Kuhlthau and Maniotes (2010 p. 18) in their article on
"Building guided inquiry teams for 21st century learners”, raise two
interesting questions, firstly “How can students
learn to think for themselves, make good decisions, develop expertise, and become
lifelong learners in a rapidly changing information environment?” and “How can
students learn, create, and find meaning from multiple sources of information?”.
These are the questions that all educators face now as we dive head first in to
the 21st century. In my current role as TL in training, I ponder these
questions regularly and am in awe of the enormity of the TL role as information
specialist.
Guided inquiry is referred to in Australian School Library
Association (ASLA, 2012)
policy documents as a teaching method, it is 'a planned, supervised and
targeted intervention into developing information literacy and enhancing
learning'. Kuhlthau and Maniotes (2010) also promote Guided Inquiry as a
teaching methodology to meet the needs of "the 21st Century learner".
Todd (2010 p. 8) explains that “Guided Inquiry is based on the premise that learning is constructive, connected and a shared process”, hence the idea that guided inquiry requires a collaborative team of educators working together with the learners through the process. I agree with Todd (2010 p. 7), Kuhlthau and Maniotes (2010 p. 18) that when using the Guided inquiry approach to learning, the role of the teacher librarian moves from that of teacher to that of an information learning specialist guiding the learner and the collaborative team through the complex inquiry process.
Kuhlthau (2013) describes the use of the Guided Inquiry Design Framework as both innovative and dynamic. Interestingly, she identifies the learner as part of the collaborative team and again is one to emphasise the vital key role that the TL plays in the Collaborative learning team.
Todd (2010 p. 8) explains that “Guided Inquiry is based on the premise that learning is constructive, connected and a shared process”, hence the idea that guided inquiry requires a collaborative team of educators working together with the learners through the process. I agree with Todd (2010 p. 7), Kuhlthau and Maniotes (2010 p. 18) that when using the Guided inquiry approach to learning, the role of the teacher librarian moves from that of teacher to that of an information learning specialist guiding the learner and the collaborative team through the complex inquiry process.
Kuhlthau (2013) describes the use of the Guided Inquiry Design Framework as both innovative and dynamic. Interestingly, she identifies the learner as part of the collaborative team and again is one to emphasise the vital key role that the TL plays in the Collaborative learning team.
Both Kerr’s (1996) statement on the role of the TL in
regards to curriculum development and Leadership, as well as information management
and collaborative Planning and teaching and Todd (2010 p. 32), offered me many
points of interest in regard to the role TL. I consider that the following
would impact more fully in the Guided inquiry Library
- collaboration is key to implementing Guided inquiry.
- Plan, develop and manage equitable access to information resources – just the physicality of some libraries would make this task difficult, even in the library in which I work we have computer access for at least 4 classes at a time but we have over 1500 students, so this is a labour intensive task, made easier at our school by Book it software, that enables teachers to book in electronically.
- Professional development and technological updating for the TL and other staff.
- Astute skills of observation
Upon reflection of my readings and
taking into consideration what happens in the Library in which I am working, I
see the Role of the TL as a primary learning resource within the Guided Inquiry
classroom. I believe that working as a collaborative learning team, including
the learner in this collaboration and I agree with Kuhlthau and Maniotes (2010
p. 18) that guiding the learner through the inquiry process enables the learner
to learn “how to learn” for life.
References
Australian
School Library Association (ASLA) 2012, Statement on guided inquiry and the curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.asla.org.au/policy/Guided-inquiry-and-the-curriculum.aspx
Liz Kerr. "OSLA
(Ontario School Library Association): policy on the school information centre
and the role of the teacher-librarian."Visual Media Sept.-Oct. 1996: 8-9. Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.
Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ps/i.do?&id=GALE|A30211098&v=2.1&u=csu_au&it=r&p=EAIM&sw=w
Kuhlthau, (2013).
Children’s Reading in Guided Inquiry. Retrieved from http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/docs/ChildrensReadingInGuidedInquiry.pdf
Kuhlthau, C. C.,
& Maniotes, L. K. (2010). Building guided inquiry teams for 21st-century
learners. School Library Monthly,26(5), 18-21. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/237137470?accountid=10344
