Course Syllabus
S574: Information Inquiry for Teachers
Indiana University at Indianapolis
School of Library and Information Science
This course is an opportunity for teachers and future teachers (including librarians and school library media specialists as teachers) to practice methods in critical thinking about information/media, and to use the process as a means to teach their students to be critical reviewers and communicators as well.
Rather than just providing a bunch of readings and assignments, this course is centered around a Course Guide.
This page was designed for a graduate course at IUPUI. If you've stumbled upon the course and want to learn more about it, email Dr. Annette Lamb for more information.
Instructor Contact Information
Name - Annette Lamb, Ph.D.
Address - P.O. Box 206 950 E 1700 S Teasdale, Utah 84773
Dr. Lamb often travels during the semester. Email for the latest direct address.
Email - alamb@eduscapes.com or anlamb@iupui.edu
Voice Mail or Fax through Vision to Action - 620 343 7989
Online Course Materials
Course Materials - http://virtualinquiry.com/course/index.html
Syllabus - http://virtualinquiry.com/course/syllabus.html
Requirements - http://virtualinquiry.com/course/require.html
Checklist - http://virtualinquiry.com/course/checklist.html
CourseQuest - http://virtualinquiry.com/course/courseguide.html
Oncourse Sharing Area - http://oncourse.iu.edu
Required Print Course Materials
Callison, Daniel & Preddy, Leslie (2006). The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction, & Literacy.
Order Information
There are three ways to get the book:
1) Go to the IUPUI bookstore.
2) You can order directly from Libraries Unlimited, 1-800-225-5800.
3) Go to Amazon (can be slow).
Curriculum Connections through the Library (2003). Barbara K. Stripling & Sandra Hughes-Hassell (Eds.). Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited ISBN 1-56308-973-4
Order Information
There are three ways to get the book:
1) Go to the IUPUI bookstore.
2) You can order directly from Libraries Unlimited, 1-800-225-5800.
3) Go to Amazon (can be slow).
Information Power: Building Partnership for Learning (1998). Chicago: American Library Association. ISBN: 0-8389-3470-6
Many of you may own this from other SLIS courses. We will be concentrating on Part One focusing on Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning.
Order Information
There are four ways to get the book
1) Go to the IUPUI bookstore.
2) Order from ALA online at http://www.alastore.ala.org/ or by phone at 1-866-746-7252
3) Order from AECT online at http://aect.org
4) Go to Amazon (can be slow).
Standards for the 21st Century Learner (2007). Chicago: American Library Association.
Download this PDF document from the AASL website.
Optional Texts
Harada, Violet H. & Yoshina, Joan M. (2004). Inquiry Learning through Librarian -Teacher Partnerships. Worthington, Ohio: Linworth Publishing. ISBN 1-58683-134-8
Order Information
There are three ways to get the book:
1) Go to the IUPUI bookstore.
2) You can order directly from Linworth, 800.786.5017.
3) Go to Amazon (can be slow).
Kuhlthau, Carol, Maniotes, Leslie K., and Caspari, Ann K. Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited. 2007.
Course Assumptions
The following entry skills are required for this course:
- demonstrate basic computer skills related to keyboarding, operating system, and disk management.
- identify, select, access, and evaluate information found on the Internet and in the library.
- use technology as a personal and professional productivity tool for activities such a word processing (Microsoft Word) and desktop presentations (Microsoft PowerPoint).
- use a word processor, web development tool, or raw HTML for simple web page development.
- download trial versions of software from the web for evaluation purposes such as educational software (i.e., Inspiration) - directions are provided in class.
- download drivers and plugins such as Real Media, Windows Media Player, and/or QuickTime to play audio and video from the web. - directions are provided in class.
- use Oncourse for forums and information sharing.
This course makes the assumption that you are able to work independently. There are no required face-to-face meetings. There are no required synchronous online meetings. However, feel free to email or arrange a chat with your instructor any time!
Course Description
This three-credit hour course is an introduction to the inquiry process and the methods, techniques, and concepts that may be useful in teaching students and other teachers the skills associated with information literacy, media literacy, creative thinking, and critical thinking.
This is not a course in how to teach "use of the library" and the location skills generally associated with such training. Resources held in library collections will be useful, but more effort will be given in this class to identification of meaningful information from whatever format that is accessible. Information becomes meaningful when it serves as evidence to help describe an event, explain a phenomenon, substantiate or counter a claim or argument, suggest support or rejection for a hypothesis, or define and justify an action.
Information inquiry involves the processes of searching for information and applying information to answer questions we raise personally and questions that are addressed to us. Techniques for gaining meaningful information may involve reading, listening, viewing, observing, interviewing, surveying, testing and more. Meaningful information application comes from analysis of information need, analysis of information gained, and synthesis of information to address the need in the most efficient and effective manner possible. The interactive components of information inquiry are:
* questioning and exploring
* assimilation and inference
* reflection
There are several models that illustrate different perspectives on the actions for learning and teaching effective search and use of information. The major ones will be examined in this class and students in this course will have the opportunity to build their own model.
Questions in information inquiry may range from the most basic, factual reference questions to the most complex puzzles of life for which there are no answers. Questions tend be tied to one or more of three information environments: Personal, Academic, and Workplace. This class will concentrate on those questions that are more demanding than basic facts and yet far short of life's great mysteries. Exercises in this class will deal with questions that are of personal interest and can be placed into the academic context relevant to learning standards commonly found in K-12 public education.
