INF330 Blog

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Censorship: Analysis of a peer-reviewed journal article

Reflection

Article: Should we ban books in schools? Arguments from the public history of Australian school text censorship. By David Hastie (2018). English in Australia, 53(3), 23-36

Book censorship in schools is an interesting topic and one I believed I had a thorough basic understanding of. When reading the article title, Should we ban books in schools? Arguments from the Public History of Australian School Text Censorship by David Hastie, I believed that educators and information professionals, with their years of training, would influence and be involved with censorship and book inclusion and exclusion decisions. Reading and analysing the article provided a deeper understanding of the role of groups who voice their concerns over particular books in schools, and the ethical issue of banning books. 

Expecting an answer to the article’s ethical question of should books be banned in schools, I instead found reasons why books have been banned and groups who seek censorship. In Australia, there has been situations where people called for the burning of a book and the New South Wales police were involved in removing a book from the shelves of a bookstore. These events were unknown to me and I found the vehement stand of those seeking a censorship ban a little surprising. This is due to not having studied Australian censorship history, nor taking a deeper look at the reasons why groups want a book banned.

Some of the books that have caused controversy in Australia and were mentioned in the article I had not heard of. This may be due to books being banned before I was aware of, or paid attention to, current affairs. Or the banning occurred when I was not yet of an age to have heard of the book and understand what it could mean. I selected one banned book from the article and analysed, looking at the reasons for the banning at the time, and present views of the book. The Little Red School Book was first published overseas in 1969 and was written by school teachers in Denmark. Australia was quite quick to ban the book and it was removed from bookstores by New South Wales police. Now it is available to purchase, and readers on Amazon state that there are rude words and graphic content, but this is similar to what is available today in other books. I wonder and will have to consider if, as a society, are we desensitized now, or were we too sensitive when the book was banned?

A copy of the Qld Literature Board of Review annual report 71-72 containing details of the book banning is on the State Library of Queensland website Little Red School Book | State Library Of Queensland (slq.qld.gov.au). Also on the site are copies of newspaper clippings which express the concerns of particular groups at that time. They are interesting to read and provide insight into different views and how opinions affect censorship. Analysing the article, I wonder about how times change people’s views of what is and is not acceptable in text and on television. I thought of my high school required reading lists which contained King Lear and Waiting for Godot, I am David and Coonardoo. Very different books with different language and content. For me, each of these books produced strong feelings and thoughts. David Hastie (2018) says ‘I would cautiously suggest there exists a case for censorship’ and mentions this is to ensure student protection. Having analysed the article and reflecting upon books I was required to read in high school, I agree with cautious censorship for the protection of students, and I see how over time, views and what is appropriate can change as society changes.

Little Red School Book

Little Red School Book (Australian ed. 1972)The Little Red School Book was the work of two Danish schoolteachers, Soren Hansen and Jesper Je

References

Hastie, D. (2018). Should we ban books in schools? : Arguments from the public history of Australian school text censorship. English in Australia, 53(3), 23–36. https://search-informit-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/doi/10.3316/aeipt.222603

Knox, E.J.M. (2020). Books, censorship, and anti-intellectualism in schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 101(7), 28-32 Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=142591713&site=ehost-live

Robert, K. (2022). Under the law: Banning books: Unlawful censorship, or within a school’s discretion? Phi Delta Kappan, 103(7), 62-64. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=156035966&site=ehost-live

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Reflection: Nintendo Game Builder

While it may not be possible for information professionals to know and learn every new online and video game that is available, there are a few which have caught my attention. This is due to their popularity with children who chat about the games with peers and adults. Popular games which I am know of are Among Us, Minecraft, Fortnite, SIMS and Roblox. At the moment, Wordle is very popular with adults, children and young adults. Minecraft has become popular for use in classrooms for students to learn strategies, planning and coding. Incorporating games into the classroom introduces new ways of learning and acceptance of the advantages technology has brought to education. My experience of learning a new game was quite different from what I expected. Perhaps it was the type of game, the brand, or not previously having training in code making technology.

