TOPIC 1 - RBL vs RBT

Ok, I have finally made it...it seems like an age since I set this up. I have been busy reading and familiarising myself with the RBL model as outlined in topic one. Here are some of my thoughts...

* Do I think that resource based learning (RBL) is is a viable model of learning?

- I think that to a certain extent it is a viable model. A lot depends on the teaching staff and the resources that are available. For example a small school (such as the one I teach in) may not have the same access to resources as a larger school may have. Also, they may not have access to a teacher librarian (TL) who can help to facilitate this method of teaching.

It is difficult to get the RBL model right and as outlined in the Haycock article, RBL is often being used interchangably with resource based teaching (RBT) which are two different concepts, hence the confusion surrounding what RBL actually is.

Teachers have been trained to teach using the 'front and centre/ chalk and talk' method of teaching. It is a big shift in beliefs for many to begin teaching to a RBL model, particularly if they have limited support.

Teachers have to be accountable for what their students do or do not learn. We (teachers) have to be able to report on student learning and it (RBL method) can be confronting when it comes to assessment, especially if it has not been done properly. When the teacher is no longer the central focal point, it can be a concern that the students are not learning. However, this is where the role of the TL becomes vital. A TL can assist and guide the teacher to provide a method of teaching in which RBL is at the core. The TL can also assist with how to maintain assesment goals etc.

Reading back though this answer, it is clear to me...and no doubt anyone else reading...that my background is a classroom teacher, not a TL. I do find the idea of a RBL model confronting, but exciting at the same time. I hope that as I continue on this journey, I will feel more confident to help facilitate a RBL model of teaching.

*Has the advent of new technologies, and in particular the Internet, changed the nature of RBL?

The internet, in my experience, has been more a part of the RBT model. Often, children seem to think that everyting they need is on Google and are reluctant to look elsewhere. I realise that this is part of the teacher's responsibility, but a TL can be invaluable in this instance. Many teachers may be unsure themselves on how to effectively locate information using the net. The TL can help to guide both the teachers and students through the 'google overload'!

I have not been lucky enough to work in a school where we have had a fully qualified TL, but through the readings I have completed so far, I can see how important the role of the TL is and will continue to be as we move through the 21st century.