ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011 ISSN 1440-2076

Available on the SCIS website at www.esa.edu.au/scis

Print Post Approved PP 381667/00227 Teacher librarians as cultural change agents

‘Teacher librarians are involved in the process of change whether practice, which challenges the orientation they are implementing a program for the first time, making of presentism, as does working with others changes to an established program, or participating in some or collaboration, which challenges the aspect of ongoing school improvement’ (Oberg, 1990). The very orientation of individualism. essence of the work of teacher librarians – improving teaching Lortie also points out the importance of and learning – requires that they work within the culture school and district administrators working of the school and that they also work to change the culture to maximise time available for teaching and of the school. to think about bringing about pedagogical The concept of school culture change in non-hierarchical terms (that The concept of school culture has many roots, but the work is, less in terms of vertical control and of the American sociologist Dan Lortie has been a powerful hierarchical authority and more in terms source of inspiration for me, and I have been thinking and of collaborative teaching and innovative writing about the concept of school culture in relation to change governance/administration). Interestingly, in schools and school libraries for over 20 years (Oberg, 2009). one of the promising projects he cites in Lortie (1975) noted that ‘culture includes the way members his book is one in which funds were made of a group think about social action; culture encompasses available to persons who could locate for alternatives for resolving problems in collective life’. Lortie teachers the research findings and other identified three aspects of the culture of the teaching profession professional sources they needed in order to that make substantive changes in schools very difficult: work on pressing instructional issues. This (1) presentism; (2) conservatism; and (3) individualism: that is, sounds to me very much like one aspect of ‘focusing on the short term’; ‘concentrating on small-scale rather the work of teacher librarians in schools. than whole-school changes’; and ‘performing teaching Conservatism or moral purpose in isolation from other teachers’ (Hargreaves, 2009). Hargreaves critiques educational reform In the preface to the second edition of his book, Schoolteacher: movements in the Anglo–American A Sociological Study, Lortie (2002) sees promise for more context (including Canada and Australia), success in educational reform in trends such as professional which he says have addressed presentism development and reflective practice which encourage and individualism in teaching through teachers to work on improving their teaching practice and professional development, reflective addressing issues of practice by working together. Professional practice and collaborative work, but SCIS development and reflective practice involve investments of which have avoided taking a hard critical Education Services Australia Ltd time and effort to achieve the long-term gain of improved abn 18 007 342 421 look at conservatism (Hargreaves, 2009). PO Box 177 Carlton South Victoria 3053 Australia Level 5 440 Collins Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 in this issue Australia teacher librarians as Website reviews tel +61 3 9207 9600 1 10 free call 1800 337 405 cultural change agents SCIS is more... (OUTSIDE melb metro) 12 Online referencing generator fax (aust only) 1300 780 545 4 13 Educational Lending Right fax +61 3 9910 9800 Digital literacy across the curriculum! [email protected] 5 14 National Digital Learning Dewey Decimal Classification – Resources Network www.esa.edu.au/scis 9 Edition 23 15 resources for classroom teachers 9 Information skills and critical literacy

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ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011

Teacher librarians as cultural change agents (cont.)

Conservatism runs deeper than focusing opinion leaders in the school. Another is Implications of the concepts of on small-scale changes but rather looks at a careful analysis of planning documents school culture and change whole-school changes: conservatism insists such as the teacher librarian’s plan book The role of the teacher librarian involves upon top-down accountability, high stakes and the year plans of the school and of understanding the nature of school culture testing and standardised curricula for the individual teachers. Analysis of the data and the process of change. As I have argued entire educational system. Conservatism collected might be structured around elsewhere (Oberg, 2009), if teacher librarians avoids the social and political issues of social some or all of the factors found in a recent equity and social cohesion, and makes us Canadian study of exemplary school blind to the structures and practices that libraries: school board-level policies; school reinforce inequities and divisiveness in board-level supports; funding models; schools, and that make learning difficult staffing models; administrative support; for many students, especially those who demographics; principal knowledge; teacher are already disadvantaged. Hargreaves knowledge; teacher librarian experience; calls on us to consider the moral purpose of teacher librarian skills; physical features the educational enterprise – to help make of the library; history of the library; and a better world for all students, to make a community and parent involvement difference in the lives of all our students. (Klinger, Lee, Stephenson, & Luu, 2009). Initiating conversations with the principal However, moral purpose is not so easy to Through this data gathering and data maintain in complex times. Fullan (1999) Mona & co by matsber www.flickr.com/ analysis work, teacher librarians should look photos/14555294@N07/4330177372 reminds us that change usually benefits for evidence of the aspects of school culture some more than others and that the that research suggests support change: change literature only rarely has addressed are knowledgeable about school culture collaboration, distributed leadership, and questions of power and equity. The question and the change process, they will be more ‘intellectual quality’ (high expectations for for all educators dealing with an educational able to set reasonable and attainable students and staff). The teacher librarian’s reform or innovation needs to be: ‘How can goals for themselves and for the school work with teachers and their students also this innovation (such as the collaborative library program, and they will be patient needs to be subjected to the same close school library program), which is intended to and understanding of the evolution of the scrutiny, keeping in mind that there are improve teaching and learning, contribute school library program. This knowledge non-monetary costs to teachers (time, effort to making a difference for all of the young will also enable them to critique proposed people in the school, or will it make a and psychic) in implementing the changes innovations or reforms, for the school difference only for those already advantaged required in using the school library, such library or for other aspects of the school’s – such as the college-bound, the native as designing instruction using an inquiry program of learning, in terms of the mission speakers of English, or those students whose model or integrating new and emerging of the school: that is, the goal of making families can afford 24/7/365 access to new technologies into instruction. a difference in the lives of all students. If and emerging technologies?’ teacher librarians are knowledgeable about Working to change the culture of the roles and perceptions of principals and your school Working within the culture of the teachers, they will be more able to take Changing school culture requires leadership school responsibility for initiating collaboration Principals value the professional and risk-taking from the teacher librarian. In with teachers and seeking principal support development contributions of teacher many schools, implementing a collaborative for such initiatives. Through reflection, school library program still constitutes a librarians in introducing new materials, new observation and conversation, teacher technologies and new teaching strategies. In change in the culture of the school. Often, librarians need to gain an understanding order to provide professional development however, initiating conversations with of the costs, real and perceived, involved for teachers successfully, teacher librarians the principal about changes in teaching in collaboration. This will help the teacher need to be cognisant of the culture of the and learning in itself may constitute the librarian to address those costs and to school – eg what are the dominant teaching beginning of a change in school culture. set realistic goals for the implementation practices, what is the school’s experience Working with the principal to improve of innovations within the school library with and capacity for change, how are teaching and learning in the school, through or across the school with teachers and teachers expected to work (in isolation the school library or through other school principals. or collaboratively), what is the role of the initiatives or reforms, involves the teacher We have long understood that implementing principal, how is student success defined librarian in both giving support to the the school library program about improving and measured? Without this knowledge, principal and getting support from the teaching and learning for all members of even well-defined innovations begun with principal. Teacher librarians need to know the school’s community – the facility, the energy and enthusiasm are likely to founder. and to promote with others the principal’s collection, the technology, and the staff view of school goals if they expect the For the teacher librarian, a good way to are means to that end. The challenge for principal’s support for school library start building this knowledge is through the teacher librarian is to be an agent and discussions with the principal and other program goals. 3

