Mobile Devices and Literacy

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The topic for this weeks blog was a challenge for me because it was on a topic I did not know a lot about. At first I was a bit confused because I thought "why are library projects in a developing nation relevant to me and what I do for my community"? Little did I know that I would learn about an important problem, but I would also learn about a great initiative that would challenge me to embrace a more global perspective and also think about those that do not have access to internet or computers. Here is what I learned this week.

The Problem

I know that access to books is an issue for developing countries and this is a barrier to literacy development. In our community we have an enthusiastic organization called Niteo that takes our weeded books to Africa. Not all weeded books are given, only ones that are still in good condition and in my opinion still useful. I believe that this does contribute in a small way to helping children and adults get access to books. After doing a little research the solution may not be just providing boxes of books that are shipped to developing countries, but more importantly opening access to books.

Mobile Devices

In a UNESCO study called Reading in the mobile era: A study of mobile reading in developing countries, research showed that that hundreds of thousands of adults and children in developing countries like Ethiopia, Nigeria and Pakistan are reading books on mobile devices (Flood). This is because developing countries have difficulties accessing print based books and computer and internet access is limited:

In 2012, in developing countries, while mobile phones penetration rate was 84,3%, there were 27,6% of households with a computer and 28 people using Internet for each 100 inhabitants. On the other hand, in the developed world mobile phones penetration rate was 123,6%, there were 75,5% of households with a computer and 73 people using Internet for each 100 inhabitants
(Da Rosa pg. 3)

Because mobile technology is being used by so many already it makes sense that this would be a key part of how to get books in the hands of those who cannot access them. According to the United Nations, of the approximately 7 billion people in the world over 6 billion have access to a mobile phone, making this not only the most pervasive ICT in history, but also a form of technology that has filtered into places where there are no books.(West pg. 16) This is also true for those living here in North America. Those that have difficulty accessing print books because of the cost and living circumstances are the ones that can be helped with accessing books by having a mobile device.

How do Mobile Devices Impact Literacy

In a survey done by UNESCO they asked why people read on their mobile devices. These were the reasons:

• 67% : It’s convenient; I always have my mobile with me
• 13% : It’s more affordable to read on my mobile; the books are free or inexpensive
• 9% : I prefer reading on my mobile phone to reading paper books
• 9% : I do not otherwise have access to books and stories
• 2% : Other (West pg. 37)

UNESCO’s study also stated that convenience is related to the fact that it is much easier to carry around a mobile device rather than multiple books. The fact that mobile devices have multiple uses and allow access to books at anytime of day adds to their convenience as a source for books (West pg. 38). The ability to read on mobile devices is clearly having positive effects on reading habits. In the UNESCO survey it found that:

• 62% of respondents are reading more, now they can read on their mobile phones
• One in three said they read to children from their mobile phones
• 90% of respondents said they would be spending more time reading on their mobile phones in the next year (Flood)

I knew that mobile devices were widely used in developing countries but I did not make the connection between mobile use and access to books and the positive impact this can have on literacy and more importantly opportunity.

Worldreader

Worldreader is an organization that I came across that is using this knowledge to “champion digital reading in underserved communities to create a world where everyone can be a reader” (Worldreader). They have three areas in which they do this:

1. Technology: They provide e-readers to schools in need through sponsorships, they have created Worldreader reading apps which allow anyone, anywhere to access the Worldreader digital library from a connected mobile phone or tablet and they work hard to optimize titles for the smallest screen sizes (Worldreader).

2. Curation: They actively curate books by African and Indian authors for their library, they help African and Indian authors and publishers translate and digitize their titles and expand their audiences and they collect donated titles.(Worldreader).

3. Fieldwork: They actively connect technology with communities as well as provide technical and pedagogical support. They also continually research and use data to make changes (Worldreader).

It is through this initiative that people who do not have access to print books can use mobile devices to access books so that they can “develop, sustain and enhance their literacy skills” as well as “open the door to life-changing opportunities and benefits” (Flood).

