School Libraries and the VELS:

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• School Libraries and the VELS
• Great Minds at Work
• Dr Ross J Todd
• Director of Research
• Center for International Scholarship in School
  Libraries
• School of Communication, Information and Library
  Studies
• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• cissl.scils.rutgers.edu rtodd_at_scils.rutgers.edu

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The Foundation of Education

• "Education is not an affair of telling and being
  told but an active constructive process.
• At the heart of great minds at work is
  constructing knowledge

John Dewey
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Great Minds at Work
Learners
VCAA
Teachers
VELS
School Leaders
Community
Teacher Librarians
BElief BElong BEhaviour
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Great Minds at work?
Inclusiveness Innovation Creativity Clarity
of focus
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The Essential Question

• The Victorian Essential Learning Standards
• does your library stack up?
• VELS Constructivist framework
• Written by and for Teacher-Librarians
• Not just
• Communication (Listening, Viewing and Responding,
  Presenting)
• Thinking Processes (Reasoning, Processing and
  Inquiry Creativity Reflection, Evaluation and
  Metacognition
• Information Communications Technology (ICT)
  (ICT for Visualising Thinking ICT for Creating
  ICT for Communicating)
• Personal Learning (The Individual Learner,
  Managing Personal Learning)
• But every VELS is an opportunity for leading of
  learning through the school library

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Core Dynamics of VELSConstructivist Learning

• learners construct deep knowledge and deep
  understanding rather than passively receiving it
• learners are directly involved and engaged in the
  discovery of new knowledge and development of new
  skills, attitudes and experiences
• learners transfer new knowledge and skills to new
  circumstances
• learners encounter alternative perspectives and
  conflicting ideas so that they are able to
  transform prior knowledge and experience into
  deep understandings
• learners take ownership and responsibility for
  their ongoing learning and mastery of essential
  content and skills
• learners contribute to social well being, the
  growth of democracy, and the development of a
  knowledgeable society.

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VELS Evidence of Constructivist Learning

• English understanding, interpreting,
  critically analysing, reflecting upon
  interpret the main ideas support
  interpretations with evidence drawn from the
  text
• Civics and Citizenship think critically
  articulate and justify their own opinions
  apply their knowledge
• The Humanities direct observation or
  observation from a variety of media
• Mathematics mathematical inquiry
• Humanities-History historical reasoning and
  interpretation, multiple, conflicting and often
  partial interpretations of events

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VELS Key Implications for School Libraries

• Constructivist frameworks must underpin the
  pedagogy, collections and access of school
  libraries

• learners construct deep knowledge and deep
  understanding rather than passively receiving it
• learners are directly involved and engaged in the
  discovery of new knowledge and development of new
  skills, attitudes and experiences
• learners transfer new knowledge and skills to new
  circumstances

PEDAGOGY AND INSTRUCTIONAL INTERVENTIONS OF
TEACHER LIBRARIANS
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VELS Key Implications for School Libraries

• Constructivist frameworks must underpin the
  pedagogy, collections and access of school
  libraries

READING FOUNDATIONS OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES ----------
-- NATURE OF COLLECTIONS OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES

• learners encounter alternative perspectives and
  conflicting ideas so that they are able to
  transform prior knowledge and experience into
  deep understandings

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VELS Key Implications for School Libraries

• Constructivist frameworks must underpin the
  pedagogy, collections and access of school
  libraries

• learners take ownership and responsibility for
  their ongoing learning and mastery of curriculum
  content and skills
• learners contribute to social well being, the
  growth of democracy, and the development of a
  knowledgeable society.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OF SCHOOL LIBRARY -----------
SCHOOL LIBRARY AND LIFELONG LEARNING

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Pedagogy Key Priority

• Through the school library, a pedagogy directed
  to

• Learning for all
• Pursuit of excellence
• Engagement and effort
• Respect for evidence
• Openness of mind

KEY PRINCIPLES OF THE VELS
Reading to Learn Learning to Read
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The Reading Foundation of the VELS

• The core assumption of the VELS is reading
• Reading the word textual, visual, oral, tactile
• Reading the world self, others, cultures,
  societies
• When reading is at risk, it is not just school
  libraries that are at risk more critically, it
  is knowledge that is at risk.

