FOSIL, Education and School Libraries

Welcome to FOSIL, Education and School Libraries Podcast, where Darrly Toerien and I (Elizabeth Hutchinson) talk about what we feel is important in school libraries and education now. Today's discussion continues from last week's podcast, which was part 1 of this conversation, where we discussed the importance of preserving human voice in education. In this chat, we cover the importance of helping students cultivate curiosity about learning without AI, so that when they do use it, they have an understanding of where it may be taking them. We ask 3 questions for school librarians to consider:-* Am I teaching something?* Am I teaching something using AI?* Am I teaching AI?This focus leads our conversation forward where we consider the importance of FOSIL’s CONNECT stage… I’m afraid we enjoy our conversation too much and once again we ran out of time. We hope you enjoy listening to where this took us. Next time we will focus on the INVESTIGATE and CONSTRUCT stage in relation to Gen AI. Links talked about in this podcast* Alfred Guy quotation from Inside Yale’s Quiet Reckoning with AI.* For Jane Rosenzweig, see Writing Hacks (her Blog) and The Important Work: Teaching Writing in the Age of AI (which she curates).* Paulo Freire quotation from Pedagogy of the Oppressed in “Human Beings! Human Beings!” An Open Letter to Educators on the Dangers of AI, by Ursula Wolfe-Rocca.* BBC news article about AI assistants misrepresenting the news is Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory.* Sam Altman Addresses BlackRock U.S. Infrastructure Summit | March 11, 2026 | AC15 (see from 10m22s for the bit about intelligence being a chargeable utility).We would love to hear what you think of this podcast… Do you find it useful? Are they enjoyable? Informative? Please do comment below… share your thoughts on our discussion. What do you think Generative AI is bringing to your school? Do you have any questions you would like us to consider? All comments welcome! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

Welcome to FOSIL Education and School Libraries, a conversation about liberal education, signature inquiry, and how generative AI fits, or doesn’t, into real classroom practice.This episode follows on from last week’s podcast, Clarifying the purpose of education, explains the Year 9 Signature Work inquiry: an interdisciplinary, schoolwide project embedded in English that builds thoughtful reading, writing, and speaking skills and culminates in a spoken presentation and Q&A. It contrasts authentic human texts (like Laudato Si’) with AI-generated summaries, raising concerns about AI’s tendency to flatten voice and strip nuance.We argue that tools must be judged against clear educational aims: supporting student attention, authentic authorship, and the dialogic process of learning. * Eric O. Springsted -- discussing Simone Weil’s notion of attention in Attention, Availability, and the Reading of Books (2025).* Janet Salmons and the flattening of language in Finding Your Voice in a Ventriloquist’s World – AI and Writing (2025).* Claudio Nastruzzi and semantic ablation in Why AI writing is so generic, boring, and dangerous: Semantic ablation (2026).* Jane Rosenzweig (2022) on why we are not doing the thinking if a machine is doing the writing in The Fight About AI (2025) by Christopher Newfield.Please subscribe so you don’t miss our next episode, which explores practical ways (or limits) for using generative AI at each stage of inquiry. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

I am always grateful to have time to chat with Darryl Toerien about school libraries, FOSIL and inquiry. Today, we start to explore the need to clarify the purpose of education, especially in relation to the growing concern about adopting new technologies, including AI, in our schools. I personally find it very helpful to have these learning conversations. To be able to voice my thoughts and ideas certainly helps me clarify my understanding. I hope you learn from this conversation too… * ACCESS Article -- AI: The perfect storm that rages against the evolving dynamism through which we form ourselves as human beings (Darryl Toerien, 2025).* Anne Lutz Fernandez -- Resisting AI Mania in Schools - Part I (2025a), Part II (2025b), and Part III (2025c).* Sarah Winnicki -- I would be so ashamed to use generative AI, here’s why (2026).* Jenny Toerien -- Blanchelande College 2026 | AI and Academic Integrity (Parent Presentation).Follow and subscribe to listen to the next episode, which focuses on concrete strategies. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

It has been a while since Darryl and I got together, October half term to be precise, so we thought it was time to give you an update. We both have books coming out and Darryl wanted to tell you more about the institute so we hope you enjoy! FOSIL Symposium - The Institute announcement. Focus on Inquiry with Prof. Dianne Oberg and Prof. Jennifer Branch-Mueller We both wish you the blessings of the season and hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. We both look forward to sharing more with you in 2026 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

We start this podcast with an update. Where are we now with FOSIL and inquiry learning? If you want to skip this part and just listen to our focused discussion, please start at 12.09m.We are heading back to the FOSIL Symposium that we ran in Feb this year to discuss something that has been on my mind. David Harrow from AKS Lytham did a presentation about the use of inquiry and particularly FOSIL in his school. There was not much talk about the use of the librarian and it got me wondering… Do schools need a library and a librarian to use FOSIL?We would love to hear your thoughts on this so if you have any please do post a comment. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

