Unleashing the Theory: Connecting Learning Theory to Building Information Seeking Skills

Authors

  • Elizabeth B. Danley
  • Beverly K. Maddox

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/iasl8140

Abstract

This study surveyed 126 school librarians in eighteen countries, representing 131 schools serving more than 113,260 students. The survey instrument requested respondents to describe techniques they used to facilitate information literacy, their perceptions of their functions in the development of independent learners, and the training they received that enabled them to mediate information seeking and use skills. Survey data revealed that the respondents relate information skills instruction to students' interests, work with other teachers to place information seeking skills within the context of students' course work, and encourage students to share ideas and skills with each other as they build their own search strategies. Results indicate that the creation of independent, self-directed, lifelong learners is the goal of school librarians over the world But data also reveal that most of the respondents spend less than a quarter of their time working with teachers to plan connected programs and that many school libraries are understaffed.

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Published

2021-03-24