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011

Teacher librarians as cultural change agents (cont.) catalyst for change within the whole school Anglo-American context. Is it related, in Lortie, DC 1975, Schoolteacher: A Sociological as well as within the school library. some way that we do not yet understand, Study, University of. Chicago Press, Chicago to the nature of the school cultures in which Lortie, DC 2002, Schoolteacher: A Sociological Questions raised by the Finland school libraries flourish? Or is it related Study, 2nd ed, University of. Chicago Press, success story to changes in school cultures that are Chicago The success of Finland on the PISA influenced by the collaborative initiatives (Programme for International Student of the school library program? Niinikangas, L & Poikela, E 2011, ‘Seize the Assessment) has been long known and day! Developing school libraries in Finland’, admired. Hargreaves (2009) reports, based Dianne Oberg in L Marquardt & D Oberg, Global Perspectives on a study of the relationship between Dianne is a Professor on School Libraries: Projects and Practices, pp leadership and school improvement in in the Faculty of 264–278, DeGruyter Saur, The Hague Finland, that this success comes from ‘its Education, University Oberg, D 1990, ‘The school library program inspiring mission of creativity and social of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. and the culture of the school’, Emergency inclusiveness’. School cultures in Finland Librarian, 18(1), pp 9–16, reprinted in K reflect the values of trust, cooperation www.ualberta. ca/~doberg/ Haycock (ed), 1999, Foundations of Effective and responsibility. In each municipality, School Library Media Programs, pp 41–47, teachers work together to design curriculum References Libraries Unlimited, Englewood within the broad national guidelines and Fullan, Michael 1999, Change Forces: to care for all children in their schools. Oberg, D 2009, ‘Libraries in schools: essential The Sequel, The Falmer Press, London The culture of Finland’s teaching system contexts for studying organizational change reduces individualism through substantive Hargreaves, A 2009, ‘Presentism, and culture’, Library Trends, 58(1), pp 9–25 collaboration; it reduces presentism individualism, and conservatism: the legacy by avoiding external initiatives for of Dan Lortie’s, Schoolteacher: A Sociological accountability; and it shares the broader Study’. Curriculum Inquiry, 40(1), pp 143–154 society’s commitment to serve and protect Klinger, DA, Lee, EA, Stephenson, G & Luu, K all citizens from the youngest to the oldest. 2009, Exemplary School Libraries in Ontario, Surprisingly, although Finland’s polytechnic Ontario Library Association, Toronto schools have a well-developed network of library services, there are very few school Kurttila-Matero, E, Huotari, M-L, & libraries in Finland despite successful school Kortelainen, T 2011, ‘The school library in the information society project in Oulu, library projects in two urban municipalities, Finland’, in L Marquardt & D Oberg, Global Oulu and Espoo (Kurttila-Matero, Huotari & Perspectives on School Libraries: Projects Kortelainen, 2011; Niinikangas, 2011). This and Practices, pp 57–70, DeGruyter Saur, paradox raises some interesting questions The Hague about the reasons for the impact of school libraries on student learning found in the

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Disclaimer Connections content does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Services Australia, the editor, publisher or printer, or imply endorsement by them. Authors retain copyright of articles and should be contacted for permission to reprint. 4

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011 Online referencing generator

Access to information has never been easier This project began in 2009 when SLASA for students as traditional print resources responded to a call for projects from the are supplemented with information from University of South Australia School a plethora of World Wide Web sources. of Computer and Information Science. However, the ease of information access Professional organisations were asked to has developed a ‘cut-and-paste’ mentality submit projects for final year students to to research, resulting in a rise in plagiarism consider, giving them the opportunity to among the student population. In order to work on an authentic problem for a real minimise this problem, students need to be audience. We were very excited when aware of the importance of acknowledging Shazhou Wan (Ben) accepted SLASA’s sources and, in particular, the conventions of proposal for a student-friendly Harvard referencing. This in itself can be problematic online referencing generator. as teachers and teacher librarians often We provided the referencing content for the struggle to offer advice on referencing the generator while Ben designed and developed Senior level reference sample and create page, ever-growing range of information sources. showing data entered the website. SLASA web manager, Peter Jenkins and committee member, Pru Mitchell The senior level offers a comprehensive offered invaluable advice and expertise range of resources. These include everything throughout the project. We met regularly from traditional print items and online with Ben over six months, but it became database materials to special publications obvious that the project was much bigger such as Acts of Parliament, case law and than first anticipated. By the end of the 2009 maps. There are also examples of audiovisual academic year, the generator was still at a materials and a variety of World Wide Web very early stage of development and Ben resources ranging from websites, images, had to return to China as he had completed press releases and podcasts to YouTube clips, his studies. The SLASA committee could see blogs and wikis. In-text examples are also the benefits of the generator for students, given for each resource, which students can use as guides for their citations. The webpage for SLASA’s online reference teachers and teacher librarians, and so generator offered to pay Ben to continue working with us from China. We are grateful that he has Background remained committed to the project even Teacher librarians have always kept lists of though he now has a full-time job. citation examples to assist students with Harvard online referencing their referencing, but these have met with generator limited success as the diversity of resources The belief that students should be taught to used by students has expanded. The idea of acknowledge their information sources from developing an online referencing generator a young age prompted our decision to divide (ORG) resulted from those curly referencing the generator into three levels – junior, questions for which it is so difficult to find middle and senior. an immediate answer. Added to this was Example of the reference created the notion that students were more likely The junior level is aimed at lower primary to use an online device for their referencing students and produces citations for the While we have used the Commonwealth of than to refer to printed documents. An sources most commonly used by this age Australia Style Manual for Authors, Editors online referencing generator is not a new group. It follows a simplified version of and Printers, one of the major difficulties we idea as there are a number available on the the Harvard author–date system. Once the have faced has been the lack of definitive internet. However, very few use the Harvard citation is created, it can then be copied and guidelines available for referencing online referencing style and all have a limited pasted into a bibliography. and social media sources. Much time has range of references which can be generated. The middle level is aimed at upper primary/ been spent investigating and discussing A survey conducted by the School Library lower secondary students and offers a citations in an attempt to be consistent. Association of South Australia (SLASA), greater range of sources with full Harvard We have been very grateful to the teacher using the slasanet listserv, showed that the referencing. Examples are given for each librarians who have offered feedback and Harvard style of referencing was by far the source and a rollover describes each element suggestions while the generator was in its most used in South Australian schools of the citation. Students need to be able trial phase. to recognise the source type, find the bibliographic details and enter them into the various fields. 5

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011

Online referencing generator (cont.)

