INF506 Introduction

How do the concepts and findings in these sections of the OCLC report reflect your view of the socially networked world in 2012?

A lot of what I read about in this ebook was not new to me but how I thought about it was new.  Like the fact that social networking is not a new concept.  People have always built relationships based on common interests in social communities.  It is only the medium, or how this is done that has changed. Technology has given us a new medium. 

Important Points

Introduction

• Libraries need to reach out to users on the internet.
• Research challenges us to think about research beyond the search.
• People have changed from information consumer to information producer.  How does this affect library services?
• Social websites have built a new social web, connecting communities.  What will these communities mean for the possibilities they hold for library services?

Section 1 - Our Digital Lives

• Behaviours/attitudes of digital immigrants and digital natives - beginning to converge.
• Usage of internet activities as grown substantially.
• Use of library websites has dropped.
• Tipping point on digital evolution timeline - from exploration to creation and mass contribution.
• Composition of online activities is changing.

Section 2 - Our Social Spaces

• The digital medium makes contact/sharing more accessible.
• Social networks are web sites "designed to allow multiple users to publish content themselves."
• Social network service - building and verifying of online social networks for communities.  Services are primarily web based and provide a collection of various ways for users to interact.
• Different social sites have different emphases.
• Social networking is often not the central focus of the site, but a side effect of bringing people together with shared interests.
• While interaction occurs on social media sites, primary purpose is to publish and share content.
• Essence of social sites - social.
• Central value - platform.
• Function - social.
• Much of what takes place on social sites is motivated by a desire to connect.
• Information users are willing to share online varies by site.

Reference:

De Rosa, C., Cantrell, J., Havens, A., Hawk, J. & Jenkins, L. (2007). Sharing privacy and trust in our networked world: A report to the OCLC membership. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC. [ebook] Available http://www.oclc.org/reports/pdfs/sharing.pdf
 

New Information Literacy Curriculum

On 10th November, Sheffield University Information School hosted a seminar on an Information Literacy Curriculum. Full documentation is available at
http://newcurriculum.wordpress.com/

This includes an explanation of the ideas behind the curriculum and recommendations on how it may be used and taught. All the reports are available under reports and outputs. The curriculum document is straightforward and practical and I think would be useful for Australian TLs as well.

Do we ever reach the goal of being information literate?

Okay, so our goal is to help our students (and ourselves) become information literate. Does a person ever reach this goal or is it a journey, not a destination? We have new technology being constantly developed and information growing exponentially. And what if a student or a person doesn't want to be information literate? There are plenty of those in the world. As well most of the information skills models available today to help TLs guide students were developed 20years ago. Are they still applicable in today's society? On top of this student's are still graduating without the necessary IL skills. What are we missing here? Am I reading too deeping into it all? I don't think so. These are questions we must look towards answering in our role as TLs and in our goal to be information literate.

The Next Big Thing is Web 3.0. Catch It If You Can

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The Information Super Highway

Much has been written about the information super highway.

If I can extend the analogy, teacher librarians are both driving instructors and highway engineers.

From:
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/rblonline/informationliteracy/infolit.htm

Aha! Moment

Yes I've had my own little aha! moment. The lightbulb is flickering due to our essential reading "Introduction to guided Inquiry - What is it, what's new, why now?" Everything we've looked at so far is connected in this article: the roles of the TL; collaboration; leadership, constructivist learning; information literacy; curriculum; the information process etc. Guided Inquiry connects all this together and in my view should be the main instructional framework for all schools.
What challenges do I foresee in the implementation of such an approach? The main one is probably getting everyone on board - teachers, parents, students, executive. I think it would work best as a whole school approach but if that was not happening you could still make a difference with just a few classes and some teacher support. You are also going to get students who lack motivation, no matter what you throw at them but I think it would be great with the majority of students.

