and allowing reflection as a team, the forms have been analysed and turned by our Library Manager into bar charts, pie charts...you name it...! The upshot is that over 80% of learners were grading the sessions at 4 or 5 - a fantastic result! The written comments were also very encouraging and used to advertise the sessions on the staff intranet.
Further feedback has come from members of staff by email and also via a Board of Study where an official commendation was made; followed by a commendation being sent to the College Board.
We are, however, reluctant to rest on our laurels! We know only too well some of the problems with our sessions and the need to sort these out before autumn 2012.
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Social media / social networking
Thing 12 - well, I have spoken about this before. I'm not sure that online communities are much different to the real thing; does it all depend upon an individual's personality traits? Are you more likely to interact online if you find large social gatherings a bit of a trial? Interesting.
I've followed a few more library people via twitter - including Phil Bradley This is useful and always brings up something interesting each day.
I've also saved some searches on twitter and have been intruiged by the links thrown up by Library Camp 2011, Infolit and others.
I will definitely carry on using social networks. However, it would be good to look out for opportunities to meet up in reality with others in the same field. Teachmeets would be a good idea, or something similarly low in cost.
I've followed a few more library people via twitter - including Phil Bradley This is useful and always brings up something interesting each day.
I've also saved some searches on twitter and have been intruiged by the links thrown up by Library Camp 2011, Infolit and others.
I will definitely carry on using social networks. However, it would be good to look out for opportunities to meet up in reality with others in the same field. Teachmeets would be a good idea, or something similarly low in cost.
Evernote
Evernote hasn't been successful at work as it doesn't seem to be possible to add material via clips to my Evernote page - frustrating.
Consequently my home usage has dropped and I'm still laboriously bookmarking my favourites on internet explorer - they are in folders, but it's still more limited.
Consequently my home usage has dropped and I'm still laboriously bookmarking my favourites on internet explorer - they are in folders, but it's still more limited.
Playing catch-up
Well! Just a little behind with the blogs for CPD23. A range of reasons, not least because term started at the beginning of September and it's been one merry go round since then.
The library skills sessions we have offered this academic year have really caught on. Library orientation was the big one in the first 3 weeks; and now it's calmed down with a steady flow of bookings for other sessions.
This has been a real learning curve and has meant that my emphasis has been more upon day to day troubleshooting and teaching rather than developing the broader librarianship and web 2.0 aspects of the job.
Now, having graduated last night, my thoughts are turning to QTLS status and growing my webfolio on the IfL website - no mean task! So, once more teaching is eclipsing the library aspects of my work. However, I'm sure they can be dovetailed as they are complimentary really. Some time management techniques may help!!
Re Thing 10 - masters degrees...chartership...accreditation and what comes next? Well, I took my Librarianship degree over 30 years ago; job changes over the last few years, resulting in a shift towards subject librarians and outsourcing my old job (cat & class), led me to enroll on a DTLLS (Diploma for Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector) course at the college where I work. That was 2 years ago and I graduated last night.
And now? A year to consolidate the library skills training, achieve QTLS status and then who knows? Certainly, some information literacy qualification would be useful, but so far I think it is only Sheffield Uni which runs a course....will keep this in mind. In the meantime, severe cuts in education and a drop in enrollment figures have resulted in little money for resources or training. Will be on the lookout for freebies like local teachmeets then!
Thing 11 - Mentoring. Well, that would be nice, but it's hard to see how anyone in my workplace could find time to formally mentor me. However, would it be possible to take advice from a mainstream teacher? Perhaps that is something to consider.
The library skills sessions we have offered this academic year have really caught on. Library orientation was the big one in the first 3 weeks; and now it's calmed down with a steady flow of bookings for other sessions.
This has been a real learning curve and has meant that my emphasis has been more upon day to day troubleshooting and teaching rather than developing the broader librarianship and web 2.0 aspects of the job.
