National Year of Reading 2012

The National Year of Reading 2012 is about children learning to read and keen readers finding new sources of inspiration. It’s about supporting reading initiatives while respecting the oral tradition of storytelling. It’s about helping people discover and rediscover the magic of books. And most of all, it’s about Australians becoming a nation of readers.

Nearly half our population can’t read with any fluency. It’s a shameful and worrying statistic. We’ve identified three goals which will help us turn Australia into a nation of readers and encourage a reading culture in every home:

  • For all Australians to understand the benefits of reading as a life skill and a catalyst for well-being;
  • To promote a reading culture in every home; and
  • To establish an aspirational goal for families, of parents and caregivers sharing books with their children every day.

There are many events that will be celebrating the National Year of Reading during 2012.

We will highlight these events on this blog.

For more information visit: http://www.love2read.org.au/

 

Awesome apps…

There are so many apps around now….both for iphones, ipads as well as for android phones and tablets.

Click on the ‘resources’ tab on the blog menu to find the page entitled ‘awesome apps…’

To get you started try these:

11 awesome android apps for students to use

11 awesome android apps for teachers to use

 

These are links to apps that we think are useful for both students and teachers in the educational environment.

Click on the NO COMMENTS box above this post to describe an app that you have found to be useful or interesting.

NO GAMES PLEASE…we just want to see useful educational apps in this space.

TeacherKit – offers teachers the ability to record marks, seating plans, contact details.  Replaces the chronicle!

Book reviews

 

There are many sites that offer book reviews. Here are a few we like:

The local Emerald Library, is part of the Casey Cardinia Library Corporation.

They have a fabulous blog for teens called Quicksand. Click below to check it out.

 

 

 

Inside a dog is a great website run by the State Library of Victoria. You can read heaps of book reviews on this site put up by other students, or add your own book review. Click below to enter:

2012 Prime Ministers Literary Awards shortlist

The Prime Minister and Arts Minister Simon Crean have announced the shortlists for the 2012 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards in the fiction, non-fiction, poetry, history, young adult fiction and children’s fiction categories

 

 

 

 

 

 

Follow the link below to see a wonderful collection of books, making up this years shortlist.  They include a link to the first chapter of each book.  The winners will be announced July 23rd.

Prime Ministers Literary awards shortlist

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6 steps to effective research

Information literacy checklist
Skills
Defining: What do I really want to find?
Can clarify the meaning of words in a research task Online graphial dictionary: http://www.visuwords.com/
Can state the task in my own words
Can identify differences between open and closed questions
Can create appropriate research questions for the task Question generator:http://wsi.slav.vic.edu.au/question-generator
Question matrix:http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/downloads/supportmaterials/organisers/reasoning_question_matrix_secondary.pdf
Locating
Can list key words related to the task
Can find a book in the library using the ROS system
Can use key words to find online information Using key words:http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/learn-skills/research-skills/locate-information/using-keywords
Can use Google advanced search and a range of other techniques to find information Use of a HUGE range of different search engines: http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html
Can record details of source information in a bibliography How to write a bibliography: https://esclibrary.edublogs.org/research/creating-a-bibliography/
Selecting
Can skim read a source to see if it is relevant
Can determine if the information (website) is suitable for the topic Evaluating a website:

https://esclibrary.edublogs.org/research/online-searching-and-evaluation/

Organising
Can make notes in dot point form
Can use a data collection sheet to make my notes Notetaking sheets:https://esclibrary.edublogs.org/research/note-taking-sheets/
Can use an online data collection sheet to make notes
Can write my own paragraphs from my notes
Presenting
Can select a style of presentation appropriate to the audience Web 2.0 tools for presenting:https://esclibrary.edublogs.org/resources/web-2-0-tools-for-presenting/
Can create a presentation using both written and/or online resources.
Can present the information clearly
Evaluation
Can identify that my work has met the criteria of the task
Can identify what I have learnt by completing this task
Can set goals for the further development of information literacy skills

National Year of Reading 2012

 

 Why declare a National year of reading?

According to the 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, nearly half of all Australians (46%)
don’t have the literacy skills they need to cope with the complex demands of everyday life and
work in the emerging knowledge-based economy.

A survey by the Australian Industry Group in May 2010 of major employers found that more than
75% felt their businesses were affected by low levels of literacy and numeracy in the workforce.

