Research Finding:
Research in information literacy, and particularly
the research process, offers promising techniques
for improving student learning through collaboration
by teachers and teacher-librarians.
Comment
Successful use of search engines by young people requires
content knowledge, appropriate language skills and
adult intervention.
The quality of materials made available, and their
attributes (sound, color, graphics, etc.) can accelerate
student learning. Students typically need more time
to "consume and absorb" the information they
find than they are given.
Natural thinking and creative abilities can be reopened
in young people through direct teaching.
Synthesis especially summarizing and making decisions
rather than copying someone elses ideas and conclusions
must be taught for students in order for them to apply
and use this skill set. Just as the use of search engines
is not intuitive, neither is synthesis, in spite of
the instructional decisions made to the contrary.
Both confidence and competence increase as students
find their "voice" through communicating
the findings of their search and creating their own
products.
A wider variety of newer assessment techniques provide
opportunities for developing a multidimensional view
of what students know and are able to do.
Promising techniques for teacher-librarians to impact
student achievement, in addition to planning to address
the above comments, include cooperative learning, cultivating "habits
of mind," constructivist strategies, integration
of information skills and content, collaborative planning,
flexible scheduling, developing ones own research model
based on others available, teaching text structure,
and engaging the school principal in understanding
and support for integrated information literacy programs.
Source
Loertscher, David & Woolls, Blanche. (1999). Information
literacy: A review of the research. Hi Willow
Research and Publishing. 129 pp.
