Embedding Information Skills in the Curriculum

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Embedding Information Skills in the Curriculum
Duncan Grey
www.putlearningfirst.com/infolit
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Why?

• What is the need?

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We are drowning in Information but starved of
knowledge
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The illiterate of the futurewill not be those
who cannot read and write,but those who cannot
learn, unlearn and relearnAlvin Toffler
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Our students need to be information literate,
lifelong learners.
The librarians unique view of the curriculum -
and its resources - places them in the perfect
position to carry out curriculum change
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What has changed? Why do we need to be
Information Literate?
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There are 3 main reasons

• 1. Pedagogy - how teaching and learning have
  changed
• 2. Information - in increasing amounts
• 3. Skills - to make the most of the information

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1. Pedagogical Change, from..

• Teacher orientated, formal,
• quiet, chalk-talk-sit-listen

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Through

• Informal, collaborating, negotiating, teacher
  as guide

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To

• solo, online, task driven, distancelearning,
  learning for life,
• e-learning, learning how to learn

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2. Information

• Content
• Online
• Internet
• Databases
• CD ROMs
• Search techniques
• ICT-mediated learning
• More data, less knowledge

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and more Information

• Communication
• e-mail,
• threading,
• global discussions,
• video conferencing,
• interactive media,
• attachments,
• Chat
• synchronous and a-synchronous talk
• text-to-speech and speech-to-text

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• Leading to Information overload

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3. Skills to be taught
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skills which must be taught
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How?

• What methods can a librarian use?

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We are not Guardians of the DeadBookStore
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Where does this leave librarians?

• Helping pupils to learn
• Tell a student and you answer him for today.
  Show him how to learn and he learns for ever

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Where does this leave librarians?

• Helping pupils to learn
• Helping teachers with resources
• School librarians have a unique overview of
  learning resource needs across the curriculum. We
  have this map in our heads already.

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Where does this leave librarians?

• Helping pupils to learn
• Helping teachers with resources
• Working together with teachers
• It has been demonstrated that, when teachers and
  librarians work together, students achieve higher
  levels of literacy, reading, learning, problem
  solving and information and communication
  technology skills
• UNESCO/IFLA School Library Manifesto 2000

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Where does this leave librarians?

• Helping pupils to learn
• Helping teachers with resources
• Working together with teachers
• Taking charge of the Virtual Library
• With tele-learning a school library becomes a
  virtual library location ceases to be a serious
  issue. School libraries can transcend inadequate
  and poorly sited physical facilities.

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A Librarian is a teacher whose subject is
learning itself
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• The librarians syllabus is Information Literacy

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and apply it to informed decision making.
Information Literacy is the ability to
locate pertinent information,
evaluate its reliability,
analyse and synthesise the information
to construct personal meaning
Pam Berger. Internet for Active Learners.
American Library Association, 1998
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Samuel Johnson
Knowledge is of two kinds
we know a subject ourselves,
or we know where to find information upon it.
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• Asking the right Questions

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• Asking the right Questions

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• Asking the right Questions

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• Asking the right Questions

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We need a hand
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A methodical method

• Ask (the question, confirm the task)
• Find (possible answers or solutions)
• Choose ( select appropriate material)
• Answer(the question/solve the problem)
• Evaluate (performance, strategies)

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skills which must be taught
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INFORM
FIND
ORGANISE
NEED
REPORT
IDENTIFY
MEASURE
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QUICK
IDENTIFYsources
CHOOSErelevantinformation
UNDERSTANDINGthe purpose
KNOWwhat youve done
QUESTIONSto ask
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Assert your place
Crouching tiger - hidden dragon
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(No Transcript)
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Take Action!
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Spread the Word

• Compile an Info Lit Policy
• Get references to Info Lit in every department
  policy
• Create a representative Resources working party
• Create Implement a Five Step Plan together

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Spread the Word

• Offer a timetable slot in the Resources Centre
  for interested teachers
• Offer to teach the first stages of information
  literacy
• Offer to support teachers with resources
• Offer study support after school
• Monitor pupils progress in using information
  skills

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Offer to help

• Find out who is sympathetic and work with them
• Use 5 minute slots in meetings to advertise your
  plan
• Offer staff training
• Help create curriculum projects with an
  information literacy frameworkthroughout the
  school

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Infiltrate

• Make a curriculum inventory of information
  literacy skills - all years
• Emphasize the National Curriculum Strand re
  Information Literacy
• Make sure the Resources Centre features on
  Website and Intranet
• Link to other initiatives
• Make yourself indispensable!

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Information Literacy

• Putting it all together

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The Information Curriculum
Variety of Learning Styles
National Curriculum Strand
Colleagues on board
TheSixStepPlan
Specific Skills Training
Embedded Research Projects
School Dept Policies
TheResourcesCentre
Cross-CurricularActivity
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What a school think of its library is a
reflection of what it thinks of education
Harold Howe
This presentation is available at
www.putlearningfirst.com/infolit
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You can change things!