P J Buckley, in collaboration with Megan Daley and Jackie Child, presents the
findings of the St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School Junior Library case study
which sought answers to the following question.
Contents
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...........................................................................................................3
2. NATURE OF THE STUDY..........................................................................................................4
3. COMPLETING THE CASE STUDY...............................................................................................6
4. CRITICAL EVALUATION OF CASE STUDY DATA.........................................................................8
5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................13
6. REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................14
7. APPENDICES.........................................................................................................................16
A. Phone call with Jackie Child................................................................................................17
B. Meeting with Megan Daley and Jackie Child......................................................................19
C. Email to teachers requesting responses to survey..............................................................21
D. Megan and Jackie’s social media networks and recent presentations...............................22
E. Email and Twitter call requesting responses from teacher librarians.................................24
F. Summary of results from parent survey.............................................................................26
G. Parent comments...............................................................................................................30
H. Summary of student responses..........................................................................................36
I. Comments from students...................................................................................................39
J. Summary of teacher responses..........................................................................................45
K. Summary of peer responses...............................................................................................49
L. Peer comments..................................................................................................................52
P J Buckley Case Study findings
1. Executive Summary
Little data exists on the impact of Makerspaces programs in educational settings. One
dynamic program occurs at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School Junior Library where teaching
partners Megan Daley and Jackie Child blend high- and low-technology Makerspaces with
literature, producing project-based learning activities through which students rotate in their
library lessons. Four stakeholder groups were surveyed about community reach and impact
on student and teacher learning. Overall, the results were positive, indicating it stimulates and
engages students, and has support and appreciation from parents. Whereas responses from St
Aidan’s teachers were insufficient, Megan and Jackie are touted in the librarian community
as leaders in their field. It is recommended that the library program continue its current
direction, and that Megan and Jackie further exploit social media to strengthen their standing
across the school and the wider community.
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2. Nature of the Study
Megan Daley and Jackie Child have job-shared at St. Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School Junior
Library for six years. A new library was built in 2012, and the teacher librarians reassessed
their own roles, and the role of the space in a climate of tightened budgets, fewer students,
and increased expectations of academic success in a post-GFC world.
The concept of Makerspaces is not new, but the name is. Coined in 2005 (Cavalcanti, 2013)
by the Make Group, the movement has gained momentum across the world in educational
and other settings (Educause, 2013). There are both high- (‘Hackerspaces’) and low-
technology Makerspaces, but both promote self-directed learning and collaboration,
emphasising creativity and sharing (Moorefield-Lang, 2015). Teacher librarians embraced
this movement to reinvent their spaces (Koh & Abbas, 2015), knowing hands-on programs
reflect 21st-century teaching and learning, and support classroom work. The Digital
Technologies Curriculum (DTC) (ACARA, 2016) was released in 2013 at the perfect time to
validate Megan and Jackie’s work. Even as the DTC remains in limbo (Sharwood, 2015), it
still provides a relevant framework.
While many libraries have incorporated Makerspaces, Megan and Jackie don’t only provide
the usual lunchtime activities. They created a formal library program connecting Makerspace
components to the DTC, (Child, 2015), and linked it to a literature component. Each class in
the junior school has one 45-minute lesson with either Megan or Jackie. Classes are divided
into groups which rotate through a series of activities, ensuring variety and equitable access.
Each year level’s activities are both scaffolded and developmental, catering for needs. Strong
links to classroom activities, and appropriate explicit teaching of ‘library skills’ like writing
bibliographies, critically evaluating websites for authentic information, and inquiry skills are
incorporated as needed.
To offer this wide range of activities and experiences, Megan and Jackie have updated their
skills, and transformed a personal hobby, especially in Jackie’s case (Appendix A) into
formal instruction. These competencies are often overlooked, as is the work outside school
time that enables their rich connected learning environment (Koh & Abbas, 2015). There is
little understanding how to achieve these competencies; perhaps university courses in
librarianship should address these concerns in future relevant units (Koh & Abbas, 2015).
P J Buckley Case Study findings
Of the 221 students in the Junior School, two streams are in each upper year level, and one is
in the lower classes (prep, years 1, 2 and 3). Most classes are small, although the kindergarten
is comprised its full complement of 25 girls and boys. Along with library lessons Jackie
teaches a Year 6 Geography class and takes sport, and Megan teaches Extension English to
several year levels. They have access to one library technician shared with the senior library,
equivalent to one full day over the week.
Little data exists about how this kind of library program impacts learning, and we saw this as
an opportunity. While there are descriptive articles about the Makerspace movement
(Cavalcanti, 2013; Miller, 2016), and more about how to place them in a library (Houston,
2013; Moorefield-Lang, 2015; & Stephen, 2015), there is scant record of evidence-based
practice. Along with contributing to the library community, Megan and Jackie want to
present the findings to their school to demonstrate the worth of the library.
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3. Completing the Case Study
The first interview with Megan and Jackie (Appendix B) investigated the classroom impacts
of the library program, and perception of the library from users, teachers, and parents. It was
important to discover if skills taught were demonstrated in classrooms, and assess any
improvement opportunities. We discussed who to survey and what to ask. Students and
teachers were the prime targets, and I made a case to include parents. The surveys were
designed via email, and adjusted in collaboration with study peers. They are descriptive
surveys of the kind often employed for how-and-why questions (Baxter & Jack, 2008).
The first survey designed was for parents. The final version was published through the school
newsletter, emails from Megan, and requests from classroom teachers. In two weeks there
were 28 responses, primarily from Year 4 and 6 parents, but also kindergarten and Year 1
parents.
Teachers were our priority. They are in the best position to observe and articulate skills
transfer. Their insights would identify whether and how library lessons support classroom
learning. With only ten teachers in the junior school, it seemed easy to retrieve data through
this survey which Megan emailed (Appendix C). Megan emphasised the last week of Term 3
was extremely stressful; only two teachers responded. We left this survey open until October
7, and two more teachers added comments.
Surveying the students was important to establish their perception of library lessons. We
wanted to provide some language, but also let them use their own words to describe their
understanding. The upper year levels (Years 3 to 6) were targeted. Jackie was particularly
keen to highlight the importance of learning enjoyment. We wanted to know how true that
was for the girls. During library lessons, Megan emailed a survey to students. Two full
classes, one Year 4 and one Year 6 responded, and several individuals from Year 6, but there
was only one student from Year 3. There were no responses from Year 5, possibly because
the survey was distributed by email while Year 5 communicates via Edmodo. Of the 140
students in Years 3 to 6, 48 (34%) students responded. While this figure is lower than
expected, it’s likely more data would have reinforced the positive result.