To read more about these statistics refer to the factsheet here:

Literacy factsheet

Click on the link below to find out more information and follow events and competitions near you.

 

Prime Ministers Literary Awards 2012

The Prime Minister and Arts Minister Simon Crean have announced the shortlists for the 2012 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards in the fiction, non-fiction, poetry, history, young adult fiction and children’s fiction categories

 

 

Prime Ministers Literary awards shortlist

 

 

Follow the link above to see a wonderful collection of books, making up this years shortlist. They include a link to the first chapter of each book. The winners will be announced July 23rd.

Read this! competition

Do you have a favourite book that you think everyone should read?
Present your book in a creative way, and you could be in the running to win up to $40,000!
See some of the entries, and enter the competition here:   Read this!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 What is reading?

Evaluating a website

Short check list for evaluating a website:

Accuracy Does your page list the author and institution that published the page and provide a way of contacting him/her?
Authority Does your page list the authors’ credentials and is the domain a preferred domain for example .edu, .gov, .org, or .net?
Objectivity. Does your page provide accurate information with limited advertising and is it objective (not biased, not favouring a point of view) in presenting the information?
Currency Is your page current and updated regularly (as stated on the page) and the links (if any) are also up-to-date?
Coverage Can you view the information properly–not limited to fees, browser technology, or software requirement?

If you can tick off all of the above criteria…your Web page is of value to your research!

 

A more detailed checklist for evaluating a website:

 

“How to evaluate a website” worksheet

 

 

Library Spaces and Booking

The library has three main spaces to offer for classes:

1. The Research area, which includes the computers and the class area beside the non-fiction.

2. The Classroom, the self sufficient AV room with whiteboard at the rear of the library.

3. The Reading area, a class sized reading area located just outside the Classroom for quiet reading and book discussion.

All booking for these areas should be done in advance to assure to receive the space you require for your class. The booking sheets can be found at the main service desk of the library.

Note: We also have a discussion room available for teachers and one on one meetings with staff or students.

AV at EmeraldSC

At Emerald Secondary College we have Video Command installed which enables the library to stream videos, DVD and live to air television to various classrooms throughout the school.

In an ideal world we would have large screens and ceiling mounted data projectors in all classrooms, but unfortunately that is not possible.

Classrooms that currently have ceiling mounted data projectors and large screens are:

Library classroom, A2, A6/7, S1, S2 and S4.

Classrooms that are serviced but only have wall mounted televisions are:

A3, B3, B9 and B10, Dining Room, D2, G1 – G5, G4 and G12.

To use Video Command in any of these classrooms a booking should be made via the AV computer in the library workroom and the AV bags with relevant cables and remotes are kept (for safe keeping and tracking) in the library.

Staff are required to collect the appropriate AV bag and Commander remote at the beginning of the booked period and return them to the library as soon as they are no longer required.

If free to air television is required, the channel selection is made from the relevant source in the library. The monitors in the classrooms are receivers only and do NOT operate as a television, so channels should not be selected from the classroom.

The library has 5 DVD recorders and 2 VCRs, however, a booking should still be made even if you are timetabled in a room that receives Video Command as all players may already be in use to service other rooms, or for copying and/or recording .

No booking is required for these rooms if Video Command is not required and you are using PowerPoint, however, you are still required to pick up and return the AV bag.

There are data projectors in other areas of the school such as L Block, Computer rooms and the Media room, etc, however, these are independent to the Video Command system and the library staff take no responsibility in their maintenance or functionality.

The library has a number of portable data projectors, extension cords, power boards and screens available for use in classrooms where no equipment is installed.

If staff would like any assistance with booking or setting up equipment do not hesitate to talk to the library staff.


Library Media Collection

For information on the library catalogue of DVD and video resources, please ask library staff what is available to you and your class. If the library doesn’t have what you are looking for, you can source a DVD/VHS yourself and bring it in for viewing, or try the ACMI catalogue which Emerald Secondary College Library has a membership with. You can check their catalogue here.

Note: Please allow five days for the arrival of an ACMI requested DVD or video.

Portable AV Equipment

If your room has little to no AV set up, the library has three portable projectors which you can connect to your own laptop to use in your classroom. You can also borrow one of our two sets of portable speakers. Aside from these, the library also have a digital stills camera and an HD flip video camera for use.

Note: If you want to assure a data projector or speakers are free for your use, please book the item at the library in advance. They are popular equipment and can book out quickly.