Access to the generator piece of work and bibliography. Primary and Many professional associations have been secondary teachers are also feeling more Carol Grantham faced with declining membership and SLASA confident about referencing and expecting Carol is Coordinator of Information Services is no exception. We realised we needed to students to hand in bibliographies with at St Aloysius College, be able to offer our members an incentive to assignments. Now, there is a consistent style SA. join, so it was decided to offer the ORG free expected across the school; taking away as part of a SLASA school membership. confusion for students as they learn the conventions of referencing. As students have The number of interstate schools that have gained an understanding of the Harvard Silvana Jenkins shown interest in using the generator has system, it is much easier for them to adapt Silvana is Library been a pleasant surprise. Consequently, it is to footnoting, which is required by subject Coordinator being offered as a modestly priced annual teachers. at Eynesbury subscription, enabling us to cover the Senior College, cost of keeping it up to date. Subscription Feedback from students and teachers has SA. information is available from the SLASA been extremely positive. The generator website at www.slasa.asn.au. The generator will continue to be updated as the need can be accessed from the SLASA website or, arises, and we do encourage feedback and Carol Grantham and Silvana Jenkins if schools would prefer to have direct access suggestions from its users. are long-term members of SLASA. from their own website or intranet, a button is also available. A trial can be arranged by Reference emailing SLASA at [email protected]. Commonwealth of Australia 2002, Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers, Benefits 6th edition, rev. Snooks & Co., John Wiley Our experience has been that the generator & Sons, Brisbane has increased students’ willingness and confidence to create a correctly referenced

Digital literacy across the curriculum

This article has been prepared from edited extracts of Digital Literacy in the classroom. The handbook is a result of a project in which across the Curriculum, www.futurelab.org.uk/sites/default/files/ Futurelab researchers worked with eight primary school and six Digital_Literacy_handbook_0.pdf (1.48MB), a handbook developed by secondary school teachers to co-develop ways to foster digital literacy Futurelab, www.futurelab.org.uk, in Britain. The handbook is aimed in the classroom. The teachers involved in the project planned at educational practitioners and school leaders, in both primary and teaching activities aimed at developing digital literacy alongside secondary schools, who are interested in creative and critical uses of subject knowledge, and trialled these activities in their own technology in the classroom. classrooms. The article outlines key insights arising from the project. Technology is playing an increasing role in culture generally and Digital literacy and subject areas particularly in the lives of young people. Multiple, distributed online Digital literacy allows students to engage with traditional subject networks, especially those used for social networking and online areas in new ways as textbooks are now complemented, and gaming, have enabled young people to connect even when they are sometimes contradicted, by internet resources. widely dispersed geographically (Wiegel et al, 2009, Davies et al, 2009). Teaching digital literacy in subject areas is not about being In order to negotiate this environment effectively, young people need fashionable or simply about trying to engage students in learning. to be digitally literate. Digital literacy consists of the skills, knowledge It is about addressing the changing nature of subject knowledge and understanding that enable critical, creative, discerning and safe and acknowledging that young people will need different kinds of practices with digital technologies. It is about cultural and social skills, knowledge and understanding in order to develop their subject awareness and understanding, as well as functional skills. It is also expertise. about knowing when digital technologies are appropriate and helpful to the task at hand, and when they are not. Functional skills and beyond This article summarises Digital Literacy across the Curriculum, a There are good arguments for digital skills to be included in both ICT handbook prepared by Sarah Payton and Cassie Hague of Britain’s lessons and other subjects. Just as students practice writing across Futurelab organisation. The handbook addresses a range of issues all school subjects, not only in specific English lessons, so should faced by school leaders and teachers, in both primary and secondary students be developing digital literacy practices in all subjects, schools, who are interested in creative and critical uses of technology including ICT. 6

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Digital literacy across the curriculum (cont.)

Fostering digital literacy means going beyond functional skills and may be able to unblock the site to allow you access. the ability to complete basic internet searches and PowerPoint • Be aware of copyright if students are producing work that presentations. It means giving students the opportunity to use a will be uploaded to a public website. wide range of technologies collaboratively, creatively and critically. • It can be tempting to intervene to ensure a high-quality end product eg filming groups of students yourself rather than allowing them to operate the camera themselves. Support students to think about how they can improve the quality of their outputs but let them use the technology themselves and learn from their mistakes.

Digital natives? It is often assumed that young people are ‘digitally native’ and that their skills with digital technology far surpass those of their ‘digital immigrant’ parents and teachers (Prensky, 2001). It is true that many young people are confident in using a wide range of technologies and often turn to the internet for information. They seem able to learn to operate unfamiliar hardware or software very quickly and may take on the role of teaching adults how to use computers and the internet.

However, several important qualifications are needed to the ‘digital natives’ concept. For one thing, digital skills and knowledge are not evenly spread among all young people. Their distribution is affected Students use a wide range of technologies by class, race, gender and nationality, creating a ‘participation gap’ (Jenkins et al, 2009). Teachers and functional skills Some teachers feel, however, that their own functional skills are Young people’s confidence with technology can also be misleading. not as developed as their students’ and therefore question their Students frequently struggle when applying ICT to research tasks, ability to teach digital literacy. These concerns can be lessened by and teachers sometimes complain of ‘copy and paste syndrome’. the realisation that functional skills are just one element of being Students can find it difficult to work out whether information on an digitally literate. The ability to critically engage with the knowledge unfamiliar website is trustworthy, with many of them relying on and meaning that is communicated through digital technologies their chosen search engine’s rankings for their selection of material is the larger part of digital literacy. Even where teachers feel their (Ofcom, 2009). Many have little understanding of how search terms functional skills could be developed, teachers have invaluable work or of the powerful commercial forces that can result in a expertise they can use to help their students negotiate the ideas they particular company being top of the search engine’s list. encounter and express when using digital technologies. Educators therefore have a crucial role to play in ensuring that It is also important to remove the mystique that surrounds technology students are digitally literate across a number of dimensions of use so that teachers can feel more comfortable incorporating it into learning. their subject teaching. For example, the task of making a podcast may Communication be intimidating at first glance, but is in fact a fairly straightforward The internet and Web 2.0 technologies have greatly extended the process: using a computer microphone to record some audio, editing it choice of communication media available to young people, in forms using a free piece of software such as Audacity, and then uploading to such as email, instant messaging, social networking sites, forums, the school learning platform or website (the person who manages the blogs and wikis. Young people need to be able to judge when to use website may be able to help with this). The handbook gives examples these tools and when to select more traditional communication that demystify the use of technology. media for any given task, based on the nature of the task rather Here are some general tips for using digital technologies for teaching than interest in the technologies themselves. They also need to be and learning: supported to understand how their choice of media affects their ability to communicate. This involves, for example, thinking about • Ensure that your kit is working in advance, make sure you are what you might be able to say visually that is more difficult to familiar with it and prepare some other activities that students express in traditional text. could do in case of any problems with the technology. Think about the resources you will need and book them well in advance. When Digital media also raises issues surrounding the public availability students use digital technologies, this can result in large amounts of students’ output. Teachers may wish to hold whole-class discussions of data. Develop a plan to manage this ahead of time: Where are on issues such as the relevance, suitability and security of the children going to save their work? How will you store data and information that students communicate publicly. These issues include make sure it is not lost? How will you access it? And so on. the question of what students should include in their public online • If a particular website is blocked, talk to the IT manager if you have identities. They should also cover the issue of digital permanence: once one or contact your local authority’s ICT helpdesk directly. They information is online, it is not necessarily easy to remove. 7

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011

Digital literacy across the curriculum (cont.)

