Empowering Students to Inquire in a Digital Environment

[Darryl Toerien Keymaster]

[Posted on 21 March 2021]

The Q&A with Barbara Stripling will take place on Sunday 28 March 2021 at 2pm-3.30pm GMT / UTC and is centred on this discussion.

• Colleagues who wish to join us will need to register in advance using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpcO-opzIiHNCSvWStj_j20TkaAszVOPYw
• After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The Q&A will be recorded for colleagues who are not be able to join us for practical reasons.

As with everything on the FOSIL Group website, the chapter that we will be discussing – Empowering Students to Inquire in a Digital Environment – is free to download for purposes of the discussion here with the kind permission of colleagues at School Library Connection and Libraries Unlimited / ABC-CLIO.

While it will be possible to follow the discussion without joining the FOSIL Group, participating in the discussion will require registering for an account, which is free.

If inquiry, as we are coming to understand it, is “a dynamic process and stance aimed at building knowledge and understanding of the world and ourselves in it as the basis for responsible participation in community,” then inquiry in a digital environment is of vital concern for us, and we hope that many of you will be able to join us in this discussion, whether directly or indirectly.

[Darryl Toerien Keymaster]

During October, November and December 2020 we collaborated with Elizabeth Hutchinson – who runs #LibraryStaffLoveLearning, which offers free CPD for library staff – on a discussion around Focus on inquiry : a teacher’s guide to implementing inquiry-based learning.

This deeply thoughtful and thought-provoking discussion culminated in a Q&A in January 2021 with the authors, Dr Dianne Oberg (Professor Emerita) and Dr Jennifer Branch-Mueller (Professor) at the Department of Elementary Education at the University of Alberta.

Following this successful collaboration, we will again be collaborating with Elizabeth and #LibraryStaffLoveLearning on a discussion, this time around Barbara Stripling‘s chapter – Empowering Students to Inquire in a Digital Environment – in School Librarianship: Past, Present, and Future (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017).

We are very grateful to colleagues at School Library Connection and Libraries Unlimited / ABC-CLIO for permission to freely download Empowering Students to Inquire in a Digital Environment for the purposes of this discussion, which will take place during March 2021 and culminate in a live Q&A with the author, Barbara Stripling (Professor Emerita) at the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University.

Download Empowering Students to Inquire in a Digital Environment for the purposes of this discussion here.

I will update this Topic early next week with some pressing things for us to consider while reading this chapter.

[Darryl Toerien Keymaster]

I have confirmed the date and time of the Q&A with Barbara Stripling – Sunday 28 March 2021 at 2pm-3.30pm GMT / UTC – which will be recorded for colleagues who will not be able to join us for practical reasons.

As with everything on the FOSIL Group website, the chapter that we will be discussing – Empowering Students to Inquire in a Digital Environment – is free to download for purposes of the discussion here with the kind permission of colleagues at School Library Connection and Libraries Unlimited / ABC-CLIO.

While it will be possible to follow the discussion without joining the FOSIL Group, participating in the discussion will require registering for an account, which is free.

If inquiry, as we are coming to understand it, is “a dynamic process and stance aimed at building knowledge and understanding of the world and ourselves in it as the basis for responsible participation in community,” then inquiry in a digital environment is of vital concern for us, and we hope that many of you will be able to join us in this discussion, whether directly or indirectly.

[Ruth Participant]

Please ignore this message – clearly having Sunday 28th in both Feb and March is too much for me. See you in a month.

R

 

Apologies, if I’ve misunderstood but it this discussion open for us all to watch live? If so I am not sure where to find it. If not apologies, I’ll go back to my Sunday and watch the recording when its available.

Ruth

[Darryl Toerien Keymaster]

Hello, Ruth.

I hadn’t realized until a couple of days ago that today was the last day of the month – I’m a week behind! – so no problem, or apologies.

I am about to post a question to get us going, after which anyone who has registered for the Forum can contribute as and when during March.

Viewing the discussion will not require registration.

I will post details about the live webinar towards the end of the month.

Sorry for my part in any confusion.

 

[Darryl Toerien Keymaster]

Inquiry is not limited to the International Baccalaureate. However, as an inquiry-based approach to learning and teaching that can be traced back to the early 1960s, an approach to which the Library/ian is integral, there is much of theoretical and practical value about inquiry that we can take from the IB.