Megan and Jackie embody the characteristics of 21st-century teachers and learners,
encouraging enquiry, and sharing their journey and knowledge across social media
(Appendix D). This networking has led to invitations to present at network meetings,
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conferences, panels, and webinars. If educators present a unique or useful experience,
conferences such EDUTech, and associations like ALIA and QSLA offer further
opportunities, which increases reach. It was hoped a survey would gauge how far this sharing
extends. This survey was developed and sent out a week after the first three. Calls for
responses went out on discussion lists and Twitter (Appendix E), and 17 colleagues
completed the short survey—almost all positive and supportive of Megan and Jackie’s
efforts.
Further interactions with the two teacher librarians occurred through email and Facebook
messenger. Most communication centred on despair at the lack of responses, and
administrative questions about class size, explanations of methodology, and requests for
documents.
In retrospect, the case study was unfortunately timed; we distributed these four separate
surveys in the last two weeks of Term 3, limiting responses. Megan and Jackie were working
full-time to replace the secondary teacher librarian who was on long-service leave for the
whole term, and Jackie was overseas for the last two weeks. Junior school staff were
inundated with marking, and unfortunately, at one point, for several days, the email system of
the school was unavailable.
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4. Critical Evaluation of Case Study Data
While the response rate was disappointingly low, the results submitted were generally
positive, so it’s likely more participants would have reinforced the chorus of respect and
encouragement. Each group will be discussed separately, but there are correlations across the
groups. With positive support from the adults, and contentment from students,
recommendations will favour continuation over improvement.
Parent Survey Analysis
Responses came from 28 parents, and overall they were positive. Distribution across year
levels was uneven. Most parents responded to most questions, although question 5 had a low
response rate. Appendix F summarises the results, and Appendix G provides all unabridged
comments. The data suggests parents who responded are those who have positive
associations with the library or the teacher librarians. Only one was negative, concerning his
or her daughter’s preference ‘to run around’ at lunch time. This was the only parent who
claimed activities ‘are only open to a certain audience… not the full school’. Everyone else
praised the programs as ‘vibrant,’ and ‘child focused’, encouraging ‘creativity and
imagination’ with a ‘holistic approach’, and the teacher librarians as ‘unbelievably
passionate’, ‘incredible’, making the girls feel ‘welcome and inspired’. This affirms Megan
and Jackie’s approach, and indicates their reach into the community.
One parent wrote with gratitude about her dyslexic daughter’s enjoyment of the ‘inclusive
and fun’ program. Another called the space ‘safe’, and others indicated their daughters loved
being there. There was evidence that parents knew about coding and robotics, however, most
of the comments related to books and reading. St Aidan’s parents value literature, and
recognise how reading benefits children. Some mentioned the opportunities for children, and
the tone was never one of privilege or expectation, rather gratitude and appreciation.
Some popular and recognisable activities, such as Earth Angels and the mother-daughter
book club, are in Megan and Jackie’s own time. Both are promoted by the school marketing
team who acknowledge the library programs attract students; however, this isn’t reflected in
the data—almost half the respondents either said they knew little about the library program,
or skipped the question, and yet all ticked at least one activity. Is this a self-promotion or
construction-of-question problem? One recommendation is to promote directly to parents,
attributing the activities to the teacher librarians to ensure acknowledgement.
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Based on the responses, parents of students in the junior school are aware of the work of the
library, and are impressed and content. All of the respondents agreed the library program
benefits their daughters, so this is the best news to hear.
Student Survey Analysis
Only 35% of students responded to the survey; nonetheless, students seemed honest and
provided interesting data (Appendix H). Overwhelmingly, students said they enjoyed library
lessons—the majority chose the top two categories in the last question. These affirmations
support Megan and Jackie’s intent to offer engaging lessons. The comments (Appendix I) are
split between girls who prefer reading, and those who like to code or hands-on create,
although reading is slightly more popular. When students wrote about their enjoyment, they
mentioned ‘variety and fun’, ‘competitions’, ‘great to explore’, and ‘different’, ‘fun hands on
stuff’. Makerspaces offers learners an opportunity to investigate, collaborate, and control
their learning (EDUcause, 2013), so it’s heartening to see Megan and Jackie’s encouragement
of inquiry learning is valued by their students.
Although reading dominated the skills students believed transferred to classrooms, it’s
pleasing that designing and problem solving scored as high as bibliography creation and
searching. Megan and Jackie endeavour to build resilient individuals with multidisciplinary
skills. The more intangible skills are inherent to Makerspaces, and more difficult to teach
than content or essay structure. While students selected many skills, their articulation was
less clear. One wrote, ‘we do it in class time with the teacher’. Does that mean library doesn’t
teach any skills? However, some students indicated library lessons helped, repeating the word
improved. A recommendation from this data is to explain how library activities align with
classroom work.
Girls are encouraged into science-related fields of study. This survey was an opportunity to
determine if Makerspaces-related coding and robotics was effective. This is split down the
middle; the data indicates there is still far to go. A recommendation is to repeat this survey in
two years to identify if increased exposure leads to increased interest.
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Figure 1
Surprisingly students at St Aidan’s have opted for additional assessment, but perhaps they
have not thought it through. Narrowly, more students indicated library projects should be
marked, and many included a comment. The majority of students who chose no (Figure 1)
believe they already have enough assessment. They also believe library projects are more
about fun, and they don’t want to have to think about assessment. One astute student argued,
‘What exactly would you grade it on? There are many different things in library to do’, and
another wrote, ‘these are things we do all-out, not the neat, little things teachers expect’, an
insightful comment about how assessment has become streamlined and prescriptive.
Figure 2
The yes case can be divided into three (Figure 2). Students value library, and the idea that
important must align with assessment shows students believe teacher rhetoric. Students have
always indicated assessment as a motivator. They are aware how schools work, and apply
those understandings in their attempts to achieve, and to keep teachers happy. A
recommendation from data is that the teacher librarians hold discussions with students about
assessment, what it achieves, and why library should remain unassessed.
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Overall, students’ responses reflect their upbringing. These are daughters of educated parents
who value learning and reading. They are compliant and conditioned to believe academic
success provides long-term rewards. It is affirming that they value Megan and Jackie’s
attempts to provide a variety of stimulating, self-directed experiences. Both parents and
students wrote enthusiastic comments about access to a wide variety of reading material, and
a strong recommendation is that Megan and Jackie continue to supply high quality texts to
maintain student interest in reading for pleasure.
Teacher Survey Analysis
From a possible ten there were only four responses. One objective of this survey was to
identify transferrable skills, but though all responders indicated the program benefits
students, none identified any skills. Perhaps the question should have nominated them.
Instead, teachers briefly noted their students’ interest and enjoyment of visiting the space.
Each teacher demonstrates a different degree of understanding of what the library program
can achieve. One interesting outcome is that each respondent represents a different teacher
type. Appendix J sets out the responses, and includes a table mapping teacher type to
response.
Teacher #1 represents an experienced teacher who sees the library traditionally, focusing on
books. While he or she acknowledges the library offers ‘different related activities’, there is a
desire to return ‘to the basics’, and ‘focus on pure reading’. Older teachers sometimes express
these feelings, and teacher librarians work with them to update their knowledge, skills, and
understanding of new technologies.
Teacher #2 represents someone who appears to be new and possibly young. He or she has a
better grasp of technology, and implores library staff to ‘teach me to code!’ This person
wants the library to take a leadership role by developing technology classes. Phrases like
‘excited to be in a school with an innovative library’, and ‘the staff of the junior school
library generously share their expertise’, indicate this teacher is keen to collaborate.
Teacher #3 has a strong relationship with the library, is well informed about offerings, and is
supportive and appreciative. Unfortunately no comments for questions 2 and 4 were added.
Librarians love to work with these teachers.
Teacher #4 had the least to say, and was the most negative. The survey seems an obligation.
Describing the activities offered by the library program as unique in quotation marks suggests
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a lack of belief in the value of their uniqueness. It indicates scepticism, reinforced by the
response of no to the question whether library programs benefit the community. To go on to
comment ‘If it does I am not aware how’ suggests a disinterest in school events. Calling this
teacher independent reflects the way he or she interacts with the school community.
This data provided by teachers reinforces what Megan and Jackie already know. Their
teachers are on a spectrum of interest and skill, and need appropriate support. One
recommendation is that Megan and Jackie plan to accommodate diverse needs using this data
as a guide.
Peer Survey Analysis
Appendix K is a summary of the responses to the peer survey. Appendix L provides all
comments. Of the 17 respondents, 3 hadn’t heard of Megan and Jackie’s program. The others
responded positively. While some could name Megan and Jackie, most spoke specifically
about Makerspaces or literature, and several connected them. There were frequent references
to Megan’s blog, in which she continually shares the journey. Megan’s reach extends via
Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (Appendix D).
Jackie’s blog is newer, but there is demand for her insights into quality Makerspaces
activities and materials. Social media has kept teacher librarians aware of many aspects of the
library program. Megan and Jackie’s confidence with these media means their message is
strong and targeted. One recommendation is for Jackie to continue to update her blog, and for
Megan to keep promoting on her own blog. Colleagues have attended webinars and
workshops led by either Megan or Jackie (Appendix D), and it is recommended that they
continue to share with their peers in these network-building communities.
Teacher librarians observe the St Aidan’s library program benefitting their community, and
make supportive comments. They also recognise the importance of what Megan and Jackie
are doing for their students. Comments which apply best include: ‘there is direction and
dedication’, ‘strong curriculum knowledge valuable to planning, teaching, and learning,’ and
‘teacher librarian is actively visible in the school’. This visibility is reflected in responses
from both parent and teacher surveys. They are seen to be engaging, and to provide a range of
student activities.
While responses to the final question reflect the various professional environments,
knowledge of the respondents’ locations would further reveal the extent of their reach. This is
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a design flaw, and it is recommended this survey be repeated in twelve months, incorporating
a question on location.
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5. Conclusions and Recommendations
Megan Daley and Jackie Child’s library program is successful and well-known. The
stakeholder groups surveyed provided predominately positive data. Although responses from
St Aidan’s teachers were few and brief, the teacher librarian community response was
greater, and wholly supportive. Both parents and students value the extra and different
opportunities for learning, and the passion for reading and literature.
It is recommended that the library program continue unchanged, and that Megan and Jackie
continue to share via social and traditional media to strengthen their standing across the
school and the teacher communities.
Some specific recommendations are:
Keep parents informed via a short regular publication which celebrates the work in the
junior library, and informs parents of the validity of the different aspects of the program.
Keep students’ interested in reading by continuing to provide varied, high quality books.
Keep students aware of transferable skills, and explicitly outline the connection between
library work and classroom learning.
Identify increased interest in career options in science related fields by surveying students
in two years to track trends.
Keep students aware of why library projects should not be assessed, and discuss with
students the justifications and implications of formalising the library program.
Keep supporting classroom teachers’ unique needs, using the survey data as a guide.
Keep professional colleagues informed by regularly updating blogs and social media.
Determine the extent of the program’s continuing reach by repeating this survey in twelve
months, incorporating a question on location.
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6. References
7 Things you need to know about Makerspaces. (2013). Educause
Abram, S. (2015, 2015 January-February). Real makerspaces in school libraries.
Internet@Schools, 22, 10+
ACARA. (2016). Digital Technologies Curriculum. Retrieved from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/digital-technologies/curriculum/f-
10?layout=1
Baxter, P. & Jack, S. (2008). Qualitative case study methodology: Study design and
implementation for novice researchers. The Qualitative Report, 13(4), 544-559. doi:
10.1.1.152.9570
Cavalcanti, G. (2013). Is it Hackerspace, Makerspace, TechShop, or FabLab? Retrieved from
http://makezine.com/2013/05/22/the-difference-between-hackerspaces-makerspaces-
techshops-and-fablabs/
Child, J. (2015). CSER MOOC. Retrieved from http://tinkeringchild.com/cser-mooc/
Daley, M. (2016) Children’s Books Daily. Retrieved from http://childrensbooksdaily.com/
Fleming, L. (2016). The power of a school library hashtag. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/article/power-of-school-library-hashtag-laura-fleming
Houston, C. (2013). Makerspaces@your school library: consider the possibilities! Paper
presented at the International Association of School Librarianship Annual Conference.
