Transforming information into deep knowledge and deep understanding: A Guided Inquiry approach

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Transforming information into deep knowledge
and deep understandingA Guided Inquiry
approach the school library and the Victorian
Essential Learning Standards

• Based on the work of Ross Todd and Carol Gordon

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Introduction

• An examination of the Victorian Essential
  Learning Standards, identifies inquiry as central
  to their structure and philosophy
• the student as an inquiring learner, and
• the emphasis on inquiry in the discipline-based
  domains.
• Inquiry, of course, is also central to the role
  of the library- where the teacher-librarian
  provides the student with the skills to become a
  successful, independent inquirer.

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With this heavy emphasis on inquiry and the
integration of the personal, social and
discipline-based strands, a number of questions
arise for the teacher-librarian

• How does the library target its program and
  services to support the strands?
• How do we assess the interdisciplinary and
  personal learning standards?
• How does the library provide leadership for
  bringing all this together?

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Information Literacy and Victorian Essential
Learning Standards

• The Victorian Essential Learning Standards
  (VELS) are student centered and inquiry based.
• The VELS encourage students to think, reflect
  and develop deep knowledge and skills in the same
  way as historians, artists,mathematicians, and
  scientists do.
• The VELS acknowledge that each discipline has
  its own mode of inquiry.
• This, of course, is information literacy by
  another name.

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The VELS is based on an understanding of how
students learn.

• Recent research has provided new understanding
  of the learning process and the development of
  competent performance in different intellectual
  domains, with the result that teaching and
  learning is focusing on student understanding and
  the application of knowledge to different
  contexts.
• Of particular importance as far as the Standards
  are concerned, is the way in which students
  progress from being novice to more expert
  learners as they move through school.

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Research suggests the development involves

• ?noticing features and meaningful patterns of
  information
• ?acquiring relevant content knowledge that is
  organised in ways which reflect a deep
  understanding of the subject matter
• ?applying the knowledge in ways appropriate to
  context, rather than merely exercising one's
  memory
• ?retrieving important aspects of knowledge with a
  degree of automaticity
• ?and approaching new situations in flexible
  ways.
• VELS introduction http//vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/abou
  t/overview.htmlintro

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Constructivist Learning and Guided Inquiry

• VELS calls for a constructivist approach to
  learning through the school library
• Inquiry, not Information Literacy

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Constructivist learning occurs when

• learners construct deep knowledge and deep
  understanding rather than passively receiving it
  
• learners are directly involved and engaged in the
  discovery of new knowledge and development of new
  skills, attitudes and experiences
• learners transfer new knowledge and skills to new
  circumstances

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Guided Inquiry

• is carefully planned, closely supervised
  targeted intervention by an instructional team of
  teacher- librarians and teachers to guide
  students through curriculum-based inquiry units
  that build deep knowledge and deep understanding
  of a curriculum topic, and gradually lead towards
  independent learning.
• Guided Inquiry is grounded in a constructivist
  approach to learning, based on the Information
  Search Process for developing students
  competence with learning from a variety of
  sources while enhancing their understanding of
  the content areas of the curriculum.
• Carol Kuhlthau

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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.

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Implementing Guided InquiryKey Strategies
(continued)

• 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

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In our school library programs

• The starting point for inquiry is not
• - lets do Dewey
• - Here are some good web sites
• - Defining your needs
• - The librarys 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

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The Instructional Framework

• This framework is based on Kuhlthaus Information
  Search Process and is the only tested model in
  our field.
• The 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.

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THE INFORMATONSEARCH 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

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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 out
• Selection 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

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Stages of the ISP

• 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.
• Ross Todd

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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

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• From Information
• to Knowledge

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Building Declarative Knowledge(the knowledge
about a topic, ie. content)

• 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

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• 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 (thinking), affective
  (feelings), 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 Information Literacy framework
  
• The instructional interventions guide students in
  their inquiry and support them in their process
  of developing deep knowledge and understanding of
  their topics

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Information Search
Process     Tasks Initiation
Selection Exploration Formulation
Collection Presentation ----------------
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------? Feel
ings uncertainly optimism confusion
clarity sense of satisfaction
or (affective)
frustration direction/
disappointment
doubt
confidence Thoughts vague-------------------
--------------------?focused (cognitive)
-----------------------------------------------?
increased interest Actions seeking
relevant information----------------------------?s
eeking pertinent information (physical)
exploring
documenting Information-to-knowle
dge experience
Stages of the Information Search Process
represent critical Zones of Intervention
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INTERVENTIONS ISP 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

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INTERVENTIONS ISP SELECTION

• Sources to build background knowledge
  appropriateness quality of sources - there 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 didnt
  know that I agree / disagree I wonder that
  Questions I have
• Framing questions appropriate to the discipline
  of study to guide the further investigation

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INTERVENTIONSISPEXPLORATION

• 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

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INTERVENTIONS ISP 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

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INTERVENTIONS ISP 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

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INTERVENTIONS ISPPRESENTATION

• 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

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INTERVENTIONSISP ASSESSMENT

• Develop competencies to self-evaluate and monitor
  ones 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
  learning process
• Personal insights gained
• Sharing lessons learned

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Zone of Intervention

• This model identifies zones of instructional
  intervention so that teacher-librarians can most
  effectively offer their knowledge, expertise and
  leadership for the achievement of the standards
  outlined in the VELS.
• A zone of intervention can be defined as that
  area in which a student can do with advice and
  assistance what he or she cannot do alone or can
  only do with great difficulty.
• Carol Kuhlthau http//cissl.scils.rutgers.edu/guid
  ed_inquiry/introduction.html

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The teacher-librarian and VELS

• The challenge for teacher-librarians is to
  embrace the inquiry model for each of the
  disciplines and identify the critical zone of
  intervention.