As technology is a fundamental part of life in many societies, and is taught in schools to ensure students are able to meet current expectations in daily work life, information professionals can feel a need to explore what games are popular and able to be offered for children’s use. Learning how to use games, even if it is the basics, I believe aids in delivering instruction and guidance. Having once had to set up a gaming station and assist children in operating, yet having no previous practice and instruction, was concerning and stressful. Not everyone is experienced in the different types of gaming consoles and the multitude of games. Having a basic knowledge in a few will enable children to feel empowered to try games that are available in the library, even when having no previous experience. Information professionals will also feel comfortable in delivering assistance.

For this task, I endeavoured to choose a game that was easily accessible for myself and others, has educational value and is entertaining. A public library I worked for provided equipment including consoles, handsets and game cards, and the library computers were set up with access to educational games. I had very little practical experience with any of these and no guidance or training was provided. When having to assist children in the use of these games I was in a position of offering very limited support. Since this incident, I have not wished to be placed in such a stressful position again and have taken time to learn the basics of Roblox, Nintendo, Minecraft, Wordle and more.

The game I choose was Nintendo’s Game Builder Garage. Having seen a promotion on television and having access to a Nintendo Switch Lite and the Game Builder Garage game, I performed a review search. The reviews showed that this game is a fun and interactive way of encouraging children in learning the basics of coding. I at first find learning a new digital game a little confusing. I like to read over the instructions or description and then experiment. Game Builder Garage did not have an instruction manual as the instructions are built into the game. I learned I am not writing code with this game. I am building a game using the code someone at Nintendo has created and designed to allow users to make their own adventure. It is a game that can take time but is quite simple with its guided instructions and is able to be seen, played and shared as soon as the steps are completed. This is an entertaining and simple way for beginners to learn game making. The practical experience development my knowledge and skills in what children are currently interested in, and new technologies.

Game Builder Garage (for Nintendo Switch)

Mario's Master Class

References

Block, C. (2017). Playing games at the library. Library Administrator’s Digest, 52(10), 5-66. Retrieved from Playing Games at the Library - ProQuest (csu.edu.au)

Minor, J. (2021). Game Builder Garage (for Nintendo Switch). APC. Retrieved from Game Builder Garage (for Nintendo Switch) - Review 2021 - PCMag Australia

Mystakidis, S. (2018). The case of literacy motivation: Playful 3D immersive learning environments and problem-focused education for blended digital storytelling.  International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 13(1)

Sheehan, K. (2022). Pavey, Sarah playing games in the school library. School Librarian, 70(1), p.71.

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Book Awards

Reflection

Children’s Book Awards: Create and upload a virtual presentation for children

I have found that the creation of a virtual presentation and researching book awards to be an expansive and very reflective task. The assessment has asked for a children or young adult book award virtual presentation and self-examination of my learning outcomes, my professional practice and what discrepancies in my knowledge were discovered. This task has been an effective way of gaining further usable skills as an information professional in researching and evaluating, and developing a resource list of software, platforms and book awards for children and young adults.

Virtual presentations are a valuable tool for libraries and educational institutions as they deliver information directly to their audience, regardless of physical location. When virtual presentations are mentioned, I automatically envisage YouTube Ted presentations, Zoom classes and Teams work meetings. Often, I have seen PowerPoint and Canva being used to create the content with fun, serious or interesting designs dependant on the topic.

Establishing set guidelines from the beginning of the assessment with the objective of widening and building my knowledge of products and services, I decided to work with Canva. This is a site I have utilised to create posters, but not had the opportunity to explore. Using Canva for this reflection will be beneficial in growing my skills for professional duties and my studies. With the large number of fun templates, and free training available, I am hoping to improve my skills not only in how to make a presentation, but also designing posters, social media, infographics and library website banners.

During the initial stages of this task, I was more concerned with creating a virtual presentation. I believed this section required deeper attention, as there were additional steps involved, including deciding on a focus group and learning how to create the presentation. When I began researching and collecting information for the content, I realized this step should have been initiated sooner due to the quantity and variety of awards, and determining which to base my presentation on.