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View of Reading that underpins the VELS

• Not merely acquiring sound-print and writing
  techniques
• Complex system of deriving meaning from print.
• The transformation, communication and
  dissemination of text and the development of
  meaning and understanding.
• An attitude of creation and re-creation, a
  self-transformation producing a stance of
  intervention in one's context (Paulo
  Freire,1973)
• The school library as a transformational agent
  in the reading-information-knowledge life cycle
  begins with reading

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Reading-Information-Knowledge Life Cycle
Delaware

• Survey of 154 public school libraries in Delaware
  (2004-2006)
• (100 of public school libraries)
• Typical activities to foster reading through the
  school library literature displays, book talks,
  promoting information resources, reading
  incentive programs, and to a much lesser extent
  story telling, book clubs and author visits.
• Primarily passive activities.
• Reading activities that foster active student
  engagement, discussion and creative outputs far
  less frequently reported.
• Reading for knowledge construction given little
  attention in school libraries.

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Learning Outcomes Delaware

• Number of instructional collaborations is low.
• Information literacy instruction initiatives
  typically center on knowing about school library,
  different sources and formats, learning how to
  use resources, and evaluating information.
• 48 of school librarians are involved in the
  provision of professional development on
  information literacy in their school communities.
  
• 39 indicated school library had helped students
  develop skills in locating, selecting, organizing
  and evaluating information
• 37 indicated school library helps improve
  reading skills interest motivation in reading
• 22 indicated improvement in technology skills
• 16 indicated development of positive attitude to
  libraries
• 4.5 indicated outcomes linked to curriculum
  standards and goals

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Consider this.

• Think of the most recent time you worked with a
  teacher and a class in your school library.
• What did your students really learn?
• What deep knowledge and understanding of
  essential learning standards did they develop
  through their SL experience?
• What skills and attitudes did they continue to
  develop? How do you know this?
• How did they transform information into deep
  knowledge?
• How did they use this knowledge in a critical
  way?
• How would you explain the learning outcomes to
  your school community?
• How did it inform your practice? ACTION RESEARCH

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New Jersey IMLS Funded Research 2003 - 2005

• What knowledge outcomes does the school library
  enable as students make use of diverse digital
  and print information sources?
• How might these knowledge outcomes be identified,
  measured, and embedded into professional
  practice?
• Develop a learning impacts measure for use by
  school-based teams. (SLIM Toolkit School
  Library Impact Measure)
• KNOWLEDGE CONSTRUCTION THROUGH
• THE SCHOOL LIBRARY

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Schools Context Sample

• 10 New Jersey public schools
• Experienced and expert school librarians
• Diverse public schools
• 10 school librarians working on curriculum
  projects with 17 classroom teachers
• 574 students in Grades 6 12 range of
  disciplines
• Inquiry Training Institute Feb 24, 2004
  overview and critique of units, use of data
  collection instruments, procedures and ethical
  guidelines

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Central Research Questions

• As they proceed through the stages of a
  collaborative inquiry project
• What changes, if any, are evident in students
  knowledge of a curriculum topic
• What changes, if any, are shown in the students
  feelings?
• How does the students study / learning approach
  influence knowledge construction of a curriculum
  topic?
• What interactions exist between knowledge
  construction, feelings, and study approach?
• How did school librarians and teachers help
  students with their learning

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Changes in Knowledge 5 Approaches to
Measurement

• Substance of knowledge
• Amount of knowledge
• Structure of knowledge
• Personal estimate of knowledge
• Labeling of knowledge
• Study / Learning Styles Measure
• Feelings measure

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Substance of Knowledge
Statement type Definition Example
Property statements describing characteristics The color of Valentines day is red
Manner statements describing processes, styles, actions People drive aggressively in USA
Reason statements of explanations of how and why The wall was constructed to block invaders
Outcome statements providing end result (People eat too much) As a result, people got very sick
Causality statements showing some event causally leads to another Too much alcohol can lead to liver failure
Set Membership statements about class inclusion Michelangelo created works such as statue of David, Cistine Chapel and the famous Pieta
Implication statements showing predictive relations, inference, implied meaning He was suspected of poisoning him
Value Judgment statements presenting personal position or viewpoint Thats not right
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AIM (Achievement Improvement Monitor) 2006 Year 9
English Test

