Inquiry: The Heart of the Learning Commons Meeting the needs of 21 st Century Learners Carol Koechlin SSLA October 25, 2010

Focus Questions How does the 21 st century school library program support inquiry learning? How do we:  meet the needs of learners today?  help learners become ‘smart’ users of information and ideas?  encourage positive mindsets about learning to learn?  teach for deep learning about content and process?  design our programs to build success for all students? Carol Koechlin 20102

Our Inquiry Wiki Our Inquiry Wiki Carol Koechlin 20103

Saskatchewan Curriculum Carol Koechlin 20104

Saskatchewan Curriculum Carol Koechlin 20105

How is the Inquiry Process like: a ladder a set of keys a butterfly a cheese a cake a river a spider web a diary other Carol Koechlin 20106

Saskatchewan Curriculum Students who are engaged in inquiry: construct knowledge and deep understanding rather than passively receiving it are directly involved and engaged in the discovery of new knowledge encounter alternative perspectives and differing ideas that transform prior knowledge and experience into deep understandings transfer new knowledge and skills to new circumstances (Adapted from Kuhlthau & Todd, 2008, p. 1) Carol Koechlin 20107

Establishing a Community of Learners Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21 st Century by C.Kahlthau, L. Maniotes & A. Caspari “Inquiry learning is a social process in which students learn from each other in a community of learners.” Carol Kuhlthau Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century Carol Koechlin 20108

Collaboration Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21 st Century by C.Kahlthau, L. Maniotes & A. Caspari Factors that Inhibit Success Lack of time Confusion about roles Poorly designed assignments Factors that Enable Success Constructivist view of learning Team approach to teaching Competence in designing process assignments Commitment to developing information literacy Carol Koechlin 20109

Teaching Partnerships The Key to Successful Inquiry The We We Solution When teachers within a school collaborate, they begin to think not just about “my classroom’ but also about “our school.” Six Secrets of Change Michael Fullan (2008) Think about a good collaborative experience you have had with a classroom teacher. Now think about why it worked so well. Share a strategy for building collaborative capacity in a school and teaching partnerships with the library. Carol Koechlin

Shifts to Watch 11Carol Koechlin 2010

21 st Century Skills: Resources to Consult Carol Koechlin

It’s a Package Deal! Process Drives Understanding Carol Koechlin

Carol Koechlin

Time for 180° Thinking InfoSmarts Koechlin & Zwaan 2010 Consider what we know about learners today. How can we better address the needs of learners during inquiry? 15 Carol Koechlin 2010

Teach THINK! Teach THINK! Teach Learning to Learn Teacher-librarians cannot continue to be accomplices to mediocrity. Alison Zmuda Carol Koechlin

You Have the POWER! The power of the library media specialist (TEACHER LIBRARIAN) to contribute to the school has never been more vital, more feasible or more exciting than it is today. Zmuda &Harada Librarians as Learning Specialist 2008 Carol Koechlin

Break Time 18Carol Koechlin 2010

What do we mean by Info Smarts? Carol Koechlin

Info Smarts - Learning to Learn Carol Koechlin

Learning is a Process Equation Effort +Strategies = Successful Learning Carol Koechlin

effortpositive mindsets How do we encourage effort and positive mindsets about learning to learn? Carol Koechlin

Reinforcing Effort Reinforcing Effort Marzano, Pickering and Pollock2001 Studies have demonstrated that some students are not aware of the fact that the effort they put into a task has a direct effect on their success relative to the task. ‘the effort belief’ Carol Koechlin

Mindset: the new psychology of success Mindset: the new psychology of success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. Fixed Mindset Leads to a desire to look smart and therefore a tendency to – Avoid challenges – Get defensive and give up early – See effort as fruitless or worse – Ignore useful negative feedback – Feel threatened by the success of others As a result they may plateau early and achieve less than their full potential. Carol Koechlin

