Category: Information Literacy

ETL 402 – Assessment 2 – Relective post

Theingi Tun on

 

What is literary learning?

The term literary learning was an unfamiliar concept before I started this unit. Reflecting on my blog post my journey with children’s literature, my own literary learning occurred as my knowledge developed through work, professional development and the learning through this course.

The perception I have now is that literary learning occurs by interacting through literature. To achieve literary learning, the student needs to be multi-literate by being fluent in textual, visual and digital literacies  to understand the information and apply this across different mediums (Bales, 2019, July 3). The student must be able to immerse themselves in the world created by the book to learn the ideas and facts the resource is trying to impart.

Transliteracy is the literary learning that happens in the context of 21st century environment. It is such a fluid concept that developed outside the confines of library walls, yet it is pervasive to the fabric of our current teaching and learning (Ipri, 2010). It defines what it means to be literate in the 21st century, by studying the way people and technology come together to create social relationships on the internet. A transliterate individual must be able to read and understand the words, sentences and paragraphs presented on various platforms and the plethora of technological devices available to view them (Ipri et al., 2017). Ipri (2010) further states, the essence is concerned with not learning all literacies in isolation but about the interaction of all these literacies such as text, visual, multimedia and digital. Literary learning happens when a student is fluid enough in all these literacies to see the social connections.

How can I use this in my library?

Literary learning happens in the library as students and teachers interact with all types of literacy. An example is mentioned in my forum post about literary learning through a digital text (Tun, 2023, May 14). However, I need to be aware that literary learning has evolved with the emergence of transliteracy. To be current and valid, the teacher librarian must continually keep watch of all current trends and analyse the impact it will have on the delivery of library services (Ipri, 2010). The concept of literary learning through transliteracy  itself is very fluid (Ipri, 2010) and I need to adapt in the 21st century environment by utilising all the web 2.0 tools available. The act of information sharing has now progressed to encompass the various platforms and technology available to users.

Many students are time disadvantaged when it comes to reading for pleasure as mentioned in my forum post (Tun, 2023, March 4). What I did not realise is that, though they are losing the literary learning through physical books, learning platforms and social interactions creating ‘fellow feeling’ (Vapp, 2023, March 1st) has moved online through transliteracy. The information literacy that I teach as part of the library lessons need to reflect this change (Ipri et al., 2017).

Literary learning has many facets in the age of transliteracy. I need to consider all perspectives to support the 21st century teaching and learning environment.

References

Bales, K. (2019, July 3). Mulitiple literacies: Definitions, types, and classroom strategies. thoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/multiple-literacies-types-classroom-strategies-4177323

Ipri, T. (2010). Introducing transliteracy: What does it mean to academic libraries? College & Research Libraries News, 71(10).

Ipri, T., Newman, B. (2017). Beginner’s guide to transliteracy: Where did the term transliteracy come from?Libraries and Transliteracy. https://librariesandtransliteracy.wordpress.com/beginners-guide-to-transliteracy/

 

 

 

ETL401 – Assessment 3 – Part C Reflective Task

Theingi Tun on

There is underpinning urgency for us to stay relevant and to get out from the endangered species list.

Information Literacy

As mentioned in my blogpost “The information Elephant”, information can take many forms and its perception depends on factors such as the strata and culture it is born into. The concept of information literacy is not static and will continue to evolve with the information landscape and the digital environment(Fitzgerald, 2015).

The release of the Information Fluency Framework created a sense urgency for me. The comprehensive nature of the framework with its 5 components (NSW Department of Education, 2021) gives a great starting point for the question of ‘what’ we should be teaching. Information literacy is the ability to think critically and reflect on the ethical implications while engaging with and consuming and creating information(CILIP The Library and Information Association, 2018). This ability needs to transfer regardless of the platform or the medium that the students engage with(NSW Department of Education, 2021). The framework also engenders the fact that students today are both producers and consumers of information(NSW Department of Education, 2021). I now realise the framework applies to me as a TL as well. I need to be information fluent to teach Information literacy.