The IB document Ideal libraries: A guide for schools (2018, p. 9) – quoting Callison (2015) and Levitov (2016), who are almost certainly not writing about the IB – makes the point that “inquiry is more expansive than research, and facilitating it requires expertise beyond research methods”. Furthermore, as “libraries are where many inquiries begin and continue, the librarian is responsible for energizing and maintaining the inquiry process. Ideally, the librarian is trained in many ways of creating conditions for inquiry within and beyond the classroom.”

This echoes the point in the text under discussion, that “the teaching of inquiry skills represents a paradigm shift for school librarians” that is still underway (p. 53).

Before moving on to discuss what changes fundamentally when inquiry, especially Investigate, takes place in a digital environment, we should give some thought to this paradigm shift and what it demands of us in the library and the classroom.

References

• Callison, D. (2015). The evolution of inquiry: controlled, guided, modeled, and free. Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited.
• IBO. (2018). Ideal libraries: A guide for schools. Cardiff: International Baccalaureate Organisation (UK) Ltd.
• Levitov, D. (2016). School Libraries, Librarians, and Inquiry Learning. Teacher Librarian, 28-35.

[Darryl Toerien Keymaster]

Thinking further, what does the paradigm shift from, and what does it shift to?

Why is this paradigm shift necessary, which may be the same as why it matters? To us? To our colleagues? To our children? To our communities? To our society?

For interest, I share the following and am guessing that we are mainly talking about paradigm in the sociological sense, although I am also guessing that we have a tendency to look backwards to exemplary past achievements rather than forwards to achievements that are yet to accomplished?

Kuhn, T. S. (1996). The structure of scientific revolutions. 3rd edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

On the one hand, [paradigm] stands for the entire constellation of beliefs, values, techniques, and so on shared by the members of a given community [sociological]. On the other, it denotes a sort of element in that constellation, the concrete puzzle-solutions which, employed as models or examples, can replace explicit rules as a basis for the solution of the remaining problems of normal science [exemplary past achievements]. (p. 175)

[Elizabeth Hutchinson Participant]

Thanks for getting us started Darryl. I have found reading Barbara’s chapter very interesting… Lots of highlighting going on, which is a good sign!

To answer your question about the paradigm shift I think for me it is about understanding what the role of the school librarian is within inquiry. As far as I understand it we are moving from teaching traditional information literacy skills where students are taught to ‘research’ by locating, finding and using information effectively, where the role of the school librarian was to teach using the catalogue, evaluating websites and creating bibliographies etc, to helping the students engage with the process.  As Barbara says “inquiry is about developing personal meaning connected to prior knowledge, not accumulating information or adopting someone else’s knowledge”. If we are expecting more of our students we need to offer more too.

I think if we begin to understand what students are going through before and after they get to the investigate stage, our skills to support them in this is part of the paradigm shift.

Why does it matter? Until we as librarians understand this shift we will be unable to support our teachers and students. If we stay in the bubble of information literacy we will always be thought of as teachers of research skills and we know there is more to inquiry than that. We need to be part of the whole picture and be able to explain how and why.

[Barbara Stripling Participant]

I agree with you, Elizabeth, that we, as librarians, need to offer more than simply teaching traditional research skills.  If we accept the “paradigm” that inquiry is a way of learning, a stance that guides one’s interaction with the world (in school and beyond), then librarians must engage with the whole child, not just the academic or cognitive side.

I have been trying to understand what it means to “engage with the whole child.”  Instinctively, I knew that social and emotional skills were a part of learning, but I have been pursuing my own inquiry into the SEL realm.  I have been investigating the blend of social and emotional skills and attitudes with the cognitive skills of inquiry.  That idea speaks to your point about understanding what students bring to the inquiry – they need to know who they are, what prior knowledge and experiences will inform their new learning, what assumptions and attitudes (feelings) they hold that will affect their interpretation of new information, what interests them about the topic, and so on.  An inquiry stance demands mindfulness, an understanding of everything the learner brings to the table, including past experiences, feelings, knowledge, questions, interests, and passions.

I believe that we can enable our students to become mindful learners by guiding them through a reflective process of inquiry.  Our students need to think about what and how they are learning throughout the process. To guide them, we need to transform our pedagogy to a more constructivist approach that enables students to construct new understandings on their own, applying the skills and strategies that we teach.  For me, then, the paradigm shift for librarians includes both our understanding of what we need to teach, but also how we need to teach.  I think we need to adopt an inquiry stance on librarianship.

