The Role of Collaborative Teaching: Effects on Developing of Information Literacy and

Science Communication skill

Wulan Aulia Azizah

Department of Primary Education, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Pascasarjana Jl Kelud Utara
III, Semarang 50237
wulanauliaazizah@gmail.com

Abstract. Information literacy and science communication skills help students to be more literated and skilled
in communication. By using inquiry project-based learning and collaborative teaching between teacher and
school librarian, they can develop students’ information literacy and science communication skills in the fifth
grades. Students are provided with librarian to develop their information literacy, and teacher provided them to
develop their science communications. Based on the results of this study, it is obtained by using collaborative
teaching and inquiry project-based learning, the students’ information literacy and science communication skills
significantly increased. The role teacher and school librarian to work together to develop lesson units, plan
student learning activities, identify and select appropriate resources, and enrich their own knowledge and their
skills integrate inquiry project-based learning have a big influence in educational partnership, indeed in order to
21st century skills to be taught effectively which make a meaningful learning.

Keyword: Information Literacy, Science Communication Skills, Collaborative Teaching, Inquiry Project-Based
learning.

1.Introduction
Information literacy is an important to effective functioning in today’s knowledge society (American
Association of School Libraries, 2007). There are closely related between literacy information and science
communication skill, named information literacy includes the knowledge and information needs of a person,
the ability to identify, find, evaluate and communicate information effectively to address the issues or
problems faced (U.S. National Commission on Library and Information Science,2003). This is supported by
science learning, which is one of the sciences of elementary school science, namely scientific work and work
safety, elementary students are expected to be able to ask questions, predict, make observations, collect data,
draw conclusions, and communicate the results of the experiment.
Moreover, One of the goals that is considered very important in the science curriculum in various schools in
the world are science communication skills or known with SCC (Science Communication Competence)
(Kulgemeyer & Schecker, 2013) The ability to communicate science is also one step learning in the 2013
curriculum after the stages of observing, asking, and observe. The stage of communicating is the stage where
students can learn to express opinions, issue opinions from discussions, change the presentation of data and
also develop scientific and mutual attitudes appreciate in learning. Thus, students have understanding that is
the result of the thought of discussion, not just the thought.
Besides, research has shown that students across different educational levels from primary school are
generally lacking in these areas (Branch, 2003; Chu & Law, 2005, 2007;Lazonder, 2000; Pelgrum, 1999;
Schacter, Chung, & Dorr, 1998). In the past, students were usually taught these skills using the traditional
didactic approach, which involves the teacher gives a student passively receiving information.
Therefore, special strategies are needed to be able to implement effective teaching to improve student’s
literacy information and science communication skill. Inquiry-based learning is a pedagogical approach that
uses questioning to involve students actively in their own learning (Harada & Yoshina, 2004a). Recent
research shows that Inquiry-based learning is more effective in promoting learning outcomes such as deep
thinking, the ability to apply knowledge, and reasoning skills (Dochy, Segers, Van den Bossche, & Gijbels,
2003; Hu, Kuh & Li, 2008). One way to implement Inquiry-based learning in the classroom is through
student projects. Project-based learning (PjBL) is a model for classroom activity that is unusual. PjBL
learning activities are long-term, student centered, and integrated with real-world issues and practices BIE
(Trianto, 2015). The integration Inquiry-based learning and project-based learning can lead to a completely
learning approach.
In previous research, researcher uses inquiry project-based learning to enhance students’ reading abilities
(Chu, Tse:2011). Moreover, Montiel shows that the teacher and librarian collaboration model are most likely
to have an effect on student learning (Montiel, 2009). As well as, in 2011 Chu used collaborative inquiry
project-based learning to develop information literacy (Chu, Tse: 2011).
On the other hand, based on all of previous research there was not projects that were carried out by students.
Researcher only focused on students' perceptions of the variables studied. Then the collaborative models did
not explain the stages of integration in their relationship in developing of the variables. Also, in the teaching
collaboration between teachers and librarians only did interviews in coordination.
Based on the explanation above, in this study will be shown in detail the process of integrating an Inquiry
Project-Based Learning in developing information literacy and science communicate skills. In the
development of information literacy will refer to Bloom's Taxonomy. In addition, in the process of
coordination between teachers and librarians in teaching use interviews and FGD (Forum Group Discussion)
which refers to 4 facets of collaboration, namely coordination, cooperation, integrated instruction, and
integrated curriculum (Montiel, 2009).
Figure 1 shows the framework for this research that inspects the effectiveness of an inquiry PjBL in guiding
students through projects and promoting learning in various domains (Chu, 2011). For this particular study,
the focus was on development of information literacy and science communication skill among students and
the collaboration between classroom teacher and the school librarian.

Eight dimensions for students’

Primary 4 students working
improvement
on group project using
1. Reading comprehension
Inquiry project-based 2. Writing abilities
learning 3. Information literacy
4. IT skills
5. Subject knowledge
School Classroom 6. Social and communication skills
librarian teacher 7. Presentation skills
8. Research Skills

Indicator of attainment
1. Information literacy: students’ skill in searching for relevant
information, in locating, evaluating, and making use of
source should be sharpened by their work on the project.
2. Social and Communication skills: improved social and
communication skills, such as sharing, listening, taking turns,
and assisting others.

Fig.1 framework was adopted from Chu (2011)

This strategy has benefits among others, In order for 21st century skills to be taught effectively, teachers need
a lesson plan that incorporate these attributes in a meaningful way. Therefore collaborative teaching between
teacher and school librarian are necessary important to integrate the lessons to be a meaningful. School
librarians were essential in helping students navigate, analyze, evaluate, and create and communicate ideas
through various media (Farquharson, 2009). Using collaborative inquiry process provides teachers to create,
examine, and reflect on their teaching to develop skills, abilities, and students’ knowledge.

2.Information Literacy and Science Communication Skills

Information Literacy encompasses knowledge of one’s information concerns and needs, and the ability to
identify, locate, evaluate, organize and effectively create, use and communicate information to address issues
or problem at hand (U.S. National Commission on Library and Information Science, 2003).While,
Communication skills are also a form of skill the science process that every student must have.
Characteristics of ability student communication including students able to change the form of presentation
one data to another form of data presentation (Rustaman, et al., 2005).
In other hand, communication is an important part of scientific learning activities and is the basis for
constructing scientific knowledge. Therefore, it can be said that scientific communication or scientific
communication is one of the important bases in science learning. This type of communication in learning
activities is very diverse, but if compared to other forms of communication in the realm of learning, scientific
communication can be clearly distinguished, because scientific communication can distinguished in terms of
certain grammatical rules used, as well as techniques selection of words or terms with certain rules (Nielsen,
2012; within Syahputra,2017).

3. Inquiry
According to Gulo (Trianto, 2015) inquiry strategy means a series of learning activities that involve
maximally all students' abilities to search and investigate systematically, critically, logically, analytically, so
that they can formulate their own findings with confidence.
The main objectives of inquiry learning activities are (1) maximum student involvement in the learning
process; (2) the direction of activities logically and systematically on learning objectives; and (3) developing
an attitude of confidence in students about what is found in the ikuiri process. One of the most prominent
traits in this learning model is that the teacher is not the only source of learning, but rather is positioned as a
facilitator and student learning motivator. Learning activities are carried out by a question and answer
process between the teacher and students, so that the teacher can ask the technique to ask interesting
questions. Third, the purpose of learning using the inquiry model is to develop the ability to think
systematically, logically, and critically students.
Following are the learning steps using the Inquiry model (Trianto, 2015)
Phase Teachers’ behavior
Presenting questions or problems The teacher guides students to identify problems and
problems written on the board.
The teacher divides students into groups
Making hypotheses The teacher provides opportunities for students to
brainstorm in forming hypotheses.
The teacher guides students in determining
hypotheses that are relevant to the problem and
prioritizes which hypothesis is the priority of the
investigation.
Designing experiments The teacher provides opportunities for students to
determine the steps in accordance with the
hypothesis that will be done.
The teacher guides students to sort the experimental
steps.
Conduct experiments to obtain information The teacher guides students to obtain information
through experiments
Collecting and analyzing data Teachers provide opportunities for each group to
convey the results of processing the collected data.
Making conclusions The teacher guides students in making conclusions

