Reflection8

I would tell my administrator that expecting kids to know what to do with research without databases, just because they have the internet, is like expecting them to know how to drive when they are 13, just because you have given them a car. It’s true kids have been in cars since birth, but that does not mean they know how to operate one. It takes maturity, instruction and proper modeling for them to master the concept of driving, and research is no different.

A driving instructor (or parent or guardian) needs to be giving them direction and teaching them the speed at which to take a turn, when to brake for a red light, and how to parallel park. The same is true for research, a knowledgeable librarian needs to show kids how to use the proper database for the job, how to narrow a search with proper key words, and when to employ the Boolean operators. These are important skills that are not just “picked up” because you know how to Google.

Further, the necessary skill to operate a car is perfected after much state mandated practice, upwards of 65 hours, and the same is true for research, as well. In order to properly learn the skills, students need to “get in the driver’s seat” with research and take multiple test drives, under the guidance of a professional who is an expert on the speed bumps and pot holes of the task.

A child needs to be of a certain age, and therefore a presumed maturity level before the state will trust them with a car for a reason. The decision making skills and understanding of complex operations are not even developed in a child until a certain age. We work tirelessly in library class to expose students to the tools of research from a very young age, but it must all come together under the direction of a capable librarian with the proper database tools in order to properly prepare the students for the rigors of high school, college and the workplace.