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/1621840502?accountid=10344
Koh, K., & Abbas, J. (2015). Competencies for Information Professionals in Learning Labs
and Makerspaces. Journal of Education and Information Science, 56(2).
doi:10.12783/issn.2328-2967/56/2/3
Miller, A. (2016). What is a Makerspace? Retrieved from
https://www.makerspaces.com/what-is-a-makerspace/
Moorefield-Lang, H. (2015). Change in the Making: Makerspaces and the Ever-Changing
Landscape of Libraries. TechTrends, 59(3), 107-112. doi:10.1007/s11528-015-0860-z
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QSLA. (2016). Brisbane sub-committee AGM and Term 1 meeting. Retrieved from
http://www.qsla.org.au/calendar/2016/3/9/brisbane-subcommittee-agm-term-1-meeting
Sharwood, S. (2015). Australia's digital technologies curriculum parked again. The Register.
Retrieved from
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/03/06/australias_digital_technologies_curriculum_p
arked_again/
Technovation. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.technovationchallenge.org/
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7. Appendices
A. Phone call with Jackie ChildAfter sending Megan and Jackie a draft of my assignment, I spoke with Jackie on the phone
on 8 October 2016. Unfortunately, she has been overseas for the past four weeks, and prior to
leaving, just at the time I was putting together the surveys and discussing what we wanted to
achieve, she was in the middle of marking and reporting. She had a week to mark 60
assignments, so she apologised for her lack of input into the design and dissemination of the
surveys. It is my personal belief that had Jackie been in the school at this time, we would
have received a much better response rate from both teachers and students as she would have
been able to assist Megan at this busy time.
I asked Jackie about her skills update. She told me that her interest in the Makerspaces
movement started about three years when she attended a seminar on the topic. Jackie could
see how this movement would incorporate many components of the Digital Technologies
Curriculum, and from there, Jackie was driven by her passion in this area to learn as much as
she could. She completed a (free) MOOC in her own time, and other professional
development opportunities at her expense, and she does it willingly. Jackie sees young people
(particularly young women) who are scared to take risks, or to make mistakes, and she argues
that hands-on creative projects like tech makerspaces is a way to learn these types of skills.
The fact that she is part-time means she does have some time to learn these skills, and she is
amazed at how much interest (both locally and globally) there is in her journey.
She was also keen to try to explain the low numbers of respondents, and mentioned that lots
of girls are taken out of the school in the last week to travel with family. While this is a
negative for our surveys, she believes these girls are getting a lot of rewards by learning
about other cultures and opening their eyes to many aspects that schools can’t and don’t
cover. As far she’s concerned, travel is beneficial and worth the loss of school time.
Jackie is very excited about collaborating with the IT teacher from the secondary school at St
Aidan’s, Tim Kemp. Having to work in the secondary library has given her an opportunity to
develop working relationships with other teachers she has not known before. This was one
positive benefit from working full-time. She and Tim have started an Technovations group
that now meet after school on a Thursday. It brings together students from both sides of the
school campus to be part of a global challenge. It just started recently and Jackie spoke at
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length about motivating girls to check it out by promising them fun and challenging
activities.
It’s interesting to note that Jackie’s time in the library during her two days at school is
limited. She teaches two Year 6 History/Geography classes, and take sport on Friday
afternoons. She and Megan collaboratively wrote the early programs and Megan does a lot of
the teaching of it, but now they have little time to update materials. I believe Jackie spends
some of her days off working on aspects of the program, and this is because she values the
Makerspaces program, and believes it benefits the girls in many ways.
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B. Meeting with Megan Daley and Jackie ChildI met with Megan and Jackie on 1 September 2016 and it was productive.
We discussed their aims, their achievements, and their expectations for the case study. Each
class is given one lesson a week, but the activities spill over into break times, which are
before school and lunchtime. Students can collect any material or equipment they want and
can continue to work on their project independently. The only issues Megan and Jackie have
with this, are the times when students’ leave the items without returning them to where they
got them (which is often), and when they constantly ask where items are stored, which is
frustrating for the teacher librarians.
Megan and Jackie are a genuine team and bring different skill sets to the partnership. Jackie
is the scientist, the coder, the builder. Megan is the marketer, the wordsmith, the promoter.
Their support of each other is unequivocal. It’s also clear they have taught each other these
skills. Megan is learning to code, and Jackie is blogging at a new site, where she outlines all
her accomplishments and experiences. They are both very experienced teachers and
librarians, and were building lessons based on practical skills, incorporating inquiry learning,
and developing inclusive environments for many years before this.
Jackie has a Year 6 History/Geography class and has been incorporating elements of the
library program into her lessons. She sees a huge potential for crossover into other
classrooms, and both TLs can see how these types of experiences impact on student learning.
While they do spend time planning their lessons, there is also a degree of flexibility, and
activities are modified after being taught, so they are always being improved. They spoke
highly of a text that informs their practice – Beautiful Failures by Lucy Clarke. They have a
quality list of texts that they share with the teacher librarian community. This is a positive
aspect of the partnership. They love to share and don’t expect anything in return.
Their biggest issue is time. They want to develop the program further, and believe empirical
data will support the good work they are trying to accomplish, and want to use it to back their
requests for further investment, both in time and money. They know the leadership team
supports their endeavours, but are less certain about the classroom teachers, and they secretly
seem a bit worried about what the teachers might report back.
We discussed the surveys, and the timelines, and I was given a tour of the library spaces, and
the tools and equipment they use to engage the students. They are very aware of the digital
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technologies curriculum, and deliberately include many elements in their program. They use
literature as a jumping point, and spoke about their ‘Maker Faire’ which they ran last week, a
huge component of their Book Week celebrations. I took many photos.
They agreed to survey parents, teachers, and students. We have two weeks of school until the
September holidays, so the surveys should be disseminated next week. We discussed the type
of questions, and drafted some possible choices for me to work on.
The program has developed very organically, and they have bought items from their ordinary
budget allocation. They have never asked for or received special funding, although they don’t
discount in the future. While they believe the work they do will impact directly on classroom
learning, they also feel strongly that their engagement with students should primarily be
about enjoyment and pleasure, and not about assessment and outcomes.
