DEVELOPING INDEPENDENT LEARNING SKILLS FROM Y9 Y13 THROUGH PROJECT - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

DEVELOPING INDEPENDENT LEARNING SKILLS FROM Y9 – Y13 THROUGH PROJECT -BASED LEARNING AND LIBRARIAN LED DIGITAL LITERACY SESSIONS. Lucy Atherton Head Librarian Wellington College Berkshire Email: lha@wellingtoncollege.org.uk T witter: @welly_library Blog: http://wellingtoncollege.edublogs.org

PREPARING STUDENTS TO BECOME INDEPENDENT LEARNERS AND DIGITALLY LITERATE This talk will contribute to the sub-theme: • Preparing students to become independent learners and digitally literate but also relates to the themes of: • Partnerships and collaboration across school to support learning and align resources with the curriculum • Promoting and getting digital resources embedded into the curriculum

DEFINITIONS: Information literacy 1 The ability to think critically and make balanced judgements about any information we find and use.  It empowers us as citizens to develop informed views and to engage fully with society. Digital literacy 2 The ability to find and use information but goes beyond this to encompass communication,  collaboration and teamwork, social awareness in the digital environment, understanding of e-safety and creation of new information. Both digital and information literacy are underpinned by critical thinking and evaluation. 1 CILIP's Information Literacy Group released CILIP Definition of 2 The Open University Information Literacy 2018 at the LILAC Conference Digital and information literacy framework

INDEPENDENT LEARNING AT WELLINGTON COLLEGE Restructuring of Year 9 curriculum to foster independence Librarian driving this change – proposal to Deputy Head Academic ICT skills taught Information Literacy/research skills short course run by the librarians Culminating in an independently researched project using newly acquired skills Project-based learning: Year 9 Three mini research projects (188 students) Year 10 HPQ (Higher Project Qualification) (200 students) Year 12 EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) for A Level Students (127) Year 12 EE (Extended Essay ) for all International Baccalaureate students. (95 students) Progression – developing and embedding digital literacy and research skills year on year throughout the students’ time at Wellington.

DEFINITION OF INDEPENDENT LEARNER Five characteristics of an independent learner at Wellington:  Disciplined work habits  Positive attitude to collaboration and engagement  Ability to show independence and initiative  Displays curiosity to learning  Well-developed research skills IB Learner profile

Y9 RESEARCH SKILLS COURSE - OVERVIEW Lesson 1 (Discovery) – one hour  Learn how to use the library catalogue - look for and find a book in the library  Interactive 'Research Race' in teams Lesson 2 (Evaluation) – one hour  Evaluating information - thinking critically  Authentic and fake websites: Looking at information on websites and the characteristics of different sources. Discussion of newspaper bias. Lesson 3 (Academic Honesty) – one hour  What is plagiarism?  Referencing your sources

Y9 SESSION 1 Lesson 1 (Discovery and search skills)  Learn how to use the library catalogue  Look for and find a book in the library  Small team competition through the interactive 'Research Race'  Exploring aspects of the catalogue  Reading lists/Renewals  AccessIT phone app  VLeBooks

Y9 SESSION 2 Lesson 2 (Evaluation)  Evaluating information - thinking critically  Websites and fake websites - hands on activity  Discussion of bias - newspapers  Card sort game - pros and cons of different sources 1  Exploring the e-Library resources 1 thanks to the librarians at Middlesex University for sharing this excellent idea. All their resources are found here: http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/MDXGames

Y9 SESSION 3 Lesson 3 (Academic honesty)  Discussion about academic honesty and avoiding plagiarism based around a quiz.  How and why to cite sources.  Using Word to generate Bibliography and references.  Showing students that many online resources provide the citation for them to copy and paste.  After these digital literacy skills the Y9 students use study periods known as ‘Lab Time’ to research and write an independent project on a subject of their choosing.

