‘In developing a school collection, the selector
begins with the needs of the curriculum and then seeks to discover the
positives in resources that would merit their inclusion in the school’s
collection’ (Jenkinson, 2002, p. 22). The needs of the curriculum for the
purpose of Assignment 1 ETL503 _210430 involve providing resources for the historical
study of colonial Australia in the 1800s by students in Year 5. The relevant content
descriptor for Year 5 knowledge and understanding of history is ‘the impact of
a significant development or event on a colony’(ACARA, 2013). This is
elaborated as investigating the event, explaining its impact on the colony. Through
the examination of the development of the colony, significant events and
people, they learn about what life was like for different groups of people in
the colonial period. There is emphasis on identifying a range of sources and
locating and recording information through historical inquiry (ACARA, 2013). The
role of the teacher librarian in this situation is to ensure there is
accumulation of resources: print, e-resource, fiction, non-fiction and
reference that meet the needs of both the teacher and the students, enabling
effective teaching and learning of the curriculum to occur (Koren, 2007).
‘The
effective use of information sources in the learning program is facilitated by
access to information provided by systems and services managed through the
school’s information services. These systems include the identification and
selection of suitable information sources’
(ALIA/ASLA, 2014).
In
order to select resources for use with this Australian History Curriculum (AHC) unit, the teacher librarian
must engage the use of three sets of selection criteria: broad, general and
specific. The South Australian Department of Education and Children’s Services
(2004) broad selection criteria for schools is summarised in the table located
in Appendix A. Further investigation, using general and specific selection
criteria will be applied to each resource, to accurately determine the
resources worth in being added to the school collection. The general selection
criteria located in Appendix B is taken from Hughes-Hassel and Mancall (2005),
who believe that learner centered selection criteria places emphasis on
matching resources to learner characteristics and the teaching–learning context
(p. 43). A more specific selection criteria for e-resources has been
developed (Williams, 2002 & Baltimore County Public Schools, 2013) and
included in Appendix C. Table 1
provides a key for symbols that indicate the needs the resource meets.
Table
1
|
Reference to broad, general and
specific criteria are represented in brackets using the number 1 for broad, 2
for general and 3 for specific and a letter for the exact criteria
e.g. (2C) = general selection criteria, accuracy.
|
|
✪
|
Teacher resource kit / pack
|
§
|
interactive
|
:
|
E-resource
|
|
3
|
Non fiction
document / printable / blackline master
|
&
|
Fiction/ non fiction book
|
0
|
Student activities / student research
|
The
following ten resources have already been found to meet many of these broad
selection criteria. They are all related to the providing information about the
history of gold in Australia (1A, 1E), are relevant to the age of the students
(1D) and do not appear to expose students to offensive materials (1E). Each
resource appears to be inclusive of the peoples involved in the gold rush (1B,
1C, 1G).
1. Webber, K. (2012). Curriculum resource pack: the Australian gold rushes: for upper primary
students. South Yarra, Vic. : MacMillan Education Australia.
✪ §
3 & : 0
Located in the Schools Catalogue
Information Service (SCIS) (Education Services Australia, 2013) using Gold + resource pack as the search terms, The SCIS
summary for this resource indicated the material was up-to-date (2C) and
supported the curriculum content (2B). The limited search parameters on SCIS and the lack of
visual images made it difficult to ascertain the worth of the resource pack. This meant a further search for more detailed information was required. A Google
(2103) search produced a more informative link to the resource at Teacher
Superstore (2014). This site had several visual images of sample pages of the information texts that showed the resource to be of appropriate
reading level and interest for Year 5 (2A) organised in a functional and eye
catching way (2E, 2I) with both relevant, in-depth information on the topic and
appropriate graphics, both illustration and photographs of artifacts (2H). The
pack features a networkable CD providing digital copies of each book in the
pack, providing a digital resource that is safe (3A) and suitable for the age
group (3B). There is a considerable cost
for this resource that could be justified considering the networkable access to
digital copies that would provide for multiple user access. The Powerhouse
Museum (NSW Government, n.d.) is noted on the front cover of each title, giving
indication of authority of the information (2F).