Information Process Models with Potential

So what information process models do I feel have potential for use in my school? I cannot be sure until I actually have the chance to use some because it would really depend on the students and their needs. A few things I am certain of however -

• I do not particularly like the one currently promoted by the DET. I have used that on a short term basis and I think in its current form it's a bit impractical and boring. I think a model needs a catchy name (ie PLUS model or BIG6) and there needs to be some great resources to support it thoughout the whole school.
• Whichever model used needs to include the students' perspectives, acknowledge their feelings and reflection.
• Ideally the model needs to be used throughout the school, in all subjects on a regular basis.
• Research by the TL/teachers is essential to gain knowledge in to how the students are learning and using the model.

Studies on Information Process Models

Part of our essential reading for topic 4 includes two articles about studies on information process models (The Big 6 and PLUS models). When I first started reading I thought why on earth do we need to read about these studies - what valuable information can I get from these readings? It took a bit of thinking but this is what I came up with -

• The studies show there is definite value in using information process models. There is a potential link between information problem-solving models and metacognitive skills (one of the essential skills students must possess in order to be successful in problem-based learning activities).
• Strengthened metacognitive skills can be applied to a variety of learning situations.
• With appropriate support, students can succeed at complex, learner centred, research oriented tasks.
• Using a model can boost students confidence when approaching problem solving tasks.
• Through a collaborative approach this type of metacognitive support can be effectively integrated into the school curriculum.
• Students themselves view scaffolding models as beneficial.
• Learners need to use models many times until it becomes almost second nature and then it should be gradually withdrawn to reduce reliance.
• Models are best used how learners want to use them.
• Models do not need to be used in a linear process.

And most importantly I think the studies show that TLs have much to gain from studying and evaluating how their students use a information process model so that they can understand better how learners learn and how to effectively integrate the information process into the curriculum.

Brief overview of New Curriculum for IL

View more presentations from Jane Secker

What is Information Literacy?

Having read "Progress in developing information literacy in a secondary school using the PLUS model" (Herring and Tarter 2007) I would say my idea of information literacy hasn't really changed but it has expanded. I'm beginning to think that the reason so many people have difficulty defining information literacy is because it's not one tangible thing. I'm beginning to view it as a "continuum", because when you think about it, it starts out as one thing, goes through a gradual transition to a more complex thing. It is a "dangerously ambiguous concept" (Herring and Tarter 2007) because there are so many points on the continuum. In his theories of relativity, Einstein discussed the space-time continuum as a single entity that related space and time in a four-dimensional structure. I know I'm really of the chart here but why can't we think of information literacy as a single entity that relates information and literacy in a four-dimensional structure? Then it can be defined as a habit of mind and a set of skills and behaviours and an attitude, across all disciplines etc. I believe most of the current definitions of information literacy are correct and MAKE SENSE when viewed on the information literacy continuum.

Am I crazy or am I onto something here?

Making it harder than it needs to be...

There's something about information literacy that I don't quite get. Why do some find it so difficult to understand what it is and what it is about? It seems to me that some read more into it than they need to. Maybe I just see things in black and white. My definition of information literacy comes from the words "information", meaning knowledge gained through study, communication, research, instruction, etc, and "literacy", meaning the ability to use language to read, write, listen, and speak at a level that lets one understand and communicate ideas in a literate society, so as to take part in that society. Therefore, "information literacy" is a combination of these definitions - the ability to use language to read, write, listen and speak at a level that lets one understand communicate and used information (knowledge gained) in a literate society, so as to take part in that society.

Pretty simple, really. I don't believe it is something new. It's been around since the dawn of literacy. Langford (1998) states that historically, literacy was interpreted as a basic ability to read, write and comprehend, and as society's needs evolved,literacy became a universal right.

What do people read, write and comprehend? Information, of course! So one might say that literacy has always been connected with information. It was only in the late 20th century that we actually spelled out this connection.

Abilock (2004) sees Information Literacy as sharing a fundamental set of skills with other disciplines. I disagree. I believe it is embedded in all disciplines, in all aspects of society. It does however, involve a fundamental set of core thinking- and problem-solving meta-skills, and as Abilock also states, students develop "habits of mind".

