District and Community ICT Connections
For this assignment, I will share the various district ICT resources I am currently connecting with.
1. SharePoint tabs: Modernization, Innovation Teams (*grant application), Collaborative Sites
2. Yammer (Social Enterprise Network): WVTL group
3. Colleagues: Pinterest, Live Binder It, Inquiry examples
4. West Vancouver Memorial Library: application to Board, Trustee
As a first year Teacher Librarian, I have found a wealth of information on my own district website. We TLs are encouraged (by our superintendent, principals, directors of technology and instruction) to be learning leaders in our schools. Inquiry and Technology are key focus points in many of our school goals. This is a timely position, because of the Ministry of Education’s emphasis on 21st Century Learning and Educational Change and the connections we have to literacy and ICT with all staff and students.
On our district website, there are several places to collaborate: email distribution lists (teacher librarians is one, my school is another), collaborative team sites (linked to wikis and shared folders), modernization and innovation team sites (for which there is grant funding*). This year I have used all of these areas to collaborate with various staff, but the best resource is an outside link to a social networking site called Yammer. After being invited to join our district group on Yammer, I was able to create a TL group where we could share website and video links, upload documents, photos, and presentations. We found it more powerful and user-friendly than our SharePoint spaces. It was here that we collaborated on a presentation we made to our school board for our vision of Learning Commons last Fall. The most interesting thing about Yammer may be how it came about. I became aware of it last Fall when I was invited by a tech team member, but other teachers are finding their district already has a group just by signing up for an account and searching. Interesting. I wonder if this is a MoE incentive or if (as suggested by Meryn) a group of teachers learned about it at a conference, and created groups for their districts.
*This coming year, some of us TLs are applying for an innovation grant to practice Inquiry methods (to better support our staff and students), as shown in my presentation.
I have really appreciated connecting with my colleagues in my ICT endeavors, and one person in particular I have learned a lot from was my grade 7 teaching partner. One great bookmarking site she showed me is Live Binder It. A link to this site sits on my toolbar, and when I want to add a website to my collections of binders, I click on this link. Another person I connected with during this course was a former colleague, now working at an International School. She has shared a few lesson plans with me that highlight the use of Inquiry.
Gandhi_Mao_SS9_Atlas Rubicon 6.10
One new connection I am seeking out is a partnership with my local library in the capacity of a Board member. I have submitted an application this week for this! West Vancouver Memorial Library I believe this library demonstrates ICT and literacy leadership as demonstrated by their recent renovation of the teen space, Room 14 (for teen).
Doni, thanks for posting about social connection methods in your ten minutes to fame blog. I have never heard of Yammer before but it sounds like there are a lot of teachers connecting on it. Once thing that I have been wondering about is how we can go about getting us as Librarians connected. First as a class, but then as a wider group. As Jenny keeps saying teachers need to lead the pack in educational change but how to we unite to do this? It seems like we need to all converge somewhere. Maybe Yammer is the answer? My hope is that we can all decide on one online social place to stay in touch at least as a class. I really commend you for seeking leadership as a community library board member! Teachers should have a voice in these wider community groups as well, we have lots to share. I am curious to know more about the modernization and innovation teams and where the grant is from?
It was great to have you sharing and demonstrating the existing resources in your district. I imagine the district tech people working to provide platforms and applications that nobody is using. Nobody is giving them feedback on what is working, or what they wish they were able to do but can’t. District technology based resources are not going to improve unless teachers actually figure out what they want and communicate with district tech people. Imagine being able to have a lunch with a tech once a month to discuss your ideas, your inspirations, and your limitations. That would really be something.