Category Archives: ETL401

ETL401 – Part C: Reflective practice

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My very first blog post for ETL401 at the beginning of this 12-week journey recounted my decision not to train as a school librarian because, despite their importance in the learning process,  I considered them to be underrated, under-utilised and underpaid.  This was many years ago and my perception of the TL’s role has changed considerably. I now see it as one of the most important in the school, primarily because the TL’s remit stretches across so many vital areas of learning. From literacy learning, digital literacy, digital citizenship and learning how to learn, to evaluating student learning and professional development, all are vital.

Despite fears that the role of the school library and the teacher librarian may become obsolete (Ahlfeld, 2019) in an information society where, potentially at least, information is digitally accessible 24/7, the reality is that the role of the teacher librarian is more important than ever before. The TL plays a decisive role in facilitating participatory learning in school and in providing students with the ICT tools they need to do so. Additionally, the TL helps students navigate the digital information environment, ensures that they are responsible members of the digital community, and plays a key leadership role both within and outside the school community.

School libraries are now multifunctional information environments which include physical and digital spaces to cater for an increasingly broad range of educational, social and cultural functions. They provide that “third space” (Maniotes, 2005) where meaningful, long-term learning is possible and where the emotional health of the student is catered for, a not unimportant consideration when we consider the current and future challenges of distance learning environments. The library has become the interface between classroom and home, providing a level of security and comfort many do not find elsewhere (Elmborg, 2011). It is “a safe haven” (Markus-Sandgren 2016) in which to explore, discuss and collaborate, and communicate, thereby turning an “information place” into a “knowledge space” (Todd, Gordon, & Lu., 2011 p. 11).

What strikes me when I consider the diverse and multifaceted role of the TL is how far removed it is from the reality I see, as I observed in my blog post on the conflicting role of the TL and the information specialist. Neither the TL, nor the instruction of sound information literacy (IL) practice is embedded in the curriculum.  As I commented in a more recent blog post on the topic, the expertise of the TL in delivering integrated IL is still considered to be an optional extra, meaning it is devalued by teaching staff, by students and school leadership.

Coming at ETL401 from the direction of qualified librarian rather than teacher has opened my eyes to the complexities of establishing a relational rather than a transactional relationship with subject teachers.  Attempts to establish the TL in the role of an instructional partner and to engage in collaborative practices on a regular basis are often stymied by lack of understanding, lack of time and lack of will.  TLs must be active in designing in-service training, maintain close collaboration and liaison with school leadership and subject teachers and provide evidence of the transfer of skills – a so called culture of transfer in the school context .  We have to promote, market and advocate (Abbott 2019; Bonanno, 2005; Lamb & Johnson, 2013) our services to the entire school community.

My knowledge of Inquiry learning (IL) is informed by the IB curriculum where it is embedded at all levels, so the difficulties encountered in implementing time-intensive, resource-intensive and staff-intensive Guided Inquiry Design have not been part of my experience.  I did however have some difficulty equating the advantages and disadvantages of the various inquiry learning models (Big 6 etc.) with the IB Approaches to Learning (ATL). I investigated FOSIL as a framework for breaking down the stages of the inquiry process because it was designed to address two areas lacking in the IB system, first of all, the lack of IL/ICT skills, and secondly, and most importantly, that “knowledge is not determined by information, it is the knowing process that first decides which information is relevant, and how it is to be used“. Ultimately, I returned to Kuhltaus’ ISP-based Guided Inquiry Design because it most closely mirrors the holistic approach used in IB schools, the pros and cons of which I discussed in the ETL401 4.1 & 5.3 forum threads.

This has been the journey so far and I look forward to continuing it in ETL504 Teacher Librarian As Leader.

 

 

References:

Abbott, R. (2019). Teacher-librarians, teachers and the 21st century library: Relationships matter. Synergy, 15(2). https://www.slav.vic.edu.au/index.php/Synergy/article/view/v15220175

Ahlfeld, K. (2019). They paved paradise: School librarians and school libraries are disappearing and we won’t know what we’ve lost until its gone.Journal of Library Administration, 59(8).