I asked about unexpected outcomes, and argued they are the leading edge of this type of
library program. Megan insists Jackie is the leader, and she is being (happily) dragged along.
But it’s clear that Megan’s promotion through social media is giving them a wider audience.
Organisations and networks often approach them to talk about the program. TLs are
requesting to visit, and this is having the added bonus of drawing attention to the school in
the wider community.
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C. Email to teachers requesting responses to survey
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D. Megan and Jackie’s social media networks and recent presentations
Jackie’s SMS Megan’s SMS
Blog
Twitter: @jackie_child
Blog
Twitter: @daleyreads
Instagram: @childrensbooksdaily
Megan was awarded the Qld Teacher Librarian of the Year Award in 2015 at the Futures
Library Conference 0n August 19 2015.
Presented at the QSLA Brisbane Sub-Committee AGM together March 2016
Article published in QSLA April 2016 ‘Coding in the Primary Years’ (picture from QSLA
newsletter, April 2016)
Presented together at EDUTech Conference in Brisbane June 2016
Jackie presented at the Future Schools Expo/Conference in Sydney in March 2016
Megan in June on school book clubs, and in July 2016 on literature supporting makerspaces.
Both were webinars.
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Jackie presented a webinar in August 2016 on Keeping the makerspaces momentum moving
Jackie presented to the Logan Secondary Teacher Librarian Network on June 16 with Anne
Weaver, discussing STEM programs in libraries. (picture, article from QSLA newsletter Sept
2016)
Stars of the first ‘Magic Moments’ promotional video for St Aidan’s (search for ‘magic
moments episode 1’)
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E. Email and Twitter call requesting responses from teacher librarians
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F. Summary of results from parent survey
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G. Parent commentsQ1. What do you know about the Junior School Library Program (24 comments 4
skipped the question)
1. That there is a coding club and a mother and daughter book club.
2. A little. I have been involved with Mother Daughter book club and also attended events in
the library around
literacy and reader events.
3. Not much
4. The program is exceptional, providing students with endless opportunities and focusing on
a love of everything to do with books.
5. Encourages the girls to read a wide variety of books
6. Regular author visits, open before/after/during school, Book week celebrations, borrowing
of all book types encouraged, lots of 'activities' running throughout the term – the library is
no longer a quiet place just for reading!
7. I know that it is a very successful program that offers lots of magnificent opportunities to
young girls
8.Very minor - my 'kindy' child visits the library every Wednesday and obtains books for
reading. I know nothing other.
9. That we have a fantastic librarian who loves her job. There are many different activities on
offer at the library for the girls. My daughter loves her library lessons and also going there in
her lunch time.
10. I know that each year group spends time in the library learning from Megan Daley and/or
Jaqui Child. They do the most amazing things with the girls and the kindy boys!
11. Not a lot at this point. My daughter is in kindy, so they go to the library once a week, and
hire out two new books.
12. Very little
13. It's about a lot more than books- libraries have transformed since I was a school student-
the librarians at St Aidans are at the pointy end of innovation-the physical library space at the
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Jr school is very inviting- when we toured the school prior to enrolling the library space as a
reflection of learning sold the deal.
14. nothing
15. Not much to be honest apart from the days that the girls change their books plus I
accompany them somedays to change books outside of usual lesson times.
16. It's a very vibrant, child focussed engaging environment in which the girls feel welcomed
and inspired.
17. not a lot. A few of the programs are really only open to a certain audience.... Not the full
school. I keep trying to ask my daughter to do coding and chess at lunch but she prefers to
run around outside! (Not a bad option either) But she does love to borrow books and enjoys
that new books are available regularly
18. I know we've got two very excellent teacher librarians who are sensitive and responsive
to our student's needs. Their passion is evident, as are their efforts at integrating the library
into the mainstream curriculum. In terms of the library 'program', I know they offer
something for nearly everyone, from Maker Space to Coding to Lego to robotics and exciting
author visits.
19. It is a learning area for girls. they have specialised teachers who help the girls to choose
books suitable to their needs and interests.
20. A wholistic approach filled wiht enthusiasm not only for books but fro other resources as
a part of the child's learning.
21. It's a lovely space which is very well utilised by the girls and at the heart of the Junior
School. I believe this is largely due to the two wonderful teachers that run the library.
22. no in-depth knowledge
23. Girls are read to in library lessons, they participate in coding activities, they borrow
books, do charity projects,
author visits, M/daughter book club, Reader Cup.
24. Very Little
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Q4. In what ways does the library program benefit your daughter(s)? (26 comments 0
skipped).
1. She benefits from participating - it's educational, social etc
2. Engaging
3. She sees herself as a successful reader. Reading is a normal part of her daily routine. She
gets excited about particular authors and genres. Sees the library as the fun place to be.
4. Get involved in the school and integrate with all year levels
5. My daughter has a love of literature and values the role of an author. It also allows my
daughter to value the skills of other students that may not be able to showcase their talents
easily. It allows my daughter to be involved !!!!
6. Both of my daughters have utilised the school library to extend the range of books they are
exposed to. Both have been involved in reader's cup. Mother-daughter book club is difficult
because of work commitments.
7. Exposure to a variety of text types Exposure to a range of authors Encouraging children to
read - it isn't a 'nerdy' thing to do
8. Overall development and literacy
9. Reading is a high priority learning outcome in my opinion. The ability to read is critical to
her learning development over many and varied aspects of her education and development.
Reading ability, in my opinion, cannot be understated.
10. Having access to the books and being able to borrow at any time is a very lucky thing.
Megan Daley is an inspirational teacher and teachers her classes in creative and different
ways. She has certainally funked up the library! Going to the library isn't daggy anymore!! :-)
11. Anything that supports her love of reading is beneficial, and she loves going to the school
library. I have also visited the library with my daughter a couple of times, and I love that it is
a non-traditional library! I love that everyone talks in normal voices (not the horrible silence
that I grew up with), that it is a place where the girls can do more than just read, and that it is
a place where the girls actually enjoy being because there's so much to do. When you read
about what the future workforce looks like, creativity (and not just in an artistic sense, but
also the ability to think outside the square or do things differently) will become an incredibly
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important skill to have, because computers, hopefully, will never be able to replicate this, as
they inevitably will do with so many other jobs. Creativity and imagination are so inter-
twined, so I think reading is a vitally important element in opening their minds and allowing
their creative and imaginative thoughts to take hold and flourish. Apologies if I haven't
articulated that very well!
