Part 2. Evaluative Report

Part 2. Evaluative Report 

As a Teacher Librarian (TL) I am completely inexperienced and as I near the end of my studies this elective has inspired me about entering the world of Library 2.0 as a TL2.0.

(a) Evaluative Statement 

The online learning journal (OLJ) for this subject documents my completion of module activities and exploration of social networking (SN) tools. The OLJ provides evidence of my achievement of the learning objectives of INF506.

The three experiences that will be the basis of this evaluative statement are Making Web 2.0 Work for Your Organisation, 4Cs of Social Media and Did You Know 4.0?.

Making Web 2.0 Work for Your Organisation involved critically examining the use of social networking (SN) tools by the State Library of NSW, South Carolina State Library (SCSL) and the New York Public Library (NYPL) to meet the information needs of their users. The SN tools of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, podcasts and instant messaging were of particular importance in understanding and addressing user needs, responding to feedback, building relationships and communicating with users and marketing the library.

The NYPL was a standout in their application of SN tools to meet the informational needs of their users, providing some fine examples of reasons why libraries should be on social media. The breath of their social media exposure demonstrates strength in applying features and functionality of SN tools to communicate with users and market themselves. The NYPL is a prime example of Library 2.0 successfully using web 2.0 tools.   

Making Web 2.0 Work for Your Organisation provides evidence of both SCSL and NYPL on how a Librarian 2.0 seeks information from users about how they learn and how they use the library. They then customise the library services in a meaningful way to communicate with users in collaboration with content creation. Librarian 2.0 brings the library to users.

The evaluation of Arizona State University (ASU) Libraries’ use of SN technologies to support informational and collaborative needs of groups, communities and organisations was highlighted through the 4Cs of Social Media post. It was evident by the completion of this activity that SN tools are only deemed valuable if they support the groups’ informational and collaborative needs.

The use of ASU Libraries Facebook page is an example where the SN tool is not maintaining a collaborative conversation with its community and therefore not adding value to the communication of the group. A post on ASU Libraries’ Facebook post (7 December 2013), regarding study tips, failed to engage users in any meaningful conversation. There was no collaborative conversation and with only 3 likes and 2 shares this post was hardly purposeful.

The Library Minute series had much to offer in that they were brief, informative and engaging. However, I did suggest the inclusion of ASU students in the production of the series to further incorporate collaboration and build community between the library and its users. Doing this will furthermore support the informational needs of students.

Schrier (2011) suggests five general principles for integrating social media in to a digital library’s overall strategic plan. These principles are listening, participation, transparency, policy and strategy. The application of these principles will prevent SN tools being used for the sake of integrating web 2.0 technologies without it being purposeful.

The OLJ post Did You Know 4.0? provides evidence of understanding social, cultural, educational, ethical and technical management issues and how information policy is developed and implemented. Young people are constantly being bombarded with endless content from a vast range of SN technologies and web2.0 tools. It is imperative policy development incorporates information literacy, digital literacy and digital citizenship. Did You Know 4.0? highlights the significance of information policy and media education addressing the implications of a digital footprint and ethical implications for young people around social media use.

The collaborative nature of SN technologies means everyone is exposed to content that is shared. Information policies protect all members of the community from misuse of the technologies. Developing information policies outlining acceptable use of such technologies is the first step in the process, informing and ensuring all users understand the policies is the next step and finally the implementation of information policies involves enforcing the policies and implementing action if required.

(b) Reflective Statement 

The study of INF506 Social Networking for Information Professionals has swung open the doors to web 2.0 for me. I have worked on a limited casual and brief part-time basis over the past seven years. My experience with web 2.0 technologies has been fairly limited and were outlined in the OLJ post Assignment #1 – First Entry.

The collaborative nature of our Facebook group has alerted me to a whole range of SN tools I have never heard of before, such as PaperLi, Flipboard, Hootsuite and Tweetdeck. I imagine once I start working again I will become more immersed in web 2.0 technologies, and acquire a thirst for learning, as I develop skills as an information professional. At this stage I am still wetting my feet with Twitter and Instagram. However, I feel very comfortable with Facebook, blogging and developing skills in creating wikis.

