Using Journals to Build
Information Literacy Skills
Violet H. Harada
University of Hawaii
vharada@hawaii.edu
ACEI Annual International Conference
April 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 phase
Assