“On the fly”: Collaboration between teachers and teacher librarians in inquiry learning

Education in a post-truth era poses unique challenges for educators supporting youth in developing the critical thinking and information literacy skills needed to navigate an information landscape fraught with fake news, alternative facts, and information overload. Australia faces further issues with a crowded curriculum, funding cuts in education, and underachievement on national and international tests. As trained professionals in information literacy, teacher librarians are in a strong position to guide teachers and students towards achievement of these important information literacy and lifelong learning skills. The purpose of this research was to explore collaboration between Australian teachers and teacher librarians while planning, delivering, and assessing inquiry units supporting information literacy skills. Using a phenomenological case study methodology with six schools, eight teachers and teacher librarians describe their experiences, sometimes “on the fly” as teacher librarian Annie notes, identifying important elements to successful and unsuccessful collaborations including schoolwide culture, time, and relationships.