During the OLJ blog post, Creating the Online Learning Journal, I expressed frustration at typing all the blogs to follow from the subject outline in to blogger only to have them appear on my blogger homepage. I am pleased to report I was able to embed the blog list on the OLJ by playing around with the features and functionality of customising the blog.

Cohen (2006) argues libraries change slowly and Librarian 2.0 works with colleagues to accelerate the change. I appreciate the need for professional development for teachers in Library 2.0 and how myself, as an information professional, can collaborate with classroom teachers to meet the learning needs of students.

I am excited to be entering the field of TL. Based on my previous school, I see this an opportunity to reinvent the library in to a place where students engage in learning and move away from a Google search bar. I feel I am acquiring skills in bringing the library to students in a platform they prefer to use and hopefully encourage them to engage more with participatory library services.

Chawner (2008) categorised librarians in 4 roles based on their use of social media: content consumer (passive), content commenter (reactive) content creator (proactive) and content collector (current awareness). Depending on the social media technology being used I would assess myself as experiencing all of these.

In the blog post Assign#1 First Entry (26 November 2013) I described what I expected to learn from completing INF506. The following reflections are based on that post.

I expect to learn how I can use social networking more professionally.

I have learnt:

• to only use SN if there is a need for it. Don’t use a SN tool just for the sake of it. 
• Twitter is a useful tool to follow influential Librarians and successful Library 2.0 organisations.
• the value of setting up RSS feeds to have information come to me via the notification of updated content from blogs and websites.
• to update my blog list and keep it current.

I want to learn how to create a professional social media profile.

I have learnt to:

• use LinkedIn and form connections with past colleagues and potential employers.
• keep the LinkedIn profile industry-based and not a list of personal friends (that is what Facebook is for).
• keep my OLJ blog going and link it to my LinkedIn profile.
• maintain privacy and security settings on Facebook.
• change my Facebook profile photo to an image prior to applying for jobs and returning to Teaching.

I am expecting to learn how to interact with students in a way in which they want to interact. I expect to learn how to bring the library to students through social networking.

The blog post OLJ Activity – Building Academic Library 2.0 (5 February 2014), outlines the strategy of publishing a pathfinder to a class’ wiki the day an assignment is released. This post also outlines the strategy of creating a separate blog for different groups of library users. These two strategies bring users in to the library by interacting with them in a way they want to interact, and that is via social media.

In the blog post OLJ Activity – Second Life (28 January 2013) I reflected on my experiences with Second Life. While my experiences were fairly amateur I can appreciate with further involvement I may be able to create an environment that is reflective of my library. Students would be able to interact with the library in an online gaming manner.

I would also expect to learn further applications of social networking tools I already use.

Facebook

I have learnt to navigate various Facebook applications of closed groups such as the application of setting up files and the search tool within the group. I have also learnt how to create paragraphs in the comment box by using shift and enter together.

Pinterest

From the Facebook closed group for this subject I have learnt the creation of reading lists in Pinterest can be linked to a library’s OPAC (Rowley, 2013).

Blogger

Through the frequent use of my OLJ I have explored the many features and functionality of blogger. I am pleased to say throughout the session I have been able to apply the following applications to my OLJ:

• embed widgets such as search bar, blog list, blog feed, label tag cloud sorted alphabetically and comment box
• customise theme and layout
• describe the blog.

Despite my efforts though I have been unable to centre the heading. I am trying really hard to apply Cohen’s principle of not waiting until something is perfect to release it (Cohen, 2006).  

In conclusion, although I have developed many skills as a social networker this session I am only at the beginning of my journey towards being a Teacher Librarian 2.0. However, I feel I am well equipped to continue to develop as an information professional and create a dynamic Library 2.0. 

Reference List
Chawner, B. (2008). Spectators, not players:information managers' use of web 2.0 in New Zealand. Electronic Library, 26(5), 630-649. doi: 10.1108/02640470810910666  

Cohen, L. (2006). A Librarian's 2.0 Manifesto. Retrieved 30 January, 2014 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZblrRs3fkSU

Kim Rowley. (2013, November 26). Nadine Bailey, if you add the "pin it" button to the browser you are using, all you have to do is go to the record for a particular book in your OPAC, highlight the information you want to appear in the pin, eg. the book summary and click pin. It will give you the option to select a book cover and voila! Very easy and useful![Facebook post]. Retrieved from http://facebook.com

Schrier, R. A. (2011). Digital librarianship and social media: the digital library as conversation facilities, D-Lib Magazine, 17(7/8) July/August 2011. Retrieved from http://dlib.org/dlib/july11/schrier/07schrier.html 

OLJ Activity - Did You Know 4.0?

