CC BY
74
УДК 378.016
Gioko Anthony
DM Candidate
Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa
LESSON PLANNING AIMED AT GUIDED INQUIRY FOR CRITICAL THINKING
Гьоко Энтони
кандидат медицинских наук
Академия Ага Хана, Момбаса
ПЛАНИРОВАНИЕ УРОКОВ, НАПРАВЛЕННОЕ НА ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ КРИТИЧЕСКОГО МЫШЛЕНИЯ
Abstract. In a classroom, the teacher and students are a team that engages in teaching, learning and assessment (TLA) through the use of resources. The resources could involve print, audio visual material and time. The dynamic nature of the materials (currency, variety) and access demand on the teacher's planning time as well as the quality of work. The planning of the lesson to explore these resources in supporting TLA would impact on guided inquiry for critical thinking. The dual relationship between the teacher and the resources needs to be explored to identify an effective way of integrating them for enriched student's experiences. The sampling was done purposely on a teacher who was making an effort to integrate the resources to enhance inquiry and critical thinking. Focus was for that lesson and the student's support session that involved the use of the resources. Two classes with 13 and 16 students respectively were selected for the research. The selected classes were learning physics and digital technology. Three students who were being supervised by the respondent teacher for personal project and extended essay were also included in the sample. Data was collected through artifact analysis (lesson plan, library booking), observations (teacher-librarian interaction) and interviews.
The inclusion of resources in TLA was found to inform the planning structure. This structure eased pressure on the teacher and offered an enriched environment to the students. The structure explored the available resources and also exposed the teacher and the students to the potential of the resources as an essential component of TLA.
Key words: lesson planning; inquiry; critical thinking; competencies; equipment; resources.
© Gioko A., 2014
Аннотация. В пределах аудитории преподаватель и его студенты являются единой командой, участвующей в процессах преподавания, обучения и оценки (ПОО) с использованием различных ресурсов. Эти ресурсы могут включать в себя печатные материалы, аудиовизуальные пособия и учебные планы, динамический характер которых, равно как и возможность согласованного планирования занятий, обеспечивают высокое качество работы. Планирование занятия, во время которого происходит тщательный анализ имеющихся ресурсов, влияет на решение поставленной задачи по исследованию критического мышления. Была поставлена задача исследовать систему использования ресурсов с целью выявления эффективного способа их интеграции.
Проведено специальное исследование с участием преподавателя, который занимался осуществлением интеграции ресурсов с целью развития понимания и критического мышления учащихся. Внимание было сосредоточено на технической поддержке учащихся, что подразумевало использование ими заранее спланированных ресурсов. Для исследования были отобраны две группы из 13 и 16 учащихся соответственно, проводилась серия уроков по физике и цифровым технологиям. Под наблюдение были также взяты трое студентов, занимающиеся персональными проектами и эссе под руководством педагога. Собраны данные на основе имеющихся материалов (план занятия, абонемент из библиотеки), наблюдений (преподаватель - работник библиотеки) и опросов.
В планировании работы педагога выявлен анализ ресурсов в ПОО, благодаря которому снимается методическая нагрузка на учителя и студентам предлагается широкий спектр развивающих возможностей. Таким образом, все исследованные доступные ресурсы, наряду с человеческими, являются важнейшими компонентами ПОО.
Ключевые слова: учебная программа; исследование; критическое мышление; компетенция; оборудование; ресурсы.
Introduction
The advent of the 21st century skills has been hyped as the requirement for teachers to address it in order for the students to succeed in future. This demand puts teachers in an awkward situation as teachers are stretched between teaching the 21st century skills and TLA of the syllabus in the back drop of the mean score syndrome. However some teachers have explored ways of addressing this issue in an innovative way. The innovation has involved the use of the resources in the school to enrich the learning environment that exist in the classroom. Within a classroom, the teacher and students as a team are engaged in the TLA through the use of resources. Furthermore the delivery of the lesson is highly influenced by the level of access and the utility of the resources; in this case the resources could involve books and non-book materials. The utility of the materials would be enhanced by the level of planning and integration in the TLA. Although the TLA is based on the knowledge of the material intended to be used, the dynamic nature of the material (currency), they type (variety)
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and the number of the materials (quantity, access and utility) would enable the demand on the teachers planning time as well as the quality of work. This requires the inclusion of an individual who is information based and has the skill on information literacy to play a key role in the identification and provision of the materials to the teacher. Librarian fit that description as key players in the effective lesson planning and delivery. However there is sometimes a dissonance on the planning as the teacher is not aware of the potential of the librarian and in some cases the librarian is not aware of the teacher's needs. The dual relationship between the teacher and the librarian needs to explore to identify the effective working relationship. This paper analyses how the teacher is involved with the librarian to explore during planning and delivery of the lesson. The paper explains how a teacher has involved a librarian in the classroom TLA. It identifies the structures used and the impact the approach has to TLA.
