Why lobby for school libraries? 7.2

Discussion 7.1 Write your opinion on the coverage of the role of the TL as presented by Valenza, and the importance of lobbying activities such as this one.

I think people would be surprised by the list provided in this video of all that the school library provides students. On reflection, it would seem necessary for students to have at least one scheduled session in the library a week. I especially liked the observation that the school library is ‘A place where they (students) do not get graded’ (Valenza, 2023). This in itself I believe would create a conducive atmosphere to foster deep learning, which is argued to depend on the development of intrinsic learning motivation: learning driven by the joy and satisfaction of learning itself (Muñoz & Ramirez, 2015) in contrast to its opposite, extrinsic motivation, with subcategories of identified, introjected and external regulations in descending order of self-determination (Bakar et al., 2010).

I am surprised that one report I read divided schools into Catholic, Government and Independent schools (Softlink, 2022) so there is clearly a major difference in the library facilities of the three groups. However, the report also has a section describing the typical Australian school which states that the majority of school libraries are understaffed with inadequate budget.

Clearly there is a need for some level of equality between school libraries in different institutions, as a school library is described as critical to the literacy of a school’s students (Hughes el al, 2013).

References:

Bakar, K.A., Sulaiman, N.F., & Rafaai, Z.A.M. (2010). Self-determination theory and motivational orientations of Arabic learners: A principal component analysis. Journal of Language Studies, 10(1), 71-86.

Hughes, H., Bozorgian, H., Allan, C., & Dicinoski, M. (2013) School libraries, teacher-librarians and their contribution to student literacy development in Gold Coast schools: Research report. School Library Association of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.

Muñoz, A., & Ramirez, M. (2015). Teachers’ conceptions of motivation and motivating practices in second-language learning: A self-determination theory perspective. Theory and Research in Education, 13(2), 198-220. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878515593885

Softlink. (2022). The 2022 Softlink Australian and New Zealand School Library Survey Report. In softlinkint.com. Retrieved January 7, 2024, from https://www.softlinkint.com/downloads/2022_Softlink_School_Library_Survey_Australian_NewZealand_Report.pdf?vgo_ee=hVuZR6EDQ0QrPaN%2BdBEnPtiIL90AS4DyPEKfIJOsKAnzdA8%3D%3AoSro1%2BpcnUnolBTlJQt1jdBaskjyz3dM

Valenza, J. (2023, October 18). School Library story [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/82208025

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January 4

Thoughts on Information Literacy

Information literacy refers to the capacity to comprehend, access, retain, assess, modify, and employ information with purposeful intent (Oddone, n.d).

I am curious about any changes to the definition that might be caused by the online world. I think internet access’ influence on society in terms of how people think and behave cannot be underestimated. For the first time in history, anyone can publish anything to be read by anyone. Surely this has immense ramifications for ideas around information literacy. Technically, the internet gives everyone a voice.

What are same effects of this phenomenon?

There is no such thing as alternative or a niche anymore.

Memes have taught me that my experiences and opinions are not unique to me – someone else in the world, indeed, hundreds and thousands of people, also don’t like the word ‘moist’, or wonders why we can eat salad but we cannot eat plants.

If there is access to all artistic content, then how can subversive or alternative cultures now exist? It is only a matter of time before any aesthetic becomes fashionable if consumed online by enough people.

This allows for the publication of uncountable perspectives.

‘Perspectives’ being understood as ‘a feeling or opinion about something or someone’ (Cambridge Dictionary.com, nd) which we can be assumed is usually created within people through their unique life experience, and is often dictated to an extent by a person’s origin, would mean that contemporary librarianship would need to include this within the definition of information literacy? And in this sense, teaching the skill of ‘Perspective-taking¹ or “theory of mind,” involves reasoning about the mental states of others (e.g., their intentions, desires, knowledge, beliefs) (Birch et al, 2017).

And I would also in turn argue that the Teacher Librarian additionally needs to have knowledge or at least awareness of the different cognitive and psychological processes involved in reading online material, where the author’s identity is often unknown or inaccurate. One could exempt Wikipedia from this, I have not seen any sites beyond academic publications and journals which include so much referencing and checking of the accuracy of the information presented, including the checking of the presence of bias.

Uncountable perspectives would naturally also include uncountable opinions. It is possible for google results to give contradicting information simply based on decisions over which words to use in the search, and the user’s previous on-line behaviours which would dictate their opinions and biases. Opinion could be an anti-thesis to thorough research and inquiry as Bullard (2021, cited in mindjournal.com) writes:

“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world. It requires profound purpose larger than the self-kind of understanding.”

I am additionally curious about why it is not common practice to reference our opinions online? At what point did online behaviours develop?

How does psychology play into information literacy?

Is it just that everyone of us has a strong desire to be the informed one, to be right?

If the most effective learning inquiry is questioning our conclusions – especially questioning ourselves. Why are we not doing this online?

Birch, S., Li, V., Haddock, T., Ghrear, S., Brosseau‐Liard, P. E., Baimel, A., & Whyte, M. I. (2017). Perspectives on perspective taking. In Advances in Child Development and Behavior (pp. 185–226). https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acdb.2016.10.005

The Cambridge Dictionary (nd.) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/perspective#google_vignette

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/

Sahal, S. (2022, January 4). Why does every voice matter? The importance of hearing different perspectives. Medium. https://medium.com/curious/why-does-every-voice-matter-the-importance-of-hearing-different-perspectives-eeba740955ab

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