Watch this video carefully a second time, and identify five (5) examples of 'shifts' or trends that can have an impact on how individuals behave as a digital citizens.
   
1. Americans have access to :

• 1 000 000 000 000 web pages
• 65 000 iPhone apps
• 10 500 radio stations
• 5 500 magazines
• 200+ cable tv networks

 2. Print circulation: Newspaper circulation is down 7 million over the last 25 years.
     Online readers: But in the last 5 years, unique readers of online newspapers are up 30 million.

3. Wikipedia launched in 2001. It now features over 13 million articles in more than 200 languages.

4. Among larger U.S. companies 17% have disciplined an employee for violating blog or message board policies.

5. The mobile device will be the world's primary connection tool to the internet in 2020.

Then outline (in @ 400 words)  how you believe these behaviours can impact on the need for, and development of, information policy in organisations to address these behaviours. You may wish to explore these from either a user/customer perspective or employee/employer perspective, or a combination of both, and you may wish to consider this task within the specific context of your own library and/or organisation, or you can address this task in general terms.

The need for and development of information policy in schools

Young people today are bombarded with information, or content, coming at them from all areas of their life, the internet, their mobile phone and the more traditional tv, radio and magazines. The information they are receiving is generated by anyone with internet connectivity, including their friends and they are walking around with access to all this information in their pocket. 

With the vast volumes of information coming at them, young people need to be taught skills in filtering and evaluating information. They need to be taught critical thinking skills in evaluating the quality of information (Jenkins, Clinton, Purushotma, Robison &Weigel, 2006). It is essential that policy development involves information literacy, digital literacy and digital citizenship. 

Mobile phones with internet connectivity enable content to be easily uploaded to the web. The capability of this technology in the hands of teenagers, who often make spilt second decisions, means they can easily upload content before thinking of the consequences and implications for those involved. Issues pertaining to privacy and the disclosure of personal information should be considered in the development of information policy. 
 
Jenkins, et. al. (2006) argues an important goal of media education should be for young people to reflect on the ethical choices they make as contributors to social media and the impact they have on others. Cybersafety created a video called Tagged (Australian Communications and Media Authority, 2011) to highlight to young people the implications of uploading personal and private material online.

The nature and success of wikipedia encourages anyone to contribute and publish content online. The functionality of web 2.0 makes it easy to adapt or reproduce an existing work and many do so with little knowledge or regard for copyright law (The University of Melbourne, 2008). Addressing intellectual property rights, and in particular copyright, should be considered by schools when developing information policy.

Policy development in schools should involve consideration of social networking policies and online behaviours for both staff and students. The inclusion of acceptable use policies should be explicit in detailing both acceptable and unacceptable behaviour for online activity. Policies should also be clear in how negative comments and behaviour will be responded to.

Oxiem (n.d.) identifes the following key items for every policy:

• what is social media and how to use it
• reminders on confidential information
• define who is responsible and identify a main point of contact
• responsibility for what is written online
• identifying oneself as an employee
• what happens if the policy is violated

 

Australian Communications and Media Authority (2011). Tagged. Melbourne: Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved from http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Teens/Games%20and%20videos/tagged.aspx 

Jenkins, H., Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A. J., & Weigel, M. (2006). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. Available http://digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9C-E807E1B0AE4E%7D/JENKINS_WHITE_PAPER.PDF

Oxiem, (n.d.). Social Media Policy for School Districts. [Slideshow] Retrieved from [CSU Interact Material] (2014, February 6) http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/tool/dd356536-a961-421f-8072-ba3041ffb2e2/print_module.jsf?printModuleId=29393611

The University of Melbourne (2008, May 21). Wikis, Blogs and Web 2.0 Technology. Retrieved from http://www.unimelb.edu.au/copyright  

Is it a blog? Is it a Wiki? Is it a Facebook group? Or maybe a microblog? That is the Question!