I selected the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Awards as the last few years I have been involved in creating displays and assisting in activities relating to the book week event. The CBCA brings to schools and public libraries the fun of dressing up, parades and activities while promoting books that have been selected for awards. On the website, the CBCA describes its role as (CBCA, 2022) ‘presents annual awards to books of literary merit, for outstanding contribution to Australian children’s literature.’ Researching and evaluating the content to produce a virtual presentation which is appropriate and informative for young children, has required time and understanding of the topics and focus group. Undertaking this task has given me a better understanding of what is involved in delivering information in different formats, the time it takes to create and design, and how to better structure and plan my task. Completing each part of the assessment has involved time, research, compiling the data collected and producing relevant information to be shared to the focus group. By researching and selecting a presentation platform I have not previously used, and creating content on book awards, this has contributed to widening my knowledge and developing my skills as an information professional. I am growing in technological, research and evaluation skills, and learning how to identify and create data for content which will be used in a learning environment for children and young adults, as well as continuing my education of these topics and tools.

Please find below the CBCA's YouTube Book Awards Notable List for 2022.

References

http://cbca.org.au

Lear, B.A., Pritt, A.L. (2021) ‘We need diverse e-Books:’ Availability of award-winning children’s and young titles in today’s e-Book platforms. Collection management, 46(3), 223-247. Retrieved from  https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1080/01462679.2021.1908194

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Diversity and reviewing an electronic resource

Reflection Blog Entry : Diversity and reviewing an electronic resource for children or young adults

This reflection is about creating and posting a professional development reflective blog. I have found the experience to be quite different to writing an essay. In this reflective blog, I am detailing the steps taken during the task of selecting a social media platform, researching and choosing an electronic resource and writing a review.

There are a slew of social media platforms available. For this assessment, the site needs to offer blogging functions, design elements, be free and able to be shared. Charles Sturt University offers a blogging platform named Thinkspace. Having used this site before, I am familiar with how to post and design a blog. But taking the opportunity to learn an unknown platform will enhance professional knowledge and skills. As such, the platform Tumblr was decided upon because it meets the criteria, and reviews stated the site was easy to learn.

The next task was selecting a topic and professional development activity, and signing up to the platform to create a blog. After contemplating the options provided in the assessment sheet, I selected diversity as the topic. For the professional development activity, reviewing an electric resource for working with children and young adults was selected as I believe the subjects fit well together.

Working in a school library, there are discussions during meetings and over the photocopier about resources which the librarian, a teacher or aide has found. Often, these resources are shared amongst staff, parents and students. This is how A Mighty Girl website was selected. A teacher sent a link to a list of books from the website to the library for consideration in the collection. This was a great learning experience on how sharing years of knowledge, resources and tools leads to providing a better service for children and young adults.

This reflection and professional development activity is relevant to developing skills in assessing and reviewing resources and tools which assist in delivering programs and services. Immediately, it was easy to see my complete lack of knowledge of Tumblr and the skills to use it. Using the site has been a learning curve, which I am still engaged in and will be ongoing.

There are so many resources that I am completely unaware of, and others which I have limited or no skills in the use of. This assessment highlights that at this stage of learning, there are going to be numerous applications that are not known, and which will be useful for professional development. By learning from colleagues, lecturers and taking note of absolutely all useful websites, resources, professional associations, by attending conferences, webinars and more, gaps in knowledge will gradually be filled.

Diversity is an important topic; yet in a library environment, it has not always been prevalent. The last few years, there have been changes and awareness of the difficulties libraries face fulfilling every diversity requirement. As Australian Libraries and Information Association (ALIA) mentions in their Standards and Guidelines for Australian Public Libraries, 2020, ‘…an inherent dilemma in attempting to produce national standards that apply to libraries of all sizes in all parts of metropolitan, regional, rural and remote Australia.’ Spending a few short years in a small remote town while growing up, with no school library, the public library was an amazing, safe space that opened up a wonderous world and where everyone are was welcome. Diversity impacts how libraries are able to provide services. Libraries are relevant and needed as learning spaces, for social interaction, safety, entertainment, to access devices and the internet. Hopefully, they receive the support required to provide facilities for diverse needs within the community they serve and for visitors.