Mindset: the new psychology of success Mindset: the new psychology of success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. Growth Mindset Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to – Embrace challenges – Persist in the face of setbacks – Use effort as a path to mastery – Learn from criticism – Find lessons and inspiration in the success of others As a result they reach ever higher levels of achievement. Carol Koechlin

Building Info Smarts Ways of Learning Exploring to Learn Reading to Research Information to Learning Learning together Learning for Life STRATEGIES STRATEGIES Carol Koechlin

Reading on the Internet No other tool will help the Internet reader as much as the right question, asked at the right time and in the right way. Intelligent readers of the Internet begin by asking questions even before they log on, and they continue to ask questions during their search. By asking questions repeatedly and deliberately, students become thoughtful readers, developing "habits of mind" that they can then generalize to other situations or tasks – (Costa & Kallick, 2000). – Carol Koechlin

Creating Questions for Inquiry Saskatchewan Curriculum Inquiry focuses on the development of questions to initiate and guide the learning process. These questions are formulated by teachers and students to motivate inquiries into topics, problems, and issues related to curriculum content and outcomes. Carol Koechlin

Carol Koechlin How to empower students to ask questions and care about answers To prepare students to fully participate and thrive in this new ‘knowledge age’, we must equip them with questioning know-how. Intuitive questioning techniques are becoming essential learning tools. Building a Culture of Inquiry in the School Library May 14, 2008

Carol Koechlin 2010 How can I better organize my school and personal space resources? 30

How does your personal learning network work? Think about how you are informed: – Who do you read, watch, listen to, consult ? – Where, when and how do you gather information and for what purpose? Think about your information tools Consider how you process information and who you share with. Now create a visual to represent your personal learning network. Carol Koechlin

David Warlick’s Personal Learning Network Carol Koechlin

Sonja’s Learning Network Carol Koechlin

Organize your virtual PLN Carol Koechlin

Getting Assignments to Students 24/7/365  Link assignments from your School Library Homepage  Set up a blog - calendar, RSS feed  Create a wiki -collaborative work space  Use Google Docs and Spreadsheets and Office Live Workspace  Cloud Computing  Advantages Often free Projects stored on a remote server Usually more reliable than local networks Available from any computer 24/7/365 Meet with students in their world In Command! by R. Williams and D. Loertscher Carol Koechlin

Knowledge Building Center Google Site / Google Apps for Education; Kohive; Moodle; etc. 36Carol Koechlin 2010

Bullying Example 37Carol Koechlin 2010

Info Smart Learners:  Ask effective questions  Think critically and creatively  Process and manage information  Use technologies effectively  Work co-operatively and collaboratively  Empathize with others  Solve problems  Make informed decisions  Apply knowledge to new situations  Take initiative  Create and innovate  Self assess and set goals  and lots more……  They are ready to Learn for Life Carol Koechlin

An Important Canadian Study What did you do in school today? Carol Koechlin

Principles of effective teaching practice Principles of effective teaching practice by Sharon Friesen Effective teaching practice begins with the thoughtful and intentional design of learning that engages students intellectually and academically. The work that students are asked to undertake is worthy of their time and attention, is personally relevant, and deeply connected to the world in which they live. Carol Koechlin

Helpful Strategies in the Literature Understanding by Design Differentiation Learning Styles Multiple Intelligences 21 st Century Skills 41Carol Koechlin 2010

Traditional Assignment Process Choose a topic or a topic is assigned Do research Create a product Share Get a grade The end! The end! Carol Koechlin

Ban those Bird Units What are bird units? ‘all about’ projects fill-in-the-blanks worksheets term ‘report’ textbook ‘research’ cut, paste and plagiarism assessing product only only bells and whistles “no thinking required” Carol Koechlin

Carol Koechlin 2010 Design Frames for High Think Inquiry and Knowledge Building 44