Bonanno, K. (2005). Advocacy – everyone’s responsibility. Access, 19(2), 10.Retrieved from <https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=035364786661229;res=IELAPA> ISSN: 1030-0155

Elmborg, J. (2011). Libraries as the spaces between us: Recognising and valuing the third space. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(4), 338-350. https://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=slis_pubs

Herring, J. E., & Bush, S. J. (2011). Information literacy and transfer in schools: Implications for teacher librarians. Australian Library Journal, 60(2), 123-132. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Information-literacy-and-transfer-in-schools%3A-for-Herring-Bush/dfcbdfcf30d8e51002f7a79522b2d034e955a7c9

Gordon, C. A. (2016). Teacher-librarians as champions of digital equity.
Synergy, 4(1). https://www.slav.vic.edu.au/index.php/Synergy/article/view/v141201610/9

Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2013) Collaboration and the learning community. Retrieved from https://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/collaboration.html

Markus-Sandgren, R. (2016). Flipping the third space.  Synergy, 14(2). https://slav.vic.edu.au/index.php/Synergy/article/view/v14220164

Scheffers, J., & Alekna, G. (2015). Scaffolding for success: Support students’ amazing journey with guided inquiry. Scan, 34(1). Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/scan

Todd, R., Gordon, C. A., & Lu, Y. (2011). One common goal: Student learning.Executive Summary of Findings and Recommendations of the New Jersey School Library Survey Phase 2. Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries. http://www.njasl.info/wp-content/NJ_study/Phase2_ExecSum.pdf

Toerien, D. (2019). Enabling students to learn by finding out for themselves: Our journey from FOSIL to the FOSIL group. The School Librarian, 67(2), 77-78. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/2398186314?accountid=10344

Weinberger, D. (2010). The problem with the data-information-knowledge-wisdom hierarchy. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2010/02/data-is-to-info-as-info-is-not

 

 

ETL401 Module 6 – Easing the tensions between the information specialist and the teaching role of the TL

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The fact that there are so many ways to describe the teacher librarian (TL), aka media specialist, the school librarian, and the school library media specialist, gives some indication of how diverse the role has become.

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians describe areas of professional knowledge and practice teacher librarians should possess in order to, amongst other criteria, “reinforce a uniform expectation of the work of the teacher librarian in our schools“. Nevertheless, not so long ago, in 2010, then Minister for Education, Julia Gillard MP, initiated an inquiry into school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian schools. The outcome was a distinct lack of data regarding numbers, qualifications and employment status (House of Representatives Education and Employment Committee, 2011, pg. 84) and 2019 survey of all 728 Government, Catholic and independent schools in South Australia revealed that only 23% have a qualified TL. Despite growing numbers of TLs in schools, many schools do not understand the potential role of the library and the teacher librarian, and are focusing funding on the a transactional, rather than a relational library service.

I think tensions arise from situations in which the role and the expectations towards the TL have not been adequately defined.  If a school is employing a qualified TL, it is to be hoped that they are being paid accordingly and have had the HR discussions regarding the parameters of their role.  My experience of school libraries to date is more the sole responsibility mode where there is considerable stress involved in performing the day-to-day requirements of the school library with part-time library staff and the support of volunteers. This leaves little opportunity  to develop a working relationship with teaching staff and to support literacy and effective information literacy skills.

Tensions arise not only when expectations are too high (given staffing levels, budget, lack of professional training etc.) but also when expectations are not high enough and the skills of the TL go unrecognised or are undervalued.  In professional situations where there is resistance to change, a lack of dialogue between school leadership and teachers, the level of frustration for the TL can be high.

In all of these scenarios, communication is the key factor.  A TL who is not in a position to elucidate their vision, communicate their goals and establish a forum of ongoing communication with the entire school staff will battle to implement change. Being an advocate is not enough, it is important to have a clear idea of what the school’s learning needs and how to meet them and this requires considerable analysis (Abbott, 2017).

