Information Literacy Instruction in Elementary Education

An Annotated Bibliography

Info 522: Information Access and Resources

Katie Wylonis

June 2014

Discussion Section

This bibliography focuses on integrating Information Literacy (IL) in elementary

education. For the purposes of this bibliography, I am using ALA’s definition of

information literacy; “to recognize when information is needed and to have the ability to

locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information” (ALA, 1989, para. 3). The

American Association of School Librarians (AASL) published Standards for the 21st

Century Learner (ALA, 2007) which emphasizes the importance of teaching information

literacy to help create life-long learners who are prepared for our information rich world.

The publication outlines standards for librarians to help students meet information

literacy goals. Given the focus of these standards in the school library professional

standards, many school media specialists and/or their administrators need some more

information on why and how to incorporate these standards into their curriculum and

teaching practice.

The selected articles focus on both the evidence supporting the need for teaching

information literacy, as well as ways, proven successful in research, to build information

literacy curriculums, and finally, practical ways to teach information literacy lessons in

schools. I prioritized currency in my article selection as standards are evolving in

education. These articles range in publication from 2006-2013, with the vast majority

being published after AASL’s Standards for the 21st Century Learner. All articles are

published in English. The majority of the articles focus on the United States, but some of

research was done in Hong Kong, China, and Sweden. The findings were all relatively

similar despite the cultural differences. I focused most of my searching on LISA, ERIC,

LISTA, and Web of Science. Additionally, I included one article found through Google

Scholar.

Some of the articles in the bibliography focus on the need for schools and teachers to

embrace IL into their daily instruction and to think about it in different ways. The Lund

and Linberg’s (2008) article, Information Practices in Elementary School, shows that

teachers in their study saw literacy and information literacy as two completely different

ideas. Additionally, their instruction was at odds with their ideas about information

literacy and required updating to meet the needs of today’s information literacy

requirements. Latham and Gross’ article Broken Links: Undergraduates Look Back on

their Experiences with Information Literacy in K-12 Education (2008) also shows the

importance of teaching information literacy. They examined research performed with

college students and how their library and information literacy instruction in elementary

school greatly impacted the quality of their IL skills in college. The findings of these

articles provide good motivation for continued support of school media and information

literacy instruction.

There are many articles that provide research on how best to implement information

literacy instruction. One of the hurdles that educators and librarians have found is that

information literacy standards are scattered throughout district, state, and national

subject standards, and there is not a set of standards for library and media instruction.

One of the challenges for school library media specialists has been to gather all of the

information literacy standards scattered throughout the subjects and to build a library

curriculum around them. Doing this takes support of teachers and administration. Many

of these articles outline techniques for integrating these standards into the curriculum.

Scott and Plourde’s (2007) research focuses on building a library curriculum, describing

how an elementary school went about building a curriculum with goals and standards,

while recording an increase in student performance after implementation. Stafford’s

article, Teaching Students to Form Effective Questions (2009), researched question

formulation as a key component IL in library curriculum and outlines how a Maryland

school district revised their curriculum by grade level with a focus on question

formulation. Their research show increased test scores. Kong’s (2008) research in Hong

Kong focuses on transforming their information technology curriculum to an information

literacy curriculum, emphasizes project based learning, collaboration, and service

learning.

After schools have information literacy curriculum, teachers and school library media

specialists can incorporate information literacy into their day to day teaching in a variety

of ways, many of which were describe in Kong’s (2008) curriculum framework. Montiel-

Overall and Grimes (2013) studied teacher and librarian collaboration as a method of

teaching information literacy through inquiry-based science. Their findings indicate that

student performance increases with this collaborative teaching model. Chu, Tse, and

Chow (2011) also show the benefits of teacher collaboration and project based learning

to instill and improve information literacy skills in students. Their article outlines the

structure of two assignments and how the librarian and information technology teacher

had opportunities to instruct the students in aspects of their projects. Limberg’s article

(2008) echos Stafford’s (2009) findings on the importance of question formulation,

noting that student interest in the research question is a large determining factor in

students learning IL skills, and that teacher involvement at every step from question

formulation to evaluation of sources is important for success.

While project based learning and collaboration are the two primary methods for

teaching information literacy, there are various ways to implement information literacy

instruction into school communities. Mullins and Linder (2006) write about information

literacy instruction through community service, giving students a real-life project based

learning experience. Brown and Kasper’s article The Fusion of Literacy and Games: A

Case Study in Assessing the Goals of a Library Video Game Program (2013), though

based on a public library program, provides a framework and benefits for implementing

a video game program or club in school to increase information literacy as well as

student academic motivation.

There is a lot of literature on using research models to teach information literacy.

