Transforming Learning through Action Research: Information and Critical Literacies

1. Transforming Learning through Action Research: Information and Critical Literacies Dr Ross Todd Head, Department of Information Studies University of Technology, Sydney Ross.Todd@uts.edu.au UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

2. the age of information dot.com age dot.con age age of the mind info place  info space info space  knowledge space UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

3. cyber communities cyber democracy cyber language cyber activism cyber patrol cyber stress cyber overload cyber sense cyber shopping cybrarian CYBER SOCIETY UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

4. The information environment • complex and fluid • connective and interactive • diverse and unpredictable • no longer constrained by time and place info place  info space UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

5. Schooling …. • is all about providing the best learning opportunities for students to make the most of their lives as sense-making, constructive, independent people Students know how to be an active agent in their rich information space UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

6. ACTIVE LEARNING constructing knowledge and sense UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

7. CONSTRUCTING KNOWLEDGE Turning information into knowledge is the most intellectually challenging, time-consuming, and potentially controversial process SENSE - UNDERSTANDING - KNOWLEDGE UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

8. CONSTRUCTING KNOWLEDGE • inquiring mind • sense of curiosity • critical spirit • self evaluation • commitment to reflection • sense of personal agency • repertoire of learning skills UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

9. Key to effective engagement with information space INFORMATION AND CRITICAL LITERACIES UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

10. INFORMATION & CRITICAL LITERACIES Reading and writing Speaking and listening Viewing and visualising Touching and empathising (?)  Connecting with information  Interacting with information  Utilising information UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

11. SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEARNING from toys to tools10 KEY LEARNING PRINCIPLES UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

12. 1. Learning is about making and maintaining connections • connect with information • interact with information • utilise a rich information world We cannot learn effectively if we are not information literate UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

13. 2. Learning is an active search for meaning by the learner • Discovery of knowledge • Transform prior knowledge • Constructing knowledge • Demonstrate competencies and use of ideas Active searching is underpinned by critical and information literacies UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

14. 3. Learning is developmental • Intellectual growth is gradual: advancement, consolidation, reinforcement Information and critical literacies provide a staged developmental process UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

15. 4. Learning is both individual and social • Opportunities for co-operative learning • Cultivating and inclusive community • Information and critical literacies facilitate development of individual and social needs UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

16. 5. Learning is strongly affected by educational climate in which it takes place • Value academic and personal success and intellectual inquiry • Feeling connected, cared for and trusted Mastery of information and critical literacies develops self-esteem and belonging UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

17. 6. Learning requires feedback, practice, and use • Feedback  sustained learning • Practice  nourishing learning • Opportunities to use  meaningful learning Information and critical literacies provide opportunities for evaluating progress UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

18. 7. Much learning takes place informally and incidentally • Activities beyond classroom enrich formal learning experiences • Mentoring relationships beyond the classroom • Learning in a variety of setting and circumstances Information and critical literacies foster independent learning UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

19. 8. Learning is grounded in particular contexts and individual experiences • Requires effort to transfer specific knowledge and skills to new circumstances • Unlearn personal views and approaches when confronted by new information Information and critical literacies enable learners to read the world and the word UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

20. 9. Learning involves ability of individuals to monitor own learning • Understand how knowledge is acquired • Awareness of own ways of knowing • Ability to monitor own learning Information and critical literacies provide an evaluative tool for learning progress UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

21. 10. Learning is enhanced by taking place in the context of compelling situations • Provides challenge and opportunity • Stimulates brain to conceptualise, contemplate and reflect • Amplifies the learning process Information and critical literacies must be situated in meaningful situations UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

22. TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIPfrom toy to tool • Shared learning • Shared responsibility • Shared development • Shared celebration UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

23. The Death of CPPT CO-OPERATIVE PROGRAM PLANNING AND TEACHING UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

24. The urgency of shared learning initiatives UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

25. Electronic Information Seeking(McNicholas & Todd, 1996) • Design of research activities • Constructing an appropriate search • Working with search engines • Critiquing web sites and making quality assessments of the information • Constructing personal understanding UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

26. Electronic Information SeekingAitkin (1997) (Primary school children) • high levels of information overload • major coping strategies included: deliberate omission; making broad and quick selections based on superficial analysis; deliberately accepting errors; getting someone else to do the work • confusion, frustration, depression UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

27. Electronic Information Seeking(Dilal & Watson, 1998) (Year 7 Science students) • Failure of students to retrieve Web documents based on aboutness: subject headings, key words, concepts • Inability to make relevance judgements • Inability to make quality judgements UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

28. Electronic Information Seeking(Kafai & Bates, 1997) • Inability to use search engines • Difficulty in building a search strategy • Difficulty in locating appropriate resources • Dealing with “boring, uninvolving or irrelevant sites” • “Retard the value of the experience” UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

29. Electronic Information Seeking(Fidel, 1999) • Absence of search strategies • Inability to formulate effective search strategies • Inappropriately favoured visual cues • Navigational difficulties: Lost in Space UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

30. Electronic Information Seeking(Hirsch, 1999) • Limited patience - abort searches quickly • Poor management of research process -repetition of searches • Limited navigation of sites in depth • Limited use of search features • No skills in judging information quality and relevance UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

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35. ACTION RESEARCH A key framework for setting up strategies and activities for implementing change in relation to critical and information literacies TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMING LEARNING UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

36. ACTION RESEARCH • A process through which educators work together to improve education by change through action and reflection on their daily teaching habits (Loerke, 1992) • Systematic inquiry that is collective, collaborative, self-reflective, critical, and undertaken by participants in the inquiry (McCutchen & Jung, 1990) UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

37. inquiry participative shared reflective planned purposive systematic improving leading to change evaluative ACTION RESEARCHkey words UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

38. ACTION RESEARCH PHASES • Problem identification • Mutual commitment to improvement • Plan for investigation of problem • Implement actions / strategies to improve • Effects of actions observed and recorded • Reflect on outcomes • Ongoing cycle of planning, action, evaluation UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

39. ACTION RESEARCH OUTCOMES • Promotes individual development Personal renewal • Shared knowledge and experience Collective renewal • Influence institutional change Organisational renewal UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

40. Responsive Interactive Constructive Experiential Reflective Systematic Outcomes Oriented SHARED LEARNING ACTION RESEARCH UTS 2000 Ross J Todd

41. The future ….. we construct the road by walking on it ... UTS 2000 Ross J Todd