Are you In the Zone? A Model for Inquiry, the School Library, and the VELS Dr Ross J Todd Director, Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries.

Are you “In the Zone?”A Model for Inquiry, the School Library, and the

VELS

Dr Ross J ToddDirector, Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries

Rutgers, The State University of New Jerseycissl.scils.rutgers.edu rtodd@scils.rutgers.edu

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THE CONTEXT FOR THE MODEL OF INQUIRY

EVIDENCE-BASED LIBRARIANSHIP

Evidence for Practice: identifying, critically appraising and incorporating research evidence from library science, education, and other disciplines, into daily practice. BUILDING EFFECTIVE PRACTICE

Evidence in Practice: engaging with evidence derived from within daily practice; Teacher-librarians working diagnostically as work-place researchers and reflective practitioners. Maintaining practice. MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE PRACTICE

Evidence of Practice: understanding and using professional practice – local and immediate - as a generator and source of evidence; evidence in terms of achievement of the VELS. DEMONSTRATING EFFECTIVE PRACTICE

What Victorian Schools Are About

STUDENTLearningLiteracyLiving

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT:

LearningOutcomes

Knowledge-basedOutcomes

EFFECTIVE READERS

AND WRITERS:Literacy

PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF

SOCIETY:Living

VELS: the processes of physical, personal and social development and growth : Physical, Personal and Social Learning

VELS: the branches of learning reflected in the traditional disciplines: Discipline-based learning

VELS: the interdisciplinary capacities needed for effective functioning within and beyond school, grounded in reading, writing and thinking: Interdisciplinary Learning

What Victorian School Libraries Are About

STUDENTLearningLiteracyLiving

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT: Learning

School Libraries develop information-to-knowledge

competencies so that students develop deep knowledge and deep

understanding• Personal competencies

• Resource-based competencies

• Thinking-based competencies

• Knowledge-based competencies

EFFECTIVE READERS AND WRITERS:

LiteracySchool libraries develop • motivation, curiosity

and passion for reading and writing in

all formats • Reading and writing to

meet curriculum / content standards

• Free voluntary reading and writing

THE KEY TO DEVELOPING DEEP

KNOWLEDGE

PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY:Living

• School libraries develop knowledge, competencies and

responsibilities related to personal development and

becoming a productive citizen • Self development• Productive citizen

Misfit or Perfect Match?

THE SCHOOL:

Knowledge- Declarative knowledge- Procedural knowledgeKnowledge-based Outcomes- deep knowledge- deep understandingCompetencies: mastery - content and skills - reading achievement - life skillsInquiry

THE SCHOOL LIBRARY:

Information

Information Process

Value-added outcomes: - lifelong learners - information literacy - independent learners

“Good Researchers”

Are we there yet?

School Libraries: emphasis on the “found”: locating, accessing, finding and evaluating “stuff”

Little attention to doing something with the “found stuff”: the complex cognitive processes required to transform information into deep knowledge

WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES OF THIS?

School libraries as zones of intellectual conflict, intellectual discontent; intellectual activism? (These are the keys to developing deep knowledge)

Typically treat information literacy as a separate discipline (teacher teaches content and teacher 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 Bloom’s Taxonomy: recalling and recognizing information

Misfit or Perfect Match?

THE VELS:

KNOWLEDGE

Investigate, design, make, suggest, create, generate, contribute, propose, draw and explain, plan, test, devise, predict, develop suggestions for improvements, conclude, apply, solve

THE SCHOOL LIBRARY:INFORMATION

Define, locate, select, organize, present, assess, reflect

Time to think out

side

Xob eht fo

Kent State University Study 2006 - 2007

School Librarian – Classroom Teacher Instructional Collaborations140 participants (70 instructional teams)Documenting the collaboration of experiencePart 1: Some background information about youPart 2: The class detailsPart 3: Planning your collaborationPart 4: Implementing your collaborationPart 5: The impact and outcomes of your collaborationPart 6: The future of your collaborations

Lack of mutual intent: - teachers: to enhance student learning outcomes- school librarians: to enhance their position

So What?

Need to rethink the instructional foundation and framework of the school library

Work transformatively: Move beyond the traditional base-line of information and information literacy

Information – to – Knowledge mindset

Zone of Intervention: the critical point / need for

instruction

VELSKnowledge Outcomes

Two types of knowledge are meshed together through the VELS and are the essential outcomes of the VELS:

Declarative Knowledge

Procedural knowledge

These together represent the interdisciplinary learning of the VELS

Declarative Knowledge

Declarative Knowledge refers to the propositional knowledge (concepts and relationships) about a topic. KNOWING ABOUT

These propositions can be factual, explanatory and conclusive / predictive / reflective, structured as a coherent and integrated whole.