The Inquiry Leaning Models

The exploration of the many information literacy and guided inquiry models in this unit has led me to rethink the pedagogical approaches that I have known so far and adapt it to the new way of thinking. I need to revaluate the shortcomings of my current model of delivering information literacy and consider a broader conceptualisation (Kutner & Armstrong, 2012).

To teach information literacy,  I need to go through an GID process of my own as mentioned in this forum post (Tun, 2022, April,30)  and explore the big questions.

Which model resonates?

When I compare the processes of the models, they have many similarities. They all include processes that can be taught, internalised and applied whenever a student has to search for information(Fitzgerald, 2015). The model that I have explored in detail is the Guided Inquiry Design Process (Kuhlthau et al., 2012).My understanding as mentioned in my forum post about guided inquiry(Tun, 2022, May 1st) is that it is deeply associated with the information Search Process model(ISP)(Maniotes & Kuhlthau, 2014). This model resonates with me to understand the information seeking process through the actions, feelings, and thoughts of the seeker(Maniotes & Kuhlthau, 2014). The students will go through the ISP to find the information, and the GID process is what the whole inquiry community is doing in guided inquiry (Fitzgerald, 2015).  It is about the learning about the journey itself.

How do I teach the GID process?

I am still learning how the whole process works. At each stage, it recognises the zone of intervention and supports the students to build the resilience required to get to the next stage(Kuhlthau et al., 2012). These are interventions during the instruction process to create deep learning about information seeking(Todd et al., 2005). The effectiveness of the GID process depends on whether the students had a chance to practice the acquired skills, have opportunities to reflect and have dialogue about their new understandings(Todd et al., 2005).

The TL’s role in inquiry learning

As a TL, I’m in a unique position to support the classroom teachers in advocating information literacy through research methodologies and inquiry based learning(CILIP The Library and Information Association, 2018). The value of collaboration is identified and discussed in detail in my discussion post for forum 4.2(Tun, 2022, April 21). The skill of  collaborative teamwork needs to be modelled  by the teaching team like any other information literacy skill(Kuhlthau et al., 2015). It is an essential one that transfers into the workplace(CILIP The Library and Information Association, 2018).

The effectiveness of GID process can been evaluated as it progresses. The body of evidence gathered through the rubrics and reflection sheets need to be reflected by the core team(Kuhlthau et al., 2012). The results should be shared as evidence of the library as a learning centre and the TL as information specialist(Todd et al., 2005).This data needs to be analysed and presented in a way to create interest, and leave our impression of the work we do as TLs(Oddone, 2021). This advocacy of our role leads to understanding and one of the most effective ways to promote the importance of the library(Oddone, 2021).

As there are many ways to perceive information, the way to teach information as a concept of literacy and guide children towards fluency is not a simple task. However, now we have the frameworks and tools to guide us. The urgency is to find our own zone of intervention, to create the shift, provide evidence backed up with data, and get out of the endangered zone.

 

References

CILIP The Library and Information Association. (2018). CILIP definition of information literacy 2018.

Fitzgerald, L. (2015). Guided Inquiry in Practice. Scan, 34(4).

Kuhlthau, C., Maniotes, K. L., & Caspari, A. K. (2015). Guided Inquiry Design Framework. In Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century, 2nd Edition : Learning in the 21st Century (Vol. Second edition). Libraries Unlimited.

Kuhlthau, C. C., Maniotes, L. K., & Caspari, A. K. (2012). Guided Inquiry Design®: a Framework for Inquiry in Your School. ABC-CLIO, LLC.

Kutner, L., & Armstrong, A. (2012). RETHINKING INFORMATION LITERACY IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD. Communications in Information Literacy, 6(1), 24-33.

Maniotes, L. K., & Kuhlthau, C. C. (2014). MAKING THE SHIFT. Knowledge quest, 43(2), 8-17.

NSW Department of Education. (2021). Information Fluency Framework. Retrieved 30.04.2022 from https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/media/documents/Information_fluency_framework.pdf

Oddone, K. (2021). Story Telling With Data: Evidence Based Advocacy. Access (Online)(September).

Todd, R., Kuhlthau, C., & Heinström, J. (2005). School Library Impact Measure (SLIM). A Toolkit and Handbook For Tracking and Assessing Student Learning Outcomes Of Guided Inquiry Through The School Library.