I personally feel apprehensive about my ability balance the demands of the information specialist with the teaching role of the TL simply because I have never had to wear these two hats.  I feel some  trepidation about the sheer number of roles the TL is expected to take on and the limited resources they often have to perform them well. Elizabeth Hutchinson’s blog post resonated with me because I can really imagine running around trying to engage teachers in information literacy programs while they are focusing on the next set of assessments and meeting with a lukewarm response or perhaps worse, being inundated with requests for help when they discover what we have to offer.

My dream is to have a working environment similar to that found in academic libraries, where the library liaison or embedded librarian, is able to build relationships and work in collaboration with staff to customise the library instruction to meet the needs of students, and help them achieve their learning objectives. Right now, this relationship building is under-rated and largely invisible to school leadership and staff alike, calling for what has been called an engagement model of liaison librarianship.

References:

Abbott, R. (2017). Teacher-librarians, teachers and the 21st century library: relationships matter. Synergy, 15(2). Retrieved from https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/fullText;dn=217216;res=AEIPT

Bracke, P. (2016). Social networks and relational capital in library service assessment. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 17(2), 134-141. https://doi.org/10.1108/PMM-04-2016-0019

Mitchell, P. & Weldon, P. (2016, 29 August-2 September). The school library workforce in Australia.[Conference paper]. ALIA National 2016 Conference. Adelaide, SA.  https://read.alia.org.au/sites/default/files/documents/the_school_library_workforce_in_australia.pdf

Paraschiv, P. [Petra Paraschiv] (2018, February 28).  Modern libraries: Moving from a transactional to a relational library. Princh. https://princh.com/modern-libraries-from-a-transactional-to-a-relational-library/#.WpvA8OhuZPY

Zanin-Yost, A. (2018). Academic collaborations: Linking the role of the liaison/embedded librarian to teaching and learning. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 25:2,150-163. DOI: /10691316.2018.1455548

 

 

Embedding information literacy practices

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Universities have long since availed themselves of the services of the embedded librarian to deliver for-credit information literacy (IL) instruction both directly and online, in collaboration with faculty (Kobzina, 2010).  In the school environment, there are distinct benefits in integrating information literacy practices across all content areas (Kuhlthau, 1993).

The embedded nature of course‐integrated IL instruction is its biggest asset, allowing TLs to intervene directly as the need arises and to tailor the IL to the research needs of the student.  Course‐integrated instruction works best when it is used across several subjects as an approach to learning and over time i.e. from term to term. Non-integrated IL is by definition optional skills training which may be devalued by the teaching staff, by students or by school leadership.

In order for cross-curricular IL to be implemented effectively, there must be widespread acceptance of the TLs role in curriculum planning and course‐integrated instruction and this is not always the case.  It has been suggested that embedding IL in assessment would motivate teachers to adopt the integration of IL, but at the very least, the use of a school-wide common terminology and the formal and informal discussion of factors determining the transfer of skills must take place.

The TL must become an advocate for this aspect of their role if they are to establish a culture of transfer in the school context  – communication and leadership are key so that all teachers and students see the benefits of transferring information literacy practices, falling as they do into three categories – transferrers,  propositional transferrers and non-transferrers —   TLs must be active in designing in-service training, maintain close collaboration and liaison with school leadership and subject teachers and provide evidence of the transfer of skills.

 

References:

Bush, S. J., & Herring, J. (2009, September 29 – October 2). Creating a culture of transfer for information literacy skills in schools. [Conference paper]. In A. Ainsworth (Ed.), Engage, explore, celebrate: ASLA XXI Biennial Conference, Perth, WA.