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The school library and VELS

• The zone of intervention, model identifies
  those areas that lend themselves to skill and
  knowledge development through the school library
  where the expertise and instructional
  interventions of the teacher-librarian ensure
  that students reach the standards.

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Ross Todd Zones of Intervention

• Ross Todd highlights zones of intervention,
  across all the domains and dimensions.
• These become the points at which
  teacher-librarians and classroom teachers can
  work together to develop an authentic research
  agenda.
• The role of the library just became even more
  important!

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The library instructional intervention process

• Identify zones of intervention where
  information-to-knowledge processes and knowledge
  outcomes are embedded and lend themselves to
  inquiry in the school library, leading to
  opportunities for developing authentic research
• Understand how disciplinary knowledge is
  constructed
• Frame information-to-knowledge processes
  (Information Literacy) in the language of the
  particular discipline and based on how knowledge
  is constructed in the discipline
• Establish learning outcomes as established by
  the VELS, using the language of the standards
  and
• Construct instructional interventions,
  building-in approaches to assessment and
  evidence-based practice.

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The Zone of Intervention Model

• learners encounter alternative perspectives and
  conflicting ideas so that they are able to
  transform prior knowledge and experience into
  deep understandings
• learners take ownership and responsibility for
  their ongoing learning and mastery of essential
  content and skills and
• learners contribute to social well being, the
  growth of democracy, and the development of a
  knowledgeable society. Victorian Essential
  Learning Standards

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The Information Search Process

• Initiation
• Selection
• Exploration
• Formulation
• Collection
• Presentation
• Assessment

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The Information Search Process (ISP) Possible
Interventions
Initiation Selection Exploration Formulation Collection Presentation Assessment
Understand how a discipline builds knowledge. Understanding knowledge requirements of task task analysis rubric 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 How does a scientist conduct research?
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Why this model is so relevant to the Victorian
Essential Learning Standards

• The Essential Learning Standards are a framework
  of essential learnings in two ways.
• First, the framework is based on the premise
  that there are three components of any curriculum
  which are necessary to enable students to meet
  the demands of a modern, globalised world.
• These components are
• the processes of physical, personal and social
  development and growth
• the branches of learning reflected in the
  traditional disciplines and
• the interdisciplinary capacities needed for
  effective functioning within and beyond school.
• In the Standards, these components become the
  three core strandsPhysical, Personal and Social
  Learning,Discipline-based Learning and
  Interdisciplinary Learning.

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• Second, the Standards clarify the core elements
  of each component that students need to acquire
  if they are to succeed in further education, work
  and life. The traditional discipline strand is
  balanced in the Standards by a set of broader
  interdisciplinary capacities (the domains of
  Communication, Design, Creativity and Technology,
  Information and Communications Technology and
  Thinking), and linked to physical, personal and
  social development (the domains of Health and
  Physical Education, Interpersonal Development,
  Personal Learning and Civics and Citizenship),
  with all three strands being equally necessary.

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• Together, the three strands provide the basis
  for students to develop deep understanding
• - an ability to take their learning and apply it
  to new and different circumstances.
• VELS introduction http//vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/abou
  t/overview.htmlintro

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Multiple models of Information Literacy or
Disciplinary Knowledge Construction

• What does the inquiry process look like in
  Science?
• What do scientists do when they research?

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The Science Knowledge Construction Process

• Develop curiosity and use scientific methods to
  establish generalizations
• Discovery of truth what is asserted is either
  true or false
• Describes the world through activity of
  measurement
• Establish existing understanding truth claims
  generalisations, laws
• To understand methods of scientific inquiry, need
  to understand how generalizations are obtained
  from data of observation
• Formulate hypotheses / questions based on
  available facts
• Design and pursue investigation related to
  hypothesis / question
• Develop systematic approach to data collection
• Record observations from sources, environment,
  testing
• Generate, validate, analyse, critique and
  interpret evidence
• Draw valid conclusions aim for generality
• Explain how scientific knowledge is used
• Construct working models to demonstrate
  scientific ideas
• Present results using data appropriate formats

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What does the inquiry process look like in Civics
and Citizenship?

• Establish existing knowledge and develop
  background knowledge
• Draw on a range of sources
• Explore and consider different perspectives
• Contest different opinions
• Articulate and justify own opinion using
  supporting evidence
• Refine own opinions, values and attitudes
• Develop an action plan which demonstrates
  knowledge
• Apply knowledge and skills in a range of
  community based activities.