12. Borrows books on Wednesday library visits.
13. See Q1- library space in't just about books anymore.
14. She likes to spend her lunch time there. She reads alot.
15. I am a firm believer of reading to and with the girls and have been from an early age. The
school library has given the girls access to a different variety of books other than their
bookshelf's at hime
16. My youngest daughter loves to visit the library to make things with her friends at morning
tea / lunchtime. My older daughter enjoyed mother daughter book club and I experienced the
enthusiasm and passion for learning displayed by Mrs Megan Daley during this activity. Our
children are lucky to have such great resource (both human and non-human!)
17. Reading, no matter who inspires it, is a great advantage...
18. Eldest daughter lives in the library, it's her sanctuary. Librarians work with me to actively
engage her in interacting with other students (by even kicking her out sometimes).
19. My daughter has dyslexia and feel anxious about reading in class room settings but the
library is one of her favourite places at school. She has a positive association with books and
has participated in readers cup. I think this because of how the library space is organised and
that the programmes are so inclusive and fun.
20. it helps my daughters to develop their own interests and enhances there knowledge and
enjoyment of school
21. To creat a love of books and learning about many other things they offer which in turn
support classroom programs
22. Absolutely. The girls are being shown how dynamic a library space can be and this
versatility demonstrates there is something for everyone.
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13. Positive focus on reading. The skill and enjoyment of reading seems a very core principal
of the teaching staff at St Aidans and they way in which our kids are exposed has resulted in
a very health update and respect for reading
24. We are so fortunate to have unbelievably passionate Teacher Librarians in the Junior
School Library. Their genuine interest in the school the children and their roles has been so
instrumental in building a fantastic relationship between the children and the library space.
25. Wonderful literary environment with great breadth of teaching. Girls are very fortunate to
be exposed to as many fields of literature and language as they are through our incredible
librarians. Very much doubt most schools have as many top opportunities in an ongoing
manner.
26. The variety of programs & the interaction
Q5. How else can the Junior School Library promote their program to reach parents
and the wider community? (15 comments 13 skipped).
1. Invite parent helpers in.
2. Open days? Signage in community about events.
3. More information on Facebook/Instagram/ notes sent home directly to parents
4. Signs/message boards would be useful correspondence directly into the diary (ie A4 note
put into diary).
5. Sending out more communications to parents
6. Promotion of the programs available. Unfortunately, whether through lack of my
engagement in this aspect of school life, or due to non-promotion of the programs available
by the school itself, I simply don't know what is on offer apart from my daughter bringing a
book home for me to read to her. Perhaps a flyer (paper or email) could be provided.
7. Possible parent/student days/classes in the library?
8. Perhaps some communication directly from the librarians (part of the school newsletter,
separate newsletter via email, facebook page??).
9. I'd love to know if the library is open before and after school to choose books with my
child- maybe it is and I am ignorant- but I'd love an afternoon a week where it was open tip
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430 or 5pm so I could go form work to pick up to library- maybe not to borrow but just enjoy
the space together?
10. Newsletter
11. I am not sure ...
12, No thoughts on this one. :) But you have left Prep off the list below in Q6. So tick a Prep
box for me there.
13, Continue with class/student and emails.
14. I think they do a pretty good job as it is.
15. I think possibly having the library newsletter with what our girls are doing included in the
classroom termly newsletter may not bring library 'news' to the fore sufficiently. I think most
parents reading that focus on the English/Maths/Science & other subjects and possibly don't
give the library section sufficient attention at this point at the start of term. The same info
communicated again just from the librarians perhaps would be good though perhaps some
parents don't want any more emails. Do feel parents are quite remote from whole library
experience as no p/t interviews or direct correspondence really. Librarians do a fabulous job
and I'm happy to learn more of what they offer, more often.
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H. Summary of student responses
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I. Comments from students Q3 Pick your top three library activities (students were given an option to leave a
comment)
1. I also like making things with tinkerkad.
2. Makerspace
3. Technology
4. I enjoy going onto the computer
Q4. Tick the skills you have been using in the classroom (students were given an option
to leave a comment) 15 students did.
1. Many of these skills we already knew, but we improved them. Some where new, and all of
them really helped with assessment and learning.
2. Umm...
3. By doing these activities, I have been improving these skills.
4. By doing activities.
5. In assignments and other tests I have found these skills very useful.
6. letting us learn what to do when we get older like teaching us life skills and encouraging
people to read and learn more.
7. We read books that associate with the subject and talk about it in deeper context.
8. controlling BB8 was good for iPad navigation
9. Encouraging everyone to be evolved in Readers Cup and other occasions that encore to
reading, designing and searching skills.
10. we do it In class time with the teacher.
11. computers descusionss
12. in learning new stuff and finding new skills
13. by reading and writing you can do essays and get a high mark bskillsuse you used good
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14. I'm an avid reader, and the library has a lot of books and I enjoy drawing and creating
very much.
15. by reading and writing reports about books.
Q5 Have you been encouraged to consider computer science and/or engineering as a
career path? (Students were given an option to leave a comment to the question, ‘in
what ways?’) 5 comments were given.
1. I am not extremely interested in robotics and coding, bot some coding I do enjoy.
2. Yes, I know that the 'in what ways' is a typo (is it?). But I chose it because I don't really
know. I have goals and things and I have a bit of a life plan going. But it hasn't not either. I
am undecided on this!
3. I want to program machines and make apps but that's all.
4. Because I am not interested in coding, more in reading.
5. I chose yes because I find in fun to code and make different things.
Q6. Should marks be assigned to library projects (then given an option to leave a
comment) 32 comments were given (the capitalised ‘NO’ & ‘YES’ has been added by
me)
1. NO Girls are already putting time into other things like studying and sport activities and do
not need another thing to worry about
2. NO Because we don't do any library projects.
3. YES I think library projects are really fun and should have marks assigned for them.
4. YES I believe that librabry should be a subject included on the report card because it is
English in reading books and you may say that it is a subject that not all people would want
to but sport is included.
5. NO because i think library is an activity that should be fun and not about grades. it should
take peoples mind of assessments and tests.
