Two assignments finished!

Have finished two assignments one for 401 and the other 503.

Three key things that hit home for me were:

While implementing the changes, teacher librarians should gather evidence to show how the changes have positively impacted on student learning and how the students have benefited from them. “Move away from advocating the value of school libraries and start documenting tangible outcomes” (Todd, 2007). (Todd, R. J. (2007). Evidence-based practice and school libraries: from advocacy to action. . In S. Huges-Hassell, & V. H. Harada, School reform and the school library media specialist (pp. 57-78). Westport, CY: Libraries Unlimited.) 401

Improving the library webpage is essential. Boyd (2006, p. 62) states that “a school library webpage will promote library services and will provide timely and appropriate information and instructional materials to support the curriculum”. Studying best practice school library websites (Boyd, 2006, p. 64) and surveying the library users to determine what services they would like to see and use via the website are two ways of learning how to improve the library webpage. (Boyd, S. (2006). The connected library: A handbook for engaging users. Hawthorn West, Vic.: Utopia Press.) 503

I also realised that I need to improve my skills when it comes to databases and the "hidden curriculum".
Teacher librarians help the members of the school community find the most valuable information in the “hidden or deep internet” (databases or paid subscriptions) (McKenzie, 2010, The hidden internet section, para. 3). By teaching how to navigate through the surplus information available, TLs empower members of the school community with the knowledge on how to find appropriate and accurate material that meet their objectives. (McKenzie, J. (2010). Why we still need libraries and librarians. Retrieved April 1, 2010, from From now on - the educational technology journal: http://fno.org/mar2010/still.html) 401