These models emphasize inquiry-based learning, are useful in project-based lessons,

and standardize the research process. Heider’s article The Missing Link in Early

Childhood Education (2009) focuses on teaching information literacy to the youngest

students using pre-designed research models, such as Big-6 and Super-3. Neuman’s

article Constructing Knowledge in the Twenty-First Century: I-LEARN and Using

Information as a Tool for Learning (2011) outlines her I-LEARN research model as a

tool for teaching information literacy, explaining the different steps from students

identifying a need for information through to forming new knowledge based on their

research. Erdelez, Basic, and Levitov (2011) also look at research models and how to

incorporate information encountering into the models. Information encountering is the

discovery of valuable information that is unrelated to the task at hand. The authors

show that allowing for information encounters in research models creates a more

authentic information experience.

Overall the articles listed in this bibliography provide a strong argument for teaching

information literacy in elementary school, while providing frameworks for curriculum

building, and practical, research-tested ways to incorporate IL into the pedagogy

through research models, inquiry and project based learning, service learning, and

collaboration.

1) Brown, R. T., & Kasper, T. (2013). The fusion of literacy and games: a case

study in assessing the goals of a library video game program. Library

Trends, 61(4), 755-778.

ABSTRACT: “Recent developments suggest video games will be critical tools for engaging twenty-first-century learners. One indication of this shift is the growing number of video game clubs being instituted in libraries across the country. Participant observation was conducted on a library's video game club to determine the impact it made in the lives of the youth and to evaluate how the program met its goals. Using a grounded theory framework, data were analyzed for dimensions and themes related to the program's two primary goals: improved learning and improved behavior. Three overarching themes emerged from the data analysis: staff, game club members, and assessment. Staff had a positive impact on youth using their strengths to create an innovative game program. Game club members improved academic, life, and game skills through game club interactions. Library video game programs have unique opportunities as informal learning environments. These programs have the potential to reengage disinterested learners in the educational process through a reward-based system of play. In addition to tracking attendance information, newer assessment tools could explore reading, library anxiety, and information literacy. Video game programs might be improved with respect to measuring literacy and learning. This case study builds on the foundation of previous work by suggesting additional measures that programs might track.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ANNOTATION: Brown and Kasper conducted this research based on the

conflicting viewpoints regarding the benefit vs. harm of having games as a part of

school libraries. The study looks at game clubs are two public libraries. Ninety

hours of observation was conducted, primarily looking at staff support and

assessments, game club members’ skills and behaviors, and the assessment

tools the libraries use to track progress of members. Game club members earned

membership through reading requirements and acceptable report cards, which

increased motivation, literacy and academic achievement in members. Library

skills increased through researching and writing game reviews. The game club

was overwhelmingly considered positive, building academic, literacy, and

community skills. Assessments were helpful and can be improved through

continued tracking of behaviors for rewards and punishments. This study was

conducted in public libraries, but can serve as a model for school media centers.

AUTHORITY: Library Trends is a peer-reviewed publication, according to Ulrich’s

International Periodicals Directory. It is published by John’s Hopkins University.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I searched the thesaurus for the controlled vocabulary

for “Information Literacy” and “Education”, then selecting applicable

subcategories of the Education term. I chose controlled vocabulary as it has

proven most reliable in finding applicable results.

SEARCH METHOD: Controlled Vocabulary Search

DATABASE SEARCHED: Library, Information Science, and Technology

Abstracts (LISTA) through EBSCO.

SEARCH STRING: (DE "INFORMATION literacy") AND (DE "LIBRARIES &

education" OR DE "LITERACY education" OR DE "SCHOOLS")

2) Chu, S. K. W., Tse, S. K., & Chow, K. (2011). Using collaborative teaching and

inquiry project-based learning to help primary school students develop

information literacy and information skills. Library & Information Science

Research, 33(2), 132-143.

ABSTRACT: “Information literacy and information technology (IT) skills have become increasingly important in today's knowledge society. Many studies have shown that students from primary school to postgraduate lack crucial information literacy and IT skills, hence there is a need for an effective pedagogical approach that will develop these skills. This study investigated the effect of combining a collaborative teaching approach with inquiry project-based learning (PjBL) on the development of primary students' information literacy and IT skills. Students in a Hong Kong primary school completed two inquiry-based group projects. A collaborative teaching approach involving three teachers in different subject areas (general studies, Chinese, and IT) and the school librarian was adopted in guiding students through the two projects. Results indicate that this program had a positive impact of on the development of different dimensions of the students' information literacy and IT skills.” [From source article]

ANNOTATION: The goal of this mixed methods study was to see the results of a

combination approach of collaboration and project based learning on information

literacy (IL) and information technology (IT) skills. The study had students work

on two project based learning assignments. The librarian and IT teacher

instructed these students 6 time each over the course of the assignments. The

librarian and IT teacher collaborated with other teachers to plan lessons. Data

collection included student surveys and focus groups, parent interviews, and

interviews with the librarian and IT teacher. Student perceptions of IL and IT skills

were measured before and after the project, and increased substantially.

Teacher and parent perceptions of students’ IL and IT skills also increased over

the course of the study. The study used reliable data collection tools, and serves

as a good model for using collaboration in project based learning.

AUTHORITY: Library & Information Science Research is a research focused

journal that is referred according to Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I did an advance search on Google Scholar combining

my key words and using NOT to eliminate articles on higher education. I chose

Google Scholar for the experience of searching for academic articles outside of a

database.

SEARCH METHOD: Keyword Searching

DATABASE SEARCHED: Google Scholar

SEARCH STRING: information literacy AND school* AND librar* AND

(elementary OR primary OR early childhood NOT college)

3) Erdelez, S., Basic, J., & Levitov, D. D. (2011). Potential for inclusion of

information encountering within information literacy models. Information

Research, 16(3)

ABSTRACT: “Introduction. Information encountering (finding information while searching for some other information), is a type of opportunistic discovery of information that complements purposeful approaches to finding information. The motivation for this paper was to determine if the current models of information literacy instruction refer to information encountering. Method. Through a literature search we identified five information literacy models popular in the U.S. elementary and secondary school environment and evaluated their descriptions to determine if they include information encountering. We relied on the literature sources that provide initial descriptions of the information literacy models and the secondary literature that discusses the application of the models. Analysis. The

analysis for the presence of information encountering first included independent readings by the research team members, followed by a collective discussion of observations to formulate the findings. Results. None of the information literacy models included explicit reference to information encountering or other types of opportunistic discovery of information; however, they all have components that can accommodate this type of information behaviour. Conclusions. Within each of the five analysed models there are stages where natural occurrences of information encountering are possible and could be articulated for students. Additional empirical research is needed about the impact of information encountering-enhanced models of information literacy on the students' learning outcomes and instructional processes.” [Adapted from the source document.]

ANNOTATION: This article looks at various research/information literacy models

designed to assist students in the steps of a research project and investigates

discoveries students may be missing out on by sticking to these strict models.

These discoveries are called information encounters defined as interesting but off

topic information that a student might find when researching. The authors outline

in each model, their thoughts on the best place to incorporate information

encounters so that they are neither forgotten, nor completely take the place of

the initial research. The techniques suggested include making notes,

bookmarking web pages, making photocopies, and saving items into

personalized school accounts. By incorporating information encounters into the

research models, students are creating a more personal research experience

and learning how to extend the skills beyond a particular assignment.

AUTHORITY: Authors include a professor, a doctoral student, and an editor of

an industry publication. Information Research is a scholarly, refereed publication

according to Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I wanted to ensure that the article discussed information

literacy in the context of elementary school, which is why I chose a proximity

search in the abstract. I also limited to peer reviewed and English language.

SEARCH METHOD: Keyword Search using Proximity

DATABASE SEARCHED: Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA)

through Proquest.

SEARCH STRING: ab("information literacy" n/10 elementary)

4) Heider, K. L. (2009). Information literacy: The missing link in early childhood

education. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(6), 513-518

ABSTRACT: “The rapid growth of information over the last 30 or 40 years has made it impossible for educators to prepare students for the future without teaching them how to be effective information managers. The American Library Association refers to those students who manage information effectively as "information literate." Information literacy instruction has been a priority in many secondary schools since the American Association of School Libraries published the “Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning" in 1998. Although these standards were written for grades K-12, information literacy is still not the focus in many early childhood classrooms. This article discusses the importance of information literacy instruction in early childhood education. Research suggests that early information literacy instruction, using informational texts and collaborative, teacher-librarian planning, promotes critical thinking and increases the ability to problem-solve--two skills necessary for survival in today's Information Age.” [From ERIC]

ANNOTATION: This article discusses the need for increased information literacy

instruction in early childhood education. Hurdles include fixed schedules of

librarians and teacher viewpoints with regard to students’ abilities to do research

projects. The article outlines achievable goals at each stage, starting in preschool

where children can learn to plan and reflect, creating a foundation of critical

thinking skills. In early elementary education, teachers and librarians can use the

Pathways to Knowledge model or the Big-6 Information Problem–solving model,

or the Super-3 model to help teach information literacy. All of these models

require use of non-fiction texts for young students to help them to “read to learn”.

The article includes a sample lesson on bugs for second graders using the Super

3. The clear message is that librarians and teachers need to collaborate using

these models to get young students engaged with information for future success.

