Unlearn to Learn

Tag: ICT

  • Mobile Devices In Developing Nations

    This week’s post explores how library projects in developing nations are creating new literacy opportunities for their users, expanding access to the internet and information databases, and how they support the needs of their communities.

    After a brief internet search for library projects in developing countries, I found several worthwhile endeavours. 

    The first project of interest I found is called Global Libraries and is sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  The goal of the project is “to improve the lives of information-poor people while positioning the world’s public libraries as critical community assets for learning, creativity, and community development” (Global Libraries, n.d.).  The project provided hardware and infrastructure to ensure local libraries receive free internet, as well as training for staff in the area of information technology.

    The next project I found focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) from the United Nations and discusses how libraries play an important, yet indirect role, in developing the health and welfare outcomes of those who access its services.  It is supported by The International Federation of Library Associations who claim that “Increasing access to information and knowledge across society, assisted by the availability of information and communications technologies (ICTs), supports sustainable development and improves people’s lives” (Ifla, 2016).  In Mongolia, for example, the Ulaanbaatar Public Library built two recording studios to create talking books, which hugely increased the amount of accessible material for many of the countries 15,000 blind and visually impaired people.

    Libraries Without Borders, on the other hand, reimagine the purpose and design of libraries.  They provide tools, resources and facilitators to collaborate with local communities and assist some of the world’s most vulnerable people.  The KoomBook, for example, is one of the tools they have developed to help those in need. If a community suffers a natural disaster or is suffering the effects of war, the KoomBook can be used as an offline digital library.  It is a device that can stream digital content including images, documents, and digital courses to nearby mobile devices during a crisis. Thus, alleviating some of the communications challenges that occur in dangerous times.  

    KoomBook

    The Development of Mobile Devices in Developing Countries

    ICT, mobile devices and the networks they connect to, provide access to important areas of knowledge and information such as science, technology and innovation.  Directly and indirectly, they allow cooperation and knowledge-sharing worldwide and should be regarded as an essential service. Living in North America, most of us are privileged to have access to the infrastructure, networks, and the latest digital technologies.  The same cannot be said for parts of the developing world. According to the United Nations assessment of ICT in the developing world many regions of Latin America, the Caribbean, Southern Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa have limited or no access to networks and mobile devices so many of their citizens remain in the digital wilderness (United Nations, n.d.).  The gap between the digital haves and the digital have-nots is vast and while we remain this digital economy that divide affects people in profound ways. A recent report carried out by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development suggested that increased mobile phone usage in developing countries improved women’s health outcomes and made them feel safer, more autonomous and self-confident.  In Tanzania, mobile phones were used to facilitate birth registrations and promote education around important public services (Borgonovi et al., 2018).

    Cell Phones Keep Shelves Stocked In Health Clinics In Developing Countries

    Summary

    Access to information should be a basic human right and mobile devices provide a simple and relatively cheap way for citizens in developing regions to enter the digital world.  All too often though, that entry point does not have the same privilege as it does in the western world due to poor network infrastructure and communication/information censorship.  Libraries play an important role in connecting their users to essential digital services. In some developing countries, especially rural areas, connectivity is so poor that libraries are the only entry point to the digital world.  They offer users access to the services they need, allow citizens to have their voices heard, and create opportunities for civic engagement (United Nations Development Program, 2012). Ultimately, it brings me a sense of comfort to think that libraries can play a small part in helping those around the world gain access to the information they need when they need it.

    References

    Borgonovi, F., Centurelli, R., Dernis, H., Grundke, R., Horvát, P., Jamet, S., … Squicciarini, M. (2018). Bridging the Digital Gender Divide. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/internet/bridging-the-digital-gender-divide.pdf

    Global Libraries. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://www.gatesfoundation.org/what-we-do/global-development/global-libraries.

    Ifla. (2016). ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL: How libraries contribute to the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Retrieved from https://www.ifla.org/files/assets/hq/topics/libraries-development/documents/access-and-opportunity-for-all.pdf

    Libraries Without Borders. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2019, from https://www.librarieswithoutborders.org/.

    United Nations Development Program (2012). Mobile Technologies and Empowerment : Enhancing human development through participation and development. 1–58. Retrieved from http://www.undpegov.org/mgov-primer.html

    United Nations. (n.d.). ICT offers great potential for development, but also risks. Retrieved October 24, 2019, from https://sdgpulse.unctad.org/ict-and-digital-gap/




  • Supporting Teachers’ ICT Curriculum and Pedagogy: A Personal Reflection

    This week’s post discusses ways teacher-librarians can support teachers in developing ICT curriculum and pedagogy and includes creative ways I have tried to meet the ICT needs within my school. 

    Before jumping into the specifics, I always like to find a model or theoretical framework to reference and connect my learning to, so when I think of ICT pedagogy two models come to mind, the TPACK and SAMR models of technology integration. 

    TPACK 

    TPACK stands for Technological and Pedagogical And Content Knowledge and is a framework for one to gauge how effectively one is integrating technology.  Basically, it is a theory to explain the knowledge that teachers need to teach their students a subject, teach effectively, and use technology. It is a new framework to me and quite complex but I am trying to develop a stronger instructional practice around technology usage so I am starting to explore it.   

    Reproduced by permission of the publisher, © 2012 by tpack.org

    SAMR

    I am more familiar with the SAMR model and as I start to develop more confidence in my teacher-librarianship practice, I can foresee a time when I reference these two models during workshops or presentations I host.  Like TPACK, SAMR helps users avoid using technology as a gimmicky add on, and instead use it to enhance their instructional practice in ways that would otherwise be impossible without technology.