They are knowing about properties, manner, reason, outcome, causality, set membership, conclusion implication, prediction, value judgment and reflection.

Deep knowledge and deep understanding; Moving beyond superficial stockpiling of descriptive facts to building and demonstrating complex understandings

Procedural Knowledge

Procedural knowledge: refers to both the knowledge of, and application, of cognitive, behavioral and affective processes to build deep knowledge and understanding.

- Personal and organizational competencies- Resource-based competencies- Technical / technological-based competencies- Critical thinking/reasoning-based competencies- Knowledge-based competencies- Communication-based competencies- Design and creative-based competencies

= Key to Interdisciplinary Learning

Procedural Knowledges of the VELS

Knowing how to do authentic research in a discipline – what are the central questions of a discipline; how disciplinary inquiry is undertaken to build deep knowledge and understanding

Locating, accessing, selecting sources of information to build background knowledge

Engaging with multiple viewpoints and dealing with conflicting information encountered in the inquiry process

Selecting, evaluating and interacting with ideas in diverse sources to develop foundations for deep understandings

Recognizing uncertainties, doubts, frustrations and knowing how to use them creatively and positively to build deep knowledge

Procedural Knowledges of the VELS

Making choices about directions of inquiry

Formulating focus questions and engaging with complex information sources pertinent to focus questions

Applying critical thinking skills to identify, interrogate and construct ideas so that personal understandings emerge

Verifying new knowledge through arguments, evidence, reflection

Establishing evidence-based points of view and perspectives

Understanding how to build and represent new knowledge in safe, ethical and responsible ways

Procedural Knowledges of the VELS

Structuring and organizing and representing new knowledge in meaningful and appropriate ways

Generating meaningful conclusions, imaginative solutions, action plans, predictions and

Reflecting on new knowledge: what have I learned and what opportunities does this open up for further learning?

Understanding of preferred learning styles & learning strengths and weaknesses, learning habits

Understanding ethical frameworks for learning

Using ICT for accessing, evaluating and engaging with ideas

Using ICT for communicating knowledge & problem solving

Procedural Knowledges of the VELS

Procedural knowledges of the VELS point to the critical / essential role of the school library as a zone of instructional intervention.

VELS-BASED SCHOOL LIBRARY MESSION STATEMENT

Learners actively searching for meaning and understanding learners constructing knowledge rather than passively receiving itlearners directly involved and engaged in the discovery of new knowledgelearners encountering alternative perspectives and conflicting ideas learners transferring new knowledge and skills to new circumstanceslearners taking ownership and responsibility for mastery of curriculum content and skills

Inquiry Learning

An inquiry approach to learning is one where students actively engage with diverse and often conflicting sources

of information and ideas to discover new ones, to build new understandings, and to develop personal viewpoints

and perspectives.

KNOWLEDGE OUTCOME--------------------------------------------------------------

It is underpinned by stimulating encounters with information – encounters which capture their interest and

attention, and which motivate and direct their ongoing inquiry.

INFORMATION FOUDATION

Guided Inquiry

Carefully planned, closely supervised, targeted intervention(s) of an instructional team of teacher- librarians and teachers to guide students through curriculum based inquiry units that gradually lead towards deep knowledge and understanding.

Constuctivist approach to learning: staged, guided

Based on understanding of:- How deep knowledge of a discipline is developed- Student information seeking and use

Develops students’ competence with learning from a variety of sources; goal is deep knowledge

Students not abandoned in the research process

THE KNOWLEDGE FOUNDATION

Realms of MeaningPhilip Phenix (McGraw Hill, 1964)

Various fields of knowledge exhibit distinctive structures or patterns of meaning

They have different ways of “coming to know”: how knowledge is gained in a subject, and how it is validated

Different methods of inquiry, for creating new knowledge, and for validating claims to new knowledge

How does the inquirer / investigator go about making discoveries on mathematics, biology, history, science? Developing new knowledge

What does this mean?

Many different conceptions of the information-to-knowledge process

Each discipline has its own unique conception / model of information literacy

There is no one generic notion of what inquiry is = it is disciplinary specific

There is no one-size-fits-all model of information literacy

Need to rethink our approach to mediation and intervention

The Instructional Framework

Based on Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process

The ONLY tested/validated model in our field (evidence for practice)

The pletehora of simplistic models of information skills deny the complexity of the information-to-knowledge experience

The Information Search Process provides a research-based instructional framework for understanding students’ journey of information seeking and knowledge building, and a basis for guiding and intervening to ensure students develop deep knowledge and deep understanding.

