Inquiry learning, information literacy and the role of the Teacher Librarian.
One of the joys of being a teacher librarian is facilitating students in developing skills in information literacy as they develop lifelong learning habits. An old Chinese proverb says,
You give a poor man a fish and you feed him for a day. You teach him to fish and you give him an occupation that will feed him for a lifetime. (Chinese Proverb)
It’s a thrill to think that the TL is at the forefront of teaching students to ‘fish’ for information as informed critical thinkers and reflective learners. Perhaps another metaphor which helps frame IL and the work of TL is that of a river flowing to the sea. It starts off small and weak, but as it runs faster and wider it builds momentum dropping down the waterfall and splashing into the pool of exploration. And the closer it gets to the sea the wider and more powerful it becomes with a multitude of paths to choose from (FitzGerald, 2010, p.1). This metaphor rings true when students develop the skills to pursue knowledge in a world where information is ever increasing. IL is all about helping students learn to efficiently locate, accurately recognize and evaluate relevant information and understand how to use it.
There are various models associated with information literacy which can be useful in facilitating students in their pursuit of knowledge and learning. These models can help formulate ideas and provide practical frameworks which help in planning and implementation of the learning process. When searching to find a practical and robust model to use to facilitate information literacy, there were many models to choose from. Considering your school’s context and the learning needs of the students are essential components that help determine the best model to implement. The model I chose to implement was Guided Inquiry (GI) developed by Carol Kuhlthau and Ross Todd.
Initially I was considering Neuman’s 2014 iLearn model because it appeared to be a more recent model, however, after some research into this model I found it was aimed more at academic inquiry learning and I struggled to see how I could simplify this model to suit year 4 which would be the focus grade for my inquiry unit. Big 6 looked appealing at first glance and I saw great value in how it could become a whole school approach with the Super 3 model providing an early introduction to information literacy and inquiry learning for k-2. This is supported in a blog post by Marika Simons, “Mrs Simon Says”. She highlights the value of using consistent terminology and process across the learning of a school. This has built a culture amongst the school for inquiry learning and critical thinking (Simons, 2018).
Secondly, the school that I based my assignment on focuses on project-based learning(PBL) and recently invested in sending its staff on an in-service on PBL. This had me seriously questioning which model to choose. I came to the conclusion that choosing GI was about broadening my knowledge on implementing IL models for my own teaching practice, keeping in mind I am only employed as a casual and my school context could change in the future.
Thirdly, I love the “open” phase that sets the tone for the rest of the GI. From open phase which initiates curiosity and stimulation, all the way to the to the last phase, “evaluate”, it engages students to really think about the what they are doing and why they are doing it. GI, really fills the gaps left from many traditional styles of acquiring information that are more prone to the jug to mug principle. Rather than the student simply finding information and copying, students are challenged to discover information through well framed research tasks(FitzGerald, 2011). This creates an environment where student thinking and exploration thrives and promotes the third space where most meaningful, lasting learning takes place as (Maniotes, 2005) suggests in (Kuhlthau, 2010).
Lastly, the online GI community is very practical and provides an abundance of useful resources for anyone in my situation who is not only trying to implement a new IL model for the first time, but as a TL will be able to facilitate and direct other classroom teachers to do the same if I find myself in a school context that does not practice inquiry learning or needs more direction in it.
The Role of the TL in the Inquiry Process
The combination of student engagement through relevant and real world learning tasks and facilitated learning under the guidance of the teaching team of the classroom teacher (CT) and teacher librarian(TL) throughout the inquiry process is essential. The professional collaboration that unfolds within the teaching team including learning support staff in critical phases in the inquiry process is a critical element. The teaching team needs to be flexible in their teaching approach. Ideally a three member team provides synergy of ideas. In my ‘big’ school context across three streams. There is a culture of collaboration amongst classroom teachers, however they refrain to see the TL as an essential human resource that plays a critical role in the inquiry learning process. In addition, assessment for both students and the teaching team and continual reflection throughout the GI process reveals what the students have learned, helps the TL identify when students need intervention and what intervention is required.Prior planning of assessments done collaboratively by the teaching team is important. Teachers work individually and together to assess the different learning tasks. I think teacher collaboration throughout the GI process is so important and ultimately enriches the GI process when more people are part of the decision making (Kuhlthau, 2010).
Unfortunately, in a brief conversation with one of the heads of primary after their PBL in service it was still evident that the value of the TL was not recognized across the school. As I shared my knowledge of GI and the role of the TL, it became obvious that for the most part the TL was just a token extra and not a key resource person in facilitating research and being part of the planning and implementation process of inquiry learning.
With recent reports in news headlines promoting individualized student learning, inquiry learning is more relevant than ever and will no doubt play a key role in student learning in the 21stcentury. This seems to be in direct opposition to the governments drive for NAPLAN testing which pressures teachers to teach students skills directed at successful achievement in NAPLAN testing. Such mixed messages are frustrating to say the least but one thing is certain, the TL needs to embrace their value and never doubt their role in enriching the school learning culture. Sometimes it feels like we are ahead of the game and just waiting for the rest of the school to catch up.
References
FitzGerald, L. (2010).The twin purposes of guided inquiry: Guiding student inquiry and evidence-based practice.Retrieved fromhttps://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED518520.pdf
Kuhlthau, C. (2010). Guided Inquiry: School Libraries in the 21stcentury. School Libraries Worldwide, 16(1), 17-28.
Kuhlthau, C. C., Maniotes, L., K., & Caspari, A. C. (2012). Guided inquiry design: A framework for inquiry in your school. Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited.
Simons, M. (2018, May 3). Arguments for a whole school approach to information literacy and inquiry. [Blog post]. Retrieved 21 May, 2018 from http://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/mrssimonsays/