Herring, J. (2011). Year 7 students, information literacy, and transfer: A grounded theory. School Library Media Research. 15, 1-17. http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/vol14/SLR_Year7Students_V14.pdf

Herring, J. E., & Bush, S. J. (2011). Information literacy and transfer in schools: Implications for teacher librarians. Australian Library Journal, 60(2), 123-132. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Information-literacy-and-transfer-in-schools%3A-for-Herring-Bush/dfcbdfcf30d8e51002f7a79522b2d034e955a7c9

Kobzina, N.G. (2010). A faculty‐librarian partnership: a unique opportunity for course integration. Journal of Library Administration, 50(4), 293-314. DOI: 10.1080/01930821003666965

Kuhlthau, C.C. (1993). Implementing a process approach to information skills: A study identifying indicators of success in library media programs. School Library Media Quarterly,  22(1),11-18.

Learning how to turn information into inquiry

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FOSIL (Framework Of Skills for Inquiry Learning), is a framework for breaking down the stages of the inquiry process developed by Darryl Toerien, Head of Library at Oakham School, an IB school in Rutland.  Inquiry based learning is fundamental to the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, an important component of which is the Diploma Programme Extended Essay.  This approach to learning requires students to undertake independent research to complete a self-directed study of a subject of their choice, culminating in a 4000-word essay.  It is also expected that they adhere to citation and referencing standards often acquired only in their first year of their tertiary studies. In an interview published in a blog post by Elizabeth Hutchinson, Toerien explains that he took issue with two things, the fact that the skills needed to construct “understanding from knowledge from information“ are not imbedded in the education system, and secondly, that Information Literacy (IL), academic skills and ICT skills, if taught at all, often fail to make the connection between IL, and the metacognition attached to it – “we cite and reference because we are working with other people’s ideas as expressed through their work”.

Understanding Information Literacy

According to Lupton (2015), there is often a failure to understand inquiry learning and that the use of an inquiry process model is beneficial in helping both teachers and students to understand this  “more holistic inquiry focus”. For Darryl Toerien, the need to build a framework of inquiry skills to support the IB Continuum sowed the seeds of FOSIL, not just because students need to develop media and information literacy skills but because they need meaningful opportunities to do so while learning from information. Toerien is passionate about the role of the school library in teaching and learning and in his advocacy for the role of the TL expanding the learning pathways of todays students.

Toerien drew on insights from Kuhlthau’s ISP/ Guided Inquiry Design and Stripling’s Cycle of Inquiry/ ESIFC/ FOSIL for inspiration and guidance in establishing FOSIL.

Bibliography:

Lupton, M. (2015). Teacher librarians’ understandings of inquiry learning. Access (Online), 29(4), 18-29. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/1764658513?accountid=10344

Toerien, D. (2019). Enabling students to learn by finding out for themselves: Our journey from FOSIL to the FOSIL group. The School Librarian, 67(2), 77-78. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/2398186314?accountid=10344

 

ETL401 – The role of the TL in schools

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Way back when I decided to become a librarian, I made the conscious decision not to do my Diploma of Education because I did not want to become a school librarian!  That was a long time ago, but it reflected my perception of the role of the librarian in schools.  I didn’t like their image and even then, I felt they were seriously underrated. I went into corporate libraries and special collections where “just-in-time” was reality, long before it became a thing in logistics. Thirty years on, I can see first-hand how important the role of the teacher librarian (TLs) has become and that they are starting to receive the recognition they deserve.

In addition to supporting literacy, teacher librarians now lead, support and actively collaborate with their fellow teachers to teach children how to find, evaluate and use information, both in analogue and digital media. They teach children how to navigate the Infosphere in their search for reliable information and how to be safe while doing so.  There is an assumption that students are Digital Natives (Prensky, 2001), and as such, know more about navigating the web than we Digital Immigrants (Prensky, 2001) could ever do.  My experience tells me otherwise.

Confronted with the plethora of information at their disposal, students more than ever need to be taught research skills and source analysis if they are not to fall prey to misinformation. They must be taught how to learn and the importance of digital citizenship, and it is here that the teacher librarian plays a pivotal role. The current COVID-19 situation, in which students of all ages are being confronted with the challenges of self-directed learning, makes laying the ground rules for the use of digital media as a learning resource more important than ever.  The Digital Divide has always existed, but recent global developments have made it apparent that there are still information rich and information poor students in our schools and that teacher librarians can be the bridge that enables students to acquire the 21st century skills they need in order to succeed.