Information Search Process

Kuhlthau, C. C. (2004). Seeking meaning: A process approach to library and information services. 2nd edition. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

1. Qualitative exploration of search process of high school seniors (1983)

2. Qualitative study of original sample after 4 years of college (1988)

3. Longitudinal study (1988)4. Qualitative and quantitative study

of high, middle and low achieving high school seniors (1989)

5. Validation Study: 385 academic, public, and school library users in 21 sites (1989)

Information Search Process

Tasks Initiation Selection Exploration Formulation Collection Presentation----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------→Feelings uncertainly optimism confusion clarity sense of satisfaction or(affective) frustration direction/ disappointment

doubt confidence

Thoughts vague-------------------------------------→focused(cognitive) -----------------------------------------------→

increased interest

Actions seeking relevant information----------------------------→seeking pertinent information(physical) exploring documenting

THE INFORMATONSEARCH PROCESS

Stages of the ISP

Effective information seeking occurs in seven stages. These stages are named for the primary task to be accomplished at each point in the process. Initiation: when confronted with an information need, students contemplate what they already know, what they want and need to find outSelection: students identify and select general topics which will guide their information seeking to satisfy their information need. Exploration: students investigate information on a general topic in order to extend personal understanding and to form a focus

Formulation: students become aware of the various dimensions, issues, ramifications of the initiating question and begin to form their own focused perspective of the subject under study. Collection: students gather information that defines, extends and supports the focus that they have formed. Interest and confidence commonly increases as they gain a sense of ownership and expertise in the subject. Presentation: students prepare to apply / share what they have discovered. Assessment: students reflect on what they have learned to discover what went well and what might be improved.

Stages of the ISPStages of the ISP

Mediation and Intervention

Intervention centers on the way in which “mediators become involved in the constructive process of another person … in information seeking and use” (Kuhlthau, 204, p. 127).

Zone of Intervention: That area in which an information user can do with advice and assistance what he or she cannot do alone or can do only with great difficulty.

Intervention vs Independent Learning

THE KNOWLEDGE FOUNDATION

THE INFORMATION-TO-

KNOWLEDGE EXPERIENCE

Building Declarative Knowledge

Goal: Propositional Knowledge: factual, explanatory, conclusive, predictive, reflective (VELS DISCIPLINE-BASED LEARNING)

Existing Knowledge (limited) Building background knowledge Encountering / investigating multiple viewpoints and perspectives, dealing with conflicting knowledge Focused knowledge building and knowledge authentication (quality arguments, use of evidence) Structuring new knowledge Representation of new, deep knowledge in meaningful structures and formats Communicating new knowledge Knowledge reflections, knowledge actions, knowledge solutions

The Zones of Intervention

The stages of the Information Search Process are potential zones of instructional intervention in the school library to develop deep knowledge and understanding through the school library.

The instructional interventions are KNOWLEDGE_BASED interventions to provide students with the necessary procedural knowledge to construct deep knowledge and understanding of their topics.

Specific instructional interventions are determined by the curriculum outcomes to be achieved, and the cognitive, affective, and behavioral needs of the learners to help them achieve these outcomes.

The starting point for the interventions is NOT information literacy skills, nor some predefined scope-and-sequence IL framework

The instructional interventions guide students in their inquiry and support them in their process of developing deep knowledge and understanding of their topics

Information Search Process

Tasks Initiation Selection Exploration Formulation Collection Presentation--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- →Feelings uncertainly optimism confusion clarity sense of satisfaction or(affective) frustration direction/ disappointment

doubt confidence

Thoughts vague---------------------------------------→focused(cognitive) -----------------------------------------------→

increased interest

Actions seeking relevant information----------------------------→seeking pertinent information(physical) exploring documenting

Information-to-knowledge experience

THE INFORMATONSEARCH PROCESS

Stages of the Information Search Process represent critical Zones of Intervention

INTERVENTIONSISP : INITIATION

Understanding how a discipline builds knowledge

Understanding knowledge requirements of task: task analysis rubrics

Establishing existing / prior knowledge: novice knowledge (what I know about)

Mapping existing knowledge: Central concepts and relationships: concept mapping, mind mapping, Venn diagrams

Building engagement; Developing curiosity and motivation

Understand real world relevance and importance of the enquiry

Dealing with the affective dimensions: doubt, uncertainty

Task organization, time, process and effort management; Know when, where, and how to get help and guidance

Initiation (unit, research task, learning activity)

The starting point for inquiry is not:- “let’s do Dewey”- “Here are some good web sites”- Defining your needs- The library’s research / information process

The starting point is- understanding the knowledge outcomes- understanding the disciplinary-based knowledge building process- building interest, engagement, ownership- managing cognitive, behavioral and affective requirements

INTERVENTIONS

The JazzJigSaw

Students see that collecting facts is the beginning of meaningful inquiry, not the end point

Basis for personal choice

INTERVENTIONSISP : INITIATION

Topics of interest to me

Intriguing factors Positives Negatives Rank1- 5

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Rank your topics on a scale of 1 – 5 (1 = of little interest; 5 = very interesting)Circle your two most interesting topics

Explain your choice in your conference with your class teacher / teacher-librarian

Read

View

Listen

Connect

I didn’t know that! Questions I have???