6. YES Because it pushes you to put in extra effort with your library projects!
7. NO We hardly ever finish projects, and the lessons are very short. We hardly have enough
time to read 1 picture book. None of them are really interesting, or big, and they are not
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related to learning. If marks were assigned, we would need longer and more frequent lessons,
and more major and interactive projects, that were going to impact on our education.
8. NO What exactly would you grade it on? There are many different things in library to do.
Also, it is nice to have a lesson where you don't have to worry about your grades!
9. NO It is because I think that this should not be graded.
10. NO Library is fun to me and I don't want to be marked on it!
11. NO Because library is where we borrow books, not a subject
12. YES it is always good to see were you need to improve.
13. YES Yes because I think it would encourage me more and help me.
14. NO Because we already have a lot of marks
15. NO these are things we do all-out, not the neat, little things teachers expect.
16. NO Because library projects are a way to have fun and think about things other than
grades.
17. YES because it is a nather way to in pres your focks.
18. YES because you learn from your bad marks and try harder!!!!!!!
19. YES because you might want to know how you are doing in class
20. YES because it teaches us what we need to focus on.
21. YES Because library is an important subject that includes most subjects.
22. NO I don't think so because it is just for fun and learning and if we are getting marked on
it, it will feel like a test
23. YES Yes because the teachers need to know that we understand during the project.
24. YES To show the teachers what or how many books your pupils are reading daily,
weekly, or monthly.
25. NO no because I don't like being critised and juged about how smart I am
26. NO Because Library Isn't An Important Subject Really Subject As History or Science In
My Humble Opinion. Not To Offend Anyone, It's Just My Opinion
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27. YES because they make us work harder
28. YES because then it will show hard work to earn a good grade
29. YES yes becauseit is a really good oppitunetty to know how your going with your library
lessons.
30. YES I chose yes because I like to know how I do in library tests and see what I can do
differently
31. YES Because students could see their teachers feedback, and what they can do better next
time.
32. YES because reading gives you answers to many things
Q7 Is library enjoyable for you? (students were given an option to leave a comment) 35
comments were given
1. I love them because of the variety and fun activities that we do in lessons. For example, the
Rio Olympics wall of competitions.
2. there books who does not love books
3. because I love to read!!!!
4. because I love to read every night ( I try to)
5. because it teaches us to read and enjoy learning and joining clubs such as coding.
6. Library has so many meanings and has a lot of areas that are great to explore and are
interesting.
7. I love library lessons because we usually do fun hands on stuff.
8. I love them because they are fun and we have really good teachers.
9. I just love to read in a corner in my own time because it calms me as well as helping my
education.
10. because some times its not fun but 99% is fun
11. I love reading!
12. because library lessons involve reading
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13. I don't enjoy coding as I don't understand it and it doesn't interest me.
14. ii do like most lessons because they are fun but sometimes I don't like them
15. I love library lessons because they are peaceful and I can just sit down and read. I also
love it because I like the activities
16. library = book. BOOK!!!!!!
17. they are so much fun there are lots of different
18. I love library because we get to do fun and awesome activities
19. I just love library
20. I don't think we benefit from the lessons.
21. Library lessons are really fun because I love reading and craft.
22. Because they are fun and have different rotations each week that include borrowing,
literature skills and coding skills that are always interesting and teach me something new
23. i think it could be a bit more interactive with people and not just doing work on your
laptops.
24. I love most of my library lessons because they involve free silent reading and computers.
Some that i'm not so keen on involve having books read to me, or if they are slightly boring!
25. I find all all the lessons very enjoyable
26. They are too short to really get into anything. I really dislike coding, which is one of the
main things we have to do. I am not learning anything, except when we focus on something
( e.g how to write a bibliography.) and we don't usually. If we had more lessons and they
were longer, as well as it being based more on the library and books rather then computers
and coding, I would enjoy it more. I love being in the library, but the lessons just aren't as
interesting as they could be.
27. I don't think that any class in the entire world has lessons that everybody loves all the
time. I think most activities are fun and cool. I like the TinkerCad thing that we are doing at
the moment. One thing I don't really like is having books read to me usually I am either not
interested or it is kind of too young (I am reading young adult books)
28. I would prefer reading more than coding and robotics things.
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29. Sometimes I don't enjoy library lessons because we don't get to do very interesting things.
I love creating things, and also designing things too. I also think there needs to be more
variety with what we do during the time that we have in the library.
30. I enjoy reading activities but I don't enjoy doing coding activities.
31. Because we usually do fun things most of the time
32. I like some things but not others
33. I think library lessons are fun and efficient
34. Because they are good library teachers and they do fun activities.
35. some are a little boring, and i like craft, robotics and reading, not sheet work.
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J. Summary of teacher responsesComments are complete and unabridged, however, for the purposes of aligning the table to
the comments, I have added, ‘no comment left’ to the corresponding number.
Teacher
Type
Perception of
Teacher Librarians
Working relationship Example of language
used in comments
#1 The Old
School
Confined, limiting,
narrow
Minimal, distant,
professional
Literary focus. Reading is
good, back to basics
#2 The
Newbie
Enthusiastic, high
expectations, needy
Subordinate, requires
guidance and much
support
Excited. TLs are generous,
innovative, and engaging
#3 The
Genuine
Article
Positive, supportive,
informed
collaborative,
personable, willing,
open
TLs are accessible,
knowledgeable, excellent
resource
#4 The
Independent
Uninterested, self-
motivated, needs-
based only
Non-existent Not sure how TLs benefit
wider community
The above table sums up the type of teacher each of the four respondents represents. Teacher
#1 in the table corresponds to the comments on all questions numbered 1.
Q1 What is your understanding of the Junior School Library Program? (open ended
Question – all 4 left a comment)
1. Different learning related activities with a literary focus.
2. I don't know a lot about the program. I have only started here this year. I believe the library
has broadened its offerings to include maker spaces and all things technology (3D printer and
coding resources). I know they also foster a love of literature in our girls by connecting girls
with books and authors.
3. 1. Quality librarian delivering essential skills for literacy and literature development. 2.
provide resources for research and teach how to access information 3. maker space activities
(design and technology) 4. provide author study visits
4. I understand it to work in conjunction with class activities as well as providing
opportunities for teachers and students to access more 'unique' activities
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Q2. Has the junior school library altered or repositioned itself within the school
community? (option to comment 2 of the 4 made a comment).
