Assessment 5: Critical Reflection

Part B Critical Reflection on the Subject and myself as a TL.

Many things throughout this semester led to my personal views of the role of a TL changing, developing and synthesizing into a comprehensive idea of what an excellent TL should look like. The main areas of change in my thinking were collaboration; information literacy, and the development of an information literate school community; and the importance of having principal support. These changes occurred as a result of reading, research, my own work in the library, and comments made by other students on the forums.

The final blog assessment and the course modules helped synthesize my ideas on information literacy and information literate school communities. The OLJ Blog task made me (and others) think about what our view on Information Literacy actually was. After involving myself with online discussion and readings I formed a view based on the fact that Information literacy has been described as a core literacy for the 21st century, it helps students form opinions and develop skills (Lloyd & Williamson, 2008). Pretorius (2013) gave a valid opinion on the forum that most authors mention that Information Literacy is a process, and is constantly changing much like the process we take as teachers. I know that my knowledge on all topics in this subject will constantly evolve.

Before I began this subject I had not considered the importance of collaboration with classroom teachers with TL’s to plan and create units that enable students to learn and practice information literacy skills. As I researched and completed sections of the subject, collaboration appeared more and more. Whilst researching an idea for assignment item 2, I became aware that collaboration was not occurring in many school situations that I have observed and the Standards of Professional Excellence are much harder to attain with lack of teacher and TL collaboration. I made note of this in my blog entry, entitled “Week Four” on 25^th November 2012. In a student correspondence on the Forum, Palmer (2013) gave a great opinion about the lack of support in topic 5 and Tipadalo (2012) about the specific roles of a TL in topic 2. An article that reinforces Palmer’s view is Todd (2008), which discusses how collaboration in a school can work, even with obstacles such as time and unwillingness of classroom teachers. Many entries on the ‘Topic 5 forum’ discussed collaboration as being an obstacle, however it was refreshing to see that most of them are still willing to try and collaborate with classroom teachers.

Early on I decided that principal support is crucial to a TL. Evidence of this learning is found in my blog entitled “Week Three” on the 20^th of November 2012 (TLs within the School Community). Principals play a big part in what a TL is able to achieve within the school. It was helpful to see that others agree with the idea of the principal being critical to library success as indicated in comments on the “Topic 5 Forum”. My awareness of why collaboration was so important in the role of TL became more concrete after reading an entry on the Topic Forum 5. In a personal communication by a fellow student on the forum, Pretorius, (2013) stated “The Principal should be treated a little differently as there is the expectation that she/he will be well-read, and that his/her job involves analysis of current educational trends and theories. I’d invest more time presenting literature to them whilst simultaneously letting positive comments from staff filter through.”

My understanding now, after completing relevant readings, is that it is up to the TL to influence and create change. They can do this through constant promotion of the value of their role, and by showing the principal how they can contribute to students learning and achievement.

ETL401 has been instrumental in my knowledge of the role of a teacher librarian. Although I have mainly discussed collaboration, information literacy and principal support in this blog entry, I have gained understanding and knowledge in all aspects of the TLs role. Through completion of blog entries and participation in subject forums, I have been able to articulate and see other views about the TLs role, then form my own opinion. Finally, and most importantly, my learning has inspired me to become an excellent TL. As I currently have limited experience in the library, I try to use things I have learnt whenever possible. In terms of my learning, it is being able to practice and experience what I have learnt that makes it all worthwhile for me in terms of my ability to become an excellent TL.

References

Lloyd, A., and Williamson, K. (2008) Working towards an understanding of information literacy in context: Implications for research, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol 40(1), 3-12. SAGE Journals, UK. Retrieved January 13th, 2013 from http://lis.sagepub.com/content/40/1/3.abstract

Palmer, A. (2013, January 23). [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/site/ETL401_201290_W_D/page/714197e0-4a89-42e0-0095-562a37d6f3a2

Pretorius, T. (2013, January 22). [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/site/ETL401_201290_W_D/page/714197e0-4a89-42e0-0095-562a37d6f3a2

Tipaldo, M. (2012, November 30). [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/site/ETL401_201290_W_D/page/4cf5bbd9-3e78-4ecd-00e6-01cc20907fa8

Todd, R. J. (2008). The dynamics of classroom teacher and teacher librarian instructional collaborations. Scan, 27(2), 19-28. Retrieved from http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au

Information Literacy is more than a set of skills.