Supporting young people to focus on Digital technologies, particularly online Conclusion an audience encourages them to source spaces, provide young people with Teaching digital literacy is important not information that they can understand and opportunities for many new forms of only in supporting students to become then re-contextualise so as to pass it on to interaction. Increasingly, these interactions independent, critical learners but also in others, making purposeful decisions about are mediated by different modes of narrowing the gap between children’s lived what information to include and how to re- representation such as images and sounds. experiences inside and outside of school. purpose and express that information. Being able to decode these multimodal texts The handbook offers teachers practical ideas requires an understanding of the social and support for developing the components The ability to find and select and cultural practices that surround their of digital literacy in their teaching in all information creation. classrooms at both primary and secondary Students also use digital technologies level. It aims to provide a useful starting for their research, and here once again Using digital technologies in the classroom point that examines the issues and inspires technologies should be matched to particular can provide teachers with the opportunity individual practitioners and school leaders purposes. For example, students need to to make links between school learning alike to begin to develop their own approach be able to judge whether the internet or and popular culture. When students are to supporting students’ digital literacy in the books are likely to give the best results for a supported to reflect on and critically classroom. particular information search. examine digital media such as websites, photos or films, they can begin to Students need to engage critically with the understand that the way we create and Cassie Hague content of material they find on the internet, communicate meaning is affected by our Sarah Payton relating it to the subject knowledge they cultural understandings and experiences, The full article was published in already have and are seeking to develop. This and that even our own imaginations have Curriculum Leadership, Volume 9, means going beyond simply checking the been shaped by popular culture. reliability of information by searching on Issue 10, April 2011. multiple sites. E-safety To receive the weekly electronic journal, When seeking to develop students’ digital register at: www.curriculum.edu.au/ Critical thinking and evaluation literacy, it is important that teachers make leader/email_alert_registration,102.html. More generally, students need skills in explicit links to e-safety – whether this be Reprinted here with permission. critical thinking to analyse, shape and about age-appropriate content, concern contribute information. Fostering critical over the predatory behaviour of adults, thinking in the classroom means turning acceptable use and cyber-bullying, or References away from the traditional emphasis placed issues of plagiarism, copyright and virus Davies, J & Merchant, G 2009, Web 2.0 for on outputs and completing a task within protection. In recent years, the e-safety Schools: Learning and Social Participation, the designated timeframe of the lesson, and agenda has moved from a paternal emphasis Peter Lang, New York instead slowing the pace of the classroom to on protecting children to the idea that we Jenkins, H, et al 2009, Confronting the allow for thought and questioning. Students should support children to develop the skills, Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media should also be encouraged to reflect on and knowledge and understanding that will Education for the 21st Century, McArthur evaluate their work throughout the process enable them to make informed decisions in Foundation of producing it, rather than saving the order to protect themselves on an ongoing Ofcom, 2009, UK Children’s Media Literacy: evaluation for the finished piece. basis. Considered choices will help to 2009 Interim Report, http://stakeholders. keep young people safe when exploring, Cultural and social understanding ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/ communicating, creating and collaborating Digital media often heightens young media-literacy/medlitpub/medlitpubrss/ with digital technologies. people’s exposure to the global community uk_childrens_ml/ and to peers with different cultural Prensky, M 2001, ‘Digital natives, digital backgrounds. Such exposure increases the immigrants’, On the Horizon, vol 9, no 5, need for young people to recognise the pp 1–5 social, cultural and historical influences that shape their own and others’ understanding Wiegel, M, James, C and Gardner, H 2009, and learning. For example, they need to ‘Learning: Peering backward and looking understand that the same actions may have forward in the digital era’, International different meanings in different cultures, Journal of Learning and Media, vol 1, and that many things which appear at first no 1, pp 1–18 glance to be natural and neutral are in fact created by particular cultural and social Supporting students to protect themselves understandings. online 8 MelbourneISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011 Cup Resources for schools www.melbournecupeducation.com.au

The Melbourne Cup education website provides information and activities for teachers and students to investigate 'the race that stops a nation' TM and its significance to Australian life, culture, history and heritage.

Resources for teachers Resources for students The teachers' section presents three cross-curriculum The website draws together a vast collection of rarely seen inquiry-based units of work for the middle years that can primary and secondary source materials, including: be used throughout the school year. The focus of these y a gallery of historical photographs, cartoons, paintings units is the cultural and historical place of the Melbourne and maps Cup, mapped to the Australian Curriculum for history, y information on the people, national and world events geography, English, the arts, geography and mathematics. that shaped the history of the race y selected video clips from past and present Melbourne Cup tour television advertisement storyboard A storyboard is like a comic: the scenes and events in the story are drawn in sequence. Design a 30-second television advertisement for the 2010 y a timeline of key historical events Melbourne Cup Tour. Consider camera angles, use of props and transitions between screens or scenes. Write and draw your ideas on the storyboard to reflect the parts of your advertisement. Think about the following questions. • What scenes should be included? • What elements of Australia’s national identity could be incorporated into the advertisement? y fast facts on little known details • Who is the target audience? • What information about the Melbourne Cup should be included? • Who would you have featured in the advertisement? y suggestions to encourage deeper Mapped to investigation and further discovery the Australian Paintings, portraits and photographs Curriculum Compare the paintings and photographs and record you y a glossary of racing terms. r observations. Consider the fo • How has the artist portrayed the events and/or charact llowing questions. • What are the similarities and differences between the ers and champions of the Melbourne Cup? • How are history, society and culture of the time revealedimages? in the a • What methods do you think the artists and photo rtworks and photos? graphers would have used to represent these images? PAINTINGS Students will: PHOTOGRAPHS OBSERVATIONS y examine primary and secondary source materials

Carl Kahler painting – The Lawn at Flemington y Grandstand and Hill on Melbourne Cup Day 1887 undertake group-based investigations and at Flemington in 1900

Melbourne Cup and Australian Identity © Victorian Racing Committee 2010 historical research

Portrait of Carbine y Photograph of Carbine develop and use problem solving skills such as analysis, evaluation and interpretation

Sketch of the Flemington Spring meeting in 1877 Spring Racing Carnival of 1888 y consider and evaluate a variety of different

Melbourne Cup and Austr alian Identity © Victorian Racing Com perspectives, historical events and social mittee 2010 situations y present and communicate findings y make connections between their learning and its application to their lives y use and apply key skills in critical and historical literacy.

www.melbournecupeducation.com.au

VRC_Ad.indd 1 12/08/11 5:39 PM 9

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011 Dewey Decimal Classification – Edition 23

• improved provisions in 340 Law for legal 3 Cinematography: A Guide for Filmmakers systems based on civil law and Film teachers by Kris Malkiewicz and M • updated provisions for food and clothing David Mullen; line drawings by Jim Fletcher • updates to 740 Graphic arts and decorative DDC 22 call number: 778.53 MAL arts DDC 23 call number: 777 MAL • a new location and expanded 4 Making Prints by Julie Ellis development for cinematography and DDC 22 call number: 760 ELL videography at 777 DDC 23 call number: 740 ELL • significant expansions throughout 796 Athletic and outdoor sports and games More detailed information on number The new edition of Dewey is now available • significant expansions in Table 2, with relocations, discontinuations and re-used online and in hard copy. The main updates parallel provisions in 930–990, for the numbers is available at www.oclc.org/us/ and changes to subject categories are set out ancient world, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, en/dewey/versions/print. below. The new abridged edition, which will Finland, Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam and be the fifteenth, is not yet available, however Canada SCIS will notify customers via Connections Pam Kadow • updated historical periods throughout and the SCIS blog (http://scis.edublogs.org) SCIS Cataloguing 930–990. when it is available. Team Leader Education Services SCIS has now changed templates and Examples Australia references from DDC 22 to DDC 23 and after 1 Virtual Danger: Staying Safe Online by September 2011 will officially begin to use Anne K Brown the new edition. DDC 22 call number: 004.678 BRO DDC 23 call number: 025.042 BRO DDC 23 features 2 Understanding Muslim Teachings and • new provisions in 004–006 Computer Traditions: A Guide for Christians by Phil science and elsewhere to reflect changes Parshall in technology DDC 22 call number: 297.124 PAR • updates to provisions for the Orthodox DDC 23 call number: 297.125 PAR Church and Islam in 200 Religion

