Librarians are highly-qualified information experts
ReflectionRemember those heavy, leather-bound, gold embossed encyclopedias grandma and grandpa kept in the living room? My mother used these dusty tomes to complete a research project about the frog’s lifecycle. She spent two minutes to locate the information and another 15 minutes to jot down her notes. Then she took a piece of tracing paper and copied the graphic. Now, students have limitless access to different materials, which means increasing challenges and benefits. Students face “exponential expansions of information, ever-changing tools, increasing digitalization of texts, and heightened demands for critical and creative thinking,” according to the American Association of School Librarians in their publication Standards for the 21st-Century Learner in Action (2009).
As a media specialist I am a highly qualified information expert. This doesn’t mean I know a lot of information, but more importantly, I know how to locate information quickly. I also know how to teach others the tools necessary to access information that is reliable, accurate and meets their needs. Many students struggle when faced with collecting information from multiple sources, and when they struggle, they are tempted to take shortcuts or waste time. When this happens, students may select inappropriate sources, plagiarize or fail to complete the project. To combat these common research project “side-effects,” I created a research handbook, Solving the Research Puzzle: A Quick Fix Guide to Putting All the Pieces Together. This booklet walks students through the research process using The Big6TM framework, from developing research questions through reflection on the process, product and publishing. Print and digital resources support each step. By guiding students from the very beginning, they will have more success in searching and locating what they need. Just by putting this 29-page booklet together, I gained a much better understanding of all the skills and strategies involved in completing a research piece. I learned how important it is to break this process into manageable chunks that are modeled and monitored. Although I have not given the entire guide to a class or media center, I have used pieces with students. Students find it easier to focus on each step when it is presented in chunks. I think this guide could be employed by a teacher and act as a resource for students working on independent research projects, however, some students may find it overwhelming. I would caution anyone from merely handing the booklet to the student without providing guidance and monitoring. I also would include additional supporting documents such as a checklist and more examples of organizers. To update this format, I plan on digitalizing as much as possible and setting it up like steps on a pathfinder or web quest. Students tackling each step online, using digital note-taking tools as they progress. |
3.1 Efficient and ethical information-seeking behaviorCandidates model multiple strategies for students, other teachers and administrators to locate, evaluate and ethically use information for specific purposes.
ARTIFACT |