Pathfinder

Pathfinder

As stated by Kuntz (2003) and Thibault (2003), a pathfinder guides students as they navigate the complex world of information. A pathfinder teaches essential information and technology skills guiding students through the information overload. It helps in understanding that information is available in a variety of formats and from many resources. It assists students in using effective search strategies as they can be confronted with a proliferation of information. Students need skills and strategies to be discerning of relevant quality information that completes the purpose of their knowledge pursuit. In using a pathfinder students are locating, evaluating and managing information to meet a specific need while gaining skills for lifelong learning.

The pathfinder teaches students skills to be flexible, adaptive and to function in the productive acquisition of information, achieving successful learning outcomes. Many students tend to locate any information, then copy and paste information regardless of the relevance. That exercise is a wasted opportunity as little learning occurs. As stated by McIntosh (2010), making sense of information and synthesising it is a most valuable skill for lifelong learning.

Searching for useful pathfinder sites required evaluation on technical, educational and reliability criteria (Herring, 2004). Consideration was also given to Schrock’s (2005) three basic areas of navigation and usability, authorship and content validity.

My role as teacher librarian (TL) has been enhanced with the skills learnt from constructing a pathfinder. The school library non fiction resources are dated and limited, hence the students will be dependent on the Internet for much of their information. Herring (2004 p.44) suggests that the quantity of potentially useful information available via the web requires evaluation by teachers and TLs. Teachers need to acquire critical evaluation skills to collect relevant information. I now am aware that many tools are available to aid in the selection of information from the Internet. My knowledge in accessing relevant information from the Internet has improved. I am now able to transfer these new skills to students’ learning, leading to improved skills in searching for students with their resulting improved learning outcomes predicted. When not using tools such as metasearch engines, search engines and website evaluation criteria much time is wasted examining an overwhelming amount of information. Using these tools has resulted in better suited resource links in the pathfinder, to better meet student needs. The content searched relates to the specific purpose of the task with improved usability for students. Navigating searches can be difficult for many students but the pathfinder’s clear simple set out limits distractions by having easy access to relevant information sources. Narrowing the search options results in content from the preselected group of resources being relevant, accurate and appropriate. The limited selection of resources better meets the needs of the students with differing abilities. Evaluating information is a vital component of information skills teaching. As stated by Schrock (2002) and Katz (2002), the Internet opens up the possibility to readily access an enormous amount of information, so it is essential to critically evaluate this information. The pathfinder links will need to be reviewed to check for currency and functionality, replacing them if better links are available. The pathfinder supports the students as they navigate the selected

limited number of most useful evaluated sites.

The pathfinder encourages explicit teaching and learning in a supportive, engaging way. Its components offer a structure to improve students’ learning in their ability to gain knowledge from quality relevant information. The Information Search Process model link reminds students of the task purpose. Including the self assessment rubric provides reflection on students’ accomplishments with feedback for discussion and in pinpointing areas of need. The concept map suggestions, focus questions, keywords and KWLH chart aid in identifying, organising and forming further questions to direct the student’s quest for relevant information. The keywords listed help students build on background knowledge and aid them in skim reading content to readily identify topic information. The problems of plagiarism are addressed with the bibliography template and the note taking tip provided. Promoting Boolean searching in the pathfinder leads students to maximising their searching efforts, locating relevant sites efficiently.

Using a wiki format pathfinder allows potential for collaborative input as other teachers could provide input with ease of access anytime, constructing pathfinders for future study together.

This practical exercise of constructing a pathfinder has revealed ways to improve my teaching role as a TL.