The readings and learnings from Module 5 provided some interesting takeaways, regarding the need for an Information Literacy model in schools. It has allowed me the opportunity to explore various models I was previously unaware of including Guided Inquiry Design, FOSIL, the Big6 and iLEARN). As a practitioner in a NSW Department of Education school, I have previously developed an understanding of the NSW Information Process, which includes the steps of Defining, Locating, Selecting, Organising, Presenting and Assessing.
I like FitzGerald’s (2021) description of an Information Literacy model in that it “lists and describes the steps that users take in their move from ignorance to understanding, when involved in an inquiry task” (p. 18). I believe that an information literacy framework is of major significance and importance in order to be able to structure learning for students in a way that is both useful for their current learnings and also applicable as a set of transferable skills and understandings across the curriculum (as well as for their lives beyond the classroom). As a classroom teacher having implemented various guided inquiry-style units of work, upon reflection I can see that how in an ideal situation, the teacher librarian would have been an inherently useful resource in making such units more robust by way of research skills development and critical understandings when it comes to information finding, sorting and evaluating.
Although the notion of collaboration is not a new one, I have rarely seen it done well in an education setting. In the past I have always ‘leant on myself’ to get things done by way of programming and lesson development. This is maybe the reason for my ‘not having appealed’ to the teacher librarian in the past. I also viewed their lessons as having seemingly independent and topically unrelated connections to the bigger picture units of work that I was covering at the time. However, having said that, my views on notions of the possibilities of successful collaboration have rapidly transformed, especially over the last few months and especially considering my current situation of joining as a staff member of a brand-new school designed around collaborative teaching practices with classes in shared learning hubs.
Returning to the subject of Information Literacy models, I believe that just like any other area of learning, the teacher librarian has the capacity (and responsibility) to bring their expertise of understanding for the benefit of students. I believe that this would be mainly achieved through collaboration on units of work where classroom teachers can continue this teaching in the classroom. I say this with particular regard to larger schools, where the teacher librarian would be limited in their time spent with individual classes. While I thoroughly believe that the ‘teacher’ role of the teacher librarian should be priority, there is also the understanding that the teacher librarian also has various administrative responsibilities which cannot be ignored.
I believe the major benefit of implementing an Information Literacy model is that it provides structure to learning that can be re-applied across the curriculum. However, I have seen that NSW Department of Education curriculum units don’t intrinsically connect these information skills and critical learnings (that would generally be taught by the teacher librarian) across the curriculum. Fortunately though, there are a number of useful documents including Bonanno’s (2014) F-10 Inquiry Skills Scope and Sequence and also Lupton’s (2012) Inquiry skills in the Australian Curriculum, that provide guidance in their application. I am also looking forward to the current NSW Department of Education’s developments of the Information Fluency Framework, that will further support teacher librarians in embedding information learning and critical skills in their programming and assessment documents and more therefore more conveniently map these skills across the curriculum.
Resources
Bonanno, K. (2014). F-10 inquiry skills scope and sequence and F-10 core skills and tools. https://eduwebinar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/curriculum_mapping_scope_sequence_skills_tools.pdf
Lupton, M. (2012). Inquiry skills in the Australian curriculum. Access. 26(2) 12-18. https://search-informit-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/doi/epdf/10.3316/informit.584040093322031
FitzGerald, L. (2015). Guided inquiry in practice. Scan 34(4), 16-27. https://search-informit-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/doi/epdf/10.3316/informit.600017384682153