RABBITS ON THE SWIM TEAM: Partner-Leaders for Learning DR ROSS TODD Associate Professor Department of Library and Information science Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Educational Change 1708 Students today cant prepare bark to calculate their problems. They depend on their slates which are more expensive. What will they do when the slate is dropped and breaks? They will be unable to write (Teachers Conference, 1708)

Educational Change 1815 Students depend on paper too much. They cant clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of paper? (Principals publication, 1815)

Educational Change 1907 Students today depend too much on ink. They dont know how to use a pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil (National Association of Teachers Journal)

Educational Change 1928 Students today depend upon store-bought ink. They dont know how to make their own. This is a sad commentary on modern education (Rural American Teacher, 1928)

Educational Change 1941 Students today depend upon these expensive fountain pens. They can no longer write with a straight pen and nib. We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning Students today depend upon these expensive fountain pens. They can no longer write with a straight pen and nib. We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning (PTA Gazette, 1941)

Educational Change 1950 Ball-point pens will be the ruin of education in this country. Students use devices and then throw them away. Businesses and banks will never allow such expensive luxuries Ball-point pens will be the ruin of education in this country. Students use devices and then throw them away. Businesses and banks will never allow such expensive luxuries (Federal Teachers Journal, 1950)

Educational Change 1976 I can never imagine that anyone would ever need more than 64K (Bill Gates, once a school boy library monitor)

It is hard to set in motion what is still, or to stop what is in motion Cobham Brewer 1810–1897 Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

Rates of change Rate of producing information: Ancient times (tablets) : 1 char/second 1500 AD printing press: 3000 char/second Today (laser printers) 20,000 char/second

Rates of change Rate of storage: Ancient times (tablets \): 1 char/cubic inch 1500 AD books: 500 char/cubic inch Today (chips) : millions char/cubic inch

Rates of change Speed of transporting 250 words over 3,000 miles Ancient runners: 18 days Telegraph: 4 minutes Fibre optic : thousandths of a second

Rates of change Human comprehension Ancient times : 300 words per minute 1500 AD: 300 words per minute Today: 300 words per minute

Rates of change The recording and transmission of information has increased so much but the human capacity to process and understand it is still about where we were in prehistoric times.

Without school libraries, kids are being left behind!

Learning is active, not passive formational transformational informational Instructional ev i dential constructing connecting empowering envisioning scaffolding energizing

Pedagogical solutions Systematic and explicit development of critical and information literacies across school across school planned planned collaborative collaborative diagnostic diagnostic staged and transferable staged and transferable

COLLABORATIVE INTERVENTION IS THE KEY Information Knowledge

INTERVENTION MATTERS The entire research process is tiring and long, but in the end it was worth it. Doing a research paper sounds like a lot of work, but when it is broken down into steps, and help is provided along the way, it is much easier. I was surprised this morning when I saw my finished product. I said to myself WOW, I did it! When you go according to a plan, everything will turn out peachy

INTERVENTION MATTERS Being given guidelines on research and understanding the process, this helped me in many ways. I liked the sorting and categorizing. This helped me organize my ideas. I liked how we had many deadlines. Each time something was due, it gave me a better idea of how I was doing and I always had an idea of what I had to do next.

INTERVENTION MATTERS This was a very exhausting process, but none the less, it was all worth it. I finally learned how to write a proper paper, not only for research, but any paper in general. I got to spend quality time with my teacher and librarian. The three things I enjoyed in writing and research are reading the books, making an outline, and LEARNING. I definitely learned a lot – both about my interesting topic, and the research to make it happen.

INTERVENTION MATTERS A six page research paper scared the bloody crap out of me, but with the help I got while doing the project, I knew I could do it. This project opened me to new ideas, and how to write my own ideas and thoughts based on them. I enjoyed recording my thoughts because I like to express how I am feeling during the process. This allowed my teachers and librarians to know my thinking throughout the course and to guide me better

INTERVENTION MATTERS The whole process has taught me to take good notes and keep track of all my sources, and in the end, having to write the paper was the easiest part. Though I simply hated doing them, the note cards helped me organize my ideas really well and got me to being able to sort out all my ideas that made sense, (my teacher thought so too YEAH!! ): ): and the outline helped me organize my thoughts.

INFLUENCEINTHEWORKPLACE EVIDENCE- BASED PRACTICE

Breaking Down The Barriers

Revolting Librarians Rascal attitude: creative, collaborative naughtiness to show library learning is fun, and motivate others to be part of it Encourage students to be intellectually mischevious: center for intellectual discontent Dont have students suffering from LHC and PFS Celebrate learning achievements What language do you speak? Deweydecilibrobabble or a cross-curricular learning dialect? Is your library an open invitation for mystery, intrigue, discovery – where accidental discovery, as well as planned discovery, is highly likely?

BREAKING THE CYCLE Moving from a VICTIM mindset: No one is going to rescue you, but you! Moving from a VICTIM mindset: No one is going to rescue you, but you! SEEING is BELIEVING: what does your school see you doing? Educator? Manager? Curator? Book Stamper? Dragon at the Door? Shusher? SEEING is BELIEVING: what does your school see you doing? Educator? Manager? Curator? Book Stamper? Dragon at the Door? Shusher? From LIABILITY to LIBERATION: Making issues more invisible (censorship, copyright, plagiarism, rules, regulations, resourcing, technology, staffing needs) and learning outcomes more visible. From LIABILITY to LIBERATION: Making issues more invisible (censorship, copyright, plagiarism, rules, regulations, resourcing, technology, staffing needs) and learning outcomes more visible.

Transformational leadership The leaders of the future will be partner- leaders, people whose fundamental leadership capability is the capacity to establish partnerships and to achieve mutually determined outcomes

Partner-Leaders Purposeful leadership: clear vision of desired learning outcomes Strategic leadership: clear blueprint for translating learning-centred vision Collaborative leadership: mutually reinforcing capabilities

Partner-Leaders Creative leadership: creatively combining capabilities to deliver real value Renewable leadership: highly flexible and adaptive, continuously learning, changing and innovating Sustainable leadership: identifying and celebrating achievements, outcomes, impacts

Factors needed for successful change Pressure for change Clear shared vision Capacity for change Actionable first steps Model the way Reinforce and solidify change Evaluate and improve

Symptoms when factors are missing Bottom of the box A quick start that flutters Anxiety and frustration Haphazard efforts and false starts Cynicism and distrust Go back to old ways Sceptical and stagnate

Reluctance to change Too much content We dont have the time Staff will never accept it We like change if it does not involve alterations Why change, its working ok Youre right, BUT … Lets get back to reality Lets sleep on it You cannot teach an old dog new tricks Im retiring next year It will not work here We did all right without it Were all too busy to do it Think of the disruption! Not THAT again Weve always done it this way

Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute. What you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Only engage and then the mind grows heated …. … Begin and then the work will be completed