Information skills and critical literacy: Where are our digsh kids at with online searching and are their teachers helping? A study in New Zealand has examined online information literacy participating teachers were academically well qualified and were in the year 10 classroom. The research covered students’ skills, as aged under 46 years. The teachers believed that the students knew well as teachers’ awareness of students’ needs and their capacity more than them about navigating the online environment and how to meet them. Information literacy refers broadly to the ability to locate information online. However, the teachers believed that to recognise when information is needed, and to find, evaluate students lacked more advanced information literacy skills, including and apply it effectively. Online, it involves the ability to locate, critical literacy. The teachers were held back from addressing these interpret, synthesise and communicate information, as well as perceived shortfalls by their lack of confidence in dealing with the the capacity ‘to generate a problem or question from one’s social online environment and by limited access to ICT in the classroom. context’ online. International research suggests information literacy The researchers recommend that teachers conduct diagnostic is often left untaught, and that teachers often lack strategies to assessments of their students’ online information literacy. They also cover it. Research also suggests that teachers overestimate students’ recommend professional learning in online information literacy for online information literacy, based on an undue generalisation teachers and training in the conduct of diagnostic tests. from students’ competent use of ICT for entertainment and social The full article by Judine Ladbrook and Elizabeth Probert was in communications. The current study involved three large Auckland Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, Volume 27 Number secondary schools, serving communities of medium to high SES. 1, 2011, pp 105–121. This abstract was written by the Curriculum The researchers surveyed 188 year 10 students, then selected 22 Leadership team and published in Volume 9, Issue 10, April 2011. students deemed to be most active, experienced and skilled at using To receive the weekly electronic journal, register at: www. ICT and at seeking information line. Over 14 days the 22 students curriculum.edu.au/leader/email_alert_registration,102.html. took part in online and offline reading activities, kept diaries and attended focus groups. The researchers also surveyed the schools’ Reprinted here with permission. 33 year 10 English teachers, 24 of whom responded. Most of the 10

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011 Website reviews

ACMI generator Khan Academy The secret annex online http://generator.acmi.net.au www.khanacademy.org http://www.annefrank.org/en/ This multi-award-winning website aims to The Khan Academy was devised as a free Subsites/Home/ inspire and educate students in years 3–12 multi-media lesson bank with over 2,400 This stunning website brings to life the to become adept in the use of moving ten-minute videos to help anyone, anywhere poignant and inspirational events relating to images. The site encourages users to create learn arithmetic, physics, chemistry, history Anne Frank’s diary. The website combines appropriate stories to enhance their work by and economics. The units are self-paced and photos, interviews, film footage and a 3D the use of examples, storyboard generators, feature adaptive assessment activities. tour of the secret annex in an accomplished free media files and, for teachers, the SCIS no: 1522980 use of the internet. Educators’ Lounge. SCIS no: 1523007 SCIS no: 1523063

LEGO education http://education.lego.com/en-gb/ State Library of Queensland – Archived websites – National Teachers are already familiar with lego Information for Aboriginal and Library of Australia building blocks but may not be aware that Torres Strait Islander people www.nla.gov.au/what-we-collect/archived- the company has devised a range of www.slq.qld.gov.au/info/ind websites hands-on problem-solving activities centred Divided into three sections this portal The National Library of Australia has on the company’s robotics, IT and features resources, events and collections of archived a wide range of pertinent and mechanical products. The teaching resources interest to Aboriginal people, Torres Strait important websites that are no longer are grouped by age ranging from preschool Islanders, Indigenous Knowledge Centres hosted on the internet. The original to secondary and are applicable to several and other public libraries, and general users websites, which are significant to Australia’s key learning areas. interested in Aboriginal and Torres Strait documentary heritage, range from the SCIS no: 1522991 Islander related matters. Sydney 2000 Olympic Games to SCIS no: 1523013 contemporary election campaigns. SCIS no: 1522955

PEO assignment assistant www.peo.gov.au/assignmentAssistant Technology explained – Students undertaking studies relating to most ABC technology and games Dig – the Burke and Wills aspects of Australia’s parliament and system www.abc.net.au/technology/ research gateway of government will discover a wealth of techexplained/default.htm http://burkeandwills.slv.vic.gov.au/ pertinent material from the Parliamentary Parents, students and teachers needing a This outstanding website covers all aspects Education Office. Links are present to starting point for delving further into most of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition. websites, videos and images, and students are aspects of information technology and social Teachers will appreciate the lesson plans able to email the Assignment Assistant with media will find this website from the ABC and primary sources for years 5–6 and years questions they are having difficulty with. user-friendly, concise and authoritative. 7–10. Students will be able to research using SCIS no: 1522996 SCIS no: 1523079 images, documents and even themed geocaching. SCIS no: 1522963

Playschool United Nations International www.abc.net.au/abcforkids/sites/ Year of Cooperatives 2012 playschool/ http://social.un.org/coopsyear Food and agriculture The enduring and iconic ABC TV show for The United Nations IYC Secretariat has www.csiro.au/science/FarmingFood.html children has an updated website. It selected cooperatives as their focus for 2012. Teachers of food technology, science and introduces each component of the website Teacher librarians can begin planning for agriculture are able to access the latest with audio as students roll over items. this topic by using the links, calendar and research and scientific news from the CSIRO Content includes games, craft, full-length background information present. relating to increased sustainable food episodes and background material. SCIS no: 1523100 production, and the subsequent benefits SCIS no: 1325153 to health and disease reduction. SCIS no: 1522973 11

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011 Website reviews

The why files – the science The wizarding world behind the news of Harry Potter Nigel Paull http://whyfiles.org www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter Teacher librarian South Grafton Emanating from the University of Although a commercially produced resource Public School Wisconsin–Madison, The why files explore to encourage visitors to attend Disneyworld New South Wales technology, science and mathematics issues in Orlando, this spectacularly designed [email protected] that relate to current news events. This website will be devoured by fans of the

information regarding science in everyday Harry Potter series. life is presented in a manner which makes it SCIS no: 1523123 easy to understand. The internet sites selected in Website SCIS no: 1032629 reviews are often of a professional nature and should be initially viewed by teachers and library staff to determine suitability for students. The links, content and addresses of these sites may not be permanent.

www.curriculumpress.edu.au

middle primary

division / place value Input Be Happy, Be Halving of a number, nd practise finding half Use the activity board to explore a

cord the process. at and devise a way to re Half Vat Half V www.curriculumpress.edu.au Halving Machine activity board (p. 2), Each student or pair needs the Materials: and three 10-sided dice. a jar of counters (at least three colours)

