It’s Library and Information Week! A week when we are reminded of the need for students to create, research and reference with wisdom and integrity. In a world so full of information it can be challenging and a little overwhelming for students to effectively locate quality, relevant resources for assignment research and study. To assist our students with their learning, research and referencing, access to quality databases and other resources is provided via our College Library pages on Gateway – our school Learning Management System (LMS). Students are encouraged to ‘Get Connected at the Library’ via the main Library page where databases, research and referencing information can be accessed and additional resources and support are provided via the Primary and Secondary library links.
Students can access the databases anytime, anywhere, whether in class, at the library, or at home, from any connected device. Guiding student research in classes and tutorials is part of the role of our Teacher Librarians who are keen to ensure our students understand the need to look for resources that are reliable and relevant to their learning. In a world where fake news is reported alongside the truth, our students need to develop skills to help them to discern what information is real and trustworthy. Identifying fake news is an important skill to learn and involves questioning the integrity and quality of the information. This YouTube clip ‘Helping students identify fake news’ is a helpful summary of the ways we can evaluate online information. Providing our students with opportunities to think critically about what they are seeing and consuming is an important skill to develop and one that will have lifelong benefit.
Students and families are encouraged to explore these resources and databases when working on assessments/assignments or for learning more about a topic of interest. Our Teacher Librarians – Mrs McKellar and Mrs Morris are available to assist with research questions and to guide students in their use of databases. Students can email the Teacher Librarians or arrange a time to meet with them at the Library.
Vanessa McKellar and Beryl Morris, Teacher Librarians