4. Project Based Learning

According to Yahya dalam (Trianto, 2015), Project-Based Learning is a learning model that provides
opportunities for teachers to manage classroom learning involving project work. As for Yudi (2007), Poject-
Based Learning is an appropriate learning model to meet this need, where students are involved directly in
solving assigned problems, allowing students to actively build and organize their learning, and can make
students who realistic.
Project-Based Learning focuses on concepts that involve students in meaningful problem solving and
assignment activities, providing opportunities for students to construct their own learning, and culminating in
producing student work products that are valuable and realistic (Okudan, 2004).
The advantages of using Project-Based Learning according to (Djamarah, 2006) are as follows.
(1) Can remodel the thinking patterns of students from the narrow to be broader and more comprehensive in
looking at and solving problems faced in life; (2) fostering students to apply integrated knowledge, attitudes,
and skills, which are expected to be useful in daily life for participants in education; (3) in accordance with
modern didactic principles.
The learning steps of the Project-Based Learning model developed by The George Lucas Education
Foundation (Lucas, 2005) are as follows.
1. Starting with essential questions
Essential questions were asked to provoke the knowledge, responses, criticisms and ideas of students
regarding the theme of the project to be appointed.
2. Planning the project execution rules
Planning contains the rules of the game, the selection of activities that support in answering essential
questions, and knowing the tools and materials that can be accessed to help complete the project.
3. Make an activity schedule
Arrange an activity schedule in completing the project. This schedule is structured to find out how long the
project will take.
4. Monitoring the development of student projections
Educators are responsible for monitoring student learning activities while completing projects. Monitoring is
done by facilitating students in each process.
5. Assessment of student work results
Assessment is done to help educators in measuring the achievement of standards, play a role in evaluating the
progress of each student, giving feedback about the level of understanding that has been achieved by
students, helping educators in preparing the next learning strategy.
6. Evaluate the learning experience of students
At the end of the learning process, educators and students reflect on the activities and results of the projects
that have been carried out. The reflection process is carried out both individually and in groups.

5. The Role of Teacher and Librarian

With an increasing need for innovative learning that solves the complexities of an information society,
understanding how to effectively develop the role of school librarians as collaborators partners with teachers.
Collaboration between teachers and librarians is recommended in professional guidelines for school
librarians as a key factor to improving student academic achievement (American Association of School
Librarians, 2007; American Association of School Librarians & Association for Educational
Communications and Technology, 1998).
The guidelines are supported by a number of studies, which have identified higher student achievement in
schools where collaboration between teachers and librarians occurs (Montiel, 2009), highlighting the
importance of teacher and librarian collaboration.
In this type of collaborative endeavor, teacher and librarian integrate subject content with library instruction
to provide students with a more comprehensive learning experience. Library instruction includes teaching
students how to find information, conduct research and write reports, and use information ethically and
responsibly for personal, academic, and other purposes (American Association of School Librarians, 2007;
American Association of School Librarians & Association of Educational Communications and Technology,
1998; Montiel, 2009).

6. Planning of Implementation Collaborative Teaching Inquiry Project-Based Learning to develop

Information Literacy and Science Communication Skills
In this research begins with students divide into several groups. After grouping students into some groups,
teacher gives them a phenomenon problem, then a school librarian help students to navigate, analyze,
evaluate, and create ideas through various media. Besides, the role of teacher is how students present their
results in writing, pictures, reports, charts, tables and other works until they communicate their work to
others.
This is supported by Chu, Tse, and Chow (2011) wrote that the expertise of each of the participants was the
main catalyst to student achievement, specifically the areas of information literacy skills taught by the
librarian and technology skills taught by the technology teacher.
So that teacher and librarian collaboration could lead to increase students’ achievement. In the first week,
student start to study the importance of clean air for respiratory and for the second weeks they study
maintaining healthy of human respiratory. To develop information literacy and science communication,
teacher and school librarian use an inquiry project-based learning. By using these collaborative models, it can
enhance these skills. Based on Samuel Kai (2011), students’ perceived information literacy both before and
after using inquiry project-based learning is increases. It can be seen on fig 3.

Figure 3.students’ perceived information searching knowledge and skills

But, in this research, researcher more focused on Bloom’s taxonomy to develop information literacy.
According to Bloom’s taxonomy, various stages or levels of learning exist. At the lower level are processes
and activities that involve remembering and understanding certain fact and concept, and being able to apply
learning and standard. While, at higher-level learning includes analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing
information, and creating new knowledge (Anderson, 2001).
While, to develop science communication skills, researchers refer to Kulgemeyer & Schecker's (2013)
research to provide an alternative assessment of students' scientific communication skills with the Expert-
Novice Dialog Method. Subjects assessed the ability of science communication according to this instrument
is an expert. In this case the conveyer of information conveys information to the Novice (recipient of
information) in a study group. Research with this method assesses the ability of science communication only
to the information provider (Expert) because the information provider is a very benchmark in the assessment
of scientific communication skills, and information transfer is very dependent on the ability of the
information provider. The process can be seen in this below.

Figure 3. Constructivist communication model for science communication

Indicators in the questionnaire on the communication skills of science are the results of modifications that
refer to the indicators of science communication capability assessment developed by Kulgemeyer and
Schecker (2013). There are three categories in the assessment of science communication skills, namely
cognitive categories, content knowledge categories and volitional categories.
The next stage is surveying the important information literacy and science communication skills in
completing students’ project. In this research, collaborative teaching using inquiry project-based learning use
to develop these skills. Based on Downey, Inquiry learning is the core of good thinking is the ability to solve
problems (Trianto, 2015). Moreover, according to Mukhlis, Project-based learning is learning models that
provide opportunities for teachers to manage learning in the classroom by involving project work (Trianto,
2015).
Based on Samuel Kai (2011), almost the information sources are perceived by student for the completion of
their project as generally important. The most important source of information is Yahoo! Then followed by
using school library. It can be seen on this figure 4. On this stage, researcher surveyed by using
questionnaire which is given to fourth grader.

Figure 4
The following is a collaborative teaching inquiry project-based learning in developing information literacy
and science communication skills of fifth grade students in elementary school.
Information Literacy based on Bloom’s Taxonomy
Collaborative models Science communication skills
Subtopic Bloom’s Taxonomy level Bloom’s Taxonomy skills
Asking questions or problems Searching. Understanding Lower Searching library catalogs
(Knowledge of topic to select Finding peer review
information)
Locating and accessing
information Cognitive categories
Formulating a hypothesis Citing source Lower Applications
Reading citations
Planning project - - -
Collecting data Evaluation of information Higher Evaluations

Analysis (examining content

to determine when citations
are needed)
Data Analysis Content Knowledge
Understanding plagiarism Higher Analysis (examining a subject
Defining topic to develop a focus and or
research questions)

Monitoring students’ project

Working assessment
Making conclusion - Volitional categories
Evaluating
Figure 5. Steps of Inquiry project-based learning to develop information literacy and science communication skills.
In this below, the table divides the role of teachers and librarians in teaching using a model of project based
inquiry
Collaborative Models The role of The role of Teacher
Librarian
Asking questions or
problems √
Formulating a hypothesis
Planning project √
Collecting data
√
Data Analysis
Monitoring students’
project
Working assessment √
Making conclusion
Evaluating
Figure 6. The role of Teacher and Librarian on Inquiry Project-Based Learning

In addition, previous research used interviews to make the role of teacher and librarian (Chu, 2011). While,
in this research, based on Montiel (2009), researcher uses 4 facets of collaboration to collaborative teaching
between teacher and librarian, the colored background represents a continuum of collaborative practices
ranging from low level collaborative endeavors (facet A) to highly collaborative endeavors that lead to
improve academic achievement (Facet D). It can be seen in fig 6.

Figure 7. Teacher and Librarian Collaboration model (TLC model)

Lastly, during learning for 2 weeks, researchers measured the effectiveness of collaborative teaching using
the Inquiry Project-Based Learning in the learning theme of 2 Clean Air for Health in the fifth grade of
elementary school in developing information literacy and science communication skills. This assessment is
carried out using model implementation of observation sheets, test assessments, and project appraisals using
portfolio assessment, as well as peer assessments to measure the development of information literacy and
science communication.
Few studies have previously investigated how they can be combined to encourage optimal outcomes for
students, with most studies focusing on inquiry learning (e.g. Spronken-Smith, Bullard, Ray, Roberts, &
Keiffer, 2008), or collaborative teaching (e.g. Thousand et al.,2006). Equally important, Inquiry PjBL was
shown to be an effective means of promoting information literacy. This builds on the findings of previous
research showing that information literacy cannot be learned through one-time training such as tutorials or
workshops (Mokhtar et al., 2008). Information literacy needs to be reinforced over a longer period of time
with proper scaffolding and guidance from the teacher.
7.Conclusion
The findings of study showing the benefits from collaborative teaching with inquiry project-based learning to
develop information literacy and science communication skills. Educators must find ways to enhance their
students for gaining these competencies. One of the ways is the teacher and librarian work together to
develop lesson units, plan student learning activities, identify and select appropriate resources, and enrich
their own knowledge and repertoire of skills. They achieve a level of collaboration that has more
instructional impact and educational value, and therefore it is more likely to be replicated and sustained. As a
result, they establish trust and respect for each other, and thus start to develop an educational partnership. By
using this approach, students’ knowledge, skills and abilities increase, indeed in information literacy and
science communication skills.

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