In this episode of FOSIL Education and School Libraries, we reflect on the key ideas and developments following the recent FOSIL Symposium. With support from the likes of David Loertscher and members of the FOSIL Group, we discuss the growing role of inquiry in teaching and learning, and how school libraries are adapting and contributing in meaningful ways. We also introduce new initiatives like the open access journal Learning Hub and the Institute for the Advancement of Inquiry. Tune in to hear how school librarians are continuing to support thoughtful, inquiry-based education.From the FOSIL Symposium - AKS Lytham, Jannath Khanom and Ruth Maloney https://fosil.org.uk/forums/forum/fosil-presentations/2025-symposium/ Learning Hub journal, which includes the multimedia article Creative Commons Reboot of the FOSIL-based Heroic Inquiry Cycle, by Darryl Toerien and Hugh Rose.ALiVE! Library Initiative Interview with Darryl and Jenny Toerien by Dr. David Loertscher for School Library Central:"Welcome to the School Library Central Youtube Channel, created by SJSU iSchool Professor Dr. David V. Loertscher to support advances, research, information, resources, and leaders who are transforming traditional school libraries into vibrant centers of teaching and learning in K-12 education." This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

In this episode, we provided some contextual information about the colleagues who will be sharing their valuable insights with us during the FOSIL 2025 Symposium on Saturday 8 February, which is free, online and will be recorded.The Symposium marks 15 years of thoughtful and purposeful development of FOSIL (2010), and 6 years of the FOSIL Group (2019).Elizabeth and I met in 2011, so she has been a companion on this journey since almost the very beginning.These are my preparatory notes on colleagues in order of appearance, with Elizabeth introducing Ruth Maloney and Jannath Khanom, who she has a closer working relationship with. Both Ruth and Jannath have made deeply thoughtful contributions to the FOSIL Group Forums.—I met Dianne and Jennifer at the IASL 2019 Conference in Dubrovnik, where I had been asked to deliver a keynote presentation – Between the Classroom and the Library (notice a recurring theme!) – following the IFLA 2019 World Library and Information Congress in Athens.Dianne and Jennifer had been instrumental in developing the deeply thoughtful Alberta Inquiry Model as part of Focus on Inquiry: A Teacher’s Guide to Implementing Inquiry-based Learning. You and I hosted an extended discussion of this enormously helpful document during October, November and December of 2019, which culminated in an online Q&A with Dianne and Jennifer in January of 2020 – see Focus on Inquiry in the FOSIL Group Forum, which includes links to the discussion and webinar. Dianne also authored E&L Memo 2 | Focus on Inquiry: Reflections on Developing a Model of Inquiry for the FOSIL Group Epistemology & Learning Memos series, which I need to revitalise.Also significant from our perspective is that Dianne was co-editor with Barbara Schultz-Jones of the IFLA School Library Guidelines (2015), followed by Global Action on School Library Guidelines (2015) and Global Action on School Library Education and Training (2019) in the IFLA / De Gruyter Publications series.Also significant from our perspective, and also in the IFLA / De Gruyter Publications series, is that Dianne was co-editor with Barbara Schultz-Jones of Global Action for School Libraries: Models of Inquiry (2022). Three of the five models included in the book are Stripling’s Model of Inquiry (more on this later), FOSIL and the Alberta Inquiry Model. The book also included a chapter by Joseph Sanders and Jenny Toerien on Deep Collaboration by Teacher and Librarian to Develop an Inquiry Mindset using FOSIL (see also Curricular Inquiry: Learning Between the Library and the Classroom for an online discussion of this work between Joe and Jenny and here for the accompanying PPT presentation).—Our relationship with Lee FitzGerald stretches at least as far back as 2021, when we wrote FOSIL: Inquiry As Mind Set, Skill Set, Tool Set and Community for her as Editor of ACCESS (Volume 35, Issue 2, June 2021), the national journal of the Australian School Library Association.Since then, I have developed a close working relationship with Lee, going on to write six more articles for ACCESS, the last two with Lee: Re/Dis-Covering the Promise of Freedom Through Inquiry – Part 1 (Volume 38, Issue 3, September 2024) and Re/Dis-Covering the Promise of Freedom Through Inquiry – Part 2 (Volume 38, Issue 4, December 2024).Lee, who is now also Adjunct Lecturer on the Master of Education: Teacher Librarianship course at Charles Sturt University, was previously Head of Service at Loreto Kirribilli in Sydney (Australia), an independent, Catholic school for girls from K-12. Lee oversaw an outstanding inquiry programme. She has remained in contact with Jo, who is the History Coordinator, particularly around the superb Grade 11 Ancient History inquiry. Lee and Jo have enormous experience of Guided Inquiry Design, and Jenny and I worked with them to reframe this inquiry through FOSIL, so I am very excited about that they will be sharing this extraordinary insight into inquiry with us.—Blanchelande College in Guernsey (Channel Islands) is an independent, Catholic school for boys and girls from PK-12. While we will not talk about our inquiry programme during the Symposium, we have established Signature Work inquiries in all phases of the College, which are backbone for other inquiry-based work across phases and academic disciplines/ subjects, and reflect on them as often as possible in the FOSIL Group Forum, specifically in Inquiry and resource design.—Mary-Rose Grieve | Hartland International School in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) is an independent school for boys and girls from PK-12, which offers a British education “through the National Curriculum for England.” Mary-Rose appears to me, like Elizabeth, to have been a companion on this journey for as long as I can remember. Her perspective is extraordinarily broad, and so particularly insightful. I am deeply envious of her broad and intimate knowledge of books, both non-fiction and fiction, that provoke and foster inquiry, especially for our young

