FOSIL, Education and School Libraries

In Part 2 of our conversation with Gabrielle Mace, we continue exploring the ideas behind Teaching Inquiry as Conversation. You can listen to Part 1 here.This time, we ask a deceptively simple question: who is actually doing the thinking?We explore what it means for students to construct knowledge rather than simply acquire information; why changing our minds in response to evidence is an important part of inquiry; and what happens when teachers provide so much support that they begin doing the intellectual work for students.We also consider how generative AI changes the information environment, and why the role of the school librarian in developing increasingly independent inquirers may matter more than ever.And, as usual, the conversation leaves us with more questions than answers.These are the questions that Gabrielle posed… 1. Inquiry as conversationA central proposition of Inquiry as Conversation is that inquiry is fundamentally conversational: with ideas, information, other people and ourselves.What becomes possible when we understand inquiry in this way, rather than primarily as a process students move through?Reference: Chapter 2, p. 15-222. From research process to knowledge construction When Barbara discusses the development of her model, she describes a shift from a research-driven process model towards an inquiry model grounded in constructivism and social constructivism, where learners actively construct knowledge through their experiences and interactions rather than simply acquire information.What changes in our teaching when we genuinely understand inquiry as knowledge construction rather than information acquisition? And what does the social dimension of constructivism add to that process?Reference: Chapter 3, p. 31-353. Revision, evidence and intellectual humilityOne idea in the book that particularly interests me is the changing relationship between the inquirer and what they think they know. In my own inquiry design, I deliberately use new evidence that can destabilise an earlier, perfectly plausible interpretation. Darryl and Barbara discuss ‘adaptability and resilience’ and the dynamic nature of inquiry requires this mindset.Is the willingness for students to say “I may have been wrong” and to reconstruct understanding when the evidence demands it, an essential disposition of genuine inquiry?Reference: Chapter 4, p.494. Where does inquiry reside?The book has made me think about where the intellectual work of inquiry actually resides. In The Student Detective, I deliberately create a bounded, curated information environment so that students can spend more of their time reading closely, evaluating evidence, making connections, discussing competing interpretations and constructing and revising explanations rather than formal research.How do you think about the relationship between information-seeking and these other dimensions of inquiry? Are there different ways of designing the information environment depending on the kind of inquiry thinking we are trying to develop?5. Inquiry in the age of generative AIThe book’s argument feels particularly urgent in an environment where generative AI can provide an immediate, fluent answer and potentially remove much of the productive struggle involved in inquiry. At the same time, AI makes questions of authority, evidence, interpretation and reliability even more important.Does inquiry as conversation become more important, rather than less, in an AI-rich information environment?6. Instructional mindset and the gradual release of skillsIn the chapter on Teaching the Skills and Attitudes of Inquiry, you and Barbara argue that before we plan instruction, we need to clarify our own instructional mindset - including what we want students to understand, how we teach through conversation rather than delivery, and ultimately how we enable students to become independent learners. You also draw on the Gradual Release of Responsibility, where the cognitive work shifts from teacher-driven, to shared, and ultimately to student-driven.What does that gradual release look like in genuine inquiry? How do we know when we’re providing the scaffolding students need, and when we’re actually doing too much of the intellectual work for them?Reference: Chapter 8, p.105 - 106We didn’t get to this next question, so we will be discussing it in our next episode.7. Reading as inquiry conversationYours and Barbara’s concept of inquiry as conversation has made me think differently about reading. I’ve been observing what happens when students need to read because they genuinely need the information to resolve uncertainty, including voluntarily returning to something they’ve already read because new evidence has changed its possible meaning.Do you see reading itself as an inquiry conversation, and are reading and inquiry more deeply connected than we sometimes acknowledge in schools?LinksThe Student Detective - A structured inquiry experience that transforms the way students read, think and collaborate.Teaching Inquiry as a Conversation: Bringing Wonder to Life by Darryl Toerien and Barbara StriplingThanks for listening to FOSIL, Education and School Libraries! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

In this episode of FOSIL, Education and School Libraries, Darryl and I are joined by Barbara Stripling to explore how inquiry learning can transform school libraries, the connections between the Stripling Model of Inquiry and FOSIL, and why conversation is central to meaningful learning.Drawing on Barbara’s 50 years of experience in school libraries and their co-authored book Teaching Inquiry as a Conversation, Barbara and Darryl discuss how inquiry moves beyond finding information towards questioning, reflection, meaning-making and personal growth.Together, they explore the connections between the Stripling Model of Inquiry and FOSIL, the importance of helping students develop their own thinking, and how school libraries can nurture curious, independent and reflective learners.The conversation also considers what inquiry means in today’s world of information abundance and AI, and why the process of thinking may be just as important as the outcome.Links:Teaching Inquiry as a conversation by Barbara Stripling and Darryl Toerien https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/teaching-inquiry-as-conversation-9798216397021/The FOSIL Group Website https://fosil.org.uk/Empire State Information Fluency Continuum Skills Page https://nycdoe.libguides.com/skills/skillshome Two major FOSIL Group Topics on reading/ deep reading:* Oakham T&L Workshop 2021 | Reading for Inquiry Learning (FOSIL presentation)* Reading for Inquiry Learning, especially from this post onwards This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