• Analysis of Grade 9 English Test based on
  Graesser Clarks typology (34 multiple choice
  questions)
• Properties statements describing
  characteristics
• Set Membership statements about class
  inclusion
• Manner statements describing processes,
  styles, actions
• Reason statements of explanations of how
  and why
• Outcome statements providing end result
• Causality statements of some event causally
  leads to another
• Implication statements showing predictive
  relations
• Value judgment statements presenting personal
  position, viewpoint
• Reason, Outcome, Consequence, Causality,
  Implication, Conclusion based on evidence
  predominate in this test!!!!
• Limited focus on properties, manner limited
  recall of facts expectation is that students
  engage with facts in building deep understanding

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AIM 2006 English Grade 9Nature of Questions Asked

• Have depth and breadth of knowledge and
  understanding
• Test ability to engage in intellectual
  exploration
• Ask students to think deeply about ideas
• Ask students to deal with conflicting data and
  information problematic knowledge
• Demand higher order, flexible thinking
  analysis, synthesis, evaluation, problem solving
  able to think creatively and laterally
• Able to reason with with evidence, particular to
  the discipline area
• Relevant, connected knowledge
• Able to use the complex language of a discipline
  Meta-language

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NJ StudyChanges in Knowledge

• Two distinctive approaches to knowledge
  construction
• -- Additive
• -- Integrative

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Additive Approach to Knowledge Construction

• Knowledge development characterized by
  progressive addition of property facts
• As the students built knowledge, they continued
  to add property and manner statements, and to a
  lesser extent, set membership statements
• Stockpile of facts, even though facts were
  sorted, organized and grouped to some extent into
  thematic units by conclusion.
• Remained on a descriptive level throughout

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Integrative Approach to Knowledge Construction

• Initial superficial sets of properties
• Moved beyond gathering facts
• - building explanations
• - address discrepancies
• - organizing facts in more coherent ways
• Interpret found information to establish personal
  conclusions and reflect on these.
• Some students subsumed sets of facts into fewer
  but more abstract statements at the end

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NJ Study Study Styles

• Deep Learners
• Demonstrated knowledge change by synthesized
  replies.
• Confident and optimistic throughout the process.
• Conveyed a specific interest for their topics,
  and this interest was a key basis for learning
  more about topic.
• Strong awareness of information quality.
• Surface Learners
• Knowledge remained on a factual level throughout
  and showed little increase.
• Estimates of knowledge showed little change.
• The easiest aspect of the search process was
  availability of information.
• Information seeking seen foremost as a process of
  collecting facts.
• Seemed particularly relieved when the projects
  ended.
• Low levels of interest and engagement.

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VELSPersonal Learning

• Understanding of preferred learning styles
• Understanding strategies that enhance personal
  learning
• Learning strengths and weaknesses
• Feedback on developing content
• Set and monitor learning improvement goals
• Understand how different perspectives and
  attitudes shape learning
• Learning habits
• Ethical frameworks
• Criteria based evaluation

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Factors contributing to differences across
Schools

• Changes in knowledge (knowledge growth) did not
  occur evenly in the schools
• No significant variations across the age, grade,
  and gender groups
• Nature of task imposed task or negotiated task
• Engagement and ownership
• Nature of Interventions Development of skills
  to construct knowledge rather than finding
  information

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VELS A time to Rethink Information Literacy

• Information literacy instruction typically
  focuses on finding information transport
  rather than transformation stockpiling of facts
  rather than engagement with facts to develop deep
  knowledge and deep understanding
• Typically treat information literacy as a
  separate discipline (teacher teaches content and
  school librarian teaches information skills)
• Scope and sequence models of Information Literacy
  (akin to fixed schedules)
• Students do not go beyond the basic knowledge
  level of Blooms Taxonomy recalling and
  recognizing information
• VELS calls for a constructivist approach to
  learning
• through the school library Inquiry, not
  Information Literacy

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Multiple Models of Information Literacy

• The standard define, locate, select, organize,
  present, assess, reflect model of information
  literacy is inappropriate for the VELS
• Starting point for the school library is not
  information literacy, but a critical Zone of
  Intervention in the VELS, and the nature of
  disciplinary knowledge and how a discipline /
  field of study develops knowledge

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The Burning Question

• Can you live with multiple models / conceptions
  of Information Literacy?

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An Approach to Auditing VELS

• Identify ZONES OF INTERVENTION where
  information-to-knowledge processes and knowledge
  outcomes are embedded and lend themselves to
  inquiry in the school library opportunities
  for developing authentic research
• Understanding how disciplinary knowledge is
  constructed
• Frame information-to-knowledge processes
  (Information Literacy) in the language of the
  particular discipline and based on how knowledge
  is constructed in the discipline
• Establish learning outcomes as established by the
  VELS, using language of standards
• Construct instructional interventions, building
  in approaches to Evidence-Based Practice

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An Approach to Auditing VELS
VELS .
Dimension aspect Zone of Intervention Disciplinary Knowledge Construction Instructional Intervention Outcomes Measures (EBP) Outcomes



Dimension, or part of a dimension, at any level
that lends itself to inquiry and authentic
research through the school library, and where
the pedagogical expertise of the
teacher-librarian can contribute to reaching VELS
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VELS ScienceZones of Intervention

• Level 4 Analyse a range of science related
  issues
• Contributions of Australian scientists made to
  improve and / or change science knowledge
• Level 6 Debating contentious and / or ethically
  based science-related issues of broad community
  concern

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VELS ScienceKnowledge Construction

• Develop curiosity
• Use scientific understanding and processes
• Establish existing understanding describe,
  classify, explain information
• Formulate hypotheses / questions
• Design and pursue investigation related to their
  question
• Develop systematic approach to data collection
• Record observations from sources, environment,
  testing
• Generate, validate, analyse, critique and
  interpret evidence
• Draw valid conclusions
• Explain how scientific knowledge is used
• Construct working models to demonstrate
  scientific ideas
• Present results using data appropriate formats

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VELS MathematicsKnowledge Construction

• Especially the Working Mathematically
  dimension Aims to develop
• students sense of mathematical inquiry problem
  posing, problem
• solving, modeling and investigation
• Zone of Intervention Level 4 recognize and
  investigate the use of
• mathematics in real life
• Mathematical Inquiry framework ( IL Framework)
• CONJECTURE, FORMULATION, SOLUTION, COMMUNICATION
• Find ideas, examples, counter examples
• Explore patterns
• Develop conjectures
• Test simple conjectures
• Explain propositions
• Analyse reasonableness of points of view
• Develop generalisations by abstracting features
• Test truth statements and generalisations
• Develop models

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VELS Civics CitizenshipKnowledge Construction

• Zones of Intervention
• Level 3 Identify a local issue and plan
  possible actions to
• achieve a desired outcomes
• Level 4 Present a point of view of a
  significant current issue
• IL Model
• Establish existing knowledge and develop
  background knowledge
• Draw on a range of sources
• Explore and consider different perspectives
• Contest different opinions
• Articulate and justify own opinion using
  supporting evidence
• Refine own opinions, values and attitudes
• Develop an action plan which demonstrates
  knowledge
• Apply knowledge and skills in a range of
  community based activities

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VELS HistoryKnowledge Construction

• IL Model Historical Reasoning and
  Interpretation
• Research and Inquiry Skills
• Own knowledge and experience
• Plan investigation
• Framing questions
• Gathering evidence from a variety of sources
• Documenting evidence from sources
• Make judgments about sources
• Critically evaluate completeness of evidence
• Representing values, cultures, literal and
  symbolic meanings
• Multiple, conflicting, partial interpretations
• Communicate understanding of history using
  conventional forms to report findings and
  conclusions

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VELS Zones of Intervention for Authentic
Learning through the School Library

• The Arts Level 5 Compare, analyse, evaluate and
  interpret the content, meaning and qualities in
  arts works created in different social, cultural
  and historical contexts
• The Arts Level 6 Analyse, interpret, compare
  and evaluate the stylistic, technical, expressive
  and aesthetic features of arts works created by a
  range of artists
• Health PE Level 4 Describe and analyse the
  various roles required in competitive sports
• Health PE Level 5 identify the health
  concerns of young people and the strategies that
  are designed to improve health

