GUIDED INQUIRY: GATEWAY TO INFORMATION

LITERACY Hannah Love

LSIS 5645

Core Assessment IV

Outlining Guided Inquiry and Information Literacy

Why is information literacy necessary? To fulfill the goals of education by preparing

students forThe workplace

○ Information technology affects the nature of work and our ability to innovate and participate in the global economy

Citizenship○ Information technology changes our understanding of

communityDaily life

○ Information technology affects the way we interact with people and information which influences our sense of self and sense of purpose

What is Guided Inquiry?Guided Inquiry is not… Guided Inquiry…

Preparation solely for the test Preparation for lifelong learning

An add on subject  Integrated into content areas

Isolated information skills Transferable information concepts

Relying on one textbook Using a variety of sources

Finding answers to a prescribed question Involving students in every stage of the learning from planning to the final product

Curriculum without meaning to students Curriculum connected to student’s world

Individual students working exclusively on solitary tasks

A community of learners working together

Solely teacher directed Students and teachers collaborating

Over emphasis on the end product Emphasis on the process and product

Research/Theoretical Basis Constructivist approach to learning

John Dewey- “learning by doing” Information Search Process

Carol Kuhlthau Deep understanding

Louise Limberg Intervention

Vygotsky

Role of Guided Inquiry

To integrate the development of information literacy into the current school curriculum

By outlining methods for teaching research to students of all ages and abilities

Information Literacy Standards Upheld by Guided Inquiry

Information Power (2008)Students who are information literate:

○ Standard 1: access information efficiently and effectively

○ Standard 2: evaluate information critically and competently

○ Standard 3: use information accurately and creatively

Information Literacy Concepts Taught by Guided Inquiry

Information Literacy Concepts

Locate • Library is a lab for information literacy• Trails and paths-browsing, monitoring, chaining,

differentiating, extracting• Types of searches-preliminary, exploratory,

comprehensive, summary

Evaluate • Evaluating resources for reading, viewing, listening and experiencing

• Structure gives clues for evaluating resources• Five characteristics for evaluating resources-expertise,

accuracy, currency, perspective, quality

Use • Determining importance, relevance and pertinence• Forming a focus• Deciding what is enough• Managing inquiry-taking notes and recording

references• Interpreting facts and organizing ideas• Sharing with a community of learners

Putting it into practice

Beyond the definitions:

Benefits for Students •Develop social, language, and reading skill•Construct their own meaning•Gain independence in research and learning•High level of motivation and engagement•Learn strategies and skills transferable to other inquiry projects

Benefits for Teachers

•Share responsibility in the instructional team•Share expertise of the team members•Teach content and information skills simultaneously•Brainstorm and plan with more creativity•Enhancement of content areas of the curriculum

Benefits for Librarians

•Involved in meaningful learning with students•Shared responsibility with instructional team•Library becomes an active learning environment•Information literacy taught in context•Increased level of professional contribution

Benefits for Administrators

 •Fosters systemic change to improve learning•Promotes constructivist approach to learning•Achieves multiple curricular goals•Fosters collaborative climate for team instruction•Changes school to meet needs of 21st century workplace

Benefits for Parents

 •Places responsibility with educators•Fairer for all students•Takes away burden of teaching research•Observe their children becoming independent learners•Makes school more interesting and relevant

Who benefits?

Five Kinds of Learning in the Inquiry Process

Curriculum Contentgaining knowledge, interpreting, and synthesizing

Information Literacylocating, evaluating, and using information

Learning How to Learn

initiating, selecting, exploring, focusing, collecting, presenting, and reflecting

Literacy Competencereading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing

Social Skillscooperating, collaborating, flexibility, and persistence

Educational Benefits

What? Who? How? When?

Core Team

Librarian, Subject Area Teacher +1

+1 = content area or classroom teacherlearning specialist: literacy, gifted, LD resourcetechnology

Flexible depending on•Unit/curricular need•Students’ interest•Learning needs

Focus on five kinds of learning

Assess all levels of learning

From beginning of planning (conception) to end reflection (completion)

Extended TeamExperts on learning

Experts on content

Assist with literacy needs, learning needs and differentiationMuseum, local /community, wider community—Internet based, university

Dipping in and out as needed throughout the inquiry

Flexible Teams

Six Principles of Guided Inquiry

Six Principles

Children learn by being actively engaged in and reflecting on an experience.

Children learn by building on what they already know.

Children develop higher-order thinking through guidance at critical points in the learning process.

Children have different ways and modes of learning.

Children learn through social interactions with others.

Children learn through instruction and experience in accord with their cognitive development.

Basic Inquiry Abilities

Ability Task

Recall Remember what stands out in your mind.

Summarize Select ideas and place them in meaningful sequence.

Paraphrase Tell it in your own words.

Extend Form new understandings and raise new questions.

Strategies for Inquiry Learning

The Six C’s

Collaborate Work jointly with others.

Converse Talk about ideas for clarity and further questions.

Continue Develop understanding over a period of time.

Choose Select what is interesting and pertinent.

Chart Visualize ideas using pictures, timelines, and graphic organizers.

Compose Write all the way along, not just at the end; keep journals

Conclusion

Information literacy is a crucial skill for thriving in the Information Age of the 21st century.

Guided Inquiry puts information literacy standards into practice by giving school faculty a holistic method for teaching curriculum, information literacy and social skills.

Reference:

Kuhlthau, C. C., Caspari, A. K., & Maniotes, L. K. (2007). Guided inquiry, learning in the 21st century. Westpot, CT: Libraries Unltd Inc.