“Information literacy is more than a set of skills”

Information literacy has been described as a core literacy for the 21st century. (Lloyd & Williamson, 2008). There are many ways that we currently share and process information, yet this will evolve and change as we move into the future. (Armstrong, 2008). Valenza states that searching is a “life skill”. Information will help us make wise choices, reach conclusions and communicate well. (Valenza, 2005). Information literacy is important for those who are living and learning in this century, but is it more than a checklist of skills that help us and our students?

Information literacy skills help people recognise when information is needed, and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively use the information. (Association of College & Research Libraries, 2012). It is certainly essential for academic success. (Macpherson, 2004). We live in an incredible age, where the facts we need or want are only a click away. The internet has become an important and wonderful tool for use in education, yet it has become a challenge for many teachers and teacher librarians to give students the skills needed to test “reliability, currency and relevance” for the information they encounter. (Breivik, 2010).

Macpherson (2004) states that perhaps our aim should not be to teach skills but to develop “theoretical frameworks” for twenty-first century literacy. This flexibility might lead to new perspectives to explore? We also bring a level of bias to our learning. There is certainly a broad range of individual differences, and variability within performance. Teacher librarians need to consider relevant learning strategies while being aware of this. (Macpherson, 2004). Not all square students will fit into the round information literacy shape we try to put them in? There are so many different variables we work with. What does information literacy look like on the other side of the world? Surely it has different characteristics in different contexts and cultures? (Lloyd & Williamson, 2008). We learn and teach in and about an environment in constant flux. (Valenza, 2005). The world is in a state of continual change and we struggle to keep up with what is current. What will information literacy look like in ten or twenty years time? 

We are trying to help students participate in emerging information landscapes. (Valenza, 2005). There are important skills to develop, but a searching attitude is also required, as are the habits and behaviours involved. (Valenza, 2005) The “info-fluent” student has a sense of inquiry, thinks creatively about words, manages time effectively and is persistent - just to name a few extra skills. (Valenza, 2005) Kuhlthau has described the cognitive and affective stages that students follow during research as a process of becoming information literate. (Bishop, 2003). This becoming is a continuing journey. In our information-overloaded world there is a need for better thinkers, problem solvers and inquirers. Those who are information literate are indeed a precious commodity. (ACRL, 2012., Breivik, 2005). Yet this involves more than a checklist of skills. For some information literacy is a definite group of skills and when you can tick off those abilities you are classed as "literate". However, it also involves a mindset and an attitude that continues to change and grow throughout our lives as change continues around us. It is an evolving process where students and adults learn how they learn. (FitzGerald, 2011).

References:

Association of College & Research Libraries (2012). Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Retrieved Janaury 13^th, from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency

Armstrong, S. (2008) Information Literacy: Navigating and Evaluating Today’s Media. Shell Education. Retrieved January 13^th, 2012 2-12, from http://csuau.eblib.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=408103

Bishop, K. (2003) What in the world is happening with information literacy? Knowledge Quest, 31(5), 14-16. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/194726687?accountid=10344

Breivik, P. (2005). 21st century learning and information literacy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning. 37:2, 21-27. Retrieved January 13, 2013, from http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/CHNG.37.2.21-27

FitzGerald, L. (2011). The twin purposes of Guided Inquiry: guiding student inquiry and evidence based practice. Scan, 30(1), 26-41. Retrieved January 13th, 2013 from http://www.csu.edu.au/division/library/ereserve/pdf/fitzgerald-l.pdf

Lloyd, A., and Williamson, K. (2008) Towards an understanding of information literacy in context: Implications for research, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol 40(1), 3-12. SAGE Journals, UK. Retrieved January 13th, 2013 from http://lis.sagepub.com/content/40/1/3.abstract

Macpherson, K (2004). Undergraduate Information Literacy: A Teaching Framework. alia publishing, Australia, 238-240. Retrieved January 13th, 2013, from http://www.alia.org.au/publishing/aarl/35.3/macpherson.pdf

Valenza, J. (2005) Super Searchers Go To School: Sharing Online Stategies with K-12 Students, Teachers, and Librarians, Vol.35. Medford, NJ: CyberAge Book. Retrieved January 13th, 2013, from Google Books ‪http://bit.ly/OOdmHo