Now, having graduated last night, my thoughts are turning to QTLS status and growing my webfolio on the IfL website - no mean task! So, once more teaching is eclipsing the library aspects of my work. However, I'm sure they can be dovetailed as they are complimentary really. Some time management techniques may help!!
Re Thing 10 - masters degrees...chartership...accreditation and what comes next? Well, I took my Librarianship degree over 30 years ago; job changes over the last few years, resulting in a shift towards subject librarians and outsourcing my old job (cat & class), led me to enroll on a DTLLS (Diploma for Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector) course at the college where I work. That was 2 years ago and I graduated last night.
And now? A year to consolidate the library skills training, achieve QTLS status and then who knows? Certainly, some information literacy qualification would be useful, but so far I think it is only Sheffield Uni which runs a course....will keep this in mind. In the meantime, severe cuts in education and a drop in enrollment figures have resulted in little money for resources or training. Will be on the lookout for freebies like local teachmeets then!
Thing 11 - Mentoring. Well, that would be nice, but it's hard to see how anyone in my workplace could find time to formally mentor me. However, would it be possible to take advice from a mainstream teacher? Perhaps that is something to consider.
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Advantages of social media... fostering the sharing of information... this is interesting as at the moment I find that people are far more willing to share information online than in the workplace - this maybe because of the economic climate - you are more likely to be competing for a job with those you see face to face on a daily basis - this is a real shame.
Friday, 29 July 2011
Hmm - frustrating half hour with Evernote - loaded okay and downloaded web clipper thing, but can't get the latter to work - I really don't have the time for all of this :-(...
later got the thing to work... hoping it will be a constructive tool to use as constantly coming across useful pieces of info and to gather them in one place would be great! :-)
later got the thing to work... hoping it will be a constructive tool to use as constantly coming across useful pieces of info and to gather them in one place would be great! :-)
Tried out Summify - tip I picked up whilst on online chat forum... it picks out the top 5 items from your blog / twitter lists etc and posts them to you each day... all very well... but couple of problems
1. Twitter especially has both social and work contacts - both treated equally by summify...should I have a separate work twitter account?
2. I don't know what I'm missing out on so still need to check!
On the plus side - I have very little time to read emails / RSS feeds etc at the moment so it has a limited use
It does highlight a problem though - the overlap of professional and personal aspects of my life and information! This was increasingly evident on twitter, but now also on facebook as I have 'liked' CDP23 and one of my work colleagues who is a facebook friend is posting links about QR codes. So, lunchtime giving myself a break from it all by checking facebook can backfire!
1. Twitter especially has both social and work contacts - both treated equally by summify...should I have a separate work twitter account?
2. I don't know what I'm missing out on so still need to check!
On the plus side - I have very little time to read emails / RSS feeds etc at the moment so it has a limited use
It does highlight a problem though - the overlap of professional and personal aspects of my life and information! This was increasingly evident on twitter, but now also on facebook as I have 'liked' CDP23 and one of my work colleagues who is a facebook friend is posting links about QR codes. So, lunchtime giving myself a break from it all by checking facebook can backfire!
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Hmm - really getting a bit behind here - it doesn't do to go on holiday; you have twice as much to do when you get home!
However, have 'liked' 23 Things on Facebook (not difficult...) and joined an online discussion yesterday evening (impressive...) A little disconcerting that the other 13 people seemed to know an awful lot more than me, but I picked up one useful tip to pursue. I found out about the discussion via Twitter - now Twitter has been the beginning of it all for me; it started my networking journey.
However, have 'liked' 23 Things on Facebook (not difficult...) and joined an online discussion yesterday evening (impressive...) A little disconcerting that the other 13 people seemed to know an awful lot more than me, but I picked up one useful tip to pursue. I found out about the discussion via Twitter - now Twitter has been the beginning of it all for me; it started my networking journey.
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Have capitulated slightly (if that's possible!) and posted my photo onto my Twitter profile and yes! here too :-)
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