A PUZZLE WITH MANY PIECES

In 1994, when I started my teaching career as a high school English teacher and librarian in rural Montana, I wished for a curriculum that clearly charted a path for developing information and literacy skills for my students. I wished for assessment strategies, defined by clear descriptions of learning expectations, I could use to really know how well my students were progressing. At the time, there were no state standards to rely upon, much less a fully developed information literacy curriculum aligned with the English curriculum. I did have a good understanding of the Big6^TM information problem solving process and the interest of my fellow English teachers in improving research and writing assignments. Out of that common goal we eventually developed a Big6-based research guide still used in the district (Manhattan High School). The piece of the puzzle that remained missing was a well-crafted approach to assessing and reporting information literacy achievement. This has become a primary focus of my work at the Montana Office of Public Instruction as the state’s library-information literacy curriculum specialist. The current standards-based education landscape provides interesting opportunities to bring information literacy and critical thinking skills more clearly into the center of instructional and assessment practice.

CHALLENGES FOR TEACHERS

For teachers, assessing information literacy and critical thinking skills can be far from the top of the priority list. Our national focus on summative assessments for accountability has left untested subjects out in the cold. At the same time, 21st century skills have grown in recognition and importance as the critical skills students must master for college and career readiness. Teachers of all grade levels struggle to create a balance between providing opportunities for students to develop skills for communication, critical thinking, creativity, and deep content knowledge while also ensuring that students perform well on summative accountability tests.

With the arrival of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts and Mathematics, in combination with the development of the Smarter Balanced and PARCC assessments, schools have an increased focus on what is being taught at each grade level (standards) and how well students are meeting the expectations set in the standards as they progress toward graduation. While some believe that the Common Core Standards and tests are just a continuation of business as usual, the standards and new assessment systems are opportunities for a change in focus to information literacy and how those skills are assessed. Fortunately, teacher-librarians (TLs) are well suited to lead the effort to implement the CCSS with their expertise in teaching and assessing information skills.

LEADERS NEED RESOURCES AND PLANS

The opportunity for teacher-librarians to lead and inform the infusion of information skills into the CCSS points out the need for resources and strategies for putting the spotlight on information skills where they exist in the CCSS. With this in mind, I analyzed the CCSS through the lens of our Montana K-12 Information Literacy/Library Media Content Standards as our state went through the process of adopting the CCSS. With the help of Montana TLs and further assistance from my fellow curriculum specialists at the Montana Office of Public Instruction, I drafted an alignment chart. The excerpt from that chart can be used by TLs as they partner with classroom teachers to create learning opportunities for students with clearly identified learning expectations that include information skills. When classroom teachers develop units or lessons that focus on specific writing, speaking, listening, and mathematical practices, the TL can include the aligned information skill in the learning expectations and create performance tasks that allow students to demonstrate their proficiency levels in meeting the standards.

TABLE 1: INFORMATION LITERACY AND COMMON CORE STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

The following example presents a suggested alignment of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and the CCSS Mathematical Practices with the Montana Information Literacy/Library Media Content Standards. This alignment is used with content area curriculum guides and maps to develop units and lessons that provide students with rich opportunities to practice information literacy skills in the context of standards for writing, speaking, listening, and mathematical practices.

“UNPACKING” TO MOVE FORWARD

With the assistance of Montana TLs, I have outlined at each grade level the essential learning expectations that “unpack” the information literacy standards. We identified vocabulary, assessment focus, and suggested general ways to report student progress. The model is based in our standards but also reflects the Big6 by the Month approach (Eisenberg). For each grade level and in each month, the TL can focus instruction and assessment on specific information literacy skills in the context of classroom or content assignments.

TABLE 2: GRADE-BY-MONTH INFORMATION LITERACY/LIBRARY MEDIA CURRICULUM GUIDE

ASSESSMENT AND OUTCOMES INFORM PLANNING

From the standards and essential learning expectations for information literacy, performance rubrics have been developed that describe how well students perform according to the criteria specified at each grade level. Further, the performance is defined for four levels: novice, nearing proficiency, proficient, and advanced. The example in Table 3 is a “meta-rubric,” an analytic but generic rubric. To use the rubric in a specific task or assignment, the teacher-librarian or classroom teacher must select only the most appropriate descriptors. If the rubric is to be used by students for self-evaluation, the language should also be translated into student friendly language.

TABLE 3: PERFORMANCE RUBRIC FOR STANDARD 3. GRADE 7

Information Literacy Performance Rubric: a set of criteria describing student performance along a continuum from novice to advanced. The criteria define how well students apply the knowledge and skills set forth in the standards (“Standards-based Curriculum”).

With clearly defined levels of performance, our next step is to develop units and lessons with targeted information skills identified and included in the performance tasks and assessments. The sample unit plan in Table 4 uses an Understanding by Design template (Wiggins). A thoughtful, strategic, and complete planning process ensures that information skills are seamlessly integrated into lessons. As teachers, we need to carefully select and focus on what students are expected to know and be able to do. We have to employ our best skills in creating learning opportunities that go beyond isolated activities. Most importantly, assessment of content and skills must be identified before performance tasks and work products are developed. Tasks and products that closely match the learning expectations and give students authentic and engaging learning opportunities will most certainly help the practice of critical thinking and problem solving skills. For great ideas and examples of tools, rubrics, and strategies for assessing information literacy, I highly recommend Violet Harada and Joan Yoshina’s book Assessing for Learning: Librarians and Teachers as Partners.

TABLE 4: SAMPLE UNIT PLAN

ARE WE THERE YET?

The development of information literacy standards, essential learning expectations, performance rubrics, Common Core Standards alignment, and a curriculum framework has felt like an epic journey—a journey that is by no means complete. We have provided essential resources to help teachers and teacher-librarians effectively implement assessment of information and critical thinking skills. The essential learning expectations and their corresponding performance rubrics clearly define what students must be able to do and describe how well they are progressing toward meeting the learning expectations.

It is my hope that the work we have done will benefit fledgling teacher-librarians and those who have been flying solo for a few years. As these resources were developed, we benefitted from the advice and guidance of Mike Eisenberg, Bob Berkowitz, Janet Murray, and Doug Johnson. Thankfully, the journey toward creating these resources has also been shared by the best and brightest librarians in my state.