This activity is for 1 or 2 students. Instructions: it number may be more appropriate. For some students, starting with a two-dig Curriculum or example, if 3/5/9 are rolled, a variety First, roll the dice to create a three-digit number. F CHINESE FESTIVALS 539 and so on. Choose one of these numbers. riate of numbers can be created: 359, 953, by placing specific coloured counters in the appropr, Model this number in the Input box file dreds, green =f Tens,act blue = Ones. Then for each laye layers; for example, red = Hun cord the process. t places, and is based on the time it takes the earth n the funnels into the Half Vats.The GregorianDevise a way calendar to re is used in mos for most day-to-day activities. There is also share the counters dow y; for example: Should I start with the ‘Ones’ to revolve around the sun. It is used in China the moon. This is used for traditional www.curriculumpress.edu.au Students should make decisions during the activit in the ‘Tens’a Chinese or ‘Hundreds’ lunar calendar, layers? based on the cycles of layer? What do I do with one spare counter y days for events like weddings or opening a new Chinese holidays, and for choosing luck r was invented by the emperor Huangdi plain what they are doing, focusing on the o the lunar calendar During the activity, ask students to ex business. According to legend, the Chinese calenda Roving questions: lem and recording. connection between modelling the prob in 2637 BCE. The year 2000 was thes Chineseeach. The year names 4698. of Accordingmonths are t simply Month One,

there on anare enlarged 12 months version of 29 of orthe 30 day moon after the winter solstice, which Ask students to share their modelling and recordingMonth Two, etc. Each year begins on the second new Class reflection: y to run through the student explanations 1 December), so the New Year falls sometime in is the shortest day of the yearmay (around 2 activity board and with magnetic counters.rding Tr process; for example, problems they Year gradually moving backwards a throughnd n ents and ze or o in a way that gradually refines the reco late January or early February. To stop the New n. It has the sameG namea as the ordinary ientati ing the ‘Tens’ and ‘Hundreds’ counters. Invite comm t the seasons, every few years an extra month is put i have encountered with shar ts. The class could decide on the most efficien t it is a ‘leap month’. month it follows, but with a note tha ased on seasonal changes. They may ask students to note possible improvemen ples using this approach. Students need to Key concepts recording approach and practise some exam Traditional holidays and festivals are often b harvest. Some celebrate an event that is looking. - distributive property. refers to where a person to other people. l celebrate the end of winter or the completion of a good • Gaze is placed in relation i i . In China there are festivals and celebrations t r r o r body B e s ze c ass oo es u ces realise that they have used the m a person’s refers to how from the person. happened, or might have happened, long ago ook forward to, mark• Orientation the passing of the year, another person or away might be oriented towards Watch and listen for … students who: every month. They give people something to l ds. For example, it Observations: ‘Hundreds’ layer first and to exchange decide that it is best to start sharing the and are a time to relax and have fun with family and frien + g to share the next layer hinese any left-over counters before startin dvertise a c ers represent the remainder, and for ctivity 2: a understand that any left-over ‘Ones’ count festival + 1/ ctivity 1: Make a calendar teaching the visuals people. 2. between sign of the relationship halving, any remainder will be intended and read as a There are also pring Festival, ♦ Choose one• of Gazethe Chinese is often festivals someone and away. The three major public holidays, S types of gaze: gazing towards efined and understood, challenge the students a week and are listed on the• activityThere sheet. are two main Variation: Once a halving process has been r e that Maydivides Day byand 3, National by 8, etc, Day, and last to for somewhere in between. society illions of people travel Find out as muchgazes as you which can aboutfall it and situation, in Anglo-Saxon to apply this knowledge and invent a machin known as ‘golden weeks’. M ♦ accompanying facial expressions respect. ueuing (how it is celebrated,• Depending how it onbegan, the etc). attraction, hostility, fear, devise a recording approach. home, and booking a train ticket can mean q seen as a sign of confidence, accompanying s as a direct gaze may be society, depending on the ledge in conjunction ♦ Make a poster to promote your chosen festival, interpreted in Anglo-Saxon dishonesty, using place-valuefor days. know Stations sell twice as many tickete is filled An averted gaze mayost be submissiveness, Curriculum Bytes are ‘bite-size’ classroom lessons drawn from ive property illustrating• what you think are the m as a sign of shyness, superiority, with using thethere distribut are seats available, so every spac expressions and situation, maths outcomes: important or interestingfacial aspects of it. ess with people, even the luggage racks! disrespect. can vary between consolidating the notion that a sharing proc dealing with remainders evasion or of a particular gaze es to match modelling of body language the meaning but as a sign of ing division problems You will need: a copy of the calendar on page 3 • oMLikepare other celebrations forms as a sign of confidence is one method for solv devising recording approach ctivity 3: c gaze might be seen not y two (and iddle primary deals with ls in cultures. In some, a direct of the people involved. three-digit numbers b ♦ Mark in Chinese public holidays and festiva on the social positions dividing two- and (NOTE: Numberboards—m this year. or rudenessed depending by it can, in combination on) process.) As a class discussdisrespect the festivals celebrat especially advertising, because other one-digit number divisors for the variati the development ofred. the Research multiplication when they will be falling public importantrent ways in visual texts, a relationship class members.• CompareGaze is oftenthe diffe elements of the text, suggest ♦ Choose another colour to mark in all the body language and other This is es for with other heforms same of festivals. in the text) and the viewer. holidays in your area. Divide the squar that families may celebrate t person or persons shown can be leading Curriculum Press titles such as Active Readers, Focus on Inquiry, between the subjects who celebrate (the Some of the ways gaze viewer. holidays that fall on the same day. Are there any people in the clas subject is looking at the portrayed: r primary) Games and hands-on activities 1 especially so when theto tell the are that the person otherwise indicated). Current Numberboards (uppe ♦ Choose another colour to mark in any other festivals that others do not? Ask them Australian advertisements , 2011 (except where collection in many modern © Education Services Australia Ltd ee of copyright- Author: Ron Smith ys that you interpreted ownload and reproduce this material fr festivals which are not public holida class all about them. subscribers may use, d oses within the terms of your licence to the viewer non-commercial educational purp ial. others’ Day). - is attracted fees for ledgements associated with the mater may celebrate with your family (eg M viewer provided you retain all acknow our area, - is the equal of the the viewer Also mark in any local festivals for y - is more powerful than the viewer such as the annual show. of - wants to be admired by ♦ Finally, in another colour, mark in all the ‘rites care what the viewer thinks lude your - does not them Science Essentials, Key into China, Thinking Voices, and many more. passage’ celebrated by your family. Inc the viewer is looking at and family. - is unaware that by the viewer birthday and those of your friends ations. - has been surprised Include any other annual family celebr a response from the viewer. interesting: - is seeking of gaze and orientation find the following discussion ‘contact • Students may southern Europe are termed © Sally Heinrich Latin1 America and are having download and Key into China of the Arab states, primary)more when they Most Activate Your closer Students and (lower touch Education Services Australia Ltd, 2011. Current subscribers may use, mercial educational tend to stand much opyright-collection fees for non-com because people ing approach to sustainabilityThis can be unsettling reproduce this material free of c retain all acknowledgements cultures’ An inquiry-based more learn eye contact. rms of your licence provided you to exchange much purposes within the te They also tend and it can lead to conversations. Author: Sharonstyle of Rushton social interaction, associated with the material. used to such an intimate for foreigners not directed gaze that are characteristic, normal levels of facially indicating misunderstandings. The in the contact cultures as or Americans will be seen often of northern Europeans patterns will say, impoliteness. Typical contact-culture dishonesty or, at best, Europe or the United insincerity, or insulting in northern be seen as threatening, disrespectful Curriculum Bytes offer: States (Marsh, 1988).