2. Fox. M. & O. (2003). Discovering gold. Ballarat, Vic. :
Wizard
3 0
Museums around Australia have made
considerable efforts to build links between their heritage resource and history
education and can often provide valuable information on available resources. The
Sovereign Hill website, provides a bibliography of classroom resources, where
details of this resource ‘Discovering Gold’ (Sovereign Hills Museum Association,
n.d.) was located. The review of the resource indicated that it is suitable for
years 4-6 (2A), and contains appropriate curriculum content (2B), reflecting
the diverse society of the gold fields (2D). A SCIS search confirmed the
resource, with a link through to Google Books (Google, 2012) that showed
several example pages from the resource. The information is presented in a way
that shows an appropriate level of detail and content for Year 5 students (2A,
2B). While this resource is a blackline master book and therefore not as
visually appealing as digital resources, this is a print resource that could be
used to provide information for students to analyse when digital / online
resources are not available (2G, 2I). There is no indication of the author’s
qualifications nor sources cited.
&
✪ 3 : 0
An initial search for ‘Gold’ on the
Scootle website (Education Services Australia, 2014b), easily located this digital
resource without need of further search refining. Produced by a recognised
authority (2F), the pack includes relevant information for both teachers and
students (2A, 3B), for the purpose of education about the Australian goldfields
(3C). The teacher pack provides detailed background information on the history
of the gold fields (2B), citing credible sources (2C, 2F). There is a significant
section on minority peoples on the goldfields, providing details of the diverse
colonial society (2E). The student pack contains primary source images and
poetry with questions to promote inquiry and critical thinking, suitable for Year
5 students (2A, 2B), that meet the needs of visual learners (2D) and would be a
good compliment to other non-fiction resources (2G). It is clearly set out and
organised (2E). Although produced digitally, the resource is designed to be
used as a print resource.
§ : 0
Exploring the use of Google (Google,
2013) as a selection aid, the terms ‘Gold’ and ‘Colony’ were used in the search
engine. The fourth result was the link to ‘The Original Gold Rush Colony’
(n.d.) located in Mogo, NSW. This easily navigated site, contained relevant
information useful for the unit. However it also proved useful as a selection
aid in its own right, providing links to other relevant sites. ‘Gold’ is produced
for educational purposes through a collaboration of credible sources in
Victoria, such as the Museum of Victoria (n.d.) and the State library of
Victoria (State Government Victoria, 2014) (3C, 3E). The website features a
combination of relevant facts, primary source pictures, and interactive
activities (3C). It is easy to navigate and appears user friendly for Year 5
students (3F). The text however, could
be difficult for some Year 5 students to comprehend, and may be best used for
higher end students (3B). The site does not contain any advertising or pop ups,
but does provide links to other relevant sites (3C). The site requires the
‘flash’ plug in (3D).
: 0
Exploring the validity of using Google
(2103) as a selection aid to locate kid friendly websites on the Australian
Gold rush, a boolean search was conducted using ‘Australia+Gold+Kids’. This
proved a successful search option with the top result being a link to the
kidcyber ‘Gold!’ page. The site appears to contain relevant content supporting
the curriculum (3C), is visually appealing (3F) and written in kid friendly
text (3B). There are relevant graphics, links to further relevant information
and is easy for the students to navigate (3D, 3F). This site claims to locate their information
from specialists but does not cite credible sources (3E) making their accuracy
and authority and accuracy difficult to determine. Although no advertising was
evident, the home page does state that advertising is now being included across
the site (3C). The site appears to function purely for student research (3B,
3C) does not require students to provide any personal information (3A) and does
not require additional software or subscription fees (3D).