Blog, wiki, Facebook group or microblog?????
That is the question!

I am deciding which social networking tool will best suit my Project.

The current tool is a wordpress blog. This seems suitable. However, I was thinking a wiki may be the way to go to enable the students and parents to contribute content. But after talking with my husband (let's call him 'the client') he does not want students and parents to contribute. That would require action on his behalf and with email, phone calls and text messaging already from parents who expect an immediate response, I can see his point. So I am back to siding with a blog.

I then had the thought of a closed Facebook group. But survey results have indicated only 43.33% would be interested in being a member of a closed Facebook group. 40% indicated they were not on Facebook, and a further 16.67% were on Facebook, but not interested in being a member of a closed group. That is, only 13 out of 30 respondents (to date) would be interested in a closed Facebook group, therefore this is not an appropriate social networking tool for this community.

Now for microblogging . . . My understanding to date of microblogging is that it is best suited to the workplace. Most of the boarding parents live in rural areas and the lack of reliable and fast internet connections can have implications for them. 

So I am back to thinking the blog is the way to go!

Social Networking Project

My project involves evaluating a blog my husband used this year to communicate with the parents of boarding school students. He is responsible for the care of around 50 Year 9 boys in an independent Catholic school in Sydney.

This year to increase communication between himself and the parents he set up a wordpress blog. His experience with wordpress stemmed from the utilisation of a blog for senior students in his curriculum area.

For the boarding parents he intended them to check in with his blog weekly. He posted a weekly newsletter to the blog, but also emailed the same newsletter. This had me thinking, how many parents are using the blog and how many just open their email. Other information on the blog were photos he had taken of the boys at school, leave forms (which are on the school website) and a map of their hometowns with a photo of each student taken at their home.

I felt he was not taking complete advantage of the blog for communication purposes. I believe he should not have emailed the weekly newsletter, but emailed occasionally to remind parents to be checking in with the blog weekly.

I also felt more information should be included in the blog such as:

• leave information, 
• details for weekend sport, 
• practical information for rural families visiting boys, such as what's on in Sydney and tourist attractions.

Preliminary reading of the survey I conducted of this year's parents and their use of the blog also revealed one respondent suggesting the need for information about visiting other schools for sport, such as venue details and where to park.

I am excited about revamping his blog and presenting it to him. 

Assignment #1 - First Entry

a.     define what social networking is in own words

Social networking creates communities and enhances relationships through online interaction and collaboration of communities with shared interests. Social media provides an avenue for social networking by the creation and sharing of content.

b.     list what social networking technologies and sites you already use (for personal, work, study)

Facebook

I am a user of and contributor to Facebook. I upload photos and content, share content, comment on others’ content, inbox message as well as instant message friends. I mainly use Facebook for personal reasons, but have recently used it for study purposes through closed groups.

Pinterest

I am a user of and contributor to Pinterest. I search through other contributors’ Pinterest boards and repin to my own boards. I use Pinterest mainly personally. http://www.pinterest.com/rowbyrne/

Blogging

As part of my study for Masters of Education (Teacher Librarianship) I had to create a blog of my learning journey through the course.

http://librarylearnings.wordpress.com/

I am also a user and occasionally contribute to others’ blogs by way of commenting on posts. I follow ‘Mummy bloggers’ such as The Organised Housewife for personal use. http://theorganisedhousewife.com.au/

YouTube

I am a user of YouTube and have never contributed to it. I have used YouTube both personally and professionally.

c.      describe what you expect to learn from completing INF506

By completing INF506 I expect to learn how I can use social networking more professionally as currently I use it mainly for personal use.

I want to learn how to create a professional social media profile so my personal social networking does not blur with my professional life. I am planning on re-entering the workplace in 2015 and I want a professional online profile to follow me.

I am expecting to learn how to interact with students in a way in which they want to interact. I expect to learn how to bring the library to students through social networking as a way to encourage them to bring themselves in to the physical space of the library as well as the online world of the school library.

I would also expect to learn further applications of social networking tools I already use. I am expecting to learn how to be more of a contributor and not just a user of social networking tools. I have seen already through the Facebook page that one student uses Pinterest for suggested books and links to the library’s OPAC. This is an example of learning more applications of tools I already use.