[Elizabeth Hutchinson Participant]

Yes, being mindful of our learners and guiding them through the inquiry process is hugely important Barbara. Your response has made me think about something else. As far as ‘engaging with the whole child’ School librarians may already have a good relationship with many students beyond the teaching environment. They are more likely to ‘know’ a student on a more emotional level through them coming into the school library and therefore be able to understand their emotional journey through inquiry better. Are they more likely to open up to the school librarian because they are not the ‘teacher’ and be open to ideas supporting this way of learning? Is this something unique that school librarians can bring to the inquiry table?

The only problem with this idea is, as we know, not every child goes to the school library out of choice. However, it is something that could support and help those that do.

[Jenny Toerien Keymaster]

It’s been a busy week and, like many others I’m sure, I’ve only really had a chance to get up to speed with this facsinating discussion now we’ve reached the weekend.

Reading the start of the chapter, and all the answers above have really made me think hard about our self-image as librarians, and our relationship with our students. Traditionally librarians have been seen as curators and gatekeepers to information. Our interaction with students all centred on fulfilling an informational need. When I was at school (and this will age me!) the internet didn’t really exist as we know it today. If I needed to find something out, the only option was to go to the library. That is no longer the case and when confronted with an informational need most children (and adults too) will initially go directly to the internet. Although we have a great deal we can teach students about locating, selecting and using information (including the place and value of books and databases alongside the free web!) I do not think that we can any longer claim to be gatekeepers.

However, and I think this is the paradigm shift, we have a much more important, complex and exciting role in helping students to develop as inquirers. As Barabara says in the chapter, “to construct their own meaning, build new understandings on prior knowledge, form understanding through social interaction and find meaning by engaging in authentic tasks”. We have moved from gatekeepers of information to master craftsmen, guiding our ‘apprentices’ in the art of constructing new knowledge and understanding from information. Of course teaching them how to access the information they need is a part of that, in the same way as a craftsman must understand how to access and select appropriate materials, but it needs to be seen in the context of an inquiry, not as an end in itself.

A consequence of this is also that our relationship with teaching staff changes. We become co-educators, working together to support students on their information to knowledge journey. Librarians are ideally positioned to develop an overview of skills progression across subject and year group boundaries. By working to become inquiry specialists we bring something of real value to a partnership with our subject specialist colleagues and earn the right to collaborate with them in designing and delivering inquiries from start to finish, rather than only being invited in to deliver a stand-alone research skills session in the Investigate stage.

While Elizabeth has a valid point about some librarians having a different relationship with some students to some classroom teachers, I think we do need to be careful about putting ourselves into a separate category. Part of the paradigm shift we need to make is to start thinking about ourselves as a specialist type of teacher (as is already the case in a number of countries). If we don’t, no-one else will. Our school has quite a different set up to many in that, because it is a boarding school, most students spend break and lunchtimes in their boarding and day houses and the library is actually busier during lesson times than breaks. It does not tend to become the refuge that many school libraries are for some students (and that I have experienced before in a previous library). However, in a previous incarnation as a Senior Tutor (effectively Deputy Housemistress) at the same school I had a very close pastoral relationship with the girls in my house, similar to that that many librarians will experience with those who choose to spend their free time in the library. This did not stop them regarding me as a teacher when we encountered each other in my Physics classroom though. Elizabeth’s point about encountering students in a slightly different way to our subject colleagues is still valid, but my experience of that is different, and relates to encountering students in an inquiry context across a number of different subjects.

[Elizabeth Hutchinson Participant]

I think this is a really interesting take on why the school librarian needs to adapt. Jenny, you are right we are no longer gatekeepers and if we stay where we are we will eventually find that there is no need for school librarians. I agree that if we are talking about our teaching journey within inquiry, the relationship we have with students should not matter and shows that I too still have some way to go to understand the paradigm shift for myself.

This discussion is really making me think about the paradigm shift a school librarian has to make to transition into inquiry. How do school librarians learn how to do this? If we are expecting school librarians to move from the comfort of information literacy skills to inquiry what do they need to know and understand about their role that can make this transition easier? I think it is maybe easier for those librarians with a teaching qualification but many of our UK school librarians don’t have this. I feel that a school librarian without a teaching qualification will need so much more support in this transition. In order to explain this new role within their own schools, they really need to understand this role themselves and how can we help?

Having said all this, Imposter Syndrome is certainly something in all of us and these discussions around FOSIL and inquiry certainly help to clarify the way to move forward.  Together we can support each other through the ideas and resources we share.

[Helen Stocker Participant]

I just wanted to say thank you for putting this on. I am Head of Library Services at Merchant Taylors’ School in Crosby and have been in post since November 2019.

I am trying to get my head around FOSIL, but it’s not an easy thing. I previously worked as a solo librarian in a small theological college and working as a school librarian is pretty different, especially as I only got to experience about 6 months of ‘normal’. I like what Jenny said about ‘working to become inquiry specialists’ as it made me feel a little less intimidated. Right now, I am at the beginning of the journey, but I am laying important foundations in doing thing such as being involved in this discussion. We’re also moving to a new LMS, which will also aid in supporting inquiry learning.

As I read the chapter, I was thinking about whether or not the current educational system supports or hinders inquiry learning (especially at GCSE and A-Level). Even when I was at school, there was so much focus on exam technique and the specific way you needed to follow, in order to get the grade you wanted. With the move away from coursework in favour of exams in many subjects, I can’t imagine that has changed. What is encouraging is the provision of the HPQ and EPQ, which would do offer the perfect opportunity for inquiry learning. Do we need a paradigm shift in our educational system to facilitate inquiry learning? How can school librarians work within the existing system? I am not sure of the answer to this.

I am one of those librarians who doesn’t come from a teaching background and I’ll certainly need support in order to make the transition. I am very grateful for CPD opportunities such as this, which support me on my way.

[Elizabeth Hutchinson Participant]

Thanks for joining in Helen. You made me smile when you said you were trying to get your head around FOSIL as I know what you mean. I remember saying to Darryl at the beginning of my journey that I would never be able to talk about FOSIL the way that he did and he was right when he said that it just takes practice. Do not be afraid to talk about it and if you don’t know the answer to any question come back here and ask.

I agree within an A-Level and GCSE school they are very exam focused, however there are pockets of inquiry happening lower down the school. Year 7, 8 and especially 9 generally have some kind of research project that you can work your way into. It is just finding those teachers and being able to engage with them that is the hard part. What is great about this website is that you can take along some of the ready-made inquiry journals to help you explain how you can support them. Yes the HPQ and EPQ are ripe for the inquiry process and again lots here to ready to use. I am not sure if you have found this resource yet but here is the link: https://fosil.org.uk/resources/?fosil_title=EPQ (and the EPQ topic).

I too am not a teacher like many of us here. This does not mean that we can’t do it – we just have to find a way that works for us. I have asked teachers for feedback and even for observations… It can be tough but a good way to learn. I also did an Online Level 3 teacher training course over lockdown which has helped too.

[Ruth Participant]

This is such an interesting discussion, I too like Helen, am spending a lot of time trying to get my head around, not the theory, but the practice of FOSIL. I think that gets to the heart of this question about paradigm shift. I was employed to be the solo librarian at an IB school that hadn’t had a librarian for some years and so didn’t really have any idea what I might be able to offer. This has afforded me great opportunities as the management are very supportive but I am finding it hard to find a clear and sensible path to implementation of any Inquiry based learning. There are a number of causes of this difficulty.

There is a problem with the curriculum in my opinion despite us being a IB MYP school (this means that we follow the IB in years 7-9) we sit GCSEs in Year 11 and so the teachers are reluctant to follow inquiry based teaching widely in the lower school as they feel they need to cover certain skills or topics in preparation for GCSE. GCSE has no coursework element and is very much a rote learning exercise and this means that if we are not careful we are not preparing our students for the IB Diploma in Years 12 & 13 or the world beyond school.

As has already been mentioned very few of us have any teaching qualifications, this was foremost in my mind as I read Baraba’s work. I long to have a better understanding of pedagogy and feel strongly that, as a profession, the lack of specialist sector training lets us down and makes us ill prepared for the paradigm shift we are discussing.

The other, perpetual issue, is time, not only that I need to find time to think, plan and organise around my other responsibilities but teachers need to find time to rethink parts of their planning to incorporate a new approach. I need to be able to demonstrate the value and help them plan the inquiry. Every year I look for time to work with teachers but without the impetus of a whole school approach, time is never made and soon another year has passed.

To me this feels like the beginning of a potentially huge change in education practice with, very excitingly, libraries and librarians at its heart. My thoughts are now turning, as I said to the practical implementations in my school on the ground. I do hope that this approach might gain the traction, in the UK, that Barbara has managed to achieve in the US and begin to enter the mainstream of educational thought.

[Author]

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