§
: 0
This interactive gaming resource was very
easily found through a search in Scootle using the School’s Online Thesaurus (ScOT)
(Education Services Australia, 2014a) terms ‘gold rush’, year 5-6, learning
object. Developed in conjunction with the National Museum of Australia (2013a) (3E)
for the purposes of exploring the Gold rush in Ballarat (3C), students are
required to take on the persona of a person seeking their fortune on the
Goldfields. The site is user friendly (3F) and does not require teacher
supervision (3D). The site is contained and cybersafe: it does not have links
to any other website, nor does it have advertising or ask for student
information(3A).This site would complement the learning of the curriculum
content, providing the students opportunity to apply and analyse their
understandings in an interactive way (2G). This site has received a 5 star rating
from 3 reviews on Scootle and is also available in an easy format Gold Rush
level 1 for lower end students.
7. French, J. (2009). The night they stormed Eureka. Sydney: Harper Collins Publishers.
&
A search on the Library thing (n.d.) website,
using the tag ‘australia; gold rush’ produced the title of this book, written
by a well respected author (2K). A review on this site confirmed it was about
the Eureka stockade but little other detail.
Further research produced a book review from the journal ‘Reading Time’
(Steinberger, 2009, p. 35), which gives a detailed synopsis of the book
confirming the content fits with the scope of the curriculum (2B). Steinberger
states that it is ‘an excellent historical novel for young readers aged 10 to
13’ indicating it’s appropriateness for Year 5 (2A). Although the reviewer indicates that French
provides notes on the goldfields and a history of the rebellion and it’s
aftermath, there is no mention of French’s qualifications, nor whether she
cites credible sources (2C, 2F). This resource is a well crafted historical
fiction, and appears to have the literary merit required (2J), if the teacher
is to use it as a whole class read to create connections to events of the past
(2G, 2I).
8. Wilkinson, C. (2008). The night we made the flag. Newtown,
NSW. : Black Dog Books.
&
This resource was located on
librarything.com using the tag ‘eureka stockade’. A review of this book located
in Books + Publisher Magazine (Jordan, 2008), confirmed it was historical
fiction offering a unique view of the Eureka uprising through the eyes of the
women who sewed the flag (2D). Jordan states that it is a ‘valuable source of
factual information’ (2B, 2E) ‘with an end note explaining the historical
context’ (2E, 2G). Jordan praises the aesthetic qualities and literary merit of
the book (2I, 2J) stating it would be ‘an invaluable addition an any school
library’.
✪ 3 : 0
One of the priorities with resourcing the history
curriculum is the need for student access to primary sources. While Scootle
provides links to some basic primary source collections, these are created by
someone else. Ultimately, students need
to learn to ‘search for, and select among masses of primary sources, analyse
the context of the materials, before interpreting and arriving at their own
conclusion’ (Krause, 2010, p. 402). Although Trove could be considered a
selection aid for locating resources, in the case of the History curriculum,
Trove is a critical ‘primary source’ resource (3C). It is produced by a reputed
organisation, and contains credible materials (3E). The issue with this
resource is that it is not designed specifically for students, and requires
explicit teaching in order for students to effectively access relevant
resources (3B, 3C, 3D). The organisation and layout of Trove is easy to
understand, and students at a Year 5 level would be able to navigate the site (3F)
as long as there was teacher assistance (3D) ‘to facilitate the discovery and
use of these resources’ (Krause, 2010, p. 402).
10.
The
State of Queensland (Queensland Studies Authority). (2014). Year 5 History – Investigating the colonial
period in Australia: shaping the Australian colonies [research pack].