Information inquiry involves the techniques for teaching information literacy skills. This may range from instruction that is very guided with specific techniques, steps and models to facilitating inquiry that is free and independent. Information inquiry involves critical thinking skills in selection and evaluation of information and resources. Information inquiry involves the use of creative thinking in the creation and presentation of information.
The degree to which an individual is information literate may be relative to his or her ability level. A second grader may be information literate for her age compared to her peers but not be a sophisticated in application and understanding of information literacy skills as the college senior, or the university reference librarian or researcher. Thus, levels of proficiency will be important in defining information literacy in this class.
According to the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information." Some of the resources used in this class define media literacy as a set of abilities to deal with information that is pushed on us through popular mass communications and the ability to produce one's own communication through the use of visual and audio media. Both information literacy and media literacy for purposes of this class are sub-sets of information inquiry.
This course will expand your thinking about the integral role of information inquiry in K-12 education. This course will be taught entirely online including web-based readings and resources, threaded discussions, plus online presentations and activities. Choices allow graduate students with varied backgrounds and interests to select activities that meet their professional needs.
Course Goals
Each student will have the opportunity to:
- Construct a personal inquiry project in which they establish research questions, information gathering methods, document decisions on quality of information located and used, and present and evaluate their findings.
- Explore and evaluate various information search, use and instructional models as well as various instructional concepts and teaching techniques tied to information inquiry.
- Participate in class discussion and online communication for the purpose of sharing resources, ideas, and drawing conclusions on projects and issues.
- Relate student learning standards from those adopted by the State of Indiana and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) to their projects.
The instructor will:
- Participate in the development of a personal inquiry project.
- Convey examples of theory, techniques, and models relevant to information inquiry.
- Judge student performance fairly in accordance with the SLIS grading policy and the expectations for the assignments outlined in this syllabus.
- In the long term, reduce the number of times future school media specialists decline to be involved in inquiry projects related to AASL learning standards and increase the portion of time future practicing school media specialists devote to establishing instructional units in collaboration with other teachers.
Course Purposes
S574 is a three-credit graduate course that may be used to complete:
- the required library/information skills method course for establishing a license in Indiana as Teacher of Library Media
- an elective in either the library minor or major for those adding such to an established teaching license (S574 is required for those beginning such additional certification course work Fall 2002)
- an elective for the MLS, MIS or IST degree with program advisor approval
credit to renew a teaching license in school library media or other discipline area if approved by the certification advisor - an elective for undergraduate teaching credentials
S574 also meets a portion of the new standards for Teachers of Library Media in Indiana as approved by the Professional Standards Board:
Standard 1
- The teacher of library media understands the concepts and tools of inquiry in order to teach, create, and model learning experiences that make information literacy meaningful for learners including students, pre-service teachers, parents, and administrators.
- The teacher of library media participates on collaborative teaching teams as a peer or leader to integrate information skills, provide access to resources, and promote effective use of technology across the curriculum.
- The teacher of library media stimulates student thought processes through the skillful use of questioning techniques and is a coach in guiding students and teachers in the selection of materials and information for reading, viewing, speaking, and presentation.
- The teacher of library media understands the evaluation criteria for assessment of information use processes and presentation of oral and written products.
Standard 2
- The teacher of library media understands how learners develop and learn and can provide appropriate learning opportunities to support the student's intellectual, social, and personal development.
- The teacher of library media understands how learners construct knowledge through the process of resource selection and information analysis, synthesis, and communication.
Course Requirements
For a complete description of the requirements, go to the Course Requirements page.
For a nice checklist of the course activities, check out Course Checklist.
Course Grades
The points awarded for each activity are indicated on the Course Requirements ppage. High expectations have been set for this course. Please notice that outstanding achievement will require careful attention to course criteria and exceptional quality in course assignments.
Final grades are based on the following range within the total 100 points possible:
A 98-100
A- 95-97
B+ 92-94
B 89-91
B- 86-88
C 80-85
D 75-79
F below 75
The meaning of the letter grades follows the SLIS Grading Policy:
A: Outstanding achievement. Student performance demonstrates full command of the course materials and evinces a high level of originality and/or creativity that far surpasses course expectations. The grade of A+ is not granted in SLIS, except in very exceptional cases.
A-: Excellent achievement. Student performance demonstrates thorough knowledge of the course materials and exceeds course expectations by completing all requirements in a superior manner.
B+: Very good work. Student performance demonstrates above-average comprehension of the course materials and exceeds course expectations on all tasks defined in the course syllabus.
B: Good work. Student performance meets designated course expectations, demonstrates understanding of the course materials, and has performed at an acceptable level.
B-: Marginal work. Student performance demonstrates incomplete understanding of course materials.
C+, C, C-: Unsatisfactory work and inadequate understanding of course materials.
D+, D, D-: Unacceptable work; course work completed at this level will not count toward the MLS degree.
F: Failing. May result in an overall grade point average below 3.0 and possible removal from the program.
A final grade of "I" or "Incomplete" will NOT be given except in extreme situations (As an adjunct professor, your instructor cannot assign an "I" grade). Please contact me if you're having difficulty completing the requirements of this course.
Accommodations
Students needing accommodations because of disability must register with Adaptive Educational Services and complete the appropriate form before accommodations will be given. The AES office is located in Cavanaugh Hall 001E, 425 University Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5140 and may be reached by phone 317/274-3241 or 317/278-2050 TTD/TTY; by fax 317/274-2051; or by email aes@iupui.edu
For more information go to http://life.iupui.edu/aes/