Rationale and Significance
Many schools equipped with resources are not utilizing them effectively. The demand of 21st century skills coupled with the heavily exam based teaching is putting teachers at crossroads. However if the two are taken together there are opportunities of reducing the burden on the teachers, utilizing resources effectively and providing an enriched learning environment. Therefore, the planning and teaching needs to be restructured to address the 21st century skills as well as the demands of the national examination. The availability of hotspots as areas where there are teachers innovatively addressing the 21st century skill teaching as an integral part of TLA provides a potential learning opportunity. The documentation of such practices could be shared with other teachers who have the resources but need the skills for enhancement.
Many educators are introducing libraries in schools; other players such as the British council and Muslim Education Welfare Association are launching school libraries. The Kenya's Vision 2030 is calling for teachers to prepare students for the future. Perspective influences practices although it might be claimed that teachers may be aware but beliefs could be hindering them from implementation. There is need to change the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of teachers to create a sustainable long-term change [4].
Effective utility of the library can only succeed if teachers stop working within a traditional vision of rote learning [5]. Teachers' understanding and commitment are particularly important to sustain changes in areas such as effective library use which require restructuring the teacher's instructional practice [5].
Therefore the information presented in this paper if shared widely in the target schools it may have an impact in shaping the school to utilize the libraries effectively.
Conceptual Framework
21st century calls for new skills, knowledge and ways of learning to prepare students with abilities and competencies to address the challenges of the uncertain world (Kuhlthau, 2010). Inquiry that is guided by instruction tend to enable students to gain extensive and profound understanding of a personal perspective through wide ways of sources of information called guided inquiry [9]. Guided inquiry equips
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students with abilities and competencies to meet the challenges of uncertain, changing world. According to Kuhlthau teachers cannot do this alone.
School librarians are vital people in creating schools that enable students to learn through vast resources and multiple communication channels [8]. School librarians are primary agent in schools for 21st century learning. Kuhlthau recommends the role of librarians to be in inquiry based learning. She classifies librarians as resource specialists with broad knowledge of extensive resources in the library. This expertise is required by the teacher if they are to meet the information literacy requirement of the 21st century. Kuhlthau guides that collaboration with teacher in a team can create the necessary climate for student to inquire, participate, create and learn in an information environment. School libraries are dynamic learning centers in information age schools [8]. Kuhlthau describes the school library as an essential source of lots of information literacy pertinent to curriculum and general reading. Therefore the libraries are more than information literacy. Information literacy is important though not adequate for the 21st century.
According to Siribodhi (2012) the students should be engaged to connect, create and collaborate which involves more than information literacy. Siribodhi guides that connect could include information literacy, digital literacy and communication skills, create to include analysis skills, problem solving skills and creativity while collaborate to include interpersonal skills, collaborative skills and team work.
According to American Association of School Librarians (2007) standards information literacy incorporates inquiry. The evolution of the role of school library is because of the evolution of changes in the change of education for information age.
The librarianship has evolved from emphasis on library skills on information skills (1980), to information literacy (1990) to inquiry as a way of learning in the first decade of the 21st century [9]. Hence Kuhlthau concludes that the school librarians are vital agents in creating schools that enable students to learn through vast resources and multiple communication channels.
Teachers feel pressured to meet curriculum standards and prepare students to personal skill test [8]. Teachers complain on lack of time to use inquiry based methods in teaching therefore they do it occasionally. This is however a misconception according to Kuhlthau who describes inquiry based learning as more than an occasional or optional research project. She concludes that guided inquiry meets the requirement of curriculum through engaging, motivating and challenging learning.
