Planning for a Research Skills Instruction: How to Find Sources

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Teacher Librarian Collaboration: Gathering Information and Prewriting

This week in school, I had the wonderful opportunity to teach and collaborate with the Learning Support Teachers and the English/Literacy Skills teacher on using references, particularly the general encyclopedias (print and online).

This teaching experience is in connection to gathering information at the prewriting stage of the writing process. A review of the Subtopic Gathering Grid was an essential lesson on skills building as it helps funnel the breadth and depth of the available information.

Research Skills Instruction: Prewriting and the Use of Reference Sources aka Learning About Anything Creatively and Strategically

 

Research_BALibrary by ZarahG

Our Library's House Rules

 

Library_HouseRules by zarah gagatiga

The Lighthouse Diary #38: Take What You Need

It has been a month since we went back to on-site work. WOW. A lot has happened since then. 

We have had an online visit from librarians of St. Schoalstica's College. We had three days of orientation and easing into hybrid learning routines that included the strict compliance to health protocols. We have identified work to prioritize in the library with the new working arrangements. And, given our practice of close shelf library procedures, we are getting continous book requests and reservations for online consultations from teachers and students.

On top of this, I have facilitated two research sessions for our juniors; read and marked Extended Essays; and lent supervision to my advisees on academic writing and self management. The report cards of my advisees were sent out two weeks ago and already, I am getting requests for one-on-one sessions on study skills. 

In my recent on-site work in the library, I noticed that students have picked up on the insipirational quotes we set up on our easel board. Nothing big, really. But it is our way of relaying the message that socio-emotional learning is important as we all make the transition yo hybrid learning.

Since students have taken an interest on the quotations we shared, there will definitely be a second batch. I will be adding recommended books or a book list the students can check and borrow when they find an interesting title. Our Book Drop and Pick Station has been set up as well so students can pass by the library to pick up or drop their books. By now, they already know how to send us emails for queries but a reminder for them to use the OPAC is necessary. And that will go into my to-do list. 

I just find it odd to be doing a task that pretty much looks like it is the 1st term. Then again, we are living in strange times and uncertainty is something we eat for breakfast. Life goes on, so Bangtan sings. We soldier on.

Our week after the Easter Break is for off campus work  but the line up of reports to write, projects to finish and yes, the provision of library sevrices for leisure reading and research is on-going. We are looking at conducting our inventory in June - God forbid another surge. From here on, we learn KOHA, our new library management system while the last quarter of the academic year winds down.

Updating the Library's List of Online Subscriptions

 

ePosters for Library Summer Program: Pedagogical Support on Research

 

Wonder and Wander With Books This Summer

The BA Library Online's Reading Room

Jumping into the Bitmoji bandwagon, I am!

Research and Information Literacy eModules

During the Foundation Days in the Academy, I was tasked to provide and give a session to introduce the library to new students and to touch base with returning students. In the past, an assessment is always in the roster of activities. Either I make use of a question and answer survey type of tool or facilitate a skills session on Information Literacy, it is my goal to know and understand the skills level of students. 

This year, I adopted TRAILS as assessment tool. Here is a glimpse of the introduction to the report I am writing for submission to the Academic Team. 

Research plays an important role in the completion of the DP Core namely, the Extended Essay (EE), the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Essay and the Creativity Action and Service (CAS). It is in Year 1 of the DP where Internal Assessments (IA) in the subject areas are introduced to students and culminates in Year 2 into a full well written piece of investigation or paper of inquiry. This means, a great amount of creative and critical thinking is expected of the DP student. The Beacon Academy (BA) Library, being an academic department that supports research and the development of creative and critical thinking skills of Griffins, conducted an assessment to gauge DP students’ research skills.  

Using TRAILS, Tools for Real Time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills by the Kent State University(KSU), the BA Library adapted and adopted TRAILS into its context to identify and determine strong areas and areas for improvement of DP students’ research and information literacy skills. TRAILS have six areas or skills for assessment which are: (1) narrowing and broadening topics of research,  (2) selecting and locating appropriate sources of information, (3) evaluating sources, (4) identifying and following research steps, methods and processes, and (5) documentation, referencing and citing of sources.   

The results of this assessment can provide the Teacher Librarian valuable information in crafting Reference and Research services that meet the needs of the DP students and create Information Literacy modules as well as a research skills instruction program that builds and enhances skills for development. It may validate observations and insights on the teaching and learning processes of research in the Academy which may lead to revisions and changes in the way this is delivered in formal and non-formal means of instruction. It is recommended that teachers and the Teacher Librarian work together in the implementation of the programs as guided by criteria and standards set by the IB and the Department of Education.

What follows next are specific results of the assessment. In actual practice, two students have reserved library consultations with me this week to walk them through the results of their TRAILS. I am excited to work with them because students always bring new insights and learning experiences. I learn from them and they make my practice of school librarianship authentic.

Curating Content: Earth Science for Grade 9

My First SLJ Teen Live

I attended SLJ Teen Live last Thursday, August 6 online. The theme this year is Our Voice, Our Time. It was my first virtual book fair and I was floored! Needless to say, I had a grand time participating in this book event online.

My digital tote bag is full of freebies - bookmarks, e-posters of new books and graphic novels for middle grades and high school students, discussion guides, samplers and e-ARCs! I sat in panels where writers and illustrators of YA literature presented their books and expressed sentiments about racism and the pandemic. There was a librarians lounge, a chat room where participants chat with authors and illustrators, content creators and colleagues in librarianship.

I learned lots. I got some ideas how to start a virtual book club. I finally have a NetGalley account! And that's where I am reading David Yoon’s new book, Super Fake Love Song. It is hilarious. He writes honest and humorous romance. I am now a fan!