I agree with my classmates that the proliferation of information, including online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia makes teaching information literacy skills that much more important, as teachers and teacher-librarians will not always be at hand to help people vet resources throughout the lifespan. Students need to acquire sufficient critical thinking skills to evaluate resources independently. Until they possess these cognitive abilities, I think younger students should have adult supervision while accessing the internet for research purposes, and perhaps should be give specific web sites for search purposes.

Wikipedia is a controversial encyclopedic reference source. Kids love it, teachers not so much. But since Wikipedia is an established part of the learning landscape for most students why not put it to good use? One way, as other classmates have mentioned, is to teach students how to use it wisely, for example by using is as part of a learning activity that involves comparing information found there to information found in so-called authoritative encyclopaedias such as World Book. Further, if we want students to avoid sources like Wikipedia we will probably need to guide them to other sources and make those substitute sources easy to access. In teaching as in parenting, sometimes we need to create a diversion or offer guidance in the form of more suitable options.

And then there is the problem, much discussed and debated, of encyclopedias becoming dated soon after purchase. What I wonder about – and this may sound heretical in a course such as this one – is whether the date of the material (e.g. encyclopaedias) is really that important (as long as it is not truly ancient!) to the inquiry process, or whether it is more important that students know how to use the encyclopedia as a research tool. Looking at this another way: Is the research process, especially for younger students, about acquiring and remembering specific facts, or about acquiring information literacy skills and valuing the concept of information literacy itself? Facts are a shallow form of knowledge, easily forgotten, but information literacy is deeper learning that is transferrable from grade to grade and subject to subject, and is built upon as students mature.

So which matter most, product or process? Sure, available research material should be relevant and appealing, and some information on some topics in some fields (technology, medicine, politics etc.) does become outdated more rapidly, necessitating access to reliable online sources for those topics. At university level availability of the most current material it is increasingly important, but a university will at least have the budget to support the kind of academic research materials its population needs. But at the elementary school level, hand-wringing over dates of encyclopedias is a waste of energy.

If the choice is between spending money on a new set of encyclopedias or spending money on education staff to teach research skills, I’d choose the latter any day.

In describing how to conduct reference interviews as part of the research process, Riedling (2000) lists determining the nature, quantity, level, and best format of information a student needs, and emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to use information literacy skills to access that information. She also emphasizes the importance of the relationship between the helper (the t-l) and the helpee (student), even if it is a relationship that has only just begun and only lasts for the few minutes of the interview. I deeply appreciate how she emphasizes good communication skills such as active listening, paraphrasing, awareness of body language, and how she points out how the student’s communication skills may not be as refined. This, once again, acknowledges the affective component of the research and learning processes – yay! Psychology, counselling, emotional intelligence and emotional literacy are huge interests of mine, and I would not want to see emotional literacy trumped by information literacy, as noble and important as the latter is. (In a worst nightmare scenario I imagine a world in which everyone can readily access information but not their emotions!)

I also fully agree that a successful reference interview is one in which the student feels satisfied that the teacher-librarian has given personal attention and accurate info, even if s/he  did not locate suitable or desirable material for the student. In my experience, if I have done all I can to locate something for a student, but still did not find what they wanted, they were fine with it, and went happily on their way or signed  something else out. (Sometimes I think I end up more disappointed than they do!). But it is gratifying to know that they are happy and I have done my best to help them.

What if found lacking (surprisingly so) is that Riedling does not suggest conducting a reference interview or collaborative effort with teachers. There should be no need for, say, 30 students to seek individual assistance from the teacher librarian for a class project they will all be doing. The t-l should, at the very least, have a copy of the assignment instructions and criteria – it is a basic tool to begin with. If the t-l does not have even a basic idea of what the assignment is, s/he cannot prepare adequately and the students are more likely to be short-changed and have a less than ideal research experience.

In my toc work, I find the involvement of the t-l in a collaborative process with any given classroom teacher who brings a class to the library for research varies from school to school. (Here I’m thinking more of secondary students). Some t-l’s are very proactive about getting specific details about research projects and will even spend time looking online for appropriate websites to recommend to students. (I know because I have done this as a library toc.)

Reference:

Riedling, Ann. Reference Skills for the School Library Media Specialist: Tools and Tips. Linworth Publishing Inc., Ohio, 2000.

Wherever you go, there you are.

Are we are learning how to learn how to learn so that we can teach how to learn how to learn? No wonder it sometimes seems complicated! Perhaps a teacher-librarian is a kind of midwife to the inquiry process.

I feel I am grappling with a huge volume of information, in daily life as well as in this course, and this is at times overwhelming. Some of the information is what I think of as raw or pure data. Some folks thrive on this and can readily, even eagerly, absorb and sort it. Others, like me, not so much. Multiple intelligences, personality type (and by definition, brain differences) factor into this. I’m an idea and “big picture” type of person, and dislike having to process a lot of data, so if this course helps me acquire more effective information literacy tools that will be a big help.