Teachers and librarians work together to guide students' thinking and learning through inquiry [6]. According to Donham, Bishop, Kuhlthau, and Oberg (2004) increased collaboration occur where the librarians found students learning and inquiring. Limberg and Alexandersson (2003) found that for most part students stopped at fact finding with few going on to analyze and synthesize their understanding. Furthermore Tood (2006) found that when teams of teachers and librarians guided students through stages on inquiry process, students went beyond merely fact finding to personal understanding.
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Through inquiry five kinds of learning namely information literacy, how to learn, curriculum content, literacy competence and social skills [9, p. 90] are addressed. According to ALA (1999) information literacy is the ability to locate, evaluate and use information. Inquiry sparks learning in the schools. It requires collaborative expertise of librarians and teachers [8]. The emergence of inquiry in a school library improves opportunities for students' learning [7].
The demands to embrace the 21st century skills while preparing the students for the national examination calls for the review of the status quo. Literature highlights the importance of involving the librarian and the potential of libraries. Hence the responses to the question «How does a teacher restructure planning to include the librarian in a Kenyan classroom» would provide insight on possible ways to adapt in our education systems.
Methodology
This research was explorative in nature and it was bound in reviewing a case based on several scenarios. Sampling was done by analyzing the library booking schedule and teachers were identified based on the frequency. The teachers' lesson plans for the scheduled lessons and the library requests were analyzed and the variations of the activities in the lesson plan were used to sample a teacher. The teacher was profiled and it was found that he was teaching physics and technology, supervising a personal project and extended essay. The teacher named Suleiman had two classes one of 13 students and the other of 16 students in physics and technology respectively. Suleiman was asked to narrate how he involved the librarian in the lessons planning and implementation. Suleiman's narrations were analyzed and some information selected. Suleiman was then asked on his perspective of involving the librarians. The key aspects of restructuring for librarian involvement were identified. The librarians, Hussein, Binti and Gaudencia were sent 10 questions (Appendix 2) through survey monkey in which they responded anonymously.
The data collected from the narrations and the questionnaires were analyzed to explore the perspectives of all the respondents and the approach used by Suleiman to respond to the following research question.
How does a teacher restructure planning to include the librarian in a Kenyan Classroom?
Subsidiary question
1. How does the teacher perceive the role of the library in TLA?
2. How does the teacher structure the planning and implementation to involve the library?
3. How do librarians perceive their involvement in supporting the teacher's request?
Findings and analysis
Suleiman's Perception on the role of the library
Suleiman sees the library as an organ in a school. According to Suleiman the library plays a critical role in supporting teaching and learning. Suleiman identifies the library as a place beyond just getting books but also a source of skills to users. The explanation given by Suleiman may be an indicator as to why the teacher was
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very passionate with the involvement of the librarian in his TLA. It could be concluded that the perspective of the teacher influences whether the teacher will involve the librarian or not [5]. If teachers are to be encouraged on involving the librarians, the first step to explore is their perspectives on the involvement. Based the finding interventions should be made to create awareness of the potential benefits of involving the librarians. Successful involvement of the librarians with teachers will depend on addressing the fundamental aspect of perspectives.
An analysis of Suleiman's Narrations on TLA planning and implementation Physics Class
Suleiman was teaching on mobile technology at diploma level. This is a topic which is very dynamic and the textbook he had was not up to date. To enrich the learning experience he wanted to bring in current information. Suleiman approached the librarians and explained his predicament. He had to give details for it was not easy as the librarians were not electronic specialist. However after discussions the librarians promised to «search» for the information. The librarians came up with a newspaper article which was around the topic required. They supplied the newspaper and an online link for the online version of the newspaper. The outcome was the task (appendix 1.) which was authentic as Suleiman says
Learning has to be connected to reality if we only teach for exams it makes no meaning to the students. However when the students see a deliberate linkage of what they are learning with what is happening around they find the worth of learning (Narration 1, 15, August 2012, p. 2).
Technology Class
In the technology class Suleiman was teaching about publishing information in the web. He focused his teaching on food and hunger. The students being in a technology lesson were used to sourcing for all information from the web. Suleiman approached the librarian and explained what he was teaching to them. The librarian seemed interested then Suleiman made unexpected requisition «may I have all books, journal and magazines on food and hunger displayed together so that my student can come in a double lesson and read» (Narration 2 14 August 2012 p.3). He was not sure if this request would be implemented but he was convinced that there was value in this approach. During the double lesson the students went to the library and found all the resources ready. For the entire library session the students were engaged jotting down different information from different sources. The outcome of this unit was enriched as the websites the students made were rich with information. Suleiman shared that even after the session the students got back to the library asking for specific resources for their unit. This shows that there was a good working relationship between Suleiman and the librarians. Suleiman could have taken the easier way of searching online, but he innovatively thought of involving a wide source of information.