This episode explores the librarian’s evolving role in education, sharing practical strategies for fostering collaboration between teachers and librarians to create meaningful, student-centered inquiry experiences. We discuss recent publications, success stories from classrooms, and offer a preview of the upcoming FOSIL book, aiming to redefine how libraries contribute to holistic, impactful education.As always we would love to hear your thoughts on this episode.Links:* Re/Dis-Covering the Promise of Freedom Through Inquiry: Part 1, by Darryl Toerien and Lee FitzGerald for ACCESS (Volume 38, Issue 3, September 2024), the journal of the Australian School Library Association (ASLA). Aimed at principals, SLT and classroom-based teachers.* First SLA Blog post in FOSIL Group Forum: Between the Library and the Classroom: Becoming Integral to the Educational Process 2.1* “As We Begin, So Shall We Go”: FOSIL as Means to a “Transcendent and Honourable End”, by Darryl Toerien for Synergy (Volume 22, Number 1, June 2024), the journal of the School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV).Maritain quote: "Nothing is more important than the events which occur within that invisible universe which is the mind of [a person]. And the light of that universe is knowledge. If we are concerned with the future of civilization we must be concerned primarily with a genuine understanding of what knowledge is, its value, its degrees, and how it can foster the inner unity of the human being" (The Range of Reason, 1952, p. 3).Engaging and Empowering School Libraries is a membership that aims to support school librarians in teaching through inquiry. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

FOSIL, Education and School Libraries is a podcast that aims to encourage and support you to think of school libraries in a different way. We hope to develop your understanding of the value of school libraries, help you engage with the content on the FOSIL Group Website, introduce you to people who are using FOSIL and most of all just have a conversation about the role of school librarians within education.If you are looking for my Engaging and Empowering School Libraries Podcast you can find that here https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/podcastToday Darryl and I look forward to what our new year of podcasting will bring, including:- Updates on Blanchelande projectsWorking with UK SLAPublished ArticlesBooks… to be writtenConferences - including an announcement of a FOSIL gathering - February 2025Strategic PartnersBlanchelande Yr 1 tourist brochure https://gsy.bailiwickexpress.com/gsy/news/written-children-children/BBC Report https://www.facebook.com/share/r/8EvX1rx5PVyre5SK/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

In the second part of our history of school libraries, we talk more about the evolution of school libraries from 1986 to the present day. We continue to focus on Norman Beswick's history of school libraries as an influential piece of research from the same period, which looked at the dramatic trajectory of librarianship, budget struggles, and changing roles with the advent of computers in education.We explore two crucial hopeful signals during that time - the rise of information skills and the increasing collaboration between teachers and librarians. The discussion also touches upon the concept of information literacy and how it differs from the inquiry model. Additionally, we critically examine Anne Irving's nine-question steps model from 1985 that set a new tone for the synergy between teachers and librarians.Our conversation highlights the role of school librarians in teaching information literacy skills, the difficult struggle for curriculum time, and the undeniable link between information literacy and education. We touch upon the internet’s impact, the devaluation of school libraries and the challenge of teaching information literacy amidst these changes. We discuss how a focus on information availability may have hindered a smooth transition during the introduction of computers to schools.The episode creates an understanding of the evolution of school libraries, touches on the impacts of AI, and the need for diverse, multicultural teaching methods. It emphasises librarians' role in diversifying teaching methods and portrays libraries, beyond academic learning centres, as hubs for personal development, independent learning, and more. We conclude by reemphasising the importance for school libraries and librarians to align their educational philosophy with the current concerns and aspirations in the educational sector.Portraits of an Engaged and Empowered Inquirer https://fosil.org.uk/forums/topic/portraits-of-an-engaged-and-empowered-inquirer/Membership Information https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

In this episode, we discuss the evolving role of school libraries within the broader educational system. Addressing pressing issues such as the undervaluation of librarians and the alignment of library programs with institutional educational goals, this conversation underscores the library's essential contribution to student development.With a focus on the IFLA School Library Guidelines, we also navigated the challenges of aligning libraries with the quantifiable outcomes often prioritised by schools. By examining strategies for librarians to articulate and advocate for their role in supporting holistic education, this episode presents a compelling call to action for educational leaders and librarians alike. Listen in as we explore the critical intersection of education, purpose, and the pivotal role of school libraries in shaping informed, curious, and well-rounded individuals.Membership information https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

In this episode, Darryl and I continue our conversation about Douglas Knight’s ideas about a library's two major and unique functions, regardless of type. These two functions are:- * First, it makes possible meetings of mind and ideas not limited by our normal boundaries of time, space, and social or economic level.* To say this is to suggest the second great function of a library. It is the institution in our society that allows and encourages the development and extension of ideas -- not their passive absorption, but their active generation. … The technical means of his encounter may be a record, a tape, a film, a print-out or -- most radical of all -- a book. Libraries are not bounded by means; they will and should employ any means to achieve their ends.Clarification on non-fiction to fiction ratio: NF to F ratio should rise from 50% NF to 50% F through 66% NF to 33% F to 75% NF to 25% F as children move from Primary through Secondary (Darryl)The link to Douglas Knight's document can be found here https://bit.ly/3ShxMSK Podcast - Non-fiction collections in school libraries: Do we still need them?https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/podcast/episode/9d8adc04/non-fiction-collections-in-school-libraries-do-we-still-need-them FOSIL forum link -https://fosil.org.uk/forums/ Engaging and Empowering School Libraries Membership -https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com