The raft, the river and the rainbow:

Community research

in the 21st Century library context

By Lizzie Chase and Donna Sirmais

Resources: http://sdrv.ms/10moVPz

Website: http://communitysnapshots.weebly.com

Sample survey report: http://sdrv.ms/17La2eQ

Margaret Redrup-May and the team at the Blacktown Council libraries. 40 000 parent ‘sign ups’ in 2012 for Baby rhyme time and early childhood programs

The great good place and Celebrating the third place – Thanks to Ray Oldenburg [and others] for analysing & celebrating what makes places into community hubs

All the people who have shared their stories & beliefs about what matters in the Raft, river, rainbow project

Cambridge Park HS and Chifley Bidwill – 2013 videos

With thanks to

For authentic community research about the nature of wisdom:

1. Ask questions which matter 2. Resource a project effectively 3. Engage the community in responding and co-creating 4. Communicate findings & support community publishing

IE A strategic mix of creativity, welcome, skills exchange, seeking feedback & supporting the publication of community “voice” videos, interview sound files and digital stories as a valued part of a library’s current digital collections & archives.

What “works well” with community research?

An adult writing group meeting at Mt Druitt Library

A P&C group meeting at a Blue Mountains PS library

Educational consultants at a specialist educational library [Henry Parkes Equity Resource Centre]

An email focus group + a student writing group

A student leaders meeting at Henry Parkes

A parents group meeting at Cambridge Park HS library, over a series of sessions

Our interviewees

On the current affairs front, which items in the news are on your agenda at the moment & why? Within Australia and Globally:

For public libraries to act as community hubs, which new activities do you believe they could host, possibly in partnership with other agencies?

What do children need, to be 21st Century young adults who are confident, skilled and caring? Emotional and social needs, Intellectual needs, Other needs:

Our SURVEY questions about what matters

Community writers: Write about a person who is very important to you – show us why.

Community writers: Explain what matters most to you. What do you believe in? How do you gain peace? OR Write about a life changing experience /conversation you had OR the best holiday…

Student writers: These things really matter to me, as a young person, in the Australian news, in world news

http://raftriverandrainbow.edublogs.org

Our WRITING TASKS about what matters

Raft, river, rainbow workshops for community writers: Celebrating people & memories we value and beliefs that we cherish. Cards to inspire discussion and writing at www.raftriverandrainbow.com

You, me and 21C workshop series at Cambridge Park HS: Exploring what matters in a school context

SEAT student leaders express their views about what matters. 2012 videos at http://lizziechase.wix.com/projectbasedlearning

Workshop series – 2012 & 2103

http://lizziechase.wix.com/projectbasedlearning

Raft, river, rainbow project Images to inspire talk & writing

Illustrator: Gina Harrowell

www.raftriverandrainbow.com/life-writing-blog

1. Ask about what matters: Survey Monkey & getting to know the participants & their technology needs

2. Find the key messages: Wordle, Infogram, Piktochart, Easelly - Data visualisation tools

3. Share voices and opinions: Sock puppet app interviews + Voki, Weebly websites + blogging

4. Share stories, journeys, beliefs & values: Mixbook + ipad apps; Animoto videos

http://communitysnapshots.weebly.com for ideas

Community Snapshots Workshop series

Flyer

Workshop 1: Getting to know you + Survey skills

PARTICIPANT TASKS: COMPLETE THESE SURVEYS

Children’s needs:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XZX7BQ5

Library of the future:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8CJF6T2

SCHOOL COMMUNITY GROUPS: Join up to Edmodo and JOIN the Community Snapshots group by using the PIN: znnvw8 – as a student of this class

PARTICIPANT TASK: ANSWER THIS QUESTION

Which items in the news are on your agenda at the moment & why? Within Australia: Globally:

Edmodo – In a school context

Wordle about young people’s needs

Workshop 2: Data visualisation skills

WordSalad: One person requiring respect and welcome

• ONLINE: Paste the writing from your Edmodo post to make your own Wordle about current affairs issues that matter to you