I'm yet to read the Herring article for this section, so we will see how my definition evolves after consideration. I truly believe that by fossicking around, considering different literacies, we are muddying the waters, creating confusion and losing sight of the main idea. Perhaps there are some TLs who want to see information literacy as their special domain, unobtainable by mere mortal teachers. But to get the best situation for the students it has to be the main educational outcome in every school. And perhaps it already is in most schools, it's just not labelled as "Information Literacy".

Information Literacy: A Clarification

After some time away (due to a residential school for another subject) I am finally back into the swing of things, if just a little behind.
I have just read "Information Literacy: A Clarification" by Linda Langford and I must say that this article has really challenged me to consider and reach some sort of understanding of what information literacy is.

Throughout the article I was either saying YES or NO on various definitions/ideas, so I thought I might just list a few so you can get a basic idea on where I'm heading.

• There is a multiplicity of terms that could define "information literacy" - YESIt is defined differently by various schools of thought - YES


• It is a transfiguration - YES (if defined as "the metamorphosis of the old house into something new and exciting"


• An embellished view of the traditional understanding - NO, it incorporates new understanding as well


• A full transformation - Not exactly.


• A new literacy - NO


• A shift in educational thinking has occurred in that literacy is more than the ability to read and to right - YES


• Should be part of the natural discourse of teachers as they design and develop curriculum or discuss pedagogical issues - YES


• The label is fuzzy - NO I think it tells us exactly what it is "information" "literacy"


• Teachers are not clear what it means and how it relates to classroom practice - YES


• The process is unclear - YES


• There is a sense of urgency that essential learning areas include outcomes that ensure all learners become information literate - YES : In the school where I currently teach, literacy and numeracy outcomes must be imbedded in all programs. This is a step in the right direction but is not enough.


• Professionals in the information game must become literate in the field of information - YES! I know many teachers who do not know how to find information other than in a textbook.


• The needs of a society at any time determine how a society interprets a concept - YES


• Literacy is a dynamic concept - "mirrors the expanding information needs of society" - YES


• Kuhlthau (1995) To be literate was not only to recognise when information was required, but involved the ability to construct one's own knowledge through a process - YES


• To code and decode symbols...to translate symbols into meaningful messages - YES! I really like this simple definition. It doesn't explain how but it describes basically what we do with information.


• The concept of info literacy really depends on the information needs of the society of the time - YES


• Policy Directions (1990) defined info literacy as a functional literacy: the ability to read and use written information, to write appropriately in a range a contexts, and to recognise numbers and basic mathematical signs and symbols. YES this definition includes reading, writing, using (understanding) info in a range of contexts. This is how I see info literacy - as a functional literacy - necessary to function in society.


• Literacy is evolving - NO - I think the context in which we use literacy is evolving.


• There is a continuum of skills associated with literacy - YES


• Literacy itself is taking on different forms - transforming from a functional literacy through to a set of literacy - NO I dont agree. I think this is what is confusing people. Go back to the label - "INFORMATION" - this continually changes in how it is presented - "LITERACY" - making sense of this information - evolving rather than changing.


• Defining and redefining of concept could result in confusion and frustration - YES it is already!


• We are being bombarded by other concepts of literacy - YES


• Literacy is an act of semiosis - every act that records symbols of human communication outside the human body is a type of literacy and every act of communication evolves around the encoding and decoding of information - Not quite


• Literacy is fuelled by information and hence all literacy is information literacy - YES to a point


• Australian definition of literacy: to be able to function well in society which entails the ability to read, used numbers and to find information and use it appropriately. YES - this is simple and easy to understand.


• The concept of information literacy is relatively new - I think the LABEL is new, but the concept is not. I think info literacy is an evolution of the concept of literacy, the inclusion of information used to emphasise "meaning" and "understanding".


• Information literacy - a philosophy (COULD BE), a phenomenom (DEFINITELY NOT), a mere frolic with semantics. (NO WAY!)


