The concept for this book came about as a result of a number of dedicated, enthusiastic teachers wanting to do more for their students – to have their students wanting to come to school, to
enjoy school, to want to learn and to want to continue to
learn after leaving school.
They felt that by trying what for some was a different approach; they might have more chance of reaching their students. The different approach seemed to lie in the way tasks were designed for the students – tasks designed as problems so as to provide opportunities for the development of original ideas, rather than just “reading and regurgitating” the work of others.
The concept of presenting tasks as problems is not new – many teachers have been using this model for many years, and in fact, some subject areas like Maths, Science and Technology are based on a problem-solving approach. Increasingly, Universities also are structuring courses for their students on a problem-centred basis.
In the context of this book, the term “problem” has been used rather loosely, but is intended to include the concept of a task or unit of work that is presented as a question, scenario or situation that extends beyond the fact-finding stage and has no single “right” answer. Once information relating to the topic has been gathered, the “problem” enables the student to synthesise the new information with existing prior knowledge to develop new ideas or responses to the given task.
What is problem-based learning?
Problem based learning is a curriculum design and a teaching/learning strategy. It simultaneously develops higher order thinking and disciplinary knowledge bases and skills. PBL places students in the active role of problem-solvers and confronts students with a situation that reflects the real world.
The move towards Problem-based Learning (PBL) in the curriculum has the potential to fulfil a number of educational objectives. One of the prime goals of PBL is to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students. In PBL the responsibility for learning rests with the learner, rather than the teacher. PBL also allows for the integration of many concepts, which ultimately increases the relevance of what is being learned, and subsequently results in greater motivation and engagement of students.
Learning through the PBL method encourages cooperation and the development of group work. These skills have been identified as important for teamwork after graduation. Increasingly, employers too, are seeking employees with skills in problem solving and critical thinking. The main advantage of PBL is that it aims to encourage high-level cognitive processes in all students, offering a wide variety of experiences, allowing students to make choices, promoting self-management and self-evaluation.
PBL represents a philosophy towards learning rather than a specific method of teaching. Application of the PBL approach allows the focus to shift from teacher-centred activity to student-centred learning. The aim is to promote an inquiry based approach that requires students to develop and refine their problem solving skills.
In recent years, The Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century (1999) has given prominence to problem-based approaches to learning.
Subsequently, respective State education authorities in Australia, as well as many international education bodies have encouraged this concept through an emphasis on critical thinking, problem solving and lifelong learning in current syllabus documents.
In particular, Education Queensland has developed, and is currently trialing in selected schools, the Productive Pedagogies (2002) theoretical framework that enables teachers to reflect critically on their teaching practices. Considerable emphasis in this framework is placed on students using higher-order thinking operations within a problem-based curriculum.
This book brings together the work of many prominent education specialists, both here in Australia and overseas, whose work is supportive of the problem-based approach to learning and teaching.
It is exciting that so many prominent information literacy specialists have contributed articles or chapters to this book, and we would like to thank them and acknowledge the effort they have made in providing such valuable underpinnings to this work. We would especially like to thank those authors who have written specifically for this work. Their support and the contribution they have made are invaluable.
References
The Adelaide Declaration (1999) on National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century. http://www.curriculum.edu.au/mceetya/adeldec.htm.
Accessed 11.04.02
Productive Pedagogies.
http://education.qld.gov.au/public_media/reports/curriculum-framework/productive-pedagogies/. Accessed 11.04.02
About the book and the authors:
Chapter 1: Snapshots of Information Literacy
Three articles have been selected for inclusion in this chapter to provide a range of perspectives on information literacy:
1) Problem-based Learning:
Develop Information Literacy through Real Problems.
Problem-based learning (PBL) can be a context for evaluating information and articulating ideas through argumentation. It supports critical thinking, teaching for understanding and development of student information literacy skills. The authors examine critical components of PBL in developing information literacy skills, the roles of the library media specialists, and factors facilitating and impeding the use of problem-based learning in middle schools.
Eileen E. Schroeder and E. Anne Zarinnia
Eileen E. Schroeder and E. Anne Zarinnia are Associate Professors in Educational Foundations at the University
of Wisconsin-Whitewater and teach in the school library
media program.
This paper was presented at Treasure Mountain 9, a teacher-librarian think tank research retreat, which was held just before the AASL Conference, “Indianapolis and Beyond”, Indianapolis, November 2001.
2) Students as Critical Thinkers:
How to deal with the Info Glut.
This article offers strategies for teachers to address the issue of assisting students to manage information effectively and efficiently for the society in which they live, and to develop skills for lifelong learning. Knowledge and understanding of the process they are using will assist students to comprehend their own learning, and enable them to apply that same process to any problem-solving situation, i.e., a tool for lifelong learning.
Jenny Ryan and Steph Capra
Steph and Jenny are co-authors, editors and publishers of this book Problems are the Solution: Keys to Lifelong Learning, and are the authors of the ILPO (Information Literacy Planning Overview) materials, which recently won international acclaim. This book is an extension of the workshops and professional development activities they conduct with teachers in Australia and overseas.
