Librarians and Learning: The Impact of Collaboration

Abstract

This article shares the results of action research conducted by a teacher-librarian in British Columbia. The findings highlight the value of intentional instruction in online search skills, especially in a collaborative model between the classroom teacher and the librarian. Among these findings: Students lack the skills they need to successfully navigate through online sources/ In an action research project to respond to this need in a middle school, mini-lessons were integrated into classroom research assignments. These were designed to engage students in authentic tasks, allow them to work collaboratively with their peers, and utilize their existing technological skills. The mini-lessons increased students’ skill level in a way that was meaningful and transferable. The impact of collaboration between the classroom teacher and the teacher-librarian were also examined. Collaboration led to a statistically significant higher level of student skill development in this area. Educational leaders at the school can promote this kind of collaboration by advocating for ample teacher-librarian FTE and time-table scheduling that provides flexibility to allow for effective collaboration.

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