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Integrating Thinking Processes

• Existing knowledge and experience
• Explore ideas and perspectives and collect
  information from a range of sources to build
  background knowledge
• Question validity of sources
• Generate, predict and test ideas / claims
• Establish points of view
• Research to develop reasoned arguments with
  supportive evidence
• Generate imaginative solutions
• Document changes in ideas

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VELS and School Libraries An Approach to
Auditing Standards
VELS .
Dimension aspect Zone of Intervention Disciplinary Knowledge Construction Instructional Intervention Outcomes Measures (EBP) Outcomes



Teacher Librarians must develop exemplars of
pedagogy to demonstrate to teachers how these
standards can be developed and measured
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Building Background Knowledge Framing / Testing /
Questioning Ideas
I didnt know that!
Questions I have???
?
Read View Listen Connect
?
?
I agree / disagree
I wonder .
?
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Dealing With Conflicting Information to Develop
Knowledge
Central Questions Source 1 eg encycl Source 2 eg Poor quality web site Source 3 eg High quality web site Source 4 eg Newspaper Source 5 High quality print source What I can say? Evidence for my statement?
who
what
when
where
why
how
result

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Pedagogy of CRITICAL THINKING

• Observations. From a series of observations, we
  can come to establish
• Facts. From a series of facts, or from an absence
  of fact, we make
• Inferences. Testing the validity of our
  inferences, we can make
• Assumptions. From our assumptions, we form our
• Opinions. Taking our opinions, we use the
  principles of logic to develop
• Arguments. And when we want to challenge the
  arguments of others, we employ
• Critical Analysis (through which we challenge the
  observations, facts, inferences, assumptions, and
  opinions in the arguments that we are analyzing).

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Argument Analysis
Claim statement that you are asking the other
person to accept Data evidence / truth on which
the claim is based Warrant underpinning
assumptions Qualifier limits eg 'most',
'usually', 'always', 'sometimes' Rebuttal
counter-arguments that can be used Backing
additional support to an argument
Toulmin, Stephen. Uses of Argument. New York
Cambridge University Press, 1958.
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Guided InquiryDesign Principles for
Instructional Interventions

• Initiated though compelling situations and
  questions
• Instruction puts emphasis on meaningful,
  authentic activities focus on identifying and
  solving intellectual and/or real-world problems
• learning activities resemble ways that students
  will create and use knowledge and skills in the
  real world
• Students are more motivated to engage in their
  inquiry when they are able to exercise some
  choice over questions and how to present their
  new understandings

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Implementing Guided Inquiry Design Strategies

• Attempt is made to connect with students
  background knowledge
• Instructional activities involve transforming
  prior knowledge, skills, attitudes and values -
  higher order thinking and critical analysis
  occurs throughout.
• Instructional activities enable students to
  develop deep knowledge, deep understanding
• Opportunities for sustained dialogue and
  feedback, opportunities for students to provide
  their understanding of concepts or ideas during
  the search process

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Implementing Guided Inquiry Key Strategies

• Choice of products to show their new
  understandings in formats appropriate to the
  discipline
• Students have opportunity to communicate and
  share their new understandings
• Inquiry engages students in dealing with
  conflicting information
• Students are given opportunity to practice their
  new skills
• inquiry learning is responsive to students
  personal, social and cultural worlds, valuing
  differences and cultivating an inclusive
  community

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VELS and Assessment

• Evidence-based practice is at the heart of
  implementing and assessing the VELS

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VELS School Library Best Practice

• Best practice is about working to achieve the
  highest levels of sustainable performance in
  order to achieve the highest level of outcomes.
• It is not about reaching some kind of idealistic
  (often thought of as mythical) standard and
  staying there.
• Rather it is both a mindset and action
  orientation that strives to continuously improve
  on existing processes as times change, as things
  evolve, and as research informs.
• Move beyond just thinking about improvement, and
  taking action implementing local strategies and
  processes that contribute to a cycle of ongoing
  improvement

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The VELS School Library Challenge
BElief BElong BEhaviour Taking action
means you are living the solution. Not taking
action means that you will be living someone
elses dreams and someone elses solutions. And
someone elses solutions may not be in the best
interest of student learning outcomes through the
school library.