Leveraging Your Library:
Collaborating with Your Library Staff
to Teach Science Research
Andy Spinks, Lead Librarian
Center for Advanced Studies
at Wheeler High School
Cobb County, GA
Overview
• Why librarians and science teachers make
such natural collaborative partners
• Examples of science-library collaborations at
Wheeler High School’s Magnet Program
• Tips for collaborating with your library staff
Common Instructional Goals
• Science teachers  Science literacy
• Librarians  Information literacy
– Accessing, Evaluating, and Using Information
• Many overlapping elements, including:
– Using analytical/critical/higher-level thinking
– Using evidence to solve problems
– Identifying and avoiding bias
– Communicating using data
Common Instructional Methods
• Inquiry Learning is the ideal method for both
–Student-centered, student-driven
–Active & experiential
–Constructivist
–Process-oriented
Why Not Just Use Google?
• Students and teachers routinely overestimate the
students’ level of information literacy.
• Technology literacy ≠ Information literacy
• Students must learn to use the web effectively, but they
must also learn to use more authoritative sources
• Using a search engine is not “authentic” learning
because it is not what scientists and academics use for a
“review of the literature.”
Examples of Collaboration
•
•
•
•
AP Environmental Science (biome brochure)
AP Biology (peer-reviewed articles)
Biochemistry (Clinical Pharmacology database)
12th Grade Magnet Research/Internship Course
– Peer-Reviewed Articles
– Advanced Reference Articles (online & print)
– APA Documentation
– Using Other Libraries (Georgia Tech, etc.)
Examples of Collaboration
• 9th Grade “Semester-Long” Research Project
– Choose topic
– Conduct background research*
– Write a hypothesis
– Design and conduct the experiment
– Present findings in a written report and an oral
presentation
– Enter in science fair competition
Background Research for Project
• Independent & Dependent Variables
–What makes each one tick?
–How is each one measured?
• What research has been done before?
• How does your research relate?
How to Get Started
• Discuss the materials available for your course
• Brainstorm ideas for a research project
• Plan the details of the project
• Plan the details of the library visit
–Including who will teach what & when
• Extra Credit: Plan for joint assessment
Thanks for Coming!
• “Handouts” Available Online:
– http://andyspinks.com/conferences
– References & additional resources on following slides
• Contact Information:
– Andy.Spinks@cobbk12.org
• Questions or Comments?
Resources
Filson, R. (2005). In Search Of….Real Science. Access Excellence. Retrieved July 16,
2005, from the National Health Museum Web site:
http://www.accessexcellence.org/LC/TL/filson/
Kuhlthau, C. C. (2004). Seeking meaning: A process approach to library and information
services (2nd ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Kuhlthau, C. C. (n.d.). Information Search Process: A Search for Meaning Rather Than
Answers. Retrieved July 15, 2005, from the Rutgers University, Department of Library
and Information Science Web site:
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/Search%20Process.htm
Spinks, A. (2005). The Scientific Method: A Research Process. Retrieved March 17, 2006,
from http://andyspinks.com/scientificmethod/
Woods, M. (2005). Science. In The New Book of Knowledge: Scholastic Library Publishing.
Retrieved July 13, 2005 from the Grolier Online database.