In a recent article, Holly Godfree, teacher librarian and recipient of the ASLA Teacher Librarian of the Year Award in 2019, called herself the human version of the “Room of Requirement” (Rowling, 2003, p. 387), the go-to person for all needs. Teacher librarians are an essential part of the team that enables teachers to teach effectively. Not only as “learning partners” for students, they bring new technology to educators, keeping them up to date with the latest developments and resources in the field and helping them to integrate these into the curriculum. This has become particularly important in the light of current changes in the teaching landscape where educators have been forced to switch abruptly from face-to-face to remote instruction. Amongst other many other skills, teacher librarians understand the importance of resourcing the curriculum, so that teachers can devote themselves to valuable teaching time, how to evaluate student learning and how to contribute to the professional development of the school community by sharing their expertise on specific topics. MacKenzie sees the TL as “a valuable support for teacher practice and student academic growth, as well as their emotional health“ and this is what I want to be.

References:

Calarco, J. (2020). Online learning will be hard for kids whose schools close – and the digital divide will make it even harder for some of them. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/online-learning-will-be-hard-for-kids-whose-schools-close-and-the-digital-divide-will-make-it-even-harder-for-some-of-them-133338

Farmer, L. (2016). Teaching ethics to teens via school library reference services. Catholic Library World, 86(4), 242. http://library.ifla.org/1077/1/190-farmer-en.pdf

Floridi, L. (2007). A look into the future impact of ICT on our lives. Information Society, 23(1), 59–64. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1080/01972240601059094

Godfree, H. (2020). School libraries: Good for what ails ya. Medium. https://medium.com/@snslcampaign/school-libraries-good-for-what-ails-ya-e0bd550695c

Hughes, Hilary. Gold Coast study links school libraries and teacher librarians to literacy [Research report]. School Library Association of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology.//eprints.qut.edu.au/60260/38/60260b.pdf

MacKenzie, T. (2019). Classroom inquiry’s secret weapon: The teacher-librarian. Canadian School LibrariesJournal. https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/classroom-inquirys-secret-weapon-the-teacher-librarian/

Petro, L. (2017). How to put self-directed learning to work in your classroom. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/how-put-self-directed-learning-work-your-classroom

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. Horizon, 9(5), 1–6.

Rowling, J. K. (2003). Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix. Scholastic Books.

ETL401 – Information overload

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I had not heard of the Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom hierarchy but of course, it makes sense that data without organization is useless and that data needs to be processed to become information. The transition of data to information, information to knowledge and knowledge to wisdom is the cornerstone of information management and systems but there are questions about the validity of this hierarchy in ranking information as meaningful, valuable or appropriate.

I read an interesting article by David Weinberger in the Harvard Business Review where he suggests that the DIKW hierarchy has led to a redefinition of the term information to suit our need to apply value to everything and implies that knowledge derives from information which has been filtered using algorithms to help us deal with the glut of information produced by digital means. There are any number of authors who question the relevancy of the Wisdom Pyramid  in today’s information environment with its new economics of deletion, sharing and storage. Weinberger argues that acquiring knowledge is a far messier process in which “knowledge is not determined by information, it is the knowing process that first decides which information is relevant, and how it is to be used.“

Reading list:

Garfield, S. (2018). Yet another myth: The DIKW pyramid scheme. Medium. https://medium.com/@stangarfield/yet-another-myth-the-dikw-pyramid-scheme-a059ba595b30

Rowley, J. (2007). The wisdom hierarchy: representations of the DIKW hierarchy. Journal of Information Science, 33(2), 163–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551506070706

Weinberger. D. (2010). The Problem with the Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom Hierarchy. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2010/02/data-is-to-info-as-info-is-not

Weinberger. D. (2012). To know, but not understand: David Weinberger on science and Big Data. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/01/to-know-but-not-understand-david-weinberger-on-science-and-big-data/250820/?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share.