Retrieved from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/26012.html
✪ 3: 0
Scootle's comprehensive search
parameters enable easy location of specific resources. ‘Gold rush, year 5-6, assessment resource,
history’ located this resource. The
educational details state it to be of significant value to the Year 5 AHC, and
provides a way of gathering evidence of knowledge and understanding (2A, 2B). Produced
by the Queensland Studies Authority (2F, 2K), it is a downloadable resource to
support teaching, learning and assessment of the content. This resource contains
matrixes, rubrics and tables to guide the students through the inquiry process
(2G). This site does not contain specific information on the Australian gold
rush but does provide a list of credible source links that could be used to
enhance the teaching of this unit (2C, 2F). The student booklet has been
organised in a logical and coherent way, supporting students through the
inquiry process (2E). This resource would be of value to teachers new to the
colony content, the AHC or the process of inquiry learning.
References
Australian
Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), (2013). The Australian Curriculum v6.0
History Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum by rows. In The Australian Curriculum v6.02. Retrieved from
Baltimore
County Public Schools. (2013). Selection Criteria for school library media
centre collections. In Baltimore County
Public Schools. Retrieved from
https://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/office/admin/selection.html
French, J. (2009). The night they stormed Eureka. Sydney: Harper Collins Publishers.
Fox. M. & O. (2003). Discovering gold. Ballarat, Vic.: Wizard
Google. (2013). Google Canada. Retrieved from https://www.google.ca
Hughes-Hassell,
S. & Mancall, J.C. (2005). Collection
management for youth: responding to the needs of learners. Retrieved from
EBook library.
Jenkinson, D. (2002). Selection and censorship: It’s
simple arithmetic. School Libraries in
Canada. 2(3), 22
Jordan, Leonie. The Night We Made the Flag [Book Review]
[online]. Bookseller + Publisher Magazine, Vol. 88, No. 1, Jul 2008: 48.
Availability: <http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=420036792096633;res=IELAPA>
ISSN: 1833-5403. [cited 09 Apr 14].
Krause, M. G. (2010). ‘It Makes History Alive for them”: the
role of archivists and special collections librarians in instructing undergraduates.
The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(5),
401-411.
Steinberger, K. (2009). Swerve. Reading Time, 53(4),
35.
The Original Gold Rush Colony. (n.d.). Australian Gold Rush
Colony- resource Links – Australian 1850s Gold Rush Colony Mogo South Coast
NSW. In The Original Gold Rush Colony. Retrieved
from http://www.goldrushcolony.com.au/resources
The Sovereign Hills Museum Association. (n.d.) Sovereign Hill
Bibilography of classroom resources. In
Sovereign Hill. Retrieved from http://education.sovereignhill.com.au/teachers/bibliography-of-classroom-resources/
The
State of Queensland (Queensland Studies Authority). (2014). Year 5 History – Investigating the colonial
period in Australia: shaping the Australian colonies [research pack].
Retrieved from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/26012.html
Webber,
K. (2012). Curriculum resource pack: the
Australian gold rushes: for upper primary students. South Yarra, Vic. :
MacMillan Education Australia.
Wilkinson, C. (2008). The night we made the flag. Newtown,
NSW. : Black Dog Books.
Williams, I.D. (2002). Ensuring quality in the collection of
free internet based resources for Australian schools. Access, 16(3), 27-30.
Appendix
A: Broad selection criteria
|
Teaching and learning materials
should be selected and accessed in ways that they
|
|
1A
|
Are related
to curriculum policy and program, supporting the learning and /or
recreational needs of the students
|
|
1B
|
Support an
inclusive curriculum
|
|
1C
|
Encourage
understanding of the contributions to Australian society made by a diverse
range of peoples.
|
|
1D
|
Are
relevant for the age of the students
|
|
1E
|
Do not
expose students to offensive materials such as violent and sexualized content
|
|
1F
|
Enable
opportunities for students to find, use, evaluate and present information in
order to develop critical thinking capacities
|
|
1G
|
Represent a
range of views on all issues.
|
The State of South Australia, Department of Education and
Children’s Services. (2004). Broad Selection Criteria [ETL503 Module
2.5]. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from Charles Sturt University website: http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/site/ETL503_201430_W_D/page/107347c1-3a72-453a-8091-13f98fefcf2c
Appendix
B: General Selection Criteria
|
PRIMARY
CONSIDERATIONS
|
|
Criteria
|
Questions to Consider
|
|
2A Appropriateness
|
Is the
content appropriate for my learners?