• There is considerable support for viewing literacy as a continuously evolving concept allowing for a more liberal understanding and hence development of the initial ideal of the universal right to be able to read and write. YES


• How is information literacy defined? In terms of skills (YES), Behaviours/attitudes (YES), learning library/research skills (NO - more than that!), think critically (YES - this is a skill and an attitude), does it relate to an isolated subject (YES it is related to all subjects), an independent notion (NO), an umbrella phrase that has many parts that when meshed into a pedagogical framework, contributes to the holistic development of the individual, ...pathway to function well in society, empowered to learn independently/interdependently (Owen 1996, Kuhlthau 1995) - YES YES YES!


• A new literacy ? NO


• Still the basic literacy mirroring the expanding information needs of society (Brevik 1993) YES!


• Doyle - attributes of a person - NO


• An attainment of skills, that relies on a process. Takes on many approaches depending what part of the curriculum is in focus. YES


• Info literacy concerns itself with the mastery of processes, is a learning tool, and is also something to be learned - YES


• A lifelong goal - YES


• Knowing how to learn - YES


• Understanding of info literacy to be broadened to be inclusive, that is become the key competence for individual and societal development in Australia. YES YES YES


• We need a definition that can be interpreted universally in terms of processes and outcomes - YES


• Is it more appropriate to see this concern as a fundemental issue for all learning communities whereby each facilitator works towards the prime goal - literacy - YES but I would say the prime goal is Information Literacy.


• What needs to occur is a continuous development in educational circles to shape and deeply instil the pedagogy of info literacy as essential for the information society and hence, the learning society - YES


• It is removed from everyday classroom practice - NO not totally but teachers dont really see it as the key outcome


• Time to redefine literacy (and hence info literacy) - NO not redefine it but there is a need to give it extra PR to push it as the main aim for all programs - so it becomes an embedded practice, the natural or basic practice of teachers.

Information Literacy

Quite long but lots of great information.

The Role of Libraries and Librarians in Information Literacy

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Inquiry Learning and PBL

I've started reading about inquiry learning, PBL, constructivism, and 21st century learning and what does this mean for us at TLs.

A few points that stand out:

• student centred/student lead


• higher order thinking


• implementation of technology


• collaboration


• 24/7 anywhere,anytime learning


• adapt, adopt, modify


• cyclic inquiry model


• intuitive, deep, conceptual knowledge


• knowledge is created by dynamic interaction with the learning environment


• lifelong learners


• strategies can be interwoven


• student generated questions


• technology


• motivation

Why is this important to TLs?

• related to the information process/info literacy


• show leadership by modelling constructivism strategies


• collaborate with teachers to embed in teaching/learning strategies


• promoted by various pedagogical initiatives


• to help students develop lifelong learning skills in an info-rich environment.

I think as TLs we need to consistently think "outside the box" and consider constructivist strategies whenever we are planning units of work or activities or collaborating with teachers.

Assignment One

I am still unsure as to what two aspects of the role of the TL I shall use in my first assignment. I have read a range a articles and still cannot decide. Do I choose aspects of the role that I personally feel are important, or do I choose aspects for which there is a lot a literature available? I was considering that TLs need to be both a qualified "teacher" and a "librarian" and what these roles may involve. The teaching aspect is essential and the role of teacher also overlaps with the role of "instructional partner". Perhaps I have been considering this because I have been teaching for some time and I feel that this has a lot to do with defining who I am. I found myself reading a lot about the role of leader and what that may entail, but I also feel the role of information specialist is important. I'm not sure where I will go to from here. I think I will re-read the Herring and Purcell articles (again!) and hope something jumps out at me. I really want to be able to start writing something concrete down.

Show Me the Evidence!

Show Me The Evidence! (Mary Jo Langhorne 2005)

• There are various studies that show school library programs have a positive impact on student achievement.


• Evidence can be locally generated in a variety of ways.


• Data can be used to enhance budget requests. Budget requests need to be carefully correlated with building instructional goals. It helps to prepare the budget professionally with a spreadsheet. Base it on analysis of the data and include school curriculum and instructional goals.


• Use the data that is at your disposal now, not when cuts are being made.


• A great resource: School Libraries Work! (Scholastic) http://www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/s/slw3_2008.pdf


• It is up to us to recognise this as a golden opportunity to solicit support, be visible and gain ground.