Personal Project Supervision
Suleiman was supervising Kilna a grade 10 girl who was creating a website on pets. In their supervision meetings they used to discuss on how to explore resources about pets in Mombasa. Suleiman visited the librarian and explained what they were
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doing with Kilna and asked what help the librarian would offer. The librarian provided a whole year local newspapers to the Kilna. The access to the newspapers allowed Kilna to extract information about pets based on the local information. Suleiman structured his supervision to involve the librarian in supplying local appropriate information.
Extended Essay Supervision
Suleiman was supervising a student in physics who was exploring how to charge electronic devices wirelessly. This was not an easy task based on the fact that the information was new and there were very few publications on the topic. Suleiman and the student approached the librarian and explained the predicament. The research pair now became a triad with the librarian involved. According to Suleiman this approach solved his work two fold. The librarian was able to come up with latest web resources such as journals and other material which supplemented the research, secondly the librarian taught the students how to search for unique information online. The inquiry skills of the students were enhancing by the involvement of information literacy specialist.
Assessments
The interaction with the librarian compelled them to become part and parcel of Suleiman's planning. In the process the librarian looked up for tools to assist Suleiman in assessment. In the process they were able to provide websites for quiz making, online assessment for respective classes and rubric making website. These tools enriched Suleiman's lessons as he was able to assess on paper and pen as well as online. The librarians were available to support during the online testing.
Key elements of the structure
The four scenarios present a teacher who is exploring ways of making TLA better in his class. The scenarios have been extracted from the teacher's description of working with the librarians. The sections indicating restructuring were given prominence in the paper. Key elements on the Suleiman's work practice include openness, sharing out, reaching out, personal belief, collaborative and flexibility. Suleiman believed that he did not know everything and there was help out there. This may be a challenge for many teachers. First it is important to know what is required then identify the short falls. The identification of the requirement should be based on the demand of the task and not on what is available. This risk taking approach is what enabled Suleiman to reach out to the librarians. Suleiman believed in collaboration and he was flexible to fit in the demands of the collaborators to achieve the goals of his task. He followed up to find out what happened as well as where the students benefiting with the endeavor. These elements are not unique but they can be rare. Hence effective inclusion of the librarian will require nurturing these elements in a school where they are budding or creating awareness to the school where they do not exists. It is clear form Suleiman styles things have to be done differently and collaborative if the library in to be integrated in the planning and implementing of
TLA in a school. The interaction become reciprocal and the librarian offered more than they were requested such as the assessment tools
Librarians Perception on the role of the library
The librarian's perspectives were analyzed in terms of general perspectives on their impact to TLA and specific opinions during their involvement with Suleiman. In the general aspects the role of administrators in creating conducive learning environment is viewed differently by the librarians. 1/5 of the librarians found that the administrators were doing extremely well with a similar number observing the extreme end of doing fairly well. 60% of the librarians found the administrators were doing quite well. On motivation a majority of them found the classroom motivating with the remainder 1/5 observing that the lessons were not motivating at all. According to the librarians the responsibility of making the students understand laid squarely on the teachers followed by parents, librarian and students in the order of intensity. The librarians place prominence of enhancing learning to the teacher and parents before themselves. They saw the students as having minimal input on understanding what they have been taught. According to the librarians, magazines and journals were the least sought materials in the library. The librarian gave the reasons for the student's choice as not finding then materials useful, general and with questionable credibility. In a strange occurrence the internet was the first thing that the students went to work with. Books come in later or were not used at all. The librarian felt that there should be a mix a point which is usually insisted by Suleiman when he sends students to the library. The general aspect reveals mixed perspectives on the librarians. The use of a variety of resources is congruent to the 21st century demands [8]. However on the role of the administrators and motivation the librarians had different opinions. There is need to bring them together and find their understanding on what they think is motivation as well as learning environment [3]. With many players involved on impacting TLA it is important to have a collective understanding to enable effective intervention measures.
