As TLs serve the entire educational frame, we must be incorporating multiliteracies into the programs we co-plan (Anstey & Bull, 2018). Previously I was aware of the different literacies, however it was a revelation to see them listed (Oddone, n.d.). While it is ideal to be highly literate across the board, which literacies can we live without (even if far from ideal?) (Einfeld, 2022 September 23). Being information literate is essential to successfully function in society (Einfeld, 2022). Talja and Lloyd (2010) found that, “information literacy provides the central scaffold to participation and learning in all areas of work, education and everyday life”. A solid way to ensure information literacy is being taught would be to garner support from school leadership to promote collaboration with teachers (Kammer et al, 2021). There is often a misconception that because our students are digital natives, they are also digitally literate (Fraillon, 2019). For this reason, I also think it is valuable to create professional development so that teachers can also promote acquisition of these vital skills (Einfeld 2022, August 3) .
Before undertaking this course, I had come across Guided Inquiry and FOSIL, but did not know how to embed them into a unit. While I am just at the beginning of my understanding of how to use an inquiry model as the base of learning, I look forward to bringing this angle to the collaborative process. I have seen how teachers give students their research tasks with the expectation that they complete the assignment on their own, “although teachers have good intentions, they don’t realise that their traditional research approach is actually not supporting student learning” (Maniotes & Kuhlthau, 2014). This gap between research and the scaffolds to support the students is where I wish to turn my focus. I hope to create teacher “buy-in” from communicating that I will save them time planning whilst simultaneously augmenting student outcomes. While I have huge energy and motivation to make this happen, I know that I must be patient as this shift “takes time, commitment and thoughtful planning” (ditto).
I became aware of the Information Search Process through this course, and I look forward to being able to share this knowledge with students so that they can understand that specific feelings towards the task can be anticipated and therefore, managed productively. Previously, I have encountered student resistance to a task, however I had no research to back up my words of encouragement. Now when students are deep in the Exploration phase that I can explain that this is what every researcher goes through when in this phase (ditto).
One core aspect of our role is to educate students about how to critically evaluate online sources to recognise mis/disinformation. The ramifications of not being discerning online can cause our democracy to unravel. While there are many benefits of having information at our fingertips, we must be purposefully instructing our students how to sort through the glut to find gold-standard resources (Einfeld, 2022, July 19). I have been inspired to begin creating a series of short presentations for year level assemblies, where the skills can then be practiced and reinforced in library classes. While we can and must use blockchain technology to fight disinformation, “it can’t solve everything” (Harrison & Leopold, 2021).
Karen Bonanno’s (2011) keynote made a significant impact on my perspective of the role of TL (Einfeld, 2022, October 4). She states that we must continually upskill ourselves to be able to meet evolving employment demands. Although a small research sample, it was evident from Forum 4.1 the General Capabilities are being taught haphazardly, rather than intentionally and embedded into reporting. A way that could make my role as TL more visibly essential is by creating assessment tools for the General Capabilities that can be applied across the educational frame. What is assessed is valued in schools, so creating these tools would raise the profile of both the TL and the skills. As Bonnano (2011) states, the role of the TL is “only endangered if you let it be.” The need to collaborate with the principal is something else I gained from undertaking this subject (Einfeld, 2022, September 24).
As is evident in this course, TLs are vital for optimal student success and there are several crucial gaps, particularly in curriculum design, we can fill to augment student outcomes. We can do this by aligning our library’s mission “with the school’s mission and Principal’s vision” (Farmer, 2016), to gain access to the curriculum design process.
References:
ASLA 2011. Karen Bonanno, Keynote speaker: A profession at the tipping point: Time to change the game plan from CSU-SIS Learning Centre on Vimeo.
Bonnano, K. (2015). F-10 inquiry skills scope and sequence and F-10 core skills and tools. Eduwebinar. https://eduwebinar.com.au/inquiry-skills-scope-and-sequence/
Einfeld, S. (2022) Wo is Responsible for Students’ Acquisition of Multi-literacies, Siana’s Musings, September 26, https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/sianasmusings/
Farmer, L. S. J. (2016) Managing the successful school library: Strategic planning and reflective practice. American Library Association, pp: 155-179, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csuau/detail.action?docID=5109508
Fraillon, Julian. (August 2019). Digital literacy: Myths and realities. In K. Cockle (Ed.), Research Conference 2019: Preparing students for life in the 21st century: Identifying, developing and assessing what matters: Proceedings and Program: 4–5 August 2019, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. (pp.68-72). Melbourne: Australian Council for Educational Research. https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1357&context=research_conference
Harrison, K., & Leopold, A. (2021, 19 July). How blockchain can help combar disinformation. Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2021/07/how-blockchain-can-help-combat-disinformation
Kammer, J., Donahay, A., King, M., & Koeberl, H. (2021). Understanding what makes school librarian-teacher collaboration successful. Knowledge Quest, 50(1), pp50-52. https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/scholarly-journals/understanding-what-makes-school-librarian-teacher/docview/2566527250/se-2?accountid=10344
Maniotes, L. K., & Kuhlthau, C. C. (2014). MAKING THE SHIFT: From Traditional Research Assignments to Guiding Inquiry Learning. Knowledge Quest, 43(2), 8-17. https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/making-shift-traditional-research-assignments/docview/1667947095/se-2
Merga, M. (2022) Every teacher needs to be a literacy teacher – but that’s not happening in most Australian schools. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/every-teacher-needs-to-be-a-literacy-teacher-but-thats-not-happening-in-most-australian-schools-184557
Oddone, K. (n.d.) Defining and developing digital literacy part one: Theories and models. Linking Learning. https://www.linkinglearning.com.au/defining-and-developing-digital-literacy-its-far-more-than-facebook/