It wasn’t until I had done a little research that I realized that library projects in developing countries are relevant to me and what I do for my community.  What resonated most for me was that access to books is not just a problem for developing countries. Those who live in poverty, which is about 10% of my school population, can also lack access to print text therefore negatively impacting their literacy skills. This year is the first year that we have Overdrive which allows students access to ebooks and audiobooks via mobile devices. I had not thought of the positive impact access to these books might have on those that are not able to access print books. This blog question has also challenged me to think a little more globally and come up with ways that our school could become involved and contribute to initiatives like Worldreader.

Works Cited

Da Rosa, Isaias & Lamas, David. (2013). Mobile access to digital libraries in developing countries: a reflection on motives, options and sustainability. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259485595_Mobile_access_to_digital_libraries_in_developing_countries_a_reflection_on_motives_options_and_sustainability

Flood, Alison. (2014). “Mobile reading revolution' takes off in developing world”. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/23/mobile-reading-revolution-unesco-study-phones-africa-subcontinent

 
Wall Street Journal. (2014) How Mobile Devices Drive Literacy in Developing World. http://www.wsj.com/video/how-mobile-devices-drive-literacy-in-developing-world/D1FA19D6-A1C9-4C86-9C6A-4C020F5A5737.html

West, Mark, and Han Ei Chew. Reading in the mobile era: A study of mobile reading in developing countries. France: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2014, pp. 1–89. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002274/227436e.pdf

Worldreader. (2011) Worldreader: Books For All. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8WSYZ71Zfo

Leader, Partner and Promoter: The role of a TL in ICT Professional Development

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I inherited a library that until last year was underutilized by staff and students at my school. I have worked very hard to change the underutilized space to busy thriving LLC. Even though the changes have had a positive impact on students and staff, I still have a long way to go. I feel overwhelmed, but inspired to continue to meet the personalized needs of needs of my school community.

I am in a transitional phase right now in how I support teachers. Prior to my arrival there were no teacher supports offered through the LLC and as a result I have had to work very hard to change the perception of what services are offered. I am still in a transitional phase because I have not yet been able to reach all of my staff. There are some teachers with whom I have collaborated and co-planned/co-taught, and I have provided support to them. Because of this they realize the resources and supports available to them to support their professional development. There are others who are “too busy” to utilize the LLC but are aware of the services and supports, and there are some teachers who I need to reach because they are not aware of the opportunities for professional growth that can have a direct impact on our students.

With the ICT professional needs of my school community in mind I have outlined some ways that I can better support my colleagues ICT professional growth.  

Co-teaching

Collaboration has been an integral part of my professional growth and I know that it is the key to supporting teachers with ICT.

I also know that for professional growth in this area to be effective and have a positive impact on both teacher and student learning  it must model effective teaching pedagogy. A study, Effective models of staff development in ICT, looked at staff development around ICT and found that professional development  “based on pedagogy has had far greater impact on teachers’ use of ICT than any other type. Further, it indicates that there has been a great emphasis placed on technical and academic staff development and insufficient on pedagogy” (McCarney pg.70) This suggests that co-teaching has the greatest impact on teachers’ use of ICT.  While I was researching ideas I came across the article Coteaching: A Pathway to Leadership by Judi Moreillon and Susan D. Ballard that succinctly articulates the power of instructional partnerships in advancing teachers professional growth. It suggests that “through the development of instructional partnerships, school librarians can increase the impact of our expertise as information specialists, teachers, and program administrators” (Moreillon and Ballard pg. 6). Just what will this look like? In order to meet the diverse needs of students and teachers, TLs need to be a part of the planning, teaching, assessing and reflecting process:

We practice the best kind of professional development—job-embedded professional development—when we coteach actual students in real time, using the taught curriculum, available resources and tools, and within the supports and constraints of our particular learning environments (Moreillon and Ballard pg. 6).

I am currently involved with several instructional partnerships and the professional growth for me personally has been significant. I always feel that I am learning more from them then they are learning from me, and this creates a reciprocal mentoring opportunity. This is the power of instructional partnerships and I continue to look for new opportunities.