Does it
match their developmental level? Reading level? Social development? Learning
style? Ethnic or cultural background?
Will the
work be of interest to my learners?
|
|
2B
Scope
|
What is the
purpose of the work?
Is the
level of detail appropriate for my learners?
Does it support
the school curriculum or interests of the students?
|
|
2C
Accuracy
|
Is the
material up-to-date and accurate?
Are
opinions and biases, if they exist, acknowledged as such?
Does the
creator of the work identify the sources used to create it?
Does the creator
cite credible sources, including specialists or experts in the subject area?
|
|
2D
Treatment
|
Is the
style of presentation appropriate for the subject matter and does it have
appeal to my learners?
Does the
creator avoid stereotypes dealing with race, gender, age, region and
socioeconomic level?
Does the
resource reflect our diverse society?
|
|
2E
Arrangement and organization
|
Is the
information arranged and organized so that students can understand it?
Is the
resource organized so that students can easily locate information?
|
|
2F
Authority
|
What are
the creator’ qualifications?
How
knowledgeable is the creator about the subject?
Does the
creator cite credible sources, including specialists or experts in the
subject area?
Has the
creator published or produced other
materials on this topic?
|
|
2G Comparison with other works
|
How doe
this work compare with others in the same genre and format or on the same
subject?
How might
my learners use this work?
How might
educators use it with students?
|
|
SECONDARY
CONSIDERATIONS
|
|
Criteria
|
Questions to Consider
|
|
2H
Physical quality
|
Do physical
elements such as the clarity of images, illustrations, speech, and music, the
consistency of navigation icons, and the legibility of typefaces or fonts
support the purpose of the work and the learning styles of my learners?
|
|
2I
Aesthetic quality
|
Will the
work appeal to the aesthetic tastes of my learners?
|
|
2J
Literary merit
|
How well
does the author, illustrator, or produces deal with literary components such
as theme, setting, character and style?
|
|
2K
Reputation of author,
illustrator, or producer
|
Do my
learners use other works by this individual and would they find this title
interesting and worthwhile?
|
Hughes-Hassell,
S. & Mancall, J.C. (2005). Collection
management for youth: responding to the needs of learners. Retrieved from
EBook library. P. 46,47
Appendix
C: E-resource selection criteria
|
PRIMARY
CONSIDERATIONS
|
|
Criteria
|
Questions to Consider
|
|
3A Cybersafety
|
Is the website safe? Are students protected from exposure
to inappropriate material of a sexual or violent nature?
Are the students protected from encountering e-mail or
bulletin board messages that are harassing or demeaning?
Are students required to give personal information such as
email addresses, last name, phone numbers and /or date of birth in order to
access the site?
|
|
3B Audience
|
Who is the target audience for this website: Students /
teachers / parents / general public?
Is it suitable for the age group?
|
|
3C
Content
|
Is the site for education or entertainment?
Does the content support the curriculum?
Does it contain advertising? Does it contain popups?
Does the site contain links to other non-relevant
websites?
Is the content available in other languages?
|
|
3D
Accessibility
|
Can students use the site by themselves or do they need to
work under teacher supervision?
Is additional software required? Are additional plugins
required to view the resource?
Does the site require payment or subscription?
|
|
3E
Authority
|
Is the content accurate?
Does it cite
credible sources, including specialists or experts in the subject area?
|
|
3F
Organisation
|
Readable text? Attractive graphics? Appealing layout
Search capabilities? Navigation tools? User friendly?
|
Williams, I.D. (2002). Ensuring quality in the collection of
free internet based resources for Australian schools. Access, 16(3), 27-30.
