Articles, Presentations and Podcasts
Presentation - Librarians as Teachers of Sense-Making Skills
June 2021
FOSIL Group member Dr Barbara Striping, whose influential work informs the ongoing development of FOSIL, makes the point in E&L Memo 1 | Learning to know and understand through inquiry that “[John] Dewey’s recognition of the need for both content and skills provided solid justification for the role of a school librarian as a teacher of sense-making skills”.
FOSIL is both a model and a PK-12 (age 4-18) framework of these sense-making skills, along with a growing collection of graphic organizers for developing these skills within the inquiry learning process. More broadly, and through the FOSIL Group, FOSIL is also a collaborative and supportive community of inquiry. Viewed and approached in this way, FOSIL-based inquiry is an effective means for librarians to become instructional partners with their classroom colleagues to the lasting benefit of their students.
This talk will provide a background to FOSIL, an overview of the model and an exploration of how it works by way of diverse practical examples drawn from content area and extracurricular learning.
Learning by Doing
April 2021
Here at the Startup Hub, we love sharing people’s personal experiences of how they build businesses based on their passions. So when we caught up with Elizabeth Hutchinson, one of our Barclays Eagle Labs Business Accelerator alumni, we just had to tell you her story… It’s all about testing, learning and developing her business as an independent adviser and trainer for school libraries over the past 18 months.
School Librarians want a bigger role in Information Literacy and fighting Fake News
21st November 2020
Like everyone, over the last year, school librarians have had to find ways to adapt to the changing landscape. They have coped brilliantly. But the return to normal will bring back some difficult frustrations, as Elizabeth Hutchinson reports -
Teaching Times
presentation from LILAC 2019
April 2019
How we (SLS Librarians) have used technology to talk ourselves into the classroom with amazing results. Some we expected and others we didn't.
Every School needs a library with a school librarian.
1st November 2018
With the recent campaign #GreatSchoolLibraries I was asked to write an article about why school libraries are important. UKedchat agreed to publish it. Why do our students need school libraries with professional librarians in them? Read more here.
FOSIL: Inquiry as a mind set, skill set, toolkit and communtiy
June 2021
FOSIL is at its simplest, a model of the inquiry process that is based on the work of Barbara Stripling as reflected in the Empire State Information Fluency Continuum. Because this process emerged from a stance, FOSIL is also a mind set. Because this process is enabled by skills FOSIL is also a PK - 12 (reception to year 13) skill set. Because the skills that constitute this skill set need to be developed systematically and progressively FOSIL is also a tool set for doing so. Finally, because FOSIL is a collaborative inquiry into the nature and practice of inquiry learning, FOSIL is also a growing community of inquiry. This article serves as a brief introduction to and overview of FOSIL.
This article was originally published in ACCESS, Volume 35, Issue 2 June, 2021
UKedChat Conference Presentation
April 2021
Inquiry Learning empowers students to become independent learners and critical thinkers. Collaboration between the school librarian and teachers not only provides students access to good quality resources but also introduces them to a set of skills need to engage with the world beyond school.
Queens New Years Honours
31st October 2020
Queens New Years Honours takes place at Government House, Guernsey
ResearchEd National Conference
7th December 2018
In September 2018 I presented at the ResearchEd national conference. Here is the first half of my presentation for those of you who were unable to attend. Do you want to hear what else I shared? Please get in touch...
Teacher Talk Radio - School Libraries
May 2021
I joined Chis Vowles on Teacher Talk Radio to talk about the importance of School Libraries and Librarians. I managed to give Great School Libraries a plug as well as my own favourite Inquiry framework FOSIL.
FOSIL - can transform students knowledge of their subject
February 2021
Children need a framework a to undertake enquiry-based learning well Elizabeth Hutchinson extols FOSIL and the role of school librarians.
BEM for Elizabeth Hutchinson
1st January 2020
School librarians do more than help your child find a good book.
Radio interview - Why School libraries are so important.
6th December 2018
Radio interview with Voice of Islam drive time show, talking about why school libraries are important. Listen at 1hr 5mins to hear the conversation.