School Libraries: The heart of 21st century learning

It has been a while since Amaroo School featured on this blog, which makes today a fine occasion to learn how the school community has consolidated the use of technologies since going Google in 2015, and since the arrival of the Better schools for our kids: technology enabled learning (TEL) initiative Chromebooks in February 2018.

Amaroo School has a number of things going for it. It has a P-10 cohort, which facilitates far reaching opportunities for staff and students to share, collaborate and innovate across the school years. Amaroo School’s ICT Action Plan, launched back in 2015, provided a school-based digital device for each student, first in years 9 and 10 and then gradually to years 4 to 10, working with the students, teachers and community around the roll out.

The school library incorporates the Inspire Centre, offering alternative learning spaces, resources and equipment and embedding the library as an extension of the classroom in order to strengthen the Redefinition phase of the SAMR model. The Inspire Centre is a modernisation and revitalisation project that began in 2015 and incorporated the input of a range of stakeholders including student input, teacher connections and University academics. The project was completed over three stages and was largely driven by Melissa Datson and Louise McMullin, the Teacher Librarians at the time.

At the helm today is Teacher Librarian, Natalie Otten, who came on board in January 2017. Natalie presented the school’s library model at the EdTechTeam 2018 Canberra Summit, where she showcased the role teacher librarians play in achieving impactful student learning outcomes and building capacity of staff to teach essential 21st century skills.

The Inspire Centre is an Aladdin’s Cave for 21st century learning. As I moved around the space my curiosity peaked and I wished I could have been one of the students here engaging in activities: a group of Year 6’s setting up their 3D print project, Year 3’s trying out BeeBots, coding on Minecraft Pi and filming activity in front of the green screen in the Ideas Lab. In addition to beautifully displayed cabinets, bookshelves and exhibition areas, you will find the Makerspace, Collaboration Café, Senior Space, Free Time Areas and a Teacher Resource Library.

Student projects on display not only celebrate trials and tribulations, they double up as sources of inspiration and aspiration to others. The library model evidently supports delivery of The Spiral Curriculum (Jerome Bruner, 1960) from teaching concepts of computational thinking - to programming BeeBots - to Scratch assignments - to self-guided projects in coding or, from reading reference books - to guided Google searches - to educator led Google Cardboard and Google Expeditions - to students creating projects in Google MyMaps.

Amaroo School’s student engagement journey

With the support of the school executive, the Learning Frontiers Team was formed to support the school’s strategic plan to deliver 21st century learning outcomes and to progress recommendations from the AITSL Learning Frontiers program. The Learning Frontiers Team is made up of innovative educators from across the P-10 spectrum, and whilst they don't need to be technology experts, they all have a passion for innovation and exploration. Teachers can 'book' time with any of the Learning Frontiers associates to work collaboratively. The Learning Frontiers Team monitor the school community’s digital technology needs and sense check that the Inspire Centre and other school resources evolve with trends in classroom delivery and needs of students.

Natalie, along with the Library Technicians, make full use of upskilling opportunities to stay up to date with contemporary developments in technology and pedagogical practices. They offer a substantial range of auxiliary services, including:

• The Inspire Centre blog
• Weekly Inspire updates for teachers using Google Docs
• Google Forms for feedback
• Digital upskilling services such as keyboard and research skills
• 3D printer, 3D pens, Google Expeditions, coding and programming projects and the green screen studio
• Device loan trolleys
• Student Study Centre.

Amaroo School’s library facilities assist strengthening success rates of classroom instruction by providing a safe and supported environment for deeper exploration outside the classroom. The result is a very active online school community with students and teachers who feel fulfilled in their digital and technology needs. The school’s model is well entrenched in its learners too. Students diligently return loan devices to the library at the end of the school day, they know they need a pass from their teachers to use any of the facilities or that their teachers need to book any of the spaces for them on the booking system.

Activities in the library are carefully planned. Teachers complete an online request for a space with their expression of interest. Natalie arranges a meet up with teachers a week before the booking date to discuss the format and desired learning outcomes, for example research skills for Year 9’s to support their Legal Studies.

I caught up with the school’s Information Technology Officer, Ian Thomson, a week later. Ian has been with Amaroo School since the Directorate’s decision to onboard G Suite for Education. Ian shares that transforming faculties into a 21st Century school of excellence required a pragmatic approach in change management. Key priorities included facilitating 'anchors into engines' and providing genuine educational change and professional opportunity. Achieving Amaroo School’s cultural change in terms of ‘tech’, took time and resources - the lesson being that authentic grassroots leadership needs to be given opportunities to ideate, prototype and reflect if it is to flourish.

Getting in Touch with ‘Digital Schools - Our Stories’

Are you based at an ACT Public School and would like to feature a digital teaching and learning event, project or classroom activity? Make contact with us here on the blog or email DSST@act.gov.au. We can arrange to visit your school when it is most convenient for you.