LUNCH Carol Koechlin

Curriculum 21:Essential education for a changing world “Rather than being victimized by our program structures, we should be creating new types of learning environments for a new time and for various types of teaching and learning. Not to do so is a declaration not to learn.”, Page 79 46Carol Koechlin 2010

A Vision for the 21 st Century Carol Koechlin

SSLA Inquiry Why do we need change? What is a Learning Commons? How can the Learning Commons approach enable successful inquiry learning? Carol Koechlin

Carol Koechlin 2010 Background to Question Model 49 Page 3

What are the major elements of a Learning Commons? View the Calgary school video.Calgary school video Examine the chart from Building a Learning Commons Brainstorm key elements of a learning commons at your table NOW - What questions do you have about a Learning Commons? media/LearningCommons/ElemL C.wmv media/LearningCommons/ElemL C.wmv Carol Koechlin

Question Builder Chart Question Builder Chart Koechlin and Zwaan Q Tasks Pembroke 2006 isdidcanwouldwillmight Who What When Where How Why Which Carol Koechlin

Carol Koechlin 2010 Technology & Learning 52 Problem: What is the role of technology in the Learning Commons

Carol Koechlin 2010 Read, View, Listen Model Page 37 53

Making Connections to the Article Decide quickly at your table who is reading each section Record ideas from the article and your ideas on sticky notes Share and compare sticky notes and look for BIG IDEAS about technology in the Learning Commons – Post your Big Ideas on our wall. 54Carol Koechlin 2010

Problems/Possibilities JigSaw Puzzle Model Carol Koechlin

“ “It simply isn’t the 20th Century any more is it? So why would we teach as though it was?” Steven Heppell Carol Koechlin 2010

57Carol Koechlin 2010

58Carol Koechlin 2010

59Carol Koechlin 2010

What should replace these images? Think and Share at your tables. 60Carol Koechlin 2010

61

Carol Koechlin

Carol Koechlin

Portable Computer Lab Carol Koechlin

What will it Cost? Carol Koechlin

Carol Koechlin

Learning to Learn “Learning is the work……whatever is taught must be steeped in learning through reflective action.” (Fullan, 2008) Carol Koechlin

Big Think about Content and Process: Big Think about Content and Process: What We Know; How We Learn It Carol Koechlin

BIG THINK about unit content  So What?  What are the important ideas we explored?  What does this tell us about the topic?  What does this mean?  What new understandings emerge?  What Next?  What new questions do I/we have?  What else do we want to explore?  How can we use what we know to do better next time?  What action can I/we take?  How can I/we make use of this new knowledge in the real world? Carol Koechlin

BIG THINK about unit process What strategies did we use to learn? How did these strategies work for us? Which worked well or didn’t work well and for whom? So What? Could we have learned more in the time we had? Are we all getting better as learners? What Next? How can we use our findings to improve as learners? Carol Koechlin

Triple Your Investment Students – Consider content – Reflect on process Teaching Partners – Reflect on learning – Improve teaching School Improvement Carol Koechlin

Wrap up Inquiry with a BIG THINK Wrap up Inquiry with a BIG THINK 9 metacognative strategies that make the end just the beginning of learning – Active discussion – Construct Visuals – Thoughtful Writing – Higher Order Thinking – Create New questions – Interact with an Expert – Re-Create – New Problem or Challenge – Sandbox Carol Koechlin

SSLA BIG THINK –Google form So what? Discuss your learning paths during today’s session. Consider the many ways we gained information and ideas and built understanding. Which of these strategies would work well in your school and what wouldn’t at this time. Now identify and list the major ideas about Inquiry Learning we have experienced today. Carol Koechlin

What next? Develop a short term goal for advancing Inquiry Learning through school library programs and suggest implementation actions and strategies. Develop a long term goal for sustaining Inquiry Learning at the centre of school library program and suggest implementation actions and strategies. Carol Koechlin

The end is just the beginning of learning! Carol Carol Koechlin