le Years © Rod Quin 1 Reading the Visuals in the Midd re otherwise indicated). Current ollection Education Services Australia Ltd, 2011 (except whe • Student First Second ad and reproduce this material free of copyright-ce subscribers may use, downlo cational purposes within the terms of your licenc over 500 ready-to-use teaching and learning fees for non-commercial edu associated with the material. provided you retain all acknowledgements activities that support the Australian Curriculum enrolment year year per campus onwards • a continually expanding library of classroom <50 $149 $79 resources for all learning areas for F–10 51–200 $239 $129 • a great resource for emergency teachers. 201–400 $329 $209 Access to Curriculum Bytes is through subscription. 401–700 $449 $299 Different subscription models are offered for schools, 701–1000 $609 $399 education institutions and individuals. 1001+ /Institutions/ $999 $709 Multi-campus Schools and education institutions Individuals One year • Schools: Yearly subscriptions are determined by total $125 student enrolment at one site or campus only and are not transferrable beyond that single site. Access is granted to members of staff and students. • Institutions: Schools and educational institutions such as universities with multiple campuses may opt to join as an institution/multi-campus member. Access is granted to members of staff and students.

Individuals Individual membership is only available for persons not employed at a school site, educational institution or commercial business. Ideal for: • emergency and pre-service teachers • tutors and home school parents.

Visit www.curriculumbytes.esa.edu.au to take a sample bite! 12

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011 SCIS is more...

QR codes: reinventing the barcode SCIS blog Your SCIS usage: what Libraries were early adopters of barcodes, To subscribe to our blog, http://scis. are you saving? recognising the benefit of fast, accurate edublogs.org, use the links in the right- As you come towards the end of year and and automated identification of resources, hand column of the blog to subscribe in the annual reporting period, did you know borrowers and equipment directly into an RSS reader, an RSS feed or by email. We that you can generate reports on how library systems. Life without barcodes would encourage you to comment on articles and many catalogue records you’ve ordered be slower, involving plenty of manual data we welcome your requests for posts on from SCISWeb? Log into SCIS at http://scis. entry with associated human error. topics of interest. curriculum.edu.au and choose ‘My Profile’ from the menu. Follow the link to ‘Records The widespread adoption of smart mobile Scoop.it! ordered this year’. devices has renewed interest in quick, SCIS has recently begun experimenting with accurate ways to input data that avoid Scoop.it!, curating the topic ‘SCIS: news and For the six-month period January to June keyboard use. resources about school libraries’. 2011, SCIS users downloaded a total of 4.3 million records. That’s a huge saving for QR codes have been with us for a while, but Scoop.it! works by either direct posting schools when you think that it only takes a recently there has been growing interest in of articles by the editor, or by collecting few minutes to download a file of records using them creatively in education. information from blogs, news readers, social from SCIS, compared to the time and effort A QR (Quick Response) code is similar to a bookmarking services and any RSS-enabled it would take to create equivalent quality barcode in that it encodes information. But services. The editor of the Scoop.it! topic records individually in school library whereas a barcode encodes only a small then scans the feeds and pushes stories of systems. A recent review estimated the cost– number of characters (for example the ISBN interest to their own topic. benefit ratio of copy cataloguing (retrieving on the back of a book or the user number on The newspaper layout is automated with a completed record from the database) over your library card), a QR code might link to some limited editing of images and moving original cataloguing (creating a catalogue a website, a map, a YouTube video, an MP3 of stories enabled. record from scratch) to be in the order of 5:1. music file or an online document. ‘Follow’ the SCIS topic on Scoop.it!, www. Note that SCISWeb reports do not include There are many free online tools which you scoop.it/t/scis, by RSS or email alert. counts of records imported from SCIS using can use to create QR codes for your online the Z39.50 protocol (http://www.esa.edu. resources. Free QR code reading apps can au/scis/help.html), so the total saving is be downloaded for most even greater than that represented by the smartphones. number of SCISWeb downloads. This QR code links to Facebook Invoices for 2012 the PDF version of Is Facebook your preferred social network? Invoices will be sent in October 2011 to Connections 78: You can ‘like’ SCIS on Facebook to receive schools not involved in a bulk deal. The cost More reading and share news and resources about school of a subscription to SCISWeb, SCIS Subject Lange, Marielle 2011, QR codes in education, libraries. Search for Schools Catalogue Headings and SCIS Authority Files will not Slideshare, www.slideshare.net/mlange (26 Information Service or the address: increase in 2012. Payment is due by the end August 2011) www.facebook.com/Schools-Catalogue- of 2011. Information-Service/109512989132958. A primer on QR codes, 2011, ResourceLink, Leonie Bourke http://resourcelinkbce.wordpress.com (26 Twitter Manager, SCIS August 2011) Join the conversation on Twitter by following SCIS @schoolscatinfo http:// Education Services SCIS and social media Australia twitter.com/schoolscatinfo and contribute SCIS uses a number of social media channels by tagging your posts with the hashtags: to help keep the school library community informed about our services and about • #austl for Australian related posts

issues in the school library world. We invite • #slanza for New Zealand posts you to make SCIS part of your Professional • #tlchat for a global school library Pru Mitchell Learning Network (PLN) and start connecting perspective. SCIS Subscriber Coordinator with school libraries online. Education Services School library staff getting started in social Australia media will find subscribing to a blog, or following a Twitter account from a known and trusted service such as SCIS can help in finding new connections and sharing valuable resources. 13

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011 Educational Lending Right

Have you been asked to participate in ELR? Susanne Gervay www.sgervay.com

Six hundred Australian school libraries Titles have been selected to participate in I am Jack this year’s ELR school library survey. Super Jack It is an opportunity to help Always Jack Australian book creators and That’s why I wrote this song publishers to keep creating and Butterflies publishing Australian books for Australian children. Australia has a vibrant community We hope you are able to follow the instructions provided in the of children’s authors and illustrators who create books that are invitation and respond in order to contribute to the success of the integral to Australian identity. As a country with one of the highest survey. In appreciation we will provide participating schools with a reading rates in the world, our youth and adults embrace our books. $20 gift voucher for teacher resource material from Curriculum Press. However, with our relatively small market, book sales alone cannot sustain writers. ELR is integral to the continuation of Australian Supporting Australian children’s book creators authors and illustrators creating books for us all. The Australian book publishing industry is small when compared to Paul Collins the international market. For Australian children to continue to read www.paulcollins.com.au books about Australia or Australians, written by Australians and www.quentaris.com published in Australia, financial assistance is required. Titles The Australian Government values our book industry and provides Vampires of Quentaris financial support to authors, illustrators and publishers of Australian Forgotten prince books. The financial support is made as annual payments calculated Allira’s gift from the results of the Educational Lending Right (ELR) school library Alexander becomes an astronaut survey.

