Using Journals to Build Information Literacy Skills

Violet H. HaradaUniversity of Hawaiivharada@hawaii.edu

ACEI Annual International ConferenceApril 16, 2003

Targets for session

Background. Context. Methodology. Analysis. Key findings. Implications.

Driving questions

How do we move students from the mechanics of the research process to making meaning from information gathered?

Driving questions

How do we develop teaching practices that nurture deeper understanding?

Beliefs

Information seeking and use is a PROCESS.

Skills involved in this process are teachable.

Librarians and teachers are partners in planning and teaching.

Information search process

Presearch Focus and presentation

planning. Collection and organization of

information. Presentation,evaluation of

performance and of process.

Action research team

School - grade 5/6 teacher, librarian.

University - graduate research assistant, myself.

Research questions What understandings and problems do

students describe as they engage in research?

What feelings do they express? How can journal writing inform our

teaching? How does it impact student-instructor

interaction?

Why journal writing?

Reveals thinking and reasoning.

Demonstrates what students know and don’t know.

Allows for expression of personal feelings.

Context

School: Shafter Elementary Subjects: 17 students, ages 10 and

11. Learning context: 2 research

assignments over 11 weeks.

Methodology--What students did

Journal entries, twice a week.

What the teacher and librarian did Lesson plans and reflections. Anecdotal logs.

What the university team did Field observations and interviews. Content analysis of student journals.

Analysis-- Coders: UH graduate student,

myself. Entries independently coded. Each entry analyzed for cognitive

and affective content. 91% agreement between raters.

Coding - cognition

Information unrelated to concept, skill. Disjointed recall of concept. Accurate restatement of concept,

limited support. Accurate restatement concept,

elaborated support.

Coding - affect

Initial optimism. Growing doubt, frustration. Increasing confidence. Satisfaction or dissatisfaction based on

results.

Findings: Presearch phaseAssignment 1

70% were unable to explain why they were exploring the broader topic.

Assignment 2 88% able to articulate purpose of

exploring the larger topic before selecting a focus.

Findings: Focus phaseAssignment 1

90% selected focus solely on interest.

Assignment 2 76% identified multiple criteria

including• Availability of resources.• Readability.• Relevance.• Personal interest.

Findings: Collection phaseAssignment 1

50% able to vaguely describe the note taking process.

Assignment 2 90% able to identify major elements

and elaborate on them.

Findings: Evaluation phaseAssignment 1

24% were able to identify one or two aspects of the research process.

Assignment 2 100% able to identify major steps. 95% could elaborate on them.

Findings: Affect

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Opt Doubt Conf Satis Disatis

Cycle 1Cycle 2

Implications for instruction

Spend more time on presearch phase.

Identify sub-skills and provide direct instruction.

Incorporate graphic organizers to teach keyword identification, organizing and synthesizing information.

More implications Engage in extensive modeling. Incorporate thinkaloud strategies. Involve students in developing

assessment tools. Do more debriefing on process.

Benefits: instructors

More interaction with students. More precise identification of

problems. More informed judgments about

instructional modifications.

Benefits: students

Deeper understanding of their own insights and problems.

More open expression of feelings throughout the process.

Greater confidence in raising questions.

For a more detailed rendition of this studyrefer to the following:

Harada, V. H. (2002). Personalizing theinformation search process: A case studyof journal writing with elementary-age students. [Online] School Library MediaResearch. Available at http://www.ala.org/aasl/SLMR/vol5/search/search.html