    “Explanation of the SAMR Model” by Lefflerd is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

    SAMR/TPACK Playlist

    Office 365 sessions

    A colleague and I have been discussing our school’s use of Office 365.  We’ve noticed that not many staff members are utilizing this cloud-based productivity tool.  Most staff are saving their work locally on their machine or local on the network in the building, which means they cannot always access the information they need when they need it.  My school district has provided the full suite of tools to all students and staff, so my colleague and I are discussing ways to share some of the tools and workflows that we think will increase productivity and encourage easier collaboration.  One crude yet unobtrusive way I’ve been increasing awareness of Office 365 is though wearing a name tag with the statement, “Interested in using One Drive?” It sounds a bit weird but I often wear these kinds of name tags around the school for different purposes.  In fact, I’m upping my game and moving into the digital name tag realm. A more personal way I came up with is to host a series of mini-sessions after school around One Drive basics and an introduction to instant messaging app Yammer for interested staff.

    Staff meetings

    Once a month I’m given the opportunity to give updates on the library.  It is possible, although I haven’t tried it yet as it is only my second staff meeting, to share tidbits of information relating to ICT and information literacy.  I have a captive audience, so to speak, so it may be an ideal time. I would need to be succinct and to the point, with any information, I share as most staff wouldn’t appreciate going over time on a regular basis.

    Memo Share

    I have also been thinking about releasing some kind of weekly/monthly bulletin that I could also keep on the library website.  It could list things like app of the week, book reviews, book talks, productivity tools/websites, upcoming pro-d, tips on information literacy, and other important library news.  I don’t want it to be onerous for me or staff, so I’m still mulling over my options.

    Summary

    The act of sharing professional development ideas with other members of staff can sometimes be tricky.  Some people are very open with their practice while others are fairly private. In my experience there is no absolute right way to create learning experiences for students, so one person’s approach may differ from anothers’.  I’ve found that the best way to share professional development opportunities/ideas with fellow educators is to do so in a casual non judgemental way. I have found it most helpful to work at building relationships and developing trust with my peers and making sure above all that I value their time and honour their commitment.    

  • Developing One’s ICT Skills and Pedagogy

    This week’s inquiry post associated with my teacher-librarianship diploma explores pedagogy, ICT, and professional development as an elementary school educator.  I’ll also discuss some of the strategies, tools, resources and networks I use to deepen my understanding and knowledge of my new as a teacher-librarian.

    Power of Mentorship
    I am lucky because teacher-librarians in my school district have a long-established culture of collaboration. As teacher librarians, we meet bi-monthly to discuss a variety of issues and share our successes. Each meeting is held in a different library in the district so it also presents a unique opportunity to check out someone else’s library for inspiration. In addition, my district also offers mentor/mentee opportunities for anyone who is looking for support. I have just taken advantage of this service and I look forward to spending time with my vastly experienced TL mentor. One of the first things I plan to do is invite him into my library to critically evaluate the collection and suggest where I should be focusing my energy, as I look to improve the collection.

    Professional Development
    I believe that professional development is a personal endeavour and can be a frustrating experience if you leave it up to someone else to plan, organize, and direct. It has never been easier to tailor professional development to suits one’s needs. I’m excited to attend my first British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association (BCTLA) conference later this month. I am looking forward to the two sessions I signed up for, a discussion group on the topic of media and digital literacy, and a session in the afternoon title, Starting Strong – Strategies and Support for New Teacher-Librarians.

    The Power of Social Networks
    Social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have been influential in my development as an educator, and as I am a bit of an introvert these platforms have enabled me to make connections with people I wouldn’t normally have connected with.

    A recent example of the power of social networking that comes to mind occurred at the end of the last school year. In the closing months of the 2018-2019 school year, I secured my first teacher-librarian position. I knew that I would have to negotiate a very steep learning curve, so in preparation, I tried to anticipate some of the questions I would need answering and started to write them down. I then compiled them into a Google Form and shared it with the rest of my colleagues in my district. They were more than happy to offer insight, but I felt like I needed to hear from more people, so I shared the form on some of my preferred social networks using hashtags such as #teacherlibrarian #teacherlibrarianlife

    I use social media as a tool to deepen my understanding of my role, strengthen my instructional practice, share my learning, and reach out for help. Primarily, I use Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. I am most comfortable with Twitter because I have been using it for quite some time and understand it more than the others mentioned, but I’ve shifted to Instagram lately, especially when checking out other people’s book reviews. I have bought plenty of books of my own based on Instagram book reviews and I’m sure I’ll use it just as much when I order books for my library. I follow many libraries and librarians, as well as those directly and loosely connected to education. Some of my favourites include:

    https://www.instagram.com/kidsbookcentre

    ICT

    There are many digital tools I access that help me be more efficient in my job.  Both at work and at home I use cloud-based productivity tools like GSuite for Education and Office 365.  I prefer the Google product, as I find it simpler to use but at work, I have to use Office 365.  If and when I stumble across something online that I want to use at a later date I use the social bookmarking app, Pocket.  I like that I can save, categorizing and curate my links.  When I’m sharing links I like URL shorteners especially when I’m working with students as they are easier to remember.  I usually use bit.ly for shortening my URLs but there so many to choose from.     

    One area of ICT I’d like to utilize more is that of Connections Based Learning and virtual field trips. 

    We now have the digital tools to take advantage of these opportunities to connect students to their passions outside the walls of the school and beyond geographical boundaries.  My goal this year is to encourage my admin to invest in the hardware to make connections based learning a powerful tool.  

    Summary

    We live in a time when educators can take full control of their professional development.  Educators need no longer wait for their school districts to offer something that aligns their needs and pedagogy.  Instead, they can harness the power of ICT by using tools like Twitter, MOOCs, and Open learning platforms such as Coursera and OpenEdx. Ultimately, maintaining a practice of self-reflection is critical in order to determine one’s needs before thinking about professional development.