Sunday 17 July 2011

Thing 5 - Reflective Practice

Having looked at the various models for reflection I decided to try out Gibbs*, as described on il-learning.blogspot.com. I also thought it might be interesting for me to evaluate 2 different experiences using this model - my CPD23 process so far & my 5 months volunteering as a library helper in a primary school.

CPD23

Description (what happened)  - signed up for & started to participate in CPD23, a self-directed online course to learn & explore various tools to help my development as an information professional.

Feelings (what were you thinking & feeling) –

  • Nervous that, as a career-changer, I didn't really have any credentials for taking part: I've never (YET) worked as an information professional/paraprofessional & don't have any associated qualifications.
  • Apprehensive about tackling social networking & feeling lacking in I.T. skills.
  • Excited to discover more about the library & information world & make contact with people in the industry.
Evaluation - good aspects of the experience:

  • Learning to blog for the first time.
  • 'Meeting' other LIS folk through their blogs & discovering what a range of jobs there are within the profession.
  • Starting to consider a personal marketing/branding strategy (particularly useful as I am currently stuck at the stage of applying for jobs with no success!).
  • Learning how to set up RSS feeds (which reminds me - I really must read the backlog...).
  • Finding Twitter to be a much more useful tool than I first thought, particularly for following events remotely, & keeping your finger on the pulse day-to-day.
  • Feeling part of an information professional’s community. Developing a self-discipline about blogging each week.
  • Learning to write again (sounds odd I know, but I haven't really had to write coherently or at some length since my undergraduate days! My career since then hasn't really required this).
Bad aspects of the experience:

  • Slight information overload when attempting to read as many of the other blogs as possible.
  • Blog-envy when I see some of the great designs people have developed, but that should lead to a positive of me working more on my own blog.
  • Occasional guilt that I haven't written my blog earlier in the week & appear to have a last-minute approach. 
Analysis (what sense can you make of the situation) -

  • So far, I am finding CPD23 to be a very positive experience.
  • I am slowly finding an online voice amongst library & info folk which is helping me to develop the courage of my convictions in pursuing a career.
  • I'm enjoying learning more I.T. skills.
  • Oh yes, & it's good fun! I love the great humour in so many of the blogs.
  • Reflecting on the process has definitely made me want to continue with it (especially if we get a certificate...O.K. just kidding).
Conclusion (what else could you have done) –

  • Developed my blog (design & content) more.
  • Commented on & followed a few more blogs (I was quite conservative in number).
  • Been more vocal on Twitter.
  • Tried to increase my online profile more.
  • Tried using Pushnote beyond just registering for it. 
Action plan (what will you do next time) - the joy of CPD23 being an ongoing event means that I can apply the above conclusions to subsequent 'things' in addition to new events.

And now, onto my second event for reflection...

SCHOOL LIBRARY VOLUNTEER

Description (what happened)  - I sourced a local volunteering opportunity in a school library through the Council for Voluntary Services, applied & then started volunteering as a library helper 2 days per week in a primary school library 5 months ago.

Feelings (what were you thinking & feeling) -

  • Nervous (again!) because I hadn't worked in any kind of library environment before, & hadn't worked in a school before (tho’ I had quite a bit of experience of working with children in my theatre career).
  • Delighted to be finally getting the opportunity to work in a library after having a lot of knock-backs for jobs.
  • Interested to see a literacy curriculum at work.
Evaluation - good aspects of the experience:

  • Learnt to use a library management system (Junior Librarian).
  • Learnt all the basic tasks such as scanning books in & out, shelving, enrolling new pupils onto the system, carrying out catalogue searches, cataloguing & classifying new books, & repairing books.
  • The size of the library was nice & manageable for a starter like me; the total of books (fiction & non-fiction) numbers around 5,000.
  • Able to get involved in information literacy exercises & reading activities with the children.
  • Given the opportunity to initiate projects such as Book of the Month displays, & an exhibition in the local public library of the winning entries of a Book Cover Design competition which the Year 7 Junior Librarians ran.
  • Working in a great school environment with fantastic pupils & teachers.
  • The organizing teacher gave me freedom to come up with schemes & ideas myself as they were delighted to have a library helper after going some time without one.
Bad aspects of the experience:

  • Not having a librarian to guide or supervise me, although the teachers were very happy to explain the system to me.
  • Not being able to commit more than two days to working in the school, due to having to earn a living as well.
Analysis (what sense can you make of the situation) –
  • Has given me the opportunity & foothold in library work that I have been seeking & is evidence of my commitment to the industry.
  • Has given me an insight into not only the importance of literacy, but also the importance of information literacy for children.
  • Highlighted for me the significance of school libraries & school librarians.
  • Over the course of a term & a half I have developed embryonic library skills.
Conclusion (what else could you have done) –
  • Been braver about asking the teachers more questions.
  • Initiated more projects to encourage the children to participate more in the library.
  • Read more children’s books (both in the library stock & the latest books) to give me a better overview of ages 8-12 reading groups.
  • Established a better system for overdue & a.w.o.l. books. Difficult when not working full time & the Year 7 Junior Librarians are overseeing the process. Resorted to an end of term book amnesty with the lure of house points!
Action plan (what will you do next time) – I guess that in the context of this event, ‘next time’ means the new autumn term & so I shall be attempting to carry out all four points mentioned above.

Well, that concludes my two pieces of reflective practice. I’m not going to talk about them any more as that would be getting into the realms of reflecting upon reflection…argghh! I do seem to have written rather a mammoth blog (for me) this week.
   



*Gibbs, G., 1988. Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further
Education Unit, Oxford Brookes University.

2 comments:

  1. The Gibbs model looks to be very useful for future interviews

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really like your style of writing these reflections: clear, concise and straight to the point. It's something I need to practise!

    ReplyDelete