Engaging and Empowering School Libraries, a general school library podcast, and FOSIL, Education and School Libraries, a podcast that focuses on teaching through inquiry, came together this month. This session brought my two co-hosts together to discuss how school librarians can move on from teaching single research lessons to inquiry lessons, even if that is all they are being asked to do. This show includes pictures of the FOSIL cycle and FOSIL skillset both of which can be found and downloaded from here... https://fosil.org.uk/fosil-cycle/ Engaging and Empowering School Libraries Membership - https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembershipIf you wish to watch the Youtube recording of this discussion you can find it here No AI was used to create this podcast, as you will spot by the human mistakes we make... enjoy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

This episode explores the librarian’s evolving role in education, sharing practical strategies for fostering collaboration between teachers and librarians to create meaningful, student-centered inquiry experiences. We discuss recent publications, success stories from classrooms, and offer a preview of the upcoming FOSIL book, aiming to redefine how libraries contribute to holistic, impactful education.As always we would love to hear your thoughts on this episode.Links:* Re/Dis-Covering the Promise of Freedom Through Inquiry: Part 1, by Darryl Toerien and Lee FitzGerald for ACCESS (Volume 38, Issue 3, September 2024), the journal of the Australian School Library Association (ASLA). Aimed at principals, SLT and classroom-based teachers.* First SLA Blog post in FOSIL Group Forum: Between the Library and the Classroom: Becoming Integral to the Educational Process 2.1* “As We Begin, So Shall We Go”: FOSIL as Means to a “Transcendent and Honourable End”, by Darryl Toerien for Synergy (Volume 22, Number 1, June 2024), the journal of the School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV).Maritain quote: "Nothing is more important than the events which occur within that invisible universe which is the mind of [a person]. And the light of that universe is knowledge. If we are concerned with the future of civilization we must be concerned primarily with a genuine understanding of what knowledge is, its value, its degrees, and how it can foster the inner unity of the human being" (The Range of Reason, 1952, p. 3).Engaging and Empowering School Libraries is a membership that aims to support school librarians in teaching through inquiry. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

The work on FOSIL continues with Darryl practising what he preaches. Is this something we can all take and use or is it just great for him because he has been steeped in it for so long? Listen to his inspiring journey and be encouraged by his confidence that all school librarians can do this too. FOSIL Group Website - https://fosil.org.uk/Re/Dis-covering the promise of freedom through inquiry - https://fosil.org.uk/newsroom/article-asla-access-7/ Engaging and Empowering School Libraries Membership - https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

FOSIL, Education and School Libraries is a podcast that aims to encourage and support you to think of school libraries in a different way. We hope to develop your understanding of the value of school libraries, help you engage with the content on the FOSIL Group Website, introduce you to people who are using FOSIL and most of all just have a conversation about the role of school librarians within education.If you are looking for my Engaging and Empowering School Libraries Podcast you can find that here https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/podcastToday Darryl and I look forward to what our new year of podcasting will bring, including:- Updates on Blanchelande projectsWorking with UK SLAPublished ArticlesBooks… to be writtenConferences - including an announcement of a FOSIL gathering - February 2025Strategic PartnersBlanchelande Yr 1 tourist brochure https://gsy.bailiwickexpress.com/gsy/news/written-children-children/BBC Report https://www.facebook.com/share/r/8EvX1rx5PVyre5SK/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com

In this episode, hosts Darryl and Elizabeth celebrate their first year of podcasting about FOSIL, Education and School Libraries.After concluding a two-part history of school libraries last month, we decided to dedicate this session to answering listener questions. We began by addressing concerns about the IFLA School Library Guidelines and their relevance today, discussing the importance of adapting these guidelines to local and national contexts.We also look into how school librarians can balance inquiry-based learning with other responsibilities, emphasising the need to integrate core instructional activities into an inquiry-centered framework. The conversation then shifted to the role of school librarians in supporting their school's strategic development plans and how to align library missions with broader educational goals.Questions about the impact of artificial intelligence on academic integrity and the future challenges and opportunities it presents for school librarians are discussed and we finally, explore the historical development of school librarianship in America, Australia, and the UK, and speculate on the potential changes a new UK government might bring to the sector.Doctorow: Even if you think AI search could be good, it won't be good (15 May 2024).Engaging and Empowering School Libraries Membership -https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elizabethhutchinson.substack.com