AUTHORITY: Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory lists Early Childhood

Education Journal as a refereed scholarly journal. The journal’s website reaffirms

the peer-review process.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I searched key words with Boolean connectors and then

further refined the results by peer reviewed, academic journal, and education

level etc…

SEARCH METHOD: Keyword search

DATABASE SEARCHED: ERIC through Proquest

SEARCH STRING: "Information Literacy" and "Curriculum" and "librar*"

5) Kong, S. C. (2008). A curriculum framework for implementing information

technology in school education to foster information literacy. Computers &

Education, 51 (1), 129-141.

ABSTRACT: “A literature review of the development of the information technology (IT) curriculum in recent decades in Hong Kong reveals that the aim of the curriculum has shifted from Computer Studies to the development of information literacy (IL). Based on a survey of all schools in Hong Kong and in response to the demand for IL in society, a curriculum framework is proposed that fosters the IL of students. The curriculum framework is based on the rationale of significant learning and designed on the principles of providing authenticity and creating reflection. It consists of three parts: a core IT curriculum; use of knowledge about IT and information processing across curricula; and a school culture that fosters IL. Four issues that are critical for the successful implementation of the proposed curriculum framework are discussed: school-based implementation models; the provision of service learning activities; support from parents; and reduction of the digital divide between students. (Contains 4 figures and 3 tables.)” [From source document]

ANNOTATION: The article looks at Hong Kong’s revision of their curriculum to

focus on Information Literacy (IL) as well as information technology (IT). They

created an IL curriculum framework that incorporated authentic learning and an

environment of reflection. The curriculum is “task-based” and involves students

taking their IT knowledge to other subjects with project based learning. Lastly,

the curriculum calls for a school culture that fosters IL, through service learning

and community-based learning experiences. A survey was put out asking

schools top 2 of 3 preferences for implementation of IL curriculum, with the

choices being IT/library lesson, curriculum infusion and project based learning.

The results were pretty evenly split, suggesting that there is not a one style fits all

approach, and schools are best served to use the approach that best fits their

students. This article can provide a framework for building an IL curriculum.

AUTHORITY: According to Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory.,

Computers & Education is a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I used subject heading chasing, looking at the subject

headings of another relevant article (above) and did a command line search

using them. I further limited the search results by peer reviewed and education

level (elementary education AND elementary secondary education)

SEARCH METHOD: Browsing and Controlled Vocabulary

DATABASE SEARCHED: ERIC through Proquest

SEARCH STRING: subject("Curriculum Design") AND subject("information

literacy")

6) Latham, D., & Gross, M. (2008). Broken links: Undergraduates look back on their

experiences with information literacy in K-12 education. School Library

Media Research, 11, 11.

ABSTRACT: “In the past decade information literacy has received increasing emphasis in K-12 and postsecondary education, yet the information literacy skill levels of high school and college graduates continue to vary considerably. This report compares findings across a subset of data collected in three independent research studies focusing on students' conceptions and perceptions of how they have learned what they know about information literacy. Competency theory, which posits that low-skilled individuals in some knowledge domains are often unable to recognize their deficiencies and therefore tend to overestimate their abilities, is used as the theoretical framework in each study. Data on participants' previous experiences with information literacy instruction was collected through surveys or interviews. A majority of students reported that they were largely self-taught, but some also reported having received instruction from school library media specialists (SLMSs) and, to a lesser degree, public and academic librarians. Overall, low-performing students tended to identify peers as sources of knowledge while proficient students tended to identify SLMSs and teachers as sources of knowledge. These findings have important implications for researchers and practitioners in developing information literacy instruction for low-performing students. (Contains 3 tables and 3 notes.)” [FROM ERIC}

ANNOTATON: This article compiles and evaluates data from three different

studies about students’ perceptions of their information literacy skills and how

they acquired those skills. The studies all use competency theory, which focuses

on low-skilled individuals reporting better than average results. Students were

surveyed in all three studies about their information literacy skills and where/how

they acquired them. Many of these students reported that they taught themselves

research skills. The students who reported being taught information literacy

either in a library or a non-library classroom outperformed other students on

assessments of information skills. Self-evaluation showed that students were

satisfied with their performance, despite many not meeting all of the

requirements of the assignment. The findings indicate the value in early

education of information literacy in preparation for higher education. They also

warn instructors to keep an eye on low-achieving students, as they often over-

report their competency.

AUTHORITY: School Library Media Research is a scholarly, peer-reviewed

journal according to Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I wanted to browse recent articles of the publication

School Library Media Research, as it is very appropriate to the topic. While I

attempted to search this in the publication field, there seemed to be an error and

the search yielded no results. Thus I used quotes to be sure the exact term was

searched anywhere, and I had success.

SEARCH METHOD: Browsing

DATABASE SEARCHED: LISA and ERIC in Proquest, article found in ERIC.

SEARCH STRING: "School Library Media Research"

7) Limberg, L. (2008). What matters? shaping meaningful learning through teaching

information literacy. Libri (København), 58(2), 82-91.

ABSTRACT: “The point of departure for this article is an assumed gap between the different communities concerned with the practices of teaching or researching information literacy. Its purpose is to discuss some critical features of teaching information literacy identified in three previous research studies with a view toward understanding how they support meaningful learning outcomes and what the implications of this understanding are for information literacy education. The analysis is framed by a sociocultural perspective of learning that views information seeking and learning as social practices set within the discursive practice of school. The findings indicate that teacher/student interaction with a focus on learning goals and content is a vital condition for students' meaningful learning. Focus on the object of teaching, away from information seeking skills toward an emphasis on the quality of students' research questions, on negotiating learning goals between pedagogues and students, and on the critical evaluation of information sources related to the knowledge contents of students' assignments improves learning. The conclusions are that observing such critical features of information literacy in teaching may allow the discursive practice of school to be reshaped in favour of more genuine research-based learning. A second conclusion is that there are mutual benefits in a closer interaction between the communities of teaching and researching information literacy.” [Adapted from the source document.]

ANNOTATION: This paper looks at the gap between research and practice and

recommends various ways in which the research on information literacy can

positively impact outcomes in teaching and learning with regards to information

seeking. It closely examines three studies in which students carried out

independent seeking and learning tasks. The findings indicate that student

interest in the research question, teacher involvement in question formulation,

teaching of critical evaluation of sources, and teacher involvements in content

evaluation were highly impactful in learning outcomes. The findings indicated that

a research-based approach, with a focus on the learning outcome, rather than

the process, brings more positive results in the creating information literate

students. The study is limited in that the research was done within the Swedish

school system. Additionally, it brings concern that implementing this method

involves more teacher interaction than is realistic.

AUTHORITY: Libri: international journal of libraries and information services is a

peer-reviewed, academic journal according to Ulrich’s International Periodicals

Directory.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I wanted to search articles that cited the Lundh and

Limberg article. I search the author and publication year, found the Lundh and

Limberg article, then looked at the articles that cited it.

SEARCH METHOD: Citation search

DATABASE SEARCHED: Web of Science

SEARCH STRING: AUTHOR: (Lundh A) AND YEAR PUBLISHED: (2008)

8) Lundh, A., & Limberg, L. (2008). Information practices in elementary school. Libri,

58(2), 92-1

ABSTRACT: “This article presents a qualitative study that examines the roles of pedagogues in elementary schools with regard to young children's information literacy. The concept of information literacy is seen from a sociocultural perspective, as a dimension of literacy that varies in different social practices. Further, from this perspective the importance of the mediating functions of tools

used in information seeking is stressed. Data was collected from a Swedish village school from one focus group interview and two individual interviews with different kinds of pedagogues. Problem-centred teaching was also observed in five forms with pupils aged 6-8. In the analysis an overarching division or two discourses connected to information literacy emerged. On the one hand, literacy, aesthetic activities and the reading of fiction were the focus and, on the other hand, there was a focus on information literacy, utilitarian information-seeking activities and ICT- tools. It is also shown that information seeking is given a certain meaning in problem-centred activities in elementary school. The authors consider that the discourses found in the empirical material might have implications for the concept of information literacy, if they are explored to a fuller extent” [Adapted from the source document.]

ANNOTATION: This research used interviews, focus groups, and observations

of students ages 6-16 doing independent work in a Swedish village school. The

research seeks to explore the results of the use of pedagogues on children’s

information literacy in elementary schools. Data was analyzed to understand

information practice. Research uncovered that literacy and information literacy

were thought of and treated as unique ideas, with information literacy falling in

the camp of technology, most often taught by the ICT (Information and

Communication Technology) assistant. Teachers and librarians primarily focused

on literacy as reading fiction and writing. This study concluded that the teacher’s

practice was in conflict with their views on information literacy and saw issues

with how they approached their research-based lessons, noting their practice

was in conflict with recent research on best-practices for teaching information

literacy.

AUTHORITY: Libri: international journal of libraries and information services is a

peer-reviewed, academic journal according to Ulrich’s International Periodicals

Directory.

SEARCH STRATEGY: A thesaurus search on information literacy and

elementary education provided controlled vocabulary. This was one of the first

articles that I found and I used controlled vocabulary to give me a solid base of

articles before moving onto other search methods.

SEARCH METHOD: Controlled Vocabulary searching.

DATABASE SEARCH: Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) through

Proquest.

SEARCH STRING: SU.EXACT("Information literacy") AND SU.EXACT("Primary

schools")

9) Montiel-Overall, P., & Grimes, K. (2013). Teachers and librarians collaborating on

inquiry-based science instruction: A longitudinal study. Library &

Information Science Research, 35(1), 41-53.

ABSTRACT: “The qualitative, longitudinal study suggests how teachers and librarians learn to collaborate on inquiry-based science lessons that link science, information literacy, and structured English immersion standards for Latino elementary students. Teachers and librarians in the study received extensive professional development training about teacher and librarian collaboration (TLC), information literacy, inquiry-based science, as well as language and culture. In addition, expert peer mentors provided background information to teachers and librarians, as well as modeled high end TLC recommended by

school librarian professional guidelines. Although increased interest and high motivation are generated by TLC, findings indicate that considerable time and experience are needed to prepare teachers and librarians to collaborate on instruction. Study results also indicate that there is an apparent lack of experience with inquiry-based science, particularly in schools with a culture of direct instruction. The study highlights teachers' lack of awareness of librarians' role as instructional partners. Greater communication between the professions is urged if TLC is to be successfully implemented as a way to bolster student achievement and stay updated in important fields, such as science, where instruction appears to be lagging behind.” [Adapted from the source document.]

ANNOTATION: This article examines how teacher librarian collaboration (TLC)

is key for teaching information literacy in inquiry-based science instruction. The

study included six schools, each with a cohort of one librarian, two teachers and

an “expert” peer mentor to provide guidance and facilitate communication. The

cohorts attended long term professional development and weekly meetings. Data

was collected via interviews, audio recordings, journal entries and more.

Researchers discovered themes of preparation, experience, transformation, and

motivation. The findings indicate that the professional development was key to

success in preparing lessons. With experience, the cohorts noted that TLC

became easier and the benefits more clear, changing attitudes. Lastly, motivation

was improved as cohort members gained new ideas. Increased student

motivation was also noted, as well as increased science benchmark scores.

Stumbling blocks include poor relationships, lack of resources and

communication, time constraints, and hesitancy to transition from direct

instruction to inquiry based instruction.

AUTHORITY: Library & Information Science Research is a peer-reviewed,

academic publication according to Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory.

Additionally, the authors of this article are professionals in the field. Montiel-

Overall is a graduate level instructor in Library and Information Science at the

University of Arizona and Grimes is an experienced teacher librarian who holds

an MLIS.

SEARCH STRATEGY: My strategy in this search was to search for key words

that describe my topic in the abstract.

SEARCH METHOD: Keyword searching

DATABASE SEARCHED: Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA)

through Proquest.

SEARCH STRING: ab(information literacy) AND ab(elementary school)

10) Mullins, J., & Linder, A. (2006). Building media literacy in young children through

community service. SIMILE: Studies in Media & Information Literacy

Education, 6(4), page 2.

ABSTRACT: “Media literacy is the new buzz phrase among elementary educators. Interest ranges from teaching children to find credible resources on the internet to showing them how to create their own mass media messages. This article explores the approaches elementary educators have taken to teach students media literacy in the classroom. Then it discusses the curriculum developed by two graduate students who taught media literacy via a community-service project. Twenty eighth grade students were led through the professional process of creating one website for a local museum. The process aimed to teach

students the importance of audience analysis, basic design principles, graphic copyright, and the art of pitching a design to a client.” (Author abstract)

ANNOTATION: This study examines the process of two graduate students

teaching the four strategies of media literacy through community outreach. They

taught students to access, analysis, assessment, and authorship through the

process of creating a website for a local arts center. It focuses on the process of

teaching so the students were thinking critically about their assignment and their

audience. Media literacy is considered a subset of information literacy, using the

ability to find, evaluate, and create information in a multimedia capacity. This

study is valuable to look at information literacy in the context of media and in the

community, thus personalizing concepts of media literacy. Hurdles to using this

process, include having a willing community partner and staff trained in the

appropriate technology skills.

AUTHORITY: SIMILE, while no longer published, was a scholarly journal

published by an Academic Press through the University of Toronto. This journal

used the peer review process, thus making it a credible source.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I am searching databases in Proquest one at a time, so I

can use the controlled vocabulary for that database. In LISA, I searched the term

“information literacy”. Information Literacy is the preferred term in the thesaurus,

so I added it to my search. Then, I looked up various ways to say elementary

education. Elementary didn’t lead me anywhere, so next I tried school. I found

the term primary school. I combined the preferred terms, then limited the results

by scholarly journals and peer reviewed.

