“BEYOND INFORMATION”

1. “BEYOND INFORMATION” Questar III BOCES School Library System Regional Information Fluency Curriculum • To move beyond information with its familiar boundaries to the NEW WORLD of inquiry in the digital age.

2. Teacher Librarians TEACH and… • Contribute to formative learning about the real world • Have information literacy expertise • Increasingly plan and teach collaboratively • Have instructional know how • Assess learning • Embrace accountability for learning outcomes • Address learning standards • NEED A CURRICULUM

3. Past, Present, Future… Library Skills-locate and cite library resources Information Skills-identify and extract information for a basic information need Information and media literacy- understand, evaluate, manage information constantly presented in a mass communication world Information Inquiry- questioning, exploration, assimilation, inference, and reflection ; thinking and acting critically and creatively Information Fluency- information evaluation and management, efficient and effective movement across a variety of information systems, databases, communication technologies; assimilation, management, application, creation of information technologies to address information issues present and future See http:.virtualinquiry.com

4. Paradigm Shift from Problem Solving to INQUIRY Information problem solving shifts to INQUIRY Inquiry implies attitude of questioning, reflecting with cognition Inquiry means start with a question Inquiry means open investigation Inquiry is student centered Goal is new understanding in the student Answers involve messy, recursive building of ideas Open-ended, leads to future questions, experiences

5. PROBLEM SOLVING • Differs from INQUIRY: • Cognition is focus. • Start with problem defined, information need stated. • Investigation is closed, problem static. • Center is the answer or solution to the external problem. • Answers involve selecting, sorting ideas. • Planned and linear. • Closed end – final product.

6. Inquiry based curriculum and research on LEARNERS: Children learn by being actively engaged and reflecting on that experience Children learn by building on what they already know Children develop higher order thinking through guidance at critical points Children develop in a sequence of stages Children have different ways of learning Children learn through social interaction with others Children are motivated by problem solving and inquiry Mastery of content knowledge occurs when it is applied, manipulated, and original meaning is constructed

7. ALA/ACRL • “Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning. It is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning.”

8. ALA Task Force on School Libraries - 2007 • Current emphasis: connection to 21st Century Skills • including digital literacy and information literacy • Emphasis on technology skills as a part of information literacy • PK-16 definition of information literacy skills • New national test of information literacy- ICT’s • State mandated or endorsed information literacy standards • Focus on digital literacy as school library media program domain

9. Rationale – for the Regional Information Fluency Curriculum • 19 state studies prove that instruction in information literacy skills by a certified SLMS boosts student performance on state and local assessments, reading tests, standardized tests. • NYS Learning Standards, ISTE NETS, National Information Literacy Standards define a thinking, active, information literate learner. • Information literacy has evolved to embrace 21st Century Skills for the digital age, inquiry, and information fluency. • New roles, competencies, and dynamics define information literacy for teachers and learners in 2007. • A common vision, a shared skills matrix, and common goals emerge for regional teacher/librarians

10. ACTION • During the summer and fall of 2006, 35 SLMS in the Questar III BOCES School Library System met to construct a Regional Information Literacy Curriculum based on inquiry process. • The SLMS explored, distilled and applied innovative, standards based models for instruction in information literacy. • The SLMS were motivated by the universal demand for information literacy and skills for the digital age. • Further motivation was rooted in the potential to improve student achievement.

11. ACTION • A curriculum has been collaboratively created and benchmarked. Implementation has begun. • Regional SLMS brought their professional wisdom and knowledge of learners to the process. • The curriculum has a dual focus: INQUIRY and LEARNING STANDARDS. • Each skill in the matrix has been cross walked with state and national standards.