My Thoughts: I saw this article as a call to action. We are told what sort of evidence we have at our disposal and practical ways that we can use it and share it with stakeholders. I felt a sense of urgency through the article - the time to act is NOW!

A Critical Thinking Approach

One of the blogs I've been following http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/ drew my attention to this article.

Maan, N. A. (2011) "A Critical Thinking Approach for Information Education" IFLA SET Bulletin, 12(2), 6-11.
This is in the whole online issue: http://www.ifla.org/files/set/Bulletin/_SET_Bulletin2011-2.pdf

In the article, information literacy is described as a "survival skill" in the information age. The article explains exactly what an information literate individual should be able to do. Information literacy has a life cycle of eleven stages according to the author who lists the stages. This is terrific information for a TL to have. It would enable a TL to benchmark where an individual is on the information literacy spectrum and allow a more individual approach. Where does critical thinking fit in all this?

"Media literacy uses the concept both as a metacognitive ability, which determines the individual’s degree of control of the process of information seeking, and as a set of skills which allow the description, analysis and evaluation of the message (Potter, 2011)."

Basically "critical thinking skills can be learnt in and applied to any domain" (Paul 1993). Four interdependant components of critical thinking are also described. I found the article really interesting as it explains in greater detail what information literacy is, how critical thinking fits into this, and what you can do to ensure your students develop these skills.

I felt this article helped me understand exactly what "information literacy" is and also how it fits into education as a whole.

The Role of the TL Continued...

Our first assignment for this subject asks us to critically compare two aspects of the views of (a) Herring and (b) Purcell on the role of the teacher librarian. Purcell's article is devoted almost entirely to the various roles the TL takes on, whereas this is only a small part of the Herring article. Purcell gives us snippets of what the different roles entail but doesn't really say why these roles are more important than others. I kind of feel we don't really find out what she thinks - we just get a brief overview. It's like, here - these are the roles and this is a little bit what they're about. Whereas I want to know a bit more why. I also don't feel she has cited enough references. Herring's chapter is presented differently. He's shown us what a few different organisations/people have said and then it's a case of you make up your own mind. Which is good in a way. Everyone's ideas about what the role of a TL is, is of course, very different. Now it's up to us to work out what aspects of the role we feel are important enough to address in our assignment. Personally, I think most aspects could be melded (is this the right word?) together under just a few titles. For example, a TL in the role of teacher, could also be described as a leader. Or, if you are a TL acting in the role of information specialist, then don't you also need to act as a leader and a teacher to fulfil your role? I'm still considering how to work around this in my assignment. Maybe this is where Purcell and Herring fall down - they don't consider how intricately woven the ties are between the different aspects of the roles.

The Herring Article

It sounds quite austere, doesn't it - "The Herring Article". For anyone not doing ETL 401, this chapter by James Herring (2007) "Teacher Librarians & The School Library" is from "Libraries In The 21st Century" edited by S. Ferguson. The information provided falls under the headings of:

• The learning and teaching context of school libraries;



• The school library mission;
  


• Standards for school libraries;



• The role of the teacher librarian;



• Information literacy in schools;



• The school library website and school intranet.
  

It's like a set of guidelines for the school teacher librarian. An extremely useful document. Every section I found interesting and packed with valuable information. I particularly liked the section on the school library website and school intranet. With the growing amount of resources available online this is one way the TL can select and group together suitable resources for students who could access them during school or outside school. As a parent and a teacher and a TL-to-be, I love the idea of teachers/faculties have their own webpages. Students would no longer to say they lost their homework/assignment sheet or didn't know when something was due, or couldn't find the info for it. Easy access - I love it!

Google Notebook

I have finally completed a thorough summary of the Herring article referred to in Topic 2 - The Role of the TL. Whew! So much information to get my head around. I had used http://bubbl.us/ for summarising info previously but it is only useful when summarising small articles. After a bit of a wander online I came upon http://www.google.com/notebook/ (Google Notebook). Very easy to use and most importantly FREE, it helps sort your info into sections with subheading and comments (notes). I'm sure it's not the only free note taking program available on the net but I found it helpful and will certainly use it again.