Essential Learning Achievements & Collaboration

After working on the first two parts of Assignment 2, I thought I would relate some of the learnings that are specific to me as a teacher in the ACT.

When looking at student learning outcomes, The Essential Learning Achievement (ELA) for information literacy in the ACT is: the student understands and applies the inquiry process. It became obvious that without collaboration occuring - the student learning outcomes are not being met. SO, how do Teachers meet the needs of the students, when the libary lesson is completely separate from classroom learnings??? This was the case in my pevious school - library was offered as RFF to the classroom teachers - the students were walked off into the abyss and I had no idea about what they actually did!

Every chance to learn clearly states that this ELA develops students’ capacities to use the inquiry process to seek information and use it to draw conclusions and generate new knowledge. Students develop their understanding of and capacity to apply the inquiry process as they use it in authentic situations as part of the topics they study within and across disciplines (Every Chance to Learn. p32). If this is to occur, collaboration is a central element in the achievement of this ELA.

Teachers must have a detailed knowledge of information literacy theory and practice if they are to develop the student as a lifelong learner. The teacher must have a high level of knowledge regarding pedagogy and repertoire of strategies including Guided Inquiry (Kuhlthau, 1989). The purpose “is to develop each student as a learner....The core business that distinguishes school as a social institution is the development of children and young people as learners. Curriculum develops the understandings, skills and attitudes for lifelong learning that are vital to the success of students in school, in further education and training and in the workplace”(Every Chance to Learn,p8). When a teacher has a good understanding of teaching, learning and the best information literacy models then they are able to utilise their knowledge and experience to maximise student learning outcomes in collaboration with the classrom teachers (CT).