One thing that has definitely been reinforced for me is that clarity is crucial to a user-friendly learning process. I get frustrated when acronyms appear again and again, tripping up my thought process. It’s like walking along and suddenly finding an obstacle on the path, or a direction sign written in a foreign language, forcing me to hunt through a guide book to find the translation for a term that could easily have been made clear in the first place.

I experienced this kind of frustration during a long distance walking holiday in Wales a couple of years ago. The route, which had been promoted as “well sign-posted” turned out to be quite confusing in places, often with several route markers on the same post all pointing in different directions (!), or the markers obscured by foliage so that my partner and I would walk right past them and not realize it until we’d walked a couple of miles too far (in pouring rain, thunder and lightning). That was the first (and soggiest) day of the 11-day, 136 mile journey. Other times, out of sheer curiosity (and armed with maps and compass), we’d deliberately veer off the designated route and discover incredible new scenic delights that we would have missed had we remained on track. Still, it’s better to have a choice to veer off than to end up there because of poor directions.

Inquiry too can send us off in the wrong direction and have us looking for new possibilities to answer new questions.

The reference process is integral to information literacy and teacher librarians are integral to both

The purpose of this entry is to show how Information literacy skills are lifelong learning skills and life skills by illustrating how they integrate with the BC graduate transition outcomes (see table below). Info literacy skills help us “learn how to learn”, and are part of responsible citizenship (e.g. awareness of copyright, privacy, etc.). Once the basic framework is acquired it is easier to keep up with changes in technology and apply the skills throughout school, work life, and across the lifespan. The outcomes have both breadth and depth.

Comparison of BC graduation transition outcomes to Information Literacy outcomes

Note: There is crossover in the sense that info literacy outcomes can be applied to more than one graduate attribute. I have simply matched them according to where they seem to best fit, and highlighted key phrases.

References:

Asselin, Marlene, Branch, Jennifer L, Oberg, Dianne (Ed.) Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada. Canadian Association for School Libraries, Ottawa, 2006, p 9-17.

British Columbia Ministry of Education. Program Guide for Graduation Transitions  June 2008. Retrieved Feb 6 2012  from http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/graduation/docs/prog_guide_grad_trans.pdf

I read more non-fiction than fiction, even for recreational reading, and I borrow a lot of books from the public library so I hope it never comes down to a choice that has print material at the losing end of reading options. I usually prefer to feed my curiosity about the topics that interest me than to delve into a work of fiction. So if, in a worst case scenario, I could no longer access this material in a print version, what would I do? I don’t want to have to tote around an e-reader and worry about keeping its battery charged. No, I want to feel a book in my hands, flip through its pages, and look at words and pictures on a page, not stare at a screen for hours.

For my own learning process, no matter how much material is available online (such as with this course) I still want to at least begin with print materials. For example, the first thing I did was create a word document of the lessons so that I could print them, place them in a binder, and work with them from there. I also did this with the articles that I summarized. I want to be able to highlight key points, jot comments on the page, and have some tactile contact with the materials – another validation of the information-seeking research model, especially the sensorimotor component!

On the other hand, I want to have access to electronic materials too, because sometimes they are more convenient, do not require physical space to store, can be kept current, can be shared by a whole class at once if necessary and, like a giant invisible mind-map, can lead me off into uncharted territories of learning and information if I just follow a few links.

And in my work I find there is still a majority of teachers at all grade levels who want students begin with print materials. Rarely will they bring a class to the library just to access information electronically. I prefer to see students begin with print materials to help them focus on their topic unless they simply cannot find what they are after, or need to quickly access a definition or some other information that will help them define their question or topic. And I think that the younger the student, the more important this is. However, sometimes the print material is too outdated or at the wrong reading or complexity level for the students, or there aren’t enough print materials available in the school library.  Then students need to go directly to electronic sources. Having said that, I’m no Luddite, and I do see the value in having students use a variety of types of resources.

In thinking about selection and deselection of reference materials:

I really like the idea of keeping a wish list of materials to purchase in the event of unexpected funding, though I think the items on it should be prioritized (e.g. by how many people have been asking for it, how it fits into the curriculum, how well it would replace or enhance other materials, etc.)

In terms of selecting resources, I do not have my “own” library to compare to the standards presented in our textbook, and have not had an opportunity to use selection tools to choose resources, but I think that the number of items in a collection is less important than the quality of those items. It is better to have a smaller collection of current, appealing materials backed up by electronic resources, because outdated materials may lead students to associate the library with a stuffy, outdated, boring place to be avoided.

I question the practicality of storing periodicals for the recommended 5 year period due to space constraints. You’d also have to make sure students knew about availability of back issues. Lastly, periodicals may not last 5 years if they are heavily circulated!

I rarely see non-print resources such a sound recording, posters, etc. used or circulated. I do see cabinets that store these materials, but I doubt many people know what is in them.

Intellectual accessibility: In my experience, most libraries contain of materials suitable for a range of abilities and language levels (i.e. intellectual accessibility seems adequate). For example, high schools have easier reader books for ESL students, and even some picture books. Many schools also have materials in other languages, as well as materials for parents.

All catalogues that I know of are now automated, and catalogues can be accessed from home, although the Burnaby schools were not all automated until 2 or 3 years ago. Yes, believe it or not, many of the elementary schools were still using card catalogues! I’ve seen some school libraries that allow students to place holds from home as well as post book reviews.

I do not have much experience with deselection, but was once asked to begin a preliminary weeding of nonfiction books, with the deselection criteria mainly being the age of the book, how recently it was last used, and whether it looked visually appealing. Made sense to me. It’s kind of like a clothes closet – if you haven’t worn it in the past year or two, how likely is is that you will ever wear it again, and should it be taking up valuable real estate? (Note to self: Apply this criteria to own closet!)

Reflecting on the impact of teacher librarian on the Reference Process

We were asked to consider six criteria for successful reference and teacher-librarian services, whether they seem reasonable, and how we measure up so far. In general I find the criteria are reasonable provided the teacher-librarian is given sufficient administrative, preparation and collaboration time. An elementary T-L who spends most of all of her/his day doing prep coverage for classes who cycle in and out of the library does not, in my observation and experience, have time to provide a comprehensive reference process. To their very great credit, some T-L’s teach a great library skills, research and inquiry program. Others are simply too swamped to do much more than storytimes and book exchanges, with a bit of book ordering and processing tossed into the mix.

Now for the six desired qualities and yours truly:

1. Knowledge of the library collection: I have worked as a toc in dozens of school libraries, from half a day to a few weeks at a time. All school libraries have similarities, so I can usually find a resource for a student or a teacher fairly quickly – and they are often pleasantly surprised that a toc can do this so effectively. I do my best with what and who I have to work with in any given library, and am becoming even more effectiveas I can apply my new learning.
2. Effective communication skills: Would any of us still be teaching if we did not possess good communication skills??
3. Competence in selecting, acquiring and evaluating resources to meet students’ needs: This is something that is reinforced with experience. I was once asked to choose items for a school library after a book fair, and chose according to what students had been signing out and asking for during the three weeks I worked there. The T-L was pleased with my choices, so I assume my rationale was on track.
4. Understanding of the research process and its inherent affective qualities This validation of the affective process in research and learning is of great interest to me. I have felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material presented in this course; a factor that I think is exacerbated by how the material is organized. For example, assignment criteria are in several different places on the course website, making it a challenge to discern just what is expected!  It’s a lesson in how not to present a project to students. They should be able to read clear, concise criteria and expectations, because it’s challenging enough just to plan, organize and create a product. Doing so without a clear idea of the goalposts is just that much more frustrating and time wasting. …which segues nicely into #5
5. Remaining positive and patient despite the frustrations that can accompany reference services: Really, what other effective choice is there?
6. Knowledge of and an eagerness to apply information skills, where applicable, to all levels of student research: I’ve consistently done well with research projects, especially with synthesizing a project into a cohesive whole. I think this will be more of a challenge here though, given the sheer volume of course material coming my way.

Objective: to link the concept of authority to information literacy, school reference services and the role of the teacher-librarians:

Inquiry starts with defining a topic, so it’s no surprise that a course on information services would begin with definitions. Moreover, working as a teacher-librarian involves learning the basics of teacher-librarian (T-L) lingo. Luckily, since I’ve done quite a bit of T-L work as a teacher on call (toc), I’d already learned some of the terms, and those I was not familiar with at least made sense. Some terms, especially the acronyms, made my eyes glaze over because without context they are just a bunch of symbols on a page. But the main thing about the lingo/terminology/definitions, is how they apply to school library programs, and I find I am gaining a deeper understanding of how they all connect. For instance, bibliographic instruction seems to be another term for learning information literacy skills, information literacy is an essential life skill rather than just something used at school, and research models are integral to using information skills.

A hot topic of discussion was the meaning and importance of “authority” as it applies to a library setting, and whether it is relative or a moving target. I think that as teachers and librarians, we deal with authorship and authors all the time, and we want students’ work to be authenic, written in their own voice, not cut-and-paste plagiarized. When it comes to non-fiction, data and information in general, we want to be confident that authors of both print and digital materials are authorities on the subjects they write about. That’s how we get the most bang for our budgetary bucks, and how students get the most out of their research time and effort. So to me, authority is linked to integrity, accuracy, trust and authenticity.

Aha! Link to the definitions: In order to provide quality reference services in school libraries, we weed judiciously and use selection tools and an appropriate selection process, and research models provide a framework for learning and practicing

As teacher-librarians we add another specialty to our teaching toolbag, otherwise, what is the point of this course and the Library Education (LIBE) program? So why not aim to be a school authority on authentic resources and on the inquiry process? The inquiry buck does not have to come to a full stop at our desks, because we as an authority are still but one resource, the library is just another portal to information and questors are still welcome -encouraged even – to shop around.

Exponential growth in technology and electronic resources contribute to making authority a moving target because it is challenging to keep abreast of it and to continuously sort the virtual wheat from the digital chaffe. As new information comes to light and new research is published, libraries must keep up by keeping collections fresh and current. Gardeners define a weed as anything not wanted in the garden because it takes nourishment from the plants that are wanted. Outdated reference materials won’t grow like weeds, but they won’t nourish inquiry either. Anyone got a hoe?