International Speaker Series: 3
The Post-Pandemic School Library Learning Commons:
Assessing Innovation and Moving Forward
Presented by Anita Brooks Kirkland
This is the third in a series of four online professional learning events featuring international guest speakers exploring a range of topical issues relevant to teacher librarians and teachers in 2020.
Each session is being held on a Saturday morning from 9-11am, with each 2 hour session consisting of a one hour presentation with Q&A followed by one hour of practical workshop-style activities.
Each session is NESA accredited to assist our members in gaining their NESA accredited PL hours for this year. Completing this third session will provide you with a total of 2 hours of NESA accredited PL.
Each 2 hour session will take place in SLANSW's Zoom conference room.
Those who register for this event will receive an email within 24 hours before the event with details to access this online session.
A maximum of 100 places are available for each session, so get your registrations in ASAP.
If you wish to register for all 4 sessions to receive an extra members' discount,
please go the ISS Professional Learning Package on the Events page
on SLANSW's website to register for all 4 session as a package
(do not register for each individual event as you will not get the extra discount).
Description of session
Do we really matter? Do our actions improve student outcomes and have an impact on their learning and their lives? Do the strategies that we use in the library program have a positive influence on how well the school reaches its goals? These are pressing questions that can be addressed through research, especially the “homegrown” research that decision-makers trust the most. School libraries worldwide are innovating and dramatically shifting practice, particularly since the global pandemic has turned things upside-down. We need to have real plans to assess our successes and share what we are learning. The Canadian School Libraries Research Toolkit was created to address a compelling need for practitioner research in Canada, but we are sure that it is as relevant in New South Wales and all of Australia. The toolkit and other initiatives from Canadian School Libraries may help frame the path forward, post-pandemic.
Outcomes for attendees
After attending, participants will:
- Understand the importance of integrating research into practice;
- Have a basic understanding of useful research strategies;
- Be familiar with how the CSL Research Toolkit can help frame their research approach; and
- Be inspired to engage in action research to assess innovations in practice.
About Anita
As a writer, presenter and consultant, 
Anita Brooks Kirkland specialises in school library learning commons practices, program assessment, research, and advocacy. She draws on her extensive experience as a teacher educator, both as an instructor in teacher-librarianship for the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, and in her previous role as the Consultant for K-12 Libraries at the Waterloo Region District School Board in Ontario.
Anita was a contributing writer to Together for Learning, Ontario’s guideline document for the school library learning commons. Anita is very active in professional organisations, currently serving as chair of Canadian School Libraries (CSL) and co-editor of the CSL Journal. She was the 2014 president of the Ontario Library Association, and also served as president of the Ontario School Library Association in 2005. Anita shares an extensive collection of program resources, articles, and presentations on her website and blog, www.bythebrooks.ca.
School Library Association of NSW through the Professional Teachers’ Council NSW is endorsed to provide the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Registered Professional Development for teachers accredited at Proficient, Highly Accomplished, and Lead levels.
Completing the The Post-Pandemic School Library Learning Commons: Assessing Innovation and Moving Forward on 22/08/2020 will contribute 2 hours online of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Registered PD addressing 3.6.2 and 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.