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What does the inquiry process look like in
Mathematics?

• CONJECTURE, FORMULATION, SOLUTION, COMMUNICATION
• Find ideas, examples, counter examples
• Explore patterns
• Develop conjectures
• Test simple conjectures
• Explain propositions
• Analyse reasonableness of points of view
• Develop generalisations by abstracting features
• Test truth statements and generalisations
• Develop models

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What does the inquiry process look like in
Historical Reasoning and Interpretation?

• Own knowledge and experience
• Plan investigation
• Make judgments about sources
• Ascertain the facts - Fidelity of facts
• Drawing inferences from available evidence
• Gathering evidence from a variety of sources
• Documenting evidence from sources
• Critically evaluate completeness of evidence
• Constructing historical claims / hypotheses
• Representing values, cultures, literal and
  symbolic meanings
• Dealing with multiple, conflicting, partial
  interpretations
• Communicate understanding of history using
  conventional forms to report findings and
  conclusions

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• Linking the Information Search Process to the
  Victorian Essential Learning Standards

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Integrating Thinking Processes, Personal Learning
and ICT

• Interdisciplinary Learning
• The Interdisciplinary Learning strand
  identifies a range of knowledge, skills and
  behaviours which cross disciplinary boundaries
  and are essential to ensuring students are
  prepared as active learners and problem-solvers
  for success at school and beyond.
• Victorian Essential Learning Standards.

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Thinking Processes

• Identify existing knowledge and experience
• Explore ideas and perspectives and collect
  information from a range of sources to build
  background knowledge
• Question validity of sources
• Generate, predict and test ideas / claims
• Establish points of view
• Research to develop reasoned arguments with
  supportive evidence
• Generate imaginative solutions
• Document changes in ideas

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Personal Learning

• Develop an understanding of preferred learning
  styles
• Develop an understanding of strategies that
  enhance personal learning
• Identify learning strengths and weaknesses
• Gain and offer feedback on developing content
• Set and monitor learning improvement goals
• Understand how different perspectives and
  attitudes shape learning
• Develop positive learning habits
• Understand ethical frameworks
• Respond to criteria based evaluation

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Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

• Access, process, manage and present information
• Model and control events
• Construct new understandings
• Communicate with others
• Monitor learning patterns
• Process data to create solutions and information
  products that demonstrate understanding
• Share work with others in ethical, legal and
  respectful ways

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Pedagogy of Critical Thinking. The process of
Critical Thinking.

• Observations.
• From a series of observations, we can come to
  establish
• Facts.
• From a series of facts, or from an absence of
  fact, we make
• Inferences.
• Testing the validity of our inferences, we can
  make
• Assumptions.
• From our assumptions, we form our
• Opinions.
• Taking our opinions, we use the principles of
  logic to develop
• Arguments.
• And when we want to challenge the arguments of
  others, we employ
• Critical Analysis
• (through which we challenge the observations,
  facts, inferences, assumptions, and opinions in
  the arguments that we are analyzing).
• Argument Analysis

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Guided Inquiry principles, instructional design
and strategies

• Design Principles for Instructional Interventions
  
• Interventions are initiated though compelling
  situations and questions
• Instruction puts emphasis on meaningful,
  authentic activities focus on identifying and
  solving intellectual and/or real-world problems
• Learning activities resemble ways that students
  will create and use knowledge and skills in the
  real world
• Students are more motivated to engage in their
  inquiry when they are able to exercise some
  choice over questions and how to present their
  new understandings

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• Inquiry learning is responsive to students
  personal, social and cultural worlds, valuing
  differences and cultivating an inclusive
  community.

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• Bibliography
• Bendigo Senior Secondary College (2005)
  Researching together Engaging minds, Carlton,
  School Library Association of Victoria, BSSC
• Boyko, Denise, Davey, Sandy Macdonald, Joanne
  (2004) Teacher Librarian Program P-6. Carlton,
  School Library Association of Victoria
• Burgess, Lesley. Melissas, Shirley (2003)
  Making a difference. Carlton, School Library
  Association of Victoria
• Kuhlthau,Carol (2006) Information literacy
  through guided inquiry Preparing students for
  the 21st century. Lisbon, Portugal, IASL
• Manning, Mary (2006) Expert learning Its
  essential or Teacher-Librarians write new
  curriculum at http//www.slav.schools.net.au
• Mary Manning,(2007) Inquiring minds! Approaches
  to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards.
  Conference introduction.
• Todd, Ross J. Gordon, Carol (2007) A guided
  inquiry approach for learning in the school
  library Transforming information into deep
  knowledge and deep understanding. Rutgers, New
  Jersey, CISSL.
• Todd, Ross J. (2006) School libraries and the
  VELS Great minds at work in Synergy, 4 (2) pp
  5-6.
• Todd, Ross J. (2006) School libraries and the
  VELS Great minds at work at http//www.slav.schoo
  ls.net.au