I agree / disagree I wonder ….

Developing Background Knowledge, Interest, Motivation

INTERVENTIONSISP : INITIATION CONCEPT MAP

INTERVENTIONSISP : SELECTION

Sources to build background knowledge: appropriateness & quality of sources - the are likely to be different sources to building deep knowledge

use of technology tools to seek, access & evaluate sources

Read with understanding the major concepts and relationships in topics

Selecting content based on reading ability and content requirements: how do I know what is important?

Constructing a richer mental map of the knowledge terrain: systematic recording, organizing and evaluating initial ideas – not just random stockpiling of facts – graphical organizers

Developing openness to new ideas, diverse perspectives

Engaging in inquiry through reflection: I didn’t know that; I agree / disagree; I wonder that; Questions I have

Framing questions appropriate to the discipline of study to guide the further investigation

INTERVENTIONSISP : EXPLORATION

Building a bigger picture, establishing interconnections

Encountering multiple viewpoints and perspectives; dealing with conflicting knowledge;

Respecting and appreciating diverse cultural knowledges

Verifying and clarifying existing ideas

Develop self-discipline to work alone or in teams as needed

Dealing With Conflicting Information to Develop Knowledge

Central Questions

Source 1 eg encycl

Source 2 eg Poor quality web site

Source 3 egHigh quality web site

Source 4 egNewspaper

Source 5High quality print source

What I can say? Evidence for my statement?

who

what

when

where

why

how

result

INTERVENTIONSISP : FORMULATION

Focusing the knowledge building task

Developing the focus question(s) and formulating personal knowledge outcomes

Develop real world justifications for research choices

Constructing the abstract / knowledge plan of the inquiry

Planning the structure of the inquiry

INTERVENTIONSISP : COLLECTION

************Knowledge building interventions*************Selection of sources: pertinent, complex information rather than superficial information matched to specific focus;

Collecting data from disciplinary specific modes of inquiry: interviews, surveys, experiments, observation, journaling

Identification of central ideas and mapping relationships: complex relational note taking not fact gathering

Use of a variety of analytical methods: cause/effect; pro/con; error analysis; compare/contrast to sort, organize and structure ideas

Identification of arguments and evidences, counter arguments and counter evidences

Develop conclusions & positions; posit actions, implications and solutions; reflect on these in terms of original knowing

Forming An

Opinion

DEVELOPINGCONCLUSIONS

ANDVIEWPOINTS

Spot the Difference

(http://puzzles.about.com/od/opticalillusions/ig/SpotTheDifferencePuzzles/SpotTheDifferencePuzzles12.htm

TRANSFORMING AND ABSTRACTING INFORMATION

TASK: In about 25 words, describe the differences between the two images

PROCESS:Scan the information sources to begin the information selection task (background reading, context).Identify the essential information needed to complete the task. Key criteria for the selection of pertinent information = “difference”Undertake detailed comparative analysis and selection of pertinent information; mark this information on one of the images.Create a list that describes in words the differences between the images (transformation from visual to textual information).Carefully examine your list and sort the ideas into the lists into several groups.Give each conceptual grouping a label that characterizes the information in each category.Complete the writing task.

Developing the Argument

Model of the Argument

Argument Analysis

Toulmin, Stephen. Uses of Argument. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1958.

Claim: statement that you are asking the other person to accept Data: evidence / truth on which the claim is based Warrant: underpinning assumptionsQualifier: limits eg 'most', 'usually', 'always', 'sometimes' Rebuttal: counter-arguments that can be used Backing: additional support to an argument

What’s your information about? (I)CHOCOLATE

What’s your main point? (I-C UNIT)CHOCOLATE ISN’T GOOD FOR

YOUR HEALTHWhat’s your basis for saying that?

(W)I GET ACNE AND I PUT ON

WEIGHTWhat other evidence can you

provide (B)CHOCOLATE’S INGREDIENTS

ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOUDoes this happen to everyone? (Q)DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH THEY

EATSome people wouldn’t agree with you. What would they be likely to

say? (R)CHOCOLATE GIVES ME ENERGY

INTERVENTIONSISP : PRESENTATION

Representation of new knowledge: what does “good” history, science, economics knowledge like? How is it typically presented in the real world?

Principles / criteria for applying modes of representation – textual, visual, graphical – discipline requirements

Structuring ideas into a coherent, integrated body of knowledge

Using ICT tools to construct appropriate representations of new knowledge

Using ICT tools, techniques and critical thinking skills to communicate new knowledge in appropriate ways – appropriate to the discipline

INTERVENTIONSISP : ASSESSMENT

Develop competencies to self-evaluate and monitor one’s understanding: eg interventions which enable students to compare beginning and exit knowledge of a topic

Knowledge reflection: declarative and procedural knowledge gained: mapping personal learning

Reflections on: Knowledge depth; Knowledge structure and organization

Reflections on: What helped / hindered in the learing process

Personal insights gained

Sharing lessons learned

CriteriaLevel 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Mk

s

Introduction / Thesis

-weak introduction of topic, thesis & subtopics -thesis is weak and lacks an arguable position

-adequate introduction that states topic , thesis and some of the subtopics - thesis is somewhat clear and arguable

-proficient introduction that states topic, thesis, and all subtopics in proper order- thesis is a clear and arguable statement of position

-exceptional introduction that grabs interest of reader and states topic, thesis, and all subtopics in proper order - thesis is exceptionally clear, arguable, well developed, and a definitive statement

/8

Quality of Information / Evidence

-limited information on topic with lack of research, details or historically accurate evidence

-some aspects of paper is researched with some accurate evidence from limited sources

-paper is well researched in detail with accurate & critical evidence from a variety of sources

-paper is exceptionally researched, extremely detailed and historically accurate with critical evidence from a wide variety of sources

/12

Support of Ideas / Analysis

-limited connections made between evidence, subtopics, counterarguments & thesis / topic -lack of analysis

-some connections made between evidence, subtopics, counterarguments & thesis / topic showing analysis

-consistent connections made between evidence, subtopics, counterarguments & thesis / topic showing good analysis

-exceptionally critical, relevant and consistent connections made between evidence, subtopics, counter-arguments & thesis / topic showing excellent analysis

/10

Organization / Development of Ideas

-paper lacks clear and logical development of ideas with weak transition b/w ideas and paragraphs

-somewhat clear and logical development of subtopics with adequate transitions b/w paragraphs

-clear and logical subtopic order that supports thesis with good transitions b/w paragraphs

-exceptionally clear, logical, mature, and thorough development of subtopics that support thesis with excellent transition b/w paragraphs

/10

Conclusion -lack of summary of topic, thesis & subtopics with weak concluding ideas

-adequate summary of topic, thesis and some subtopics with some final concluding ideas

-good summary of topic, thesis and all subtopics with clear concluding ideas

-excellent summary of topic (with no new information), thesis & all subtopics in proper order with concluding ideas that leave an impact on reader

/5

Language Conventions

- inconsistent grammar, spelling and paragraphing throughout paper

-paper has some errors in grammar, spelling and paragraphing

-paper is clear, with mostly proper grammar, spelling and paragraphing

-paper is very concise, clear, with consistently proper grammar, spelling and paragraphing

/5

Footnotes -inconsistent use of footnotes with limited details and improper format

- sometimes inconsistent use of footnotes with limited details

-consistent & correct format inserted to validate evidence

-proper detailed format always used consistently & correctly to validate evidence in paper

/5

Bibliography -lack of proper format and limited details with many sources missing or incomplete

-some errors in MLA format with most sources shown and a variety of sources

-mostly proper MLA format used in alphabetical order with all sources shown and a variety of sources

-proper, detailed MLA format always used in alphabetical order with all sources shown and a wide variety of sources

/5

Total 60 / 2 = / 30

Implementing Guided Inquiry: Key Strategies

Initiated though compelling situations which provide challenge and opportunity.

Focus on identifying and solving intellectual and/or real-world problems

learning activities closely resemble the ways that students will be expected to use their knowledge and skills in the real world

Exercise some choice over the specific questions they want to answer and how to present their new understandings.

Implementing Guided Inquiry:Key Strategies

Attempt is made to connect with students’ background knowledge.

Instructional activities involve the students in thinking, acting, and reflecting, discovering and linking ideas

Instructional activities model and provide opportunity to experience the knowledge construction process.

opportunities for sustained dialogue and feedback

Cycle of Continuous Improvement

“Few will have the greatness to bend

history; but each of us can work to change a

small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of

this generation”

Robert F Kennedy

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