During my time exploring ETL401 and the world of the Teacher Librarian, my understanding of what is involved has developed into a deeper understanding rather than an observational understanding. Whilst I always understood there was a diverse range of skills in Information Literacy (IL), all being used in an IL model to analyse and create a product, I had not understood how much of an impact a TL could have in the school in implementing programs of learning for students.
Information Literacy is not just a set of skills that a student uses and they have to be taught these skills, this is the way it was portrayed to me in my first few years of teaching. Instead IL is a way of investigating, analysing and creating using skills to form understanding and engage students in their own learning. Students should not just be going through the motions of learning as passengers along for the ride. IL can be used to extend student learning beyond the classroom to the open digital world we live in for parts of our lives. A big frustration I have had in the classroom was students coming to me in Year 7 and not being able to search for information without Wikipedia. In early days of teaching students I have to take a step back and realise that the skills I am asking them to use to complete inquiries may not have been incorporated in learning previously. IL has extended the learning opportunities of students, we don’t teach to have knowledge regurgitated instead we learn to understand and create using skills we have developed. IL allows students to explore and be creative, Teachers and Teacher Librarians incorporating IL into learning provide students with these opportunities. Students who are able to utilise their skills and are encouraged to use the skills in IL learning can engage more thoroughly with their own learning and also peer teach (another fantastic way to extend their understanding and that of the person they are teaching).
During my bachelors I have a vague memory of being introduced to Information Literacy models in one unit of ICT, however it did not extend deeply into the world of incorporating IL models into student learning. I incorporated IL into my teaching because I had found it to be an area of learning that had been lacking in my own education. Extending and facilitating IL models into the classroom is rather complicated in the current education climate. On one hand we have the Australian Curriculum (or in my case NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum) for the incorporation of IL models into student learning yet on the other hand we are still required to be able to tick off (as it were) students completing set dot points or Exams (e.g. HSC). I enjoy using IL models as they allow for students to experience self-determination, students get to make a choice. Choice is something exciting for students and allows them to engage with the learning and demonstrate their understanding and analysis in a creative way. Whilst I prefer to use a Guided Inquiry model (the extensive research into its use along with ISP is very encouraging), we can use so many others such as Big6 or the NSW Department format for teaching students how to explore, collate and create with the information so readily available in our lives.
At the beginning of May I wrote about being time poor as teachers and as teacher librarians. Having to sacrifice time outside of school to ensure our students have opportunities. Developing GIs requires time, collaboration and initiative. We are not TLs who collate a collection of books, we are TLs who are skilled researchers, educators and creators that aim to assist, guide and empower our students not just to know something but to be able to use their understanding, analyse and then create for themselves. Our students can extend their skills in IL beyond the classroom, beyond the school and into the wider world. The TLs role extends into the whole school, collaborating with teachers, principals and the community. These roles allow us to help others incorporate IL models into their own teaching, we are responsible! As a TL I must ensure that not only do I engage with students but I need to engage with teachers in creating IL learning opportunities within the curriculum being taught to the benefit of students.
I find that I am even more excited about research and teaching students how to be effective researchers and creators than ever before! How amazing is information literacy, and we have the opportunity to help so many students through being TLs.