Promoting and Communicating

I know that I need to find a way to reach out to those who I have not worked with yet and are not aware of the professional development opportunities available to them through the LLC. I prefer face to face interactions but I realize that not everyone is ready or willing, whether it is simply because they are too busy or maybe just not ready. I need to not only promote the LLC’s physical services and supports, but also the virtual services and supports. I have been working on the LLC website since I started two years ago but I realize that there are many teachers who don’t know about it or are not using it to its full potential. I have three ways that I would like to promote both the virtual and physical capabilities:

1. Create a Library news blog that is posted on the library website where I can showcase what is happening in the LLC, post how-to tech solutions, share ideas and share resources. I was able to find a great link that has many examples that I can look at to get inspiration:

https://www.theedublogger.com/2015/07/15/23-great-library-blogs/

2. Fight for time at staff meetings to promote co-teaching and provide examples and have other teachers share their experiences. Although I have very supportive administration, I am often put at the end of staff meetings and we often run out of time. Alinda Sherman in Three in one: teacher, information specialist, leader states how administration plays an important role in supporting TLs and can enable this by “providing professional development sharing opportunities for the TL to demonstrate to teachers that the TLs collaborative teaching program is effective” (Sherman pg. 6).
   
3. Send out interactive tech tutorials or updates. I can send these out when there is a tech issue that can be solved by a series of steps or a short video. Our district tech department has great examples of both:

Video Tutorial: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7CF1hY_5tjPekZRX3o1NmhRRDg/view?usp=sharing

Tech Updates:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7CF1hY_5tjPR1RzVmoyM29Ebms

Although these ideas are not revolutionary, they are definitely areas where I can promote the LLC services and supports and perhaps reach some of the teachers that are not using the professional development supports and services. They are also areas where I need to continue my own personal professional development in order to meet the ICT needs of my school.

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Web 2.0

Prior to taking this diploma I did not consider myself very good at technology. When I became a TL and started my diploma I had to make a decision. Would I let my insecurities limit me or would I just dive in and see what happens because I had nothing to lose. Now that I am in my final 2 courses I realize that I have learned so much and have been able to share that with my school community which for me has been very rewarding. I still have so much to learn and feel that right now there are several specific skills that I need to focus on in order to better support my colleagues ICT professional growth.

1. Learn to make a simple tutorial using a tool such as Screencast-O-Matic. This would help those that have tech issues solve them without me having to be there. This would free me up and allow them to access support from anywhere anytime.

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2. Learn to post videos on YouTube. This would be helpful for library resources as well as supporting students who are making videos.

Image courtesy of: https://www.youtube.com/yts/img/yt_1200-vfl4C3T0K.png

3. Using Google Classroom to collaborate virtually with teachers and students.

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These are just a few of the areas that I need to develop in order to better meet the needs of my community. Research by O’Brien and Wisbey demonstrates that when TLs are involved in building a dynamic online learning and community environment, they become more well known throughout the school:

There is real respect for their skills and knowledge and, importantly, they are seen as educators with an effective knowledge of pedagogy and the uses of ICT to enhance the education of their students. (O’Brien and Wisbey pg. 34)

The power in this is that the LLC has the potential to become the physical and virtual hub of a school.

I believe that right now the most responsive way to support the diverse of needs of my educational community it through co-teaching. Working side by side together will be most the effective way to meet the ICT professional needs of my community. For me to be an effective leader I need to better communicate and promote the services and supports of the LLC as well as continue to develop and expand my personal ICT skills and tools.

Works Cited

John McCarney (2004) Effective models of staff development in ICT, European

Journal of Teacher Education, 27:1, 61-72, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0261976042000211801

Moreillon, Judi and Susan D. Ballard. "Coteaching: A Pathway to Leadership." Knowledge Quest, vol. 40, no. 4, Mar/Apr2012, pp. 6-9. EBSCOhost, ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=82578135&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

O'Brien, M., and J. Wisbey. Access (Caulfield East): Building a Dynamic Online Learning and Community Environment. 22 Vol. Australian School Library Association, 09/01/2008. Web. 20 Oct. 2017. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=8a1491ce-f299-40ea-9e3d-03fce6856c06%40sessionmgr4009

Sheerman, Alinda. Access (Caulfield East): Three in One: Teacher, Information Specialist, Leader. 27 Vol. Australian School Library Association, 06/01/2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2017. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=30fed0a7-3a2d-477e-8d24-0cc763401ac9%40sessionmgr4006

TEDxTalks. The power of co: Angela Rasmussen & Andrea Reid at TEDxCCS. Dec 19, 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CVtMmNnBFE

Collaboration is Key!

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In order to for me to continue to develop my skills, pedagogy, and professional development I need to be collaborating. Whether it is learning a new tech skill, teaching a new unit or embarking on a renovation of space, I need to be working with others. In this post I will outline a few collaborative relationships that have been instrumental in developing my knowledge, experience and skills, relationships I plan to continue using for collaboration.

Teachers

Collaborating with my fellow teachers has been and continues to be one of the most powerful learning environments. It was not until I became a TL that I really experienced the power of collaboration. Working together and sharing ideas really helped me to see that everyone has unique ideas and ways of doing things, and when you come together the knowledge is just so much greater. One thing that I have learned when collaborating with fellow teachers is the importance of not just planning together but also teaching, assessing and reflecting together. A big part of becoming a successful TL includes going through the process from start to finish, reviewing what went well and what didn’t and having someone to share your thoughts and next steps with.

When collaborating I always try to incorporate ICT into the units that I plan with teachers. I ask them what they would like their students to learn or what skills they would like their students to develop, and we try to figure out which tech tools will best meet their needs. I am currently working with a teacher on a short story unit and she wanted her students to use technology to collaborate with each other. We both use GAFE, but we were not very familiar with using Google classroom. I was able to arrange for a district technology person to come for a lunchtime session and help teachers set up their Google classrooms. We also  attended a workshop during our implementation day that was a little more advanced that allows us to experiment with more advanced features in Google classroom. This collaborative learning experience has not only allowed me to learn how to set up and run Google classroom, but it also allowed others who were interested to participate in this learning opportunity. I feel that I can now better help and support others if they are wanting to use GAFE. I would not have pursued this learning if I had not collaborated with this teacher.

District Technology Experts

As part of my role as TL I am responsible for the technology at the school. I work with a school based technician and district staff to help troubleshoot technology problems, help implement and organize how technology is allocated, and help with school based professional development and in-service sessions. Our collaborative relationship is such that I am able to run ideas by them, they give me suggestions, and we make big decisions together so that our school's technology needs are met. This is a little bit humorous because prior to being a TL I was not known for being tech savvy. This is definitely something that I have had to learn quickly, but this has been a very rewarding part of my job because I am able to assist staff and students in obtaining the skills and knowledge to help them learn. Collaborating with school level and district staff is the only reason I am able to be effective in my role.

Teacher Librarians

There is a great network of TLs in my district. Many get together once a month to share information, ideas and anything that is important. This is a wonderful group of who are willing to work together and help each other. Some of us have embraced the LLC and others are still working in a very traditional setting. What is really great is that we are all willing to help each other out. An example of this was in my first year as a TL I knew that I needed to get an new website up and running, but I had never created a website before. Two TLs in particular helped by giving suggestions, tips and supported me throughout this process. To this day we still work closely and I know that if I need help all I need to do is ask.

Instructional Leadership Team

The Instructional Leadership Team is a “team of educators from the Central Okanagan Public Schools in Kelowna, B.C who collaborate with groups of educators from all of the district’s 43 schools in iterative cycles of co-planning, co-teaching, and co-learning.” This is a collaborative resource that I use in many different ways to help continue my professional growth. There are members who are assigned to my school who are currently helping myself and another teacher to co-plan and co-teach an inquiry unit. There are also many resources on their website and on our school drive that I can access. Like I have stated before I have a network of people that I feel comfortable asking for help and support, and they are willing to help in any way they can to support us at our school. It is through this collaborative relationship that I feel I can take risks to learn new things. In fact I feel so supported that I often bring others with me so we can learn together.

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For now I feel that I have a great collaborative network that is not only pushing and challenging me to grow, but also providing support and resources for that growth. As I am learning, whether it is how to use a tech tool or planning an inquiry unit, I am connecting with others to share that knowledge and it is through this process that I am to learn so much more.

 

The Joy of Reading

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Reading for pleasure and giving choice to students are two areas that I have been working on to try to foster a reading culture. There is ample evidence demonstrating that both of these factors have a powerful impact on student achievement. Stephan Krashen speaks about it in The Power of Reading, and Dawn Finch writes about the research that supports these concepts in Reading for pleasure and empowerment. Based on these findings I started two initiatives that have been successful, and I am currently working on another one. Hopefully I can continue to foster a positive reading culture in my school.

The first initiative was started two years ago when I worked really hard to update our English Language Arts novel book room. In the past it was filled with class sets of novels with the majority of them being classics or published at least 10 years ago. Certain class book sets were only to be used by certain grades.  In talking with our school planning team it was decided that instead of purchasing class sets of novels we would purchase sets of 10-15 so that we could have more titles and thus more choice for students. We would also provide professional development to teachers for using Literature Circles in their classrooms.

I was really excited because I had worked very hard to find books in a variety of genres that would also cater to all types of readers. We had science-fiction, true stories, fantasy, graphic novels, mystery, humour, historical fiction and dystopian and many other types, and students could choose a book that they wanted to read. What better way to foster the joy of reading? I also did not put books into grade groups because I felt that there were enough choices and options.

About half of the English teachers at my school were ecstatic and couldn't wait to share all the novel choices with their students. Many of them had read the new novels and loved them. The other half were really upset because the classics they had previously used were either no longer available, or only 10-15 were available. They were also upset because they didn't know what Lexile level the new novels were and how were they going to match their students with the proper level of book. They did not want their students reading something that was too easy. Interestingly enough, they had not read the new novels.  I was so deflated and really was thinking that what I had done was a disaster. I talked to our school planning team and voiced my concerns and frustrations. My vice principal put the following article in my mailbox  Every Child, Every Day.

This article demonstrated the importance of students reading books they choose based on what interests them. After reading the article I felt that I had professional data to backup my cause. Later on in the year, students who were participating in literature circles came into the library in droves, many excited about the new books and looking for a sequel or another book like the one they had read. The enthusiasm was very noticeable. What started to happen was students who were not doing literature circles started asking their teachers why they were not doing them. Pressure was being put on the teachers from the students. This year there are more teachers wanting to try literature circles and are starting to see the power of choice.

The second initiative was specifically geared toward grade 9 English teachers at my school. They were the ones most reluctant to the change I spoke about earlier, so I created a bibliography of novels. I also put together a literature circle unit that I offered to co-plan and/or co-teach with them. The intent was to try and open them up to new philosophies about reading: allowing choice and reading for pleasure. I tried to anticipate every possible student: reluctant readers, voracious readers, ELL students, resource students, readers who struggle and everything in between.  I also had students read and provide feedback on the books I had selected. Knowing that some of the teachers were still teaching novels that would be considered classics I wanted to provide a variety of genres as well as formats so that they could be exposed to the endless possibilities of choices available to teachers and students.

In the face of adversity, what causes some individuals to prevail while others fail? This was the inquiry question that I prepared for grade 9 English teachers at my school, and that I asked their students to answer in the Literature Circle Unit. The idea was that by having students look at different characters and the unique situations they face they would be able to articulate the character traits, choices, attitudes, and mindsets that are necessary to overcome adversity. By comparing and discussing the differing characters, situations, environments, beliefs, and values in the variety of novels, students would hopefully be able to define what resilience, grit and survival mean to their characters. The hope was that through this inquiry students would carry their knowledge of survival and resiliency over into their own lives, and this would allow them to see that adversity can be overcome, and what it takes to overcome it.  

Finally the initiative that I am currently working on is creating an online presence for the LLC. Currently students can browse the school library catalogue, use tools on the library website like Bookseeker and LibraryThing, or ask me to help them if they need a book to read. We have ordered Overdrive and should have it up and running this week. This will allow students to take out eBooks and audio-books from wherever they are 24 hours a day. My hope is that with this technology students will be better able to get their hands on books that they are excited to read or listen to, and will have a positive effect on the reading culture of my school.

Works Cited

Finch, Dawn. "Reading for pleasure and empowerment" The Library and Information Association. Posted on 3 August 2015. Retrieved Oct. 6 2017. https://www.cilip.org.uk/blog/reading-pleasure-empowerment

Allington, Richard L, and Rachael E Gabriel. "Every Child, Every Day". Reading: The Core Skill.

March 2012,Volume 69, Number 6.Retrieved Oct. 6 2017. http://www.prn.bc.ca/lyrics/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Every-Child-Every-Day.pdf