1. I am not sure I have been here long enough. (responded NO to the question)
2. I feel excited to be in a school with an innovative library that sets the standard for other
school libraries. YES
3. YES but didn’t leave a comment
4. NO but didn’t leave a comment
Q3. Do you believe the library program benefits students in your classroom (option to
leave a comment 3 of the 4 did).
1. Reading is always good. YES
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2. The girls are engaged in the program and speak about it very positively. I believe they are
learning valuable skills. YES
3. The students are motivated to visit the library on a weekly and on volunteer basis. The
students have amazing opportunities to do more than just read in this library - they create,
make, design, etc. The students have access to technology and print resources in the school.
YES
4. YES but didn’t leave a comment
Q4. Do you believe the junior program benefits the wider community (option to
comment which 3 or the 4 did).
1. Yes. Books are great! YES
2. The staff of the Junior School library generously share their expertise in many ways with a
broad audience. YES
3. YES but didn’t leave a comment
4. NO If it does I am not aware how it does this.
Q5. Can you suggest ways to improve the junior school library program? (comments
only question. Three teachers responded, one skipped)
1. Maybe take some things back to the basics. Focus on pure reading again.
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2. I would like to see a coding program taught in a sequential way across the school. I would
like to see the library staff lead this development by working with class teachers, as they have
the expertise and the enthusiasm to make it work.
3. The library is always up to date with latest publications and the resources we have help to
implement our ACARA units. No suggestions to improve - the librarians are leading and
assisting us in so many ways.
4. Didn’t leave a comment
Q6. Are there other ways the junior school library staff could assist you in your
classroom teaching and learning? (Comments only question. 2 teachers answered two
skipped)
1. didn’t leave a comment
2. Teach me how to teach coding please!
3. no - they are always very accessible, helpful, knowledgeable. We have an excellent
resource at our school
4. Didn’t leave a comment
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K. Summary of peer responses.Q1 What do you know about the St Aidan’s Junior School Library Program?
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L. Peer commentsQ1. What do you know about the St Aidan’s Junior School Library Program?
(comments only – all 17 provided a comment)
1. Well run junior primary school library with innovative teacher librarians who are
passionate about reading. Child friendly.
2. It has a renowned makerspace
3. Runs a well established MAKERSPACE.
4. I have read a great deal about their makerspace program and other activities such as Earth
Angels, involvement with Hour of Code, the way they have structured their library lessons
etc. When we started our makerspace I gave Jackie a call and she was extremely helpful and
generous with her advice.
5. NOthing
6. I have visited the school to look at it.
7. The have 2 fabulous TLs. Jackie has more the tech focus whilst Megan has the lit focus. it
is based in a school that has a high socio economic clientele so students are lucky in being
able to access a wide range of resources carefully chosen by their TLs. Both of them are
exceptional in their knowledge and skills and very dedicated. Any young lady lucky enough
to be part of their programs are VERY lucky.
8. Nothing
9. No, but would like to see and know more about it.
10. They have a huge Makerspace program and Megan Daley does many reviews for her blog
'Children's Books Daily'
11. Lots of exciting things happening, makerspaces, great team of 2 librarians
12. Maker spaces Teaching programming
13. Makerspace program. They run their library classes in groups, and some do Makerspace,
others literacy and some borrowing. Leaders in Makerspaces in Libraries. Also mini-displays
of books in boxes.
14. I follow Megan on Linked in, Twitter and Facebook.
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15. It's interesting, engaging and colourful - Makerspace, Book Week, love of literature and
enthusiasm for books
16. Make a space
17. That it is a combination of literature and makerspace (both high tech and low tech) that
supports the Aus curriculum.
Q2. How did you hear about the St Aidan’s Junior Library Program? (comments only –
all 17 provided a comment)
1. Colleagues
2. through social networking regarding the makersapce
3. Discussion forums / lists, at professional developments.
4. QSLA newsletters, conference presentations, Megan and Jackie's blogs, OZTL list.
5. through this survey
6. Teacher Librarian - Future Libraries programme
7. Through Megan's blog and twitter
8. I didn't
9. Via the grape vine, I did hear some great things happening at St Aidan's Junior Library.
Just haven't had to time to visit.
10. Being subscribed to Megan's blog and via OZTL Net and COTLIBs network meetings.
11. Children's Books Daily - Facebook
12. Through various library networks and literature
13. Megan's blog, magazine articles, Jackie's webinars
14. Social media sites.
15. Facebook
16. QSLA meeting link up chat
17. Originally through "Children's Books Daily" blog after "meeting" Megan Daley as a
fellow student in the QUT TL Masters course. Also through QSLA email about PD they held.
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Q3 Do you believe the library program benefits the role of the teacher librarian? (all 17
agreed with the statement. 14 left a comment as well)
1. The Tls give the knowledge and passion to the job that only a professional can; they run
parent programs and book club; there is direction and dedication to the role.
2. it increases the role and significance of the library and the teacher librarian in schools. Sets
an excellent role model.
3. Expert knowledge of literature, reading promotion, inquiry learning, information literacy.
A support to teachers in resource selection, implementing inquiry learning and promoting
reading. Has strong curriculum to knowledge valuable to planning, teaching and learning.
4. Absolutely. That is who we are and what we do.
4. By having such a close association with the students and being allowed to make their
'library' a true resource centre and makerspace they epitomise the role of a TL.
6. The connection is obvious
7. Having a program would see skills etc. develop sequentially and obviously beneficial when
people ask what you are doing in the library. It would also establish what you see your role as
and how you want to support classroom units. It also looks professional.
8. I think their program greatly benefits the role of the TL as it makes them well known in the
wider community, not only to other TLs but to important education stakeholders such as
parents, principals and college boards.
9. Teacher librarian is actively visible in the school to students, staff and parents
10. Advertises the role of the TL and how they are capable of contributing to the digital and
technical and computational education of students
11. Yes, it works for them in their school, and they have been wonderful advocates for
Teacher Librarianship. They have brought attention to the different activities which can be
hosted in the Library space. I don't believe that we all need to be doing the same thing. We
need to be finding the best possible way of working in our own context to promote literature,
support our teachers and students, promote enquiry and curiousity.
12. Most definitely.
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13. promotes and encourages inquiry learning, effective advocacy of TL role, encourages
students to 'have a go' and make mistakes
14. It gives another dimension to use literature, opens up more opportunities for students to
make and create, gives more reasons for students to be in the Library.
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