SEARCH METHOD: Controlled vocabulary searching

DATABASE SEARCHED: Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA)

through Proquest.

SEARCH STRING: SU.EXACT("Information literacy") AND SU.EXACT("Primary

schools")

11) Neuman, D. (2011). Constructing knowledge in the twenty-first century: I-LEARN

and using information as a tool for learning. School Library Media

Research, 14, 12.

ABSTRACT: “To be efficient and effective learners in the information age, individuals must be able to engage successfully with a wide variety of information types and formats. Becoming lifelong learners in a world in which information flows freely and defies the boundaries of traditional disciplines and subject areas, children and youth in particular must develop strategies for engaging with ideas that transcend the curriculum and its usual topics and structures. The I-LEARN Model--Identify, Locate, Evaluate, Apply, Reflect, kNow--describes the process of learning with information and provides school librarians and others with a teaching tool created specifically for information-age learning. A learning model that expands traditional information-seeking models in important ways, I-LEARN assumes that learning itself is the goal of information-seeking in schools and that information in its various representations is the basic building block for lifelong learning in the twenty-first century. Grounded in research and theory from both information science and instructional systems design, and based on the author's own research and writing over more than a decade, I-LEARN builds on the well-known tripartite information literacy paradigm--accessing, evaluating, and using information--to operationalize an inquiry approach to learning. (Contains 1 table and 5 figures.)” [From ERIC]

ANNOTATION: This article outlines a new model for information literacy

learning called I-LEARN. It goes beyond other models, such as Big6, that focus

on information seeking and adds the learning portion as a key focus. The key

points to this model are --Identify, Locate, Evaluate, Apply, Reflect, kNow. It is

modelled after ALA’s definition of Information literacy, and extensive research

was conducted in the building of this model The article includes charts outlining

the different components of each stage of I-LEARN and also examples to

implement the I-LEARN model, thus bridging theory and practice. This model can

serve as a useful tool in information literacy instruction.

AUTHORITY: Delia Neuman is a professor of School Library and Media Studies

at Drexel University. School Library Media Research is a scholarly, peer-

reviewed journal according to Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I searched key words with Boolean and then further

refined the results by peer reviewed, academic journal, and education level etc…

I focused this search in ERIC as I could refine by education level to ensure I

wasn’t getting articles about high school and college. Note: I did read this article

while taking Info525 with Professor Neuman this term, but did find this article

through my searching.

SEARCH METHOD: Keyword search

DATABASE SEARCHED: ERIC through Proquest

SEARCH STRING: "Information Literacy" and "Curriculum" and "librar*"

12) Scott, K. J., & Plourde, L. A. (2007). School libraries and increased student

achievement: What's the big idea? Education, 127(3), 419-429.

ABSTRACT: “The purpose of this paper was to develop a library curriculum plan for elementary students that would enhance, support, and deepen student learning of information skills. Within this context, the purpose was to answer the following questions: What are the learning outcomes in information skills for a library program? In what measurable way does a teacher librarian enable students to go beyond the amassing of facts to the investigation of those facts and to develop deep knowledge? (Kenney, 2006). Lastly, how does a library program insure that all students are increasing their information skills and understandings? The process of curriculum design for elementary school information literacy skills was studied. Studies supporting the connection between a quality school library program and increased student achievement were examined for positive characteristics to be implemented into a library program. Also, state standards in reading, technology, and information skills were analyzed for integration into the design.” [From ERIC database]

ANNOTATION: This study was conducted after reading and writing standards

were falling short of state standards at Grady Elementary School. With no written

library curriculum in the school district, they needed a plan in place for consistent

and measurable instruction of information skills. The study examined many

resources, including Information Power and the Washington state standards for

student learning, as well as Washington State’s Technology Foundation

Standards for Students. Librarians looked at these standards in collaboration with

grade level teachers to outline standards for library instruction. In writing the

curriculum, they first focused on the big ideas. Then librarians developed

assessment tools including observation and formative assessments. Overall, the

results brought consistency to the library curriculum with goals and measurable

standards. This study can serve as a model for the process of curriculum design

of information literacy in elementary school libraries, despite the study’s focus on

a single school.

AUTHORITY: Education is a refereed, scholarly journal according to Ulrich’s

International Periodicals Directory.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I used the thesaurus to find the preferred terms of my

advanced search, and then limited the search to peer reviewed, journals, and

English language. This was my first searching on ERIC, and thus I wanted to

start with the controlled vocabulary. I also chose to search in ERIC because of its

focus on education.

SEARCH METHOD: Controlled vocabulary search.