HPQ – Y10 Breaktime session for supervisors:  searching the library catalogue,  e-Library, referencing support Sessions for each HPQ group :  Refresher on e-Library  In-depth look at Questia School  Referencing sessions  Individual project discussions with students  Librarian visiting groups in classrooms

Y12 SUPPORT FROM LIBRARIANS A level: EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) International Baccalaureate: Extended Essay (EE) • A Level coursework support – History, English • IB students have coursework in all subjects plus Extended Essay • Sessions in the classroom on key online resources – eg. JSTOR, Literary Reference Centre, Connell Guides, Cambridge Companions, Very Short Introductions, Questia School • Customised librarian led sessions on how to use subject specific e-resources, effective searching and referencing.

KEY LIBRARY PARTNERSHIPS WITH TEACHING STAFF AND HIGHLIGHTING KEY DIGITAL RESOURCES: • Head of IB • Geography Dept for A level coursework (Hodder A level review magazines and JSTOR) • English Dept for IB Extended Essays and coursework (JSTOR, Literary Reference Centre) • Project Coordinator (HPQ and EPQ) • Drama through online playtexts • Drama Online/Digital Theatre + • History Dept • Gale Historical Newspapers (primary sources), History Study Centre, History Today online • Science Dept • Extension reading, Science Book Prize Shadowing. • Classics for IB coursework. (MASSOLIT) • Weekly News Digest (resource of the week)

BENEFITS  Library and librarians become central to learning  Raises the library profile  Increases collaboration with teaching staff and academic departments – through projects across year groups and subjects.  Maximises use of library online and physical stock  Many project research sessions timetabled in the library  Teaching staff better informed and more knowledgeable about e-resources  Students build on these research and referencing skills each year as they progress up the school  Students better prepared for the demands of university study eg. Familiarity with JSTOR and referencing

LESSONS LEARNT  School librarians need to be involved in curriculum design – information literacy embedded  Be proactive – offer sessions – get out into the classrooms  Be visible – Y9 assembly outlining the course  Modify and improve timings and lesson content each year based on feedback  As we embed culture of independent learning students less resistant to it  Working to include more cross-curricular projects and content  Y9 projects work more effectively as 3 smaller pieces of work – scaffolding and momentum across the year Future plans  Greater evaluation of the Y9 course  Teachers and librarians gaining skills and confidence in supporting the projects.

DEVELOPING INDEPENDENT LEARNING SKILLS FROM Y9 – Y13 THROUGH PROJECT -BASED LEARNING AND LIBRARIAN LED DIGITAL LITERACY SESSIONS. Lucy Atherton Head Librarian Wellington College Berkshire Email: lha@wellingtoncollege.org.uk T witter: @welly_library Blog: http://wellingtoncollege.edublogs.org

HANDOUT INDEPENDENT PROJECTS AT WELLINGTON COLLEGE A 5-YEAR JOURNEY Year 9: Project - Malim Project (in-house project) Year 10: HPQ preparation Michaelmas T erm: • Taught short course in ICT Taught course of 1 lesson per week (1 hour) • • Librarian run course in Research Skills and referencing (3 x Reduced diet of GCSEs in order to give breathing space for • 1 hour lessons) independent learning 2 mini-projects - Art and History • • Taught course 1 lesson per week by non-specialist teachers Sessions run by the librarians to remind students about key digital • Lent/Summer T erm: and print resources • Culminates in a research project of 2,500 words or a • Librarians run sessions on the e-Library for the teachers of HPQ creative piece with a 750-word commentary and EPQ Interdisciplinary – new subjects e.g. Economics, Politics, Art • • Pilot projects History and Psychology Then full HPQ independent project of 2000 words • • All projects marked – Distinction, Merit, Pass and Fail. – Evidence of 30 hours of work • students can and do fail! • Research journal and production log. • Level 2 qualification equivalent to a GCSE • Encourages creativity and reflection. Emphasis on the IB philosophy and the IB learner profile •