3) Giant Leaps, Small Steps
The process devised at The Kings School, Parramatta, to facilitate the development of motivating developmentally appropriate student assignments is outlined in this article. Collaboration between the Head of Department or the classroom teacher and the teacher-librarian led to the evolution of a curriculum-focused, student-centred Intranet with an easily navigable interface where all assignments are published.
Megan Perry and Debbie Leatheam
Megan Perry has been the Head of Information Services at The King's School in Sydney since 1999, where she continues to be heavily involved in the debate about the integration of technology within an appropriate curriculum structure.
Megan's interests include online learning, the future of school libraries and the evolving literacy debate.
Debbie Leatheam has been a teacher Librarian at The King's School Senior Library since January 2000. Debbie has an interest in online learning and the development of ICT literate students, particularly through the development of appropriate curriculum related online activities.
Chapter 2: Developing a learning culture
This article is an excerpt from the book, Ideas of a New Millennium by Dr Peter Ellyard (pp 77-84) published by Melbourne University Press, 1998, 2001, in which Peter describes the ingredients of a learning culture. Such a learning culture is necessary for the creation of a knowledge-based industrial structure in the 21st century and for the development of life long learning, learner driven learning individuals
in Australia. The scenario outlined by Peter in this
chapter describes some elements of the Education System of the Year 2010.
In Ideas for a new millennium, Peter describes a new emerging culture that he calls 'Planetism'. It has implications for leadership and management, for education and learning, for health and wellbeing, for industrial development, for food production and agriculture, for environmental management and for intercultural relations and understanding.
In urging the creation of an ecologically, economically, socially and culturally sustainable Planetist society in the 21st century, Peter offers a challenging vision for our own future and that of generations to come.
Peter Ellyard
Dr Peter Ellyard is a futurist and strategist who lives in Melbourne. A graduate of the University of Sydney and Cornell University, he is currently Executive Director of Preferred Futures Pty Ltd, and Chairman of the Universal Greening Group of companies and of the MyFutureFoundation. A former Executive Director of the Australian Commission for the Future, he held CEO positions in a number of public sector organisations over 15 years.
He is Adjunct Professor of Intergenerational Strategies at the University of Queensland, and a Fellow of the Australian College of Education, the Environment Institute of Australia, and the Australian Institute of Management. He has been a senior advisor to the United Nations for over twenty years.
Chapter 3: The Affective Dimension of Information Literacy
In order for students to have rewarding experiences through the information literacy process, teachers and teacher-librarians need to provide instructional guidance that is affective as well cognitive in focus. Dianne emphasises the necessity for us
to understand how learners experience the information
literacy process and how learning through investigation can
be facilitated.
Dianne Oberg
Dianne Oberg is a Professor in teacher-librarianship in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta in Canada. Before coming to the University, Dianne worked as a classroom teacher and teacher-librarian in the public school system. Her research focuses on teacher-librarianship education and on the implementation and evaluation of school library programs.
Dianne’s recent research includes an international study, with colleagues James Henri and Lyn Hay from Charles Sturt University, on the role of principals in developing information literate school communities.
She is also working on a Canadian study of the use of Internet in schools with a University of Alberta colleague, Dr. Susan Gibson. Dianne is the editor of an international journal, School Libraries Worldwide, and an active member of school library associations at local, national, and international levels. She is currently Chair of the Department of Elementary Education at the University of Alberta. She previously held a joint appointment with that Department and the School of Library and Information Studies
Chapter 4: Can we prevent copying? Transforming scribes into thinkers
What students learn when they gather and use information might not be what they are expected to learn. Joy argues that the outcomes expected by teachers and teacher-librarians
when research papers and projects are assigned, are
often not achieved, and that, for various reasons, students frequently plagiarise.
Joy McGregor
Joy McGregor, associate professor in Library and Information Studies at Texas Woman’s University, teaches primarily in the area of school libraries. She came to the US from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where she had been a teacher and teacher-librarian. She moved to Texas after receiving her Ph.D. from Florida State University. Her research deals primarily with students’ information use and effective tools for promoting information literacy.
Chapter 5: Critical literacy: a building block towards the information literate school community
In a global society endeavouring to make sense of the information surrounding us, critical literacy has proved to be a difficult concept. If we are serious about the new teaching and learning paradigm that is emerging, then critical literacy must lie in a learning culture that is informed by a conceptual understanding of information literacy.
This article supports the thesis that critical literacy, as a subset of information literacy, relies on the development of critical and creative thinking within the information process: the scaffold for continuous learning. Linda argues that the building blocks of analysis, synthesis and evaluation are the building blocks that develop critical literacy, and that critical literacy is a foundation to a sound education.
Linda Langford
Linda Langford [BEd, GCert (Gifted & Talented), MAppSci (Teacher Librarianship)] has strongly advocated, throughout her teaching career, the notion of independent and interdependent learning.