OR

• ON YOUR IPAD

1. Write your opinion into the Notes app

2. Select all - Copy

3. Use WordSalad app: New - New Salad

4. Create PDF or Save to Camera Roll – Find it in Photos

Participant Task

Infogram – Infographic http://infogr.am/Libraries-as-hubs/

Piktochart – Infographic

https://magic.piktochart.com/output/34881d7e-f50d-4f62-

9b91-adaa74cd3f82

Easelly - Infographic

https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/143915/YoungPeo

ple/image.jpg

PARTICIPANT TASK: Create an infographic to display your main ideas visually

Display your opinions about what’s in the news in an infographic created at http://www.easel.ly/

You may wish to focus on Australian issues OR global issues

Easelly – Task

Secrets for success

for community projects

By Donna Sirmais

Session 2

There will be real outcomes for participants

Ownership by participants

Build trust and strong relationships

Over a period of time – a series of meetings

Hospitality – food is welcoming, relaxed talk happens

Build a sense of fun – it’s okay to make mistakes

A strong sense of purpose

Secrets for success in community projects

Project processes

Treasure hunt - Example

Cambridge Park HS Video https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=985d506652839c93&id=985D506652839C93%212223

&sff=1&authkey=!AIjjUW1z5eLegOA

Storyboarding key ideas

Sock puppet interview http://youtu.be/1e7PUYdW2Y4

Using the Sock Puppet app, interview a partner about what really matters to them – Take turns to have your say

When you have finished your interviews, share them with another pair

Participant Task

Voki Example http://communitysnapshots.weebly.com/-share-opinions.html

Animoto video

http://animoto.com/play/lW7AkL7hieLKpYv1oUGYfQ

Create your own short Animoto video, using 5-12 Creative Commons images.

ONLINE: What matters to me images – Download these from http://www.flickr.com/photos/64544666@N04/sets/72157633514162862/

ONLINE: Library images – Download these from http://www.flickr.com/photos/64544666@N04/sets/72157633711582486/

APP VERSION: Take 5-8 photos now to upload…

Participant Task

Mt Druitt Library Writing Group

http://raftriverandrainbow.edublogs.org/life-writing/

Mixbook Example: Blacktown Library Writing Group http://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/interests/what-matters-to-us-5116208?vk=lF8RQxC5Mj

Participant task - Mixbook

ONLINE: Go to http://www.mixbook.com/ to create 5 pages: 5 key messages about what matters most to you.

Choose your own images OR select images from http://www.flickr.com/photos/64544666@N04/sets/72157633514162862/

Mixbook – Task

Student leaders at Henry Parkes

Student Voice Video example

http://youtu.be/CMOqKZeH1hg

Megan said:

Spinning, lifting, falling, leaping, flying….most people do not describe this exciting performing art, dance, as peaceful. But pushing my body to its limits and releasing all the tension and emotion definitely makes me calmer. When I dance, it’s like I am a bird, free and flying. Being able to express myself through dance comforts, excites and frees me all at the same time. That is because peace is feeling contented and quiet, and despite leaping and spinning everywhere, when I dance, my mind relaxes. When you push your body to its limits, when it hurts so bad you could collapse, something happens that makes to pain all worthwhile. When you dance, and reach heights you could never have imagined, it’s like an exhilarating wave coming over you, the feeling of achievement. When you do more than your best and go the extra mile (the mile you could never conquer) a feeling of completeness, satisfaction and peace comes over you, because you know that what you just did was better than your best. Peace is not just having no negative emotions, or feeling quiet or still, it is what makes up your heart, what you are passionate about. Peace is living in the moment, it’s that fiery, free feeling you get when you grow wings and fly. For me, among other things and people, it’s dance.

http://rapblog14.edublogs.org/rainbow/

Blogging / Websites

Anzac reflections - Weebly http://remembrancememorialandtheday.weebly.com/

Google Advanced Images Search – Usage Rights: Free to use or share

+ Jamendo for creative commons images & music

21st century community research: Joint knowledge building

Extract from

Morphing into a

21st century

teacher

by Mia

MacMeekin

See also:

https://vimeo.com/ti

ffanypoirier