SLANSW members and school library colleagues may be interested in  resources from All Together Now, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting racial equity in Australia. Their Agent C program nationwide is now available for free to Year 7 and 8 students until the end of this year.

What is Agent C?

Agent C is a free workshop program designed to address the growing issue of online fake news and conspiracy theories, particularly on hateful and divisive narratives. The program empowers students with the skills and knowledge to challenge harmful conspiracy theories and fake news, while fostering critical thinking and encouraging stimulating conversations among peers.

Why is this important?

Research shows that exposure to online fake news and disinformation is happening at increasingly younger ages, making it more important than ever to equip students with the skills they need to navigate the digital landscape safely and critically.

What’s new?

Thanks to generous funding from Deutsche Bank, we've tailored our program specifically for students aged 12-14, addressing their unique needs and vulnerabilities. The newly updated 2-hour Agent C program is now available for Year 7 and 8 students across Australia, completely free of charge until the end of 2024!

SLANSW is excited to be partnering with a range of sponsors at the ConnecTech Summit that are committed to advancing digital literacy and information technology in education, as well as supporting our school library spaces. It's not too late to register to attend the ConnecTech Summit - it's an event that promises to inspire and innovate!

Details of the full summit program are available here.

To register please visit: Professional Learning Summit: (7 September 2024)

SLANSW members and other members of our wider professional community are invited to participate in the ABC Education Survey The ABC is looking for suggestions of digital resources that would help with your teaching practice.

SLANSW members and school library colleagues may be interested in the resources available from the eSafety Commissioner to support the development of a whole school approach to cyberbullying. These resources have been developed  in collaboration with NSW Education Sectors and representatives from eSafety’s National Online Safety Education Council. 

SLANSW members and other members of our wider professional community have the opportunity to  assist the Australian Children's Laureate Foundation in enhancing the Laureate Initiative by completing the brief community engagement survey linked below. Your unique insights will help ACLF identify successful aspects and growth opportunities across the industry, including educators, librarians, booksellers, and publishers. 

https://forms.gle/e9bq8ioaUM5iuewv6

Seven concurrent workshops will be offered by a variety of experienced educational professionals:

Marika Simon, a Lecturer in the School of Information and Communication Studies at CSU will bring a session on Using GenAI in the Primary School Library: Ideas, demonstration and exploration. 

Dr Andrew Ross and Ms Karinne Campbell from the University of Canberra & Dickson College, ACT will present on Information Literacy for Civics Education: The Role of Teacher Librarians. 

Bryce Corbett is the Director of Squiz Kids Kids - Australia's number one daily news podcast for primary school kids. His presentation will focus on Newshounds: a free media literacy resource for primary school kids.

Zeina Chalich (Britannica Education) is a distinguished educational leader presenting on Media Literacy Skills for an AI-Driven World.

Anthony Shaw (SCIS Product Manager) and Mike Botham (SCIS Librarian) will be bringing a workshop on Navigating the Digital Maze: Quality Curated Online Resources for School Libraries.

Louise Mashiah– Primary School TL at Baulkham Hills Public School. Her session is titled Microsoft Learning Accelerators: Using AI to improve learning outcomes. 

Amanda Johnstone (Head of Library and Information Services) and Rachele Rugiero  (Head of Gifted Education) – at Kincoppal –Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart. Their session is on Academic Integrity, Critical Thinking and AI...the journey continues. 

Session outlines for each workshop on offer is accessible here

To register visit: Professional Learning Summit: (7 September 2024)

The September SLANSW Professional Learning Summit will be held in face-to-face mode at PLC Sydney, (Croydon) on September 7, from 9:00 am – 3:30pm. The theme of the Summit is ConnecTech: Inspired Futures for Information Technology and Digital Literacy Professionals. We can confirm that our keynote speakers are Dr Damian Maher & Dr Keith Heggast, and Matthew Esterman. They will be accompanied by a number of talented and inspiring workshop presenters. The program includes extra time for attendees to network and visit the Trade Fair.

Details of the full summit program are available here.

To register please visit: Professional Learning Summit: (7 September 2024)

SLANSW members, and other library professionals, may wish to find out more about digital literacies and libraries in a global context. 

A recent press release on the United Nations Development Programme webpage, features two tools that are designed to help improve the professional competences and digital skills of the coordinators of Digital Education Hubs. The project was implemented by the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Ukrainian Library Association, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, as part of the Swedish-funded DIA Support Project.

Access the full press release  via this link.

The School Writing Prize gives a voice to young Australians and aims to develop a sustained and enjoyable writing practice for high school students. This year, we are seeking entries from students that explore the idea of ‘connection’. 

We are looking for writing that responds to this theme as widely and creatively as possible in the form of short fiction, essays, personal reflections, memoir and genre pieces. This year's guest judge is author Danielle Binks, and the winning entry will receive a $500 cash prize, publication in KYD and an invitation to perform at the Wheeler Centre Teen Gala.

Entry is open exclusively to KYD School Members and their students. There is no additional entry fee. Entries close at 5pm AEST, Friday, 23 August 2024.

You can find more information about the Prize here.