As past editor of the national journal for the Australian School Library Association, she has endeavoured to highlight issues that centre on effective teaching and learning, and the professional development of school information services staff.
As a teacher, she has focussed on the needs of students of high intellectual potential as well as supporting initiatives in the workplace for knowledge creation and sharing. Linda is currently a PhD candidate studying knowledge systems in schools, and in particular, the dynamics of knowledge creation, sharing and use amongst teaching faculty.
Chapter 6: E-Literacies and Cybraries
This chapter is based on a previously published article: Archive fever: Libraries and cybraries in New Times. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 44(5) by Dr Cushla Kapitzke.
Cushla Kapitzke presents a thought-provoking article, identifying the challenges emanating from the current transformation of traditional libraries to “cybraries”. Libraries, she argues, are affected not only by technological change, but also by social and cultural change.
Given these social and political influences, there is an imperative to embrace critical information literacy that exposes students to a range of theoretical, ideological and political perspectives on current curriculum issues.
Cushla Kapitzke
Dr Cushla Kapitzke BA, MEd, Cert TchLib (BCAE), PhD (JCU)
Cushla Kapitzke has worked as a secondary teacher and teacher librarian, and is currently a lecturer in the Middle Years of Schooling program at the School of Education, The University of Queensland. Having held two Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, she has a strong research and consultancy background. Her current research interests include new technologies and multiliteracies, and the sociology of information as it relates to digital libraries and cybraries.
Key publications include a book, Literacy and Religion (John Benjamins, 1995), and articles in international journals such as Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, Educational Technology and Society, and Education and Information Technologies.
Chapter 7: Facilitating problem-based learning
In his book: Problem-based learning: how to gain the most from PBL, this chapter is entitled “On being a coach/facilitator”. Here, Don focuses on the need for a change in attitude or a mind-shift on the part of the teacher or tutor when facilitating problem-based learning. He argues that to bring out the best in the group requires a change in role from that of lecturer or instructor to that of coach or facilitator. This then results in the need for an increased level in the development of facilitation skills on the part of the teacher.
Although writing as a lecturer of university students, the relevance of his ideas to any teacher implementing Problem-based Learning is apparent.
Donald R Woods
Dr Donald Woods is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at McMaster University, Canada.
His research interests include problem-based learning, assessment, improving student learning, developing skills in problem solving, group and team work, self-assessment, change management and life-long learning.
Dr Woods has conducted over 300 workshops on effective teaching and process skill development both in North America and abroad. He has over 400 publications including the book "Problem-Based Learning: How to gain the most from PBL." Waterdown, Ont.,: D.R. Woods, 1994.
Chapter 8: Questioning Toolkit
Questions allow us to make sense of our world. They are the most powerful tools we have for making decisions and solving problems, for inventing, changing and improving our lives as well as the lives of others.
In this chapter, Jamie offers different types of questions for us
as teachers to use with our students, and explains how different questions accomplish different tasks, the features of each type
of question, and how to choose appropriate questions for the
task in hand.
Jamie McKenzie
Jamie McKenzie is the Editor of From Now On – The Educational Technology Journal, published since 1991 at http://fno.org, in which he has argued extensively for information literate schools.
Jamie has enjoyed more than 30 years working as a teacher, principal, superintendent and director of libraries, media and technology. He has now moved on to support information literacy and professional development for schools across North America.
He is internationally sought after as a speaker and authority on information literacy and has spoken extensively on the introduction of new information technologies to schools. Recently, he has paid particular attention to how information literacy may transform classrooms and schools to support student-centred, engaged learning.
Chapter 9: Assessing Learning: Points for consideration
Using a case study upon which to base his argument, James articulates the need for learning to be ‘tested’. The process of assessment provides the opportunity to verify that learning has occurred, and therefore assessment is a vital and integral part of learning and teaching.
James Henri
Dr James Henri is Deputy Director of the Centre for Information Technology in School and Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong. He is also currently Vice President of IASL (International Association of School Librarianship). From 1981-2001 James held various positions at CSU including Sub Dean in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture. In 1999 he gained the ASLA Citation for outstanding contribution to teacher librarianship in Australia.
He is currently Vice President of IASL (International Association of School Librarianship)
Recent publications by J. Henri include:
Hay L, Hanson K, and Henri J (2001) New millennium new horizons: information services in schools. Wagga Wagga: CSTL.
Hay L and Henri J. (2000) Enter the millennium: information services in schools. Wagga Wagga: CSTL.
Henri J and Bonanno K (1999) The information literate school community: best practice. Wagga Wagga: CIS.
Hay L and Henri J (1999) The net effect: school library media centres & the Internet. Lanham: Scarecrow Press
Chapter 10: Problem-based tasks
These examples, shared by a number of teachers in a variety of school situations, have been included to provide a starting point for colleagues, to trigger ideas enabling the development of tasks that will motivate and engage each new group of students.
Tasks or units of work designed to provide the opportunity
for students to engage in higher order-thinking skills, to
problem solve, to create original thoughts and ideas are
offered in this chapter under the groupings of Lower, Middle and Upper School.