DATABASE SEARCHED: ERIC through Proquest

SEARCH STRING: SU.EXACT.EXPLODE("Information Literacy") AND

SU.EXACT.EXPLODE("School Libraries") AND SU.EXACT("Elementary

Education")

13) Stafford, T. (2009). Teaching students to form effective questions. Knowledge

Quest, 38(1), 48-55.

ABSTRACT: “The ability to question lies at the heart of human curiosity and is a necessary component of cognition. The author stresses that forming questions is essential to human thought and communication. As such, forming questions is a foundational process that cuts across curricular areas and is embedded in content standards across the nation, including Cecil County. Clearly, it is one's professional responsibility to understand the complexities of the questioning process as deeply as possible. When the school library media specialists in Cecil County (Maryland) looked to content standards for guidance, however, they were struck by how little light they shed on the process of question formation or how questions work. In this article, the author discusses how school library media specialists helped students learn to form effective research questions. Faced with scoring students' questions on a system-wide benchmark test of information literacy skills, they turned first to their own library curriculum. (Contains 5 figures.)” [From ERIC database]

ANNOTATION: This article looks at students in Maryland and their ability to form

questions to meet the state curriculum standards which emphasize the

importance of recognizing and formulating proper questions. Media specialists in

Cecil County, MD spent two years researching student formulated questions. The

researchers divided questions into purpose categories (factual, analytical,

evaluative, yes/no) and formed a chart matching purpose to question and cue

words, creating a tool to form effective research questions. They revised

curriculum by grade level, noting what question formulation skills are expected at

specific grade levels and discuss how these skills are incorporated into the

pedagogy at each grade level. Results were measured using the fifth grade

benchmark test results, where slow but steady improvement on the question

formulation section was shown over five years. The chart and grade level

suggestions are helpful and achievable.

AUTHORITY: The author is the media program facilitator for Cecil County

schools. The journal, Knowledge Quest, published by American Association of

School Librarians (AASL) and is a scholarly, refereed journal according to

Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory.

SEARCH STRATEGY: I used the thesaurus to find the preferred terms of my

advanced search, and then limited the search to peer reviewed, journals, and

English language. This was my first searching on ERIC, and thus I wanted to

start with the controlled vocabulary. I also chose to search in ERIC because of its

focus on education.

SEARCH METHOD: Controlled Vocabulary

DATABASE SEARCHED: ERIC through Proquest

SEARCH STRING: SU.EXACT.EXPLODE("Information Literacy") AND

SU.EXACT.EXPLODE("School Libraries") AND SU.EXACT("Elementary

Education")

PERSONAL STATEMENT

This assignment was an informative and practical experience. My

knowledge of databases and searching techniques evolved tremendously. I

overwhelmingly found that controlled vocabulary was the best place to start and

provided me with the most successful searches. Starting with a controlled

vocabulary search allowed me to find appropriate articles, and then build on my

research by trying additional subject headings, specific publications or citation

searching. At the start of this course, I was more partial to key word searches.

While, I still had success with keyword searches; this success increased when I

use proximity tools and limited key word searches to the abstract. The search

tools we’ve learned are invaluable and generally easy to put into practice.

With regard to databases, I found their structures helpful, but not without

issue. ERIC’s education level filter was priceless in limiting my articles to

elementary education. The limits on peer-review were helpful and mostly

accurate, but occasionally I came across a practical advice column that was

published in a journal that also publishes peer-reviewed articles. Another issue

was language, as I limited most of my searches to English language, yet my

search results often included Chinese language articles. My final problem was

with publication searches. I had to resort to using exact phrase searches instead

of limiting searches to publication to find articles. Overall, the structures provide

an excellent framework for searches with good recall and/or precision. However,

with the tremendous amount of information, errors often occur.

My experience with Web of Science was the most disappointing part of

this annotated bibliography process. I repeatedly tried citation searching with

limited success. Upon further investigation, I discovered that Web of Science

doesn’t include many of the journals that I was searching. This serves as a

reminder to choose the right tool for each search and to be very familiar with the

products, including what publications they cover.

Writing annotations was great practice at drilling down to the essence of

an article, while the literature review helped me focus on trends and commonality

in the research. By organizing the literature review by how it relates to the main

topic, a user of the annotated bibliography can easily discover the articles that

pertain to their needs. In my construction of the bibliography, I focused on

including the why (research supporting information literacy instruction), the what

(Information literacy curriculum and standards) and the how (information literacy

lessons and models that can be used with student). My hope is that librarians

and teachers could use these articles to inform their school communities on the

value of information literacy and the best ways to incorporate its instruction into

schools. I learned a lot in this process about searching, but, above all, I gained

in-depth knowledge about my topic and extremely helpful ways to approach

creating an information literacy curriculum and to implement that curriculum

through various methods.