Johnson, K. K. (2007). Critical inquiry: Library media specialists as change agents. School Library Monthly, 23(9), 42. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/237137765?accountid=14925
In this article, the author discusses how school librarians, with their unique role as supporters of the school curriculum, have the ability to practice critical inquiry. According to the author, critical inquiry involves the school librarian encouraging students to take inquiry to another level by asking them to consider the social and cultural issues surrounding their topic. Simply put, it means teaching students to question their questions. From there, the school librarian may even be able to help students identify possible solutions and take steps towards achieving them thereby acting as an agent of change. Finally, the author asserts that by becoming change agents school librarians will make themselves more valuable in the eyes of the school community.
One of the aspects of this approach to inquiry that I particularly like is the idea that we need to shift our thinking towards students. Rather than viewing them as passive receivers of information, this approach calls on students to be active participants and for the school librarian to more of a facilitator of learning. As Johnson puts it, “Instead of thinking of students strictly as receivers of information, students become teachers who are capable of raising important questions and investigating real life concerns and, in turn, educate their community.” (Johnson 2007) This view is in alignment with what I consider to be 21st century learning and, as 21st century librarians, it is a view I feel we should support whenever possible if we are to remain necessary within schools.
On the downside, I fear this type of inquiry would be difficult to implement in schools at present. Most of the teachers I work with feel overwhelmed with the number of standards they are required to teach and pressured to make sure their students do well on standardized tests. While lessons involving critical inquiry would be great, they also appear to be time consuming and few teachers are willing to lose out on time that could be spent covering their own curriculum. That being said, I could see some schools, particularly high schools where students sometimes have more room in their schedules for electives, instituting a graduating requirement or senior seminar class that required students to select and work on an individual project aimed at improving some aspect of their community. A school librarian could be very instrumental in helping students in such a class practice the type of critical inquiry proposed in this article.
In this article, the author discusses how school librarians, with their unique role as supporters of the school curriculum, have the ability to practice critical inquiry. According to the author, critical inquiry involves the school librarian encouraging students to take inquiry to another level by asking them to consider the social and cultural issues surrounding their topic. Simply put, it means teaching students to question their questions. From there, the school librarian may even be able to help students identify possible solutions and take steps towards achieving them thereby acting as an agent of change. Finally, the author asserts that by becoming change agents school librarians will make themselves more valuable in the eyes of the school community.
One of the aspects of this approach to inquiry that I particularly like is the idea that we need to shift our thinking towards students. Rather than viewing them as passive receivers of information, this approach calls on students to be active participants and for the school librarian to more of a facilitator of learning. As Johnson puts it, “Instead of thinking of students strictly as receivers of information, students become teachers who are capable of raising important questions and investigating real life concerns and, in turn, educate their community.” (Johnson 2007) This view is in alignment with what I consider to be 21st century learning and, as 21st century librarians, it is a view I feel we should support whenever possible if we are to remain necessary within schools.
On the downside, I fear this type of inquiry would be difficult to implement in schools at present. Most of the teachers I work with feel overwhelmed with the number of standards they are required to teach and pressured to make sure their students do well on standardized tests. While lessons involving critical inquiry would be great, they also appear to be time consuming and few teachers are willing to lose out on time that could be spent covering their own curriculum. That being said, I could see some schools, particularly high schools where students sometimes have more room in their schedules for electives, instituting a graduating requirement or senior seminar class that required students to select and work on an individual project aimed at improving some aspect of their community. A school librarian could be very instrumental in helping students in such a class practice the type of critical inquiry proposed in this article.
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