Note: Please also see Review : A Mighty Girl website blog

Reference List

Australian Library and Information Association (2020). APLA-ALIA Standards and Guidelines for Australian Public Libraries. APLA-ALIA Standards and Guidelines for Australian Public Libraries, December 2020 | ALIA Library

Conner, M., & Plocharczyk, L. (2020). Libraries and Reading: Intellectual Disability and the Extent of Library Diversity. The Library Quarterly, 91(3), 366-367. http://doi/10.1108/9781789733853

Henninger, E., (2018). Do Languages Represent?: A Pilot Study on Linguistic Diversity and Library Staff. PNLA Quarterly, 82(3/4), 73. Retrieved from Do Languages Represent?: A Pilot Study on Linguistic Diversity and Library ...: EBSCOhost (csu.edu.au)

Kyunghye, Y., Hulscher, Laura., & Dols, R. (2016). Accessibility and Diversity in Library and Information Science: Inclusive Information Architecture for Library Websites. The Library Quarterly, 86(2), 213-229. Http://doi/10.1086/685399

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Review : A Mighty Girl website

A Mighty Girl is a website exclusively focusing on showcasing stories of girls fulfilling dreams, achieving goals and overcoming barriers. Fostering and renewing an interest in literature, there are a large variety of books to browse through and choose from, a great many of which contain messages relating to the diverse topics of culture, racism, disabilities and gender. There are books bringing awareness of what should be thought of as normal for girls and women, such as receiving an education, jobs and periods. Educators, readers, librarians, parents and people looking for specific topics are able to peruse the site, read a synopsis, view similar books and make purchases via provided links to a sellers site.

This site states on the home page ‘The world's largest collection of books, toys and movies for smart, confident, and courageous girls.’ https://www.amightygirl.com. With a wide selection within each category, children and young adults (YA), educators, parents and anyone with a particular interest, have a vast selection to choose from. There are toy dolls of Frida Kahlo and other women and children who represent courage, talent, drive and skill. Categories include dress up costumes for book week, clothing, DVDs, a book club, a parent guide and blog. This is a comprehensive site focusing on stories retelling the truth of past events and how gender bias will not hold girls back from achieving.

When searching for materials for class lessons, this site has compiled quick and comprehensive lists beneath the tab ‘Best Of’. There are numerous categories to browse through and resources to access, assisting educators, librarians and teachers in showcasing great reads for students and guiding toward choices which will best fit student interests and needs and for library collection management.

Honestly and openly approaching difficult topics such as disabilities, racism, oppression, slavery, abuse and violence, these subjects are given a voice in books from pre-school age to YA. The creators of the site are generating awareness and encouraging openness of subjects that have been overlooked, dismissed, not spoken of, and once believed to be acceptable, such as stigmas over mental illness and how teasing someone and making comments to others about a person being short or tall can turn quickly into ridicule, abuse and discrimination.

These topics fuel the changes of discrimination and the necessary steps to ensuring girls and women’s rights, safety and having their place in society. By asserting girls place in the future, present and past, the site promotes a theme that girls can be whatever they choose. Actors, teachers, scientists, cleaners, explorers, business leaders, inventors, authors, rowdy, farmers, and acrobats. They can be themselves, and be more than two dimensional characters from stories past of helpless damsels in need of rescuing or a villainous witch. Now, instead of waiting for the prince to come to the rescue or a man to tell them which direction to take in life, girls either save themselves, choose their own paths and avoid situations with wit and intelligence.

Quite a number of the stories told in the books are based on true events. The collection of Little People, Big Dreams series bring a vibrant new view to the lives of Ruth Parks, Dolly Parton and others in a retelling of their experiences. Inspiring books of real experiences lived by women throughout history bring a new, and true, perspective to the past and historical value to the future. Girls, young adults and women of all ages have been achieving goals, celebrating life and overcoming adversity, whether that is due to race, culture, other people’s beliefs and prejudice, disability, indifference, poverty and so much more.

Girls and female young adults will enjoy A Mighty Girl website because of the books, dress ups and bookclub, to name a few reasons. Teachers, librarians and parents can enjoy easy access to books that will inspire, guide and show the stamina, bravery, humour and intelligence of women now and throughout history. Selecting books about women in science teaches more than the impact of women in this field, it teaches history and science and will hopefully generate an interest in studying, giving girls an advantage in determining their own future. Being able to browse with a useful search function to find particular subject books or costumes will save time and the links to similar and resources is a helpful tool.

A wonderful site for sourcing books and items about diversity for girls and young adults. There are many electronic sites providing tools for teachers, educators, librarians and parents. A Mighty Girl website can be added to toolkits and enjoyed by parents and girls.

Website: https://www.amightygirl.com

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