School Libraries: Leading Learning School Library Association ‘ Isn’t it all on the Web anyway?’ Teaching information skills to the Google generation Chris Powis University of Northampton June 2008

‘ Isn’t it all on the Web anyway?’ Teaching information skills to the Google generation

Chris Powis

University of Northampton

June 2008

The Changing Student Body ‘ Intellectually lazy’ or just strategic learners? ‘ horizontal’ searching behaviours Digitally savvy? High expectations of IT Want to interact not accept passively Value for money Perception of libraries Anti-intermediary, anti-expert

‘ Intellectually lazy’ or just strategic learners?

‘ horizontal’ searching behaviours

Digitally savvy?

High expectations of IT

Want to interact not accept passively

Value for money

Perception of libraries

Anti-intermediary, anti-expert

Shouting into the wind …. Power of the reading list Major influences on student choice are teachers and friends - not us Importance layout/length in choice Most have good search skills - evaluation is what they need No use of traditional ‘library’ tools Backed by CIBER Report – Information behaviour of the researcher of the future. CIBER, 2008 But there is hope …

Power of the reading list

Major influences on student choice are teachers and friends - not us

Importance layout/length in choice

Most have good search skills - evaluation is what they need

No use of traditional ‘library’ tools

Backed by CIBER Report – Information behaviour of the researcher of the future. CIBER, 2008

But there is hope …

Expectations Almost certainly low? Passive Boring Spoon fed

Almost certainly low?

Passive

Boring

Spoon fed

The Librarian as teacher Identity Visibility Collaboration

Identity

Visibility

Collaboration

Identity Do we believe that we are teachers Are we trained as teachers? How are we involved in the learning process? How ‘professional’ are we about this role?

Do we believe that we are teachers

Are we trained as teachers?

How are we involved in the learning process?

How ‘professional’ are we about this role?

Visibility Status Power Expertise Reputation Control (esp. timing and location) Gender/age/race

Status

Power

Expertise

Reputation

Control (esp. timing and location)

Gender/age/race

Collaboration Develop a teaching team approach Collaborate Engage Reflect

Develop a teaching team approach

Collaborate

Engage

Reflect

Start with the learner Audit their needs and expectations Ask them Discuss with stakeholders Academics Techies (IT and/or media) Triangulate

Audit their needs and expectations

Ask them

Discuss with stakeholders

Academics

Techies (IT and/or media)

Triangulate

Planning Be aware of your own style Be inclusive (gender, culture, add. Needs) Variation is the key

Be aware of your own style

Be inclusive (gender, culture, add. Needs)

Variation is the key

Once you’ve got them … Conversation Innovation Variety Active Challenging

Conversation

Innovation

Variety

Active

Challenging

Once you’ve got them …. Provide a rationale Build on early success Give feedback/assess Use the group Manage crises

Provide a rationale

Build on early success

Give feedback/assess

Use the group

Manage crises

Once you’ve got them … Relevant and interesting To the subject but also the student “ librarians love to search, everybody else likes to find” (Eric Lease Morgan, Notre Dame Univ.) Performance Whether you like it or not Spontaneity or planned Be careful of novelty value – entertainment entertains which isn’t necessarily the same as learning

Relevant and interesting

To the subject but also the student

“ librarians love to search, everybody else likes to find” (Eric Lease Morgan, Notre Dame Univ.)

Performance

Whether you like it or not

Spontaneity or planned

Be careful of novelty value – entertainment entertains which isn’t necessarily the same as learning

Professional identity? We are teachers! We are not only teachers! Integrate scholarship Develop yourself Engage in the debate Reflect

We are teachers!

We are not only teachers!

Integrate scholarship

Develop yourself

Engage in the debate

Reflect

Contacts [email_address] 01604 892229

[email_address]

01604 892229