Information Literacy and the Library: Inquiry and Project Based learning

According to Kulthau, Caspari & Maniotes (2007):

Guided inquiry incorporates information literacy skills into the process, involving students in each step.  Students, teachers and librarians all work together on ideas throughout the process (p. 5).

Six principles of guided inquiry determine that students learn:

• "by being actively engaged in and reflecting on an experience."
• "by building on what they already know."
• by developing "higher-order thinking through guidance at critical points in the learning process."
• through "different ways and modes of learning."
•  "through social interaction with others"
• "through instruction and experience in accord with their cognitive development"

(p. 25)

Librarians can help your students through the inquiry learning process and the relevant project-based assessments you set by helping them to:

• Explore the information to find a topic.
• Formulate their focus.
• Develop critical thinking skills.
• Locate, evaluate and use information for their project.

Kulthau, C.C., Caspari, A.K., & Maniotes, L.K. (2007). Guided inquiry: Learning in the 21st century.  Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.