The Second part was looking at how the librarians perceived their role during the interaction with the teacher's request. The librarians considered their role as important because they thought they could impact the TLA by providing adequate and relevant resources. They noted that their role would only be enhanced
By knowing the subject content of a lesson, by ensuring that there are enough relevant resources in the library to support the lesson, by understanding a teachers method of teaching i.e. which resources he/she prefers to use during the lesson makes it easier to prepare the necessary media materials for the lesson in advance thus saving on time. (Questionnaire, 22 August 2012)
The librarians believed they could assist the students during and after the lesson. It is clear that the effectiveness of the librarians' role would be determined by the level of prior preparation. Hence during the planning of the lesson the teacher
must share the information of what would be required as resources and the media in which they would be required on. The teacher should also be aware that even after the session the librarians were there to assist. This was the case with Suleiman's physics supervisees. The librarians continued working with the supervisee even after the session with Suleiman.
According to the librarians they required the following information to assist the
techer
- Topic
- subject content
- Titles
- Type of materials needed for the lesson
- Number of students
The provision of these resources would facilitate prior preparation of the lesson by the librarians. Therefore for the teacher to involve the librarians effectively the lesson planning must be done in good time. Moreover the type of resources required and the time required for the preparation would influence the heads-up time for the teacher. This would only be possible if the teacher is aware of the time it would take to prepare the resources. This is an aspect which could be found by the teacher consulting the librarians a head of the lesson.
Personal drive could be a benefiting factor. The librarians felt good and appreciated when they were involved by Suleiman in the preparation and implementation of his lessons. They felt that way because they had a space to put their skills to use hence enhancing learning. The librarian's perception of their role would be important in influencing their commitment in the collaboration with the teachers' understanding their perception would bring front what could be done to make them effective.
The librarians agreed unanimously on encouraging other teachers to do what Suleiman was doing. Some of the reasons the librarians gave were the possibility of the teacher's maximizing the TLA in class, saving on time due to prior preparation, student interpersonal development and opportunities for personal feedback are enhanced, collaboration allows the librarians to put things together and it assists students with research work. The reasons given by the librarians concur with Kultham (2010) suggested on the role of inquiry development by the librarian.
The librarians provided suggestions on the way of involving more teachers they included setting up collaborative sessions during the time of planning the unit, engaging the librarians during some of the unit discussions and resource preparation. Furthermore they felt that they could be engaged in researching on the topic as well as teaching the students research skills [12]. According to the librarians the teacher should play a leading role in coming forth and sharing their expectations for the use of the library. The initial part of the suggestion looks plausible however it is not clear
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who is to initiate the collaborative meeting and how the start-up would look like. This puts heavy responsibility on the teacher. If the teacher does not make an effort then it would mean that the interaction would not take place. There is need for both parties to be involved in the initiating and that might call in a third party. The administration could play a key role by structuring the process that facilitated the collaborative meetings between the librarians and the teachers, sharing of the units planning including the contribution of the librarian to the lesson. The administration could also demand the structure of the units to include a library session.
The librarians shared their opinion on teacher -librarian collaboration to support learning. They believed that teacher-librarian collaboration enhances great and enriched output to student's quality learning [6]. They advised that the students with a negative opinion on the library use should be assisted to see the value and need on library use. The librarians see the collaboration creating a basis for quality education. Furthermore the librarians think that teachers need to understand the impact of the collaboration to the students learning such as maximizing use of the library. Librarians understood their role and saw its impact in TLA. However they still place responsibility to the teacher to establish the collaboration. The success of such collaboration would not work on a wait and see approach. Both parties the teacher and the librarian need to make efforts to reach out to each other. To facilitate more teachers to have a librarian-teacher interaction effort must be put in by both players supported by the administration structures
Conclusion
In conclusion the inclusion of a librarian in TLA requires different approaches including administrative structures, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes and a different structure in planning lessons. The teachers and the librarians need to work together and the administration needs to facilitate this by putting structures that will facilitate the collaboration. There is need to educate all the stakeholders on the impact of effective utility of the library on learning outcomes. This will create awareness as well as challenge the current beliefs and attitudes on the topics. It is clear that the planning and implementing of the lessons will need to change to address the inclusion of the librarian. This calls for sharing teachable practices among schools such as the cases shared in this paper. There is potential with the stakeholders supporting libraries in schools for learning outcomes to be improved in our schools. Pedagogical leadership which included the management of resources to impact learning outcomes would be required to play its roles through the school administration.
References
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