12. CURRICULUM BASICS • Reflects the paradigm shift from information problem-solving to INQUIRY • Leads the learner to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information • Focuses on digital literacy, emerging technological capabilities • Emphasizes student centered process: questioning, exploration, assimilation, reflection, critical and creative thinking • Learner is engaged and active

13. CURRICULUM BASICS • Learner connects to prior knowledge, constructs meaning from text, evaluates process and products, draws original conclusions, synthesizes, creates, expresses and shares new understanding. • 21st Century Skills are incorporated for information fluency: information evaluation and management; collaboration; strategic use of information systems, databases, communication technologies; production and sharing of quality products.

14. CURRICULUM BASICS • Project GUIDEPOSTS: • New York State Learning Standards • New York State ELA Core Curriculum • New York State Social Studies Core Curriculum • New York State Science Core Curriculum • New York City Information Fluency Continuum • National Information Literacy Standards • ISTE NETS • Regional school and district curricula • WSWHE BOCES regional Information Literacy Core Curriculum

15. CURRICULUM BASICS • Creates a framework for instructional partnerships linking librarians, teachers, and students in active learning. • Designed for collaboration and integration. • INQUIRY MODEL empowers the learner to • CONNECT • FOCUS • INVESTIGATE • CONSTRUCT • EXPRESS • REFLECT/EVALUATE

16. INQUIRY PROCESS – Kuhlthau, Stripling, Pitts, Pappas, Tepe, Harada, Todd et al Connect –self, prior knowledge, observe Focus- Develop questions, predict Investigate– Find and evaluate information and develop new questions. Create/Construct-Construct new understandings connected to prior knowledge, draw conclusions. Express- Express new ideas, share. Reflect- on new learning and process, pose new questions.

17. 21st Century Information Literacy… • Digital-age literacy from NCREL • Basic, scientific, economic, technological • Visual and information literacy • Multicultural literacy and global awareness • Inventive thinking • Curiosity, creativity • Higher-order thinking and reasoning • Adaptability, self-direction, managing complexity • Effective communication • Teaming, collaboration, interactive communication • Personal and social responsibility • Effective use of real-world tools • Managing, prioritizing, planning • Production of relevant, high quality products

18. ICT 21st Century Skills • Learning skills for information, communication, and media literacy • Accessing and managing information • Integrating and creating information • Evaluating and analyzing information • Understanding, managing, and creating effective communications—oral, written, multimedia • Exercising sound reasoning • Making complex choices • Understanding the connections among systems • Framing, analyzing, and solving problems • Developing, implementing, communicating new ideas • Demonstrating teamwork, adaptability, respect • Practicing self-direction

19. CURRICULUM BASICS • Outcomes of the project: • Boost in student motivation • Boost in student achievement • Development of higher order thinking skills • Life long learning • Productive habits of mind • Collaborative school culture • Enhanced mastery of knowledge in the content areas • Questions, meaning, understanding, original conclusions, all linked to improved performance

20. Ross Todd –author of We Boost Achievementstates: Transformational learning foundations include information literacy and technological literacy. Formational student achievement embraces knowledge creation, knowledge use, knowledge production, knowledge dissemination, knowledge values, and reading literacy.

21. Time to shift GEARS! • FROM TEACHING TO LEARNING FOCUS • FROM LIBRARY LAND TO LEARNING CENTRAL • FROM EMPHASIS ON RESOURCES TO: • EMPHASIS ON LEARNERS • MEDIATION, INTERVENTION • QUESTIONING • MEANING • UNDERSTANDING • COMMUNICATING NEW LEARNING • COMPELLING CONTENT • A LIGHT IN THE ATTIC

22. IMPLEMENTATION • School library programs FOCUS on instruction and learner outcomes. • Collaboratively, teachers and librarians develop instructional units incorporating skills from the Regional Information Fluency Curriculum. • Teacher librarians develop information literacy skills in grade level populations that support scaffolding and eventually mastery level learning. • The prepared graduates of regional school library media programs have competencies for a digital world and an information economy. • The COGNITIVE BACKPACK of every learner includes diverse thinking, communication, technology, and information literacy skills essential in the 21st Century.