What book creators have to say about ELR The introduction of ELR has been a boon for many writers, specifically Bill Condon those writing in the education sector. It certainly brings these www.enterprisingwords.com authors and illustrators in line with their trade counterparts. Recent titles: Without ELR and PLR a great many writers and illustrators would Confessions of a liar, not be devoting their lives to creating a rich literary and artistic thief and failed sex god Australian culture. Many local works appear overseas and are Give me truth awarded the world’s top literary honours. Shaun Tan and Sonya Dare devils Hartnett are just two such authors and illustrators who have The grass is greener survived financially to create world-class literature and art. Like many authors, before the As an author, ELR remuneration has also saved me from seeking introduction of ELR I had to part-time work in the hotel industry, thus giving me more time to supplement my income by doing school visits. While I enjoyed publish books and write my own. Books such as The slightly skewed that, I’m not a natural performer, so it was a constant strain. More life of Toby Chrysler and The glasshouse would not have been written importantly, it often kept me from writing, which is my real passion. had I not been receiving ELR and PLR. Both of these titles have been As you can imagine, things were pretty tight before ELR. It’s hard to short-listed in awards and have sold well. I know many authors and focus on writing when you’re struggling financially. However, there illustrators share this view. is a sense of security now that ELR payments can be relied on every year. Since the ELR scheme was introduced I’ve written five young More information adult books. I thank the government for its ongoing funding for both More information about the ELR school library survey is available PLR and ELR. In my opinion, lending rights are the best thing to have from www.esa.edu.au/scis/elr.html. happened for Australian writers. 14

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011 National Digital Learning Resources Network

New resources aligned travelling back through each decade Data visualisation tool and resources of Australia’s history and ends with two Following on from the DataGenie tool, to the Australian Before Time episodes that go further than which represented data in a range of ways, Curriculum the book’s 1788. Each story is told by the the feedback from history and geography child who lived in the same place. Both The National Digital Learning Resources organisations and experts highlighted the series include all the children from the Network resources are being used by need to see data visually, as students are book and three new characters, Dan (1788), teachers across Australia and New Zealand becoming very familiar with this through Waruwi (1788) and Bunda (Before Time), to improve student engagement and technologies such as Google Earth. are introduced in series 2. enhance learning. A variety of new resources The SpatialGenie tool addresses this need aligned to the Australian Curriculum and in The My place for teachers website contains in a much less complex way than existing line with developing technologies are being an exciting range of educational materials commercially available GIS tools, therefore added to the pool. designed to support teachers in exploring making it more accessible for teachers. A issues and contexts presented in My place, record may link to one or many datasets. Here is a look at some of the new resources both the book and TV series one and two. For example a record could take you to a available to you via your education series of datasets covering the past 10 years. jurisdictions. The extraordinary tale SpatialGenie allows the user to turn the sets The making of modern Australia of William Buckley on or off in a series. It can also be used to In collaboration with ABC Documentary, Education Services Australia has worked compare historical with contemporary data ten clips from the documentary The with the ABC to develop education resources by overlaying maps. Additional tools, for extraordinary tale of William Buckley that support the recently aired television example measurement tools, are also produced by December Films have series The making of modern Australia. embedded in SpatialGenie. been published, as well as the entire Twenty-one short clips have been selected To support its use, there are some teacher documentary. This documentary outlines from the series and are accompanied by resources accompanying the tool. These the life of escaped convict William Buckley teacher support materials that provide resources support the science and history as he attempts to survive in south-eastern ideas for addressing the history and learning areas of the Australian Curriculum. Australia in the early 1800s. Having escaped English learning areas in the Australian Victoria’s first convict settlement at Sullivan Datasets sourced include those from the Curriculum using the clips as a catalyst Bay Buckley was rescued by the Wathaurong National Library of Australia, GeoScience for further activity. A project kit is also people who he lived with for 30 years Australia and the Australian Bureau of available and it provides useful information before meeting up with John Batman’s Statistics. for teachers and students about preparing advance party. The clips provide a range of and uploading images, audio files and video For access to National Digital Learning historical perspectives including William files to the ABC’s The making of modern Resources Network resources please visit Buckley’s narration of his story to journalist Australia website: www.abc.net.au/tv/ www.ndlrn.edu.au or email [email protected]. John Morgan, Wathaurong cultural advisor makingaustralia/educationextras. David Tournier and contemporary historian My place for Teachers – Series Two Michael Cathcart. This offers the opportunity Rohini Mehta The second series of My place is currently to discuss the reliability and objectivity Education Services broadcasting on ABC 3. All education content of historical sources including critiquing Australia is aligned to the history and English learning colonial language and perceptions about The National Digital areas of the Australian Curriculum and is Indigenous Australians. Learning Resources now available at www.myplace.edu.au. Search for The extraordinary tale of William Network builds on ministers’ investment in The Learning The second series continues its adaptation Buckley via your education access gateway Federation initiative 2001–09. The of My Place, the children’s book written by to view the clips. Nadia Wheatley and illustrated by Donna national digital resource collection, Rawlins. This time the story starts in 1878, infrastructure and standards have been collaboratively developed and are jointly owned by all education jurisdictions. 15

ISSUE NO. 79 TERM 4 2011

Resources for classroom teachers

This page features highly recommended so fired up about writing that they don’t Comprehension First professional resources to support teaching want to stop when the class ends. Teachers Inquiry into big ideas using practice. Please visit www.curriculumpress. will learn how to select appropriate important questions edu.au for a full list of titles and to place digital tools, guide and involve students 320pp your order. in the learning process, and differentiate Author: Claudia instruction to meet individual needs. Cornett Literacy and Learning in the Publisher: Holcomb Through the author-educator’s inspiring Content Areas (3rd ed) Hathaway 416pp stories and lessons, teachers in the middle RRP: $64.95 Author: Sharon Kane years of schooling will discover how SCIS no: 1525689 Publisher: Holcomb technology-assisted writing can foster ISBN: 9781890871987 Hathaway innovation, global communication, and Years: 3–10 RRP: $69.95 creative problem solving ― developing

SCIS no: 1525664 responsible, productive digital citizens Comprehension First is about pedagogy that ISBN: whose inherent love of learning will travel makes comprehension the priority in reading 9781934432068 with them throughout their lifetimes. and content area study. The model presented Years: 6–12 Foundation Blocks: Knowledge responds to calls from literacy experts and

and Understanding of the World professional organisations for inquiry-based This book’s unique approach to teaching 208pp instruction that prepares readers to be active content area literacy will actively engage Author: Mavis meaning makers who are adept at both pre-service and practicing teachers in the Brown critical and creative thinking. very activities that they will use to teach Publisher: Education literacy to students. Rather than passively The book introduces a before, during and Services Australia learning about strategies for incorporating after Comprehension Problem Solving (CPS) RRP: $36.95 print, content area literacy activities, readers get process to help teachers ask key questions $21.00 ebook hands-on experience in such techniques that encourage substantial comprehension SCIS no: 1515033 as mapping/webbing, anticipation guides, based on themes and conclusions drawn from print, SCIS no: booktalks, class websites, and journal literary works and expository texts. It further 1391748 ebook writing and reflection. describes how to orchestrate research-based

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