Information Literacy through Guided Inquiry: Preparing Students for the 21 st Century Carol Collier Kuhlthau Rutgers University Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL) IASL 2006 Lisbon, PortugalI

Role of School Libraries  School Libraries play an essential role in  preparing students for living and working  in the 21 st century.  Are we ready?

Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL)  “School Libraries spark learning in information age schools.”  Research on the impact of school libraries on student learning.

Information Literacy  Information literacy is the ability to   access, evaluate and use information.

Inquiry Learning Raises standard of research assignments to higher level by:  Drawing on life experiences  Learning from a wide range of sources  Forming deep understanding  Gaining sense of accomplishment  Developing competence and expertise

Model of the 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 doubt confidence Thoughtsvague →focused (cognitive) → increased interest Actions seeking relevant information →seeking pertinent information (physical) exploring documenting

Positive Feelings Project stages 321 M ea n CONFIDENT RELIEVED OPTIMISTIC SATISFIED

Negative Feelings Project stages 321 Me an DISAPPOINTMENT FRUSTRATION CONFUSED UNCERTAIN ANXIOUS

Guided Inquiry  Uncertainty is the beginning of learning.  “The mind doesn’t take everything and put it into order automatically…Understanding that is the biggest help.”

Zone of Intervention That area in which a student can do with advice and assistance what he or she cannot do alone or can do only with great difficulty.

Model of the 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

Transforming Schools  The information age calls for transforming schools to meet new challenges.  New Model:  Collaborative learning environment led by instructional team  Learning from a variety of sources  Inquiry process for deep understanding

Guided Inquiry  Guided Inquiry is planned, supervised and targeted intervention.  Guided Inquiry is a dynamic way of developing information literacy and enhancing the curriculum through the school library.

School Librarians meeting the challenge of 21 st Century Schools  Fully functioning school libraries with  qualified school librarians have an  essential role in meeting the challenge of  developing human talent in countries  around the world for the technological  global society.

References  Donham, Jean, Kay Bishop, Carol Collier Kuhlthau and Dianne Oberg Inquiry Based Learning: Lessons from Library Power, Linworth  Harada, Violet and Joan Yoshina Inquiry Learning through Librarian-Teacher Partnerships Linworth,  Kuhlthau, Carol Collier Seeking Meaning Libraries Unlimited,  Kuhlthau, Carol, Leslie Maniotes, Ann Caspari Guided Inquiry, Libraries Unlimited, forthcoming.  Todd, Ross and Carol Kuhlthau Guided Inquiry see CISSL website: