Teacher’s role in information competence

in music teacher education

Studies in music teacher education

My main work as a professor of music education department is to advise students in thesis and dissertation writing. We have a two-year seminar for graduate students (Master’s degree students) where students are supposed to learn how to do research and where issues concerning thesis writing are discussed.

In the seminar, a lot of time is devoted for finding a relevant topic and approach for each student’s research proposal and thesis. This year I have had over 30 students in my two seminars so time is very limited. Therefore, developing even a modest competence in information retrieval, for instance, during thesis studies is a challenge for me, as a teacher.

It is a challenge also for the students. Very often the students come to the seminar with having spent many years only by playing their instruments and practicing. Their research-oriented studies start and end almost during the same seminar. Usually, the students are familiar with the library but only when searching sheet music or listening to records. They actually have to read very few books and write almost nothing before their seminar work and thesis.

As a teacher, I have to accept that students in music teacher education are most often developed nothing more than a passive attitude for searching literate information.  I have to accept that many of the bright students have to start the research work with very limited skills compared to their peers in other universities. 

Definition of information competence

For me, information competence is part of research competence meaning the ability to be able to understand what is required when undertaking a research project, encompassing the skills and knowledge that allow to take responsibility for one’s own learning and to complete independent and self-directed research.

More specifically, information competence means:

-         ability to identify and articulate what knowledge is needed,

-         ability to identify the types of sources of information,

-         ability to formulate effective search strategy,

-         ability to find right key words,

-         ability to restrict searches,

-         ability to evaluate information and its sources critically

-         ability to use information effectively and to follow research ethics.

I think the term competence is very important here. Competence is developed in action that involves skills and skills are acquired through actual physical doings. Acquiring information competence involves active transaction and also repetition, a bit like in learning to play an instrument. I like to think development of information competence not so much as a stock of knowledge but rather as a disposition and attitude that is constantly developing and that one wants to develop. In my work, the first and main goal is, therefore, to create a positive, active attitude and lessen the fears toward research and research related activities.

So how is this competence achieved during studies in music teacher education?

Current practice and co-operation with the librarians

I have 3 main principles in developing information competence within the thesis seminar:

1)      INTEGRATED INSTRUCTION IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF COMPETENCE;

2)      COLLABORATION WITH EXPERTS;

3)      CONSTRUCTIVIST STARTING POINT.  

Integrated instruction 

In my experience, integrating the technical instruction, such as how to use the WORD-program or how to make searches, in the course work and seminar is very important. Some students really need the instruction and some think they know enough and do not need instruction but actually they know only so much that they learn quickly. A separate library or computer course for the fresh men in their first year is useful but the students have already forgotten many things when they start their research seminar (they need repetition), the systems have changed (their knowledge needs updating) and they usually need to meet new activities for instance in information retrieval.

However, the main reason for integrating research related instruction to the seminar is that the instruction meets in this way the real-life situation. When instruction is integrated to the seminar work, learning takes place while the students are dealing with real problems, with their own topics and research areas. It is therefore more motivating and they probably automatically then repeat internet searches, for instance, more often and therefore practice more, which are essential aspects in gaining competence.

A collaborative approach

I think collaboration with library experts is important and the least important reason for this is that even I myself need to update my own skills every now and then.  This year I had two seminar sessions in the computer room, one in the Fall and one in the Spring term, for learning to make searches and using the library data bases. Inform. specialist from the library of the Sibelius Academy  -  advised my students in a hand-on setting. In this way students were forced to sit in front of the computer and try at least, and if failing they had the expert who was able to help them. This year we also arranged two separate sessions for doctoral students. In these sessions the librarian collected beforehand some of the topics of the doctoral thesis applied these in the instruction.  

In general, I think that by combining expertise we can create a more effective learning environment for students.    

Constructivist starting point

My own starting point as a teacher is that I try to start where the students are. I don’t expect my students to even know how to use google when they come to the seminar. I have to be able to see that the student is not frustrated in front of a too demanding task because that can mean that their research work never ends. This is very difficult since, as a teacher, I wanted to see more progress but very often I have be satisfied with less and just keep the motivation and steam up. I needed to be able to identify their individual differences in learning styles and to be able to give advice, which motivates them and gives them the feeling that they can make it. I have to repeat the basic things many times and use as often as possible concrete hands-on means. Basically, I try to function a mediator and guide between the student and his or her thesis work.

Students’ experiences from year 2004-2005

In April I made the students write about how competent or incompetent they felt in their research-related skills.

Pros…

1. Collaboration with the library appreciated. Students thought the sessions with inform. specialist were very useful.
2. Librarians in general were helpful. Music education students study in Pitäjänmäki which is quite far from the main library and the fact that one librarian is working in Pitäjänmäki was experienced good. The students thought it was good to have someone to ask questions. So personal contacts are still very important.
3. The need and value of information competence was identified. Students had realized that they really need to do something themselves too in order to gain competence.

And cons….

1. Music studies do not support growth in information competency. Student suggested that instruction for information competence and critical discussion around research issues should started much earlier stage of their studies so they could achieve metaknowledge and accumulative body of knowledge in the field that is in their interest.
2. Some of the students showed clear fear for libraries. One of the students wrote: ”I feel anxious in the education library. I feel that I have to be able to know exactly where to go there”. Students seem to create very quickly secure and comfortable ways to act when searching information, which means that they have not gained the attitude of constant development and life-long learning.  Therefore it seems that is important to influence their habit-forming in the beginning of the process.  
3. Gaining information competency is experienced as an extra job for which there is not enough time. Students found themselves lazy and lacking inspiration for completing searches. “Look for this information today at 3 pm is lacking in the calendar”, wrote one of the students. Searching for information is not done systematically and the students know it. They know that they needed more practice and even repetition so that the strategies are not forgotten. This lack of systematic work is unfortunately also seen in the end products. Very few theses in music teacher education reflect systematic work with the resources.
4. More instruction was needed and wanted. Students wrote that they still had difficulties in finding suitable search words. One student wrote: “We searched with the search word “hip hop” and got 500 000 results, then added “hip hop and pedagogy” and the result was 0.” Information that was in a foreign language, not in Finnish, was found difficult to approach. Students did not know how to get foreign publications and they suddenly became very lazy when they needed to do something concretely to get the publications. Internet in this respect has made it easier to find sources but it does not yet guarantee access to the sources.  

In general students felt that information competence is underestimated in their education and that they needed more instruction, more repetition in order to create a sustained skill-base.

Challenges and future plans

1. Intensify collaboration

According to my experience, the collaborative work with the librarians need to be continued and intensified even more. The extra instruction once in the Fall and once in Spring term that Maarit devoted to my students seems not to be enough.  In this technological time, we think too easily that everything can be dealt with computers. I think personal contacts are still important and I have noticed that students really appreciate the help they receive from the library personel. It is important that they meet persons who work in the library and feel that they can approach them when they need help and that no question is too silly to be asked. It is very important that the students experience that the librarian is not just a person who stamps books but someone who has expertise and is willing to share this expertise.  I hope that the need for this kind of collaboration is taken into account in the resources of Sibelius Academy library in the future.

2. Teachers role in planning and evaluation in the collaborative approach is important

Collaboration means shared planning and the teacher’s role is important in this. I feel that I did not invest enough time for this during this year and I have to systematize the seminar work in the future much more. Librarians do not usually see the end results and it is therefore difficult for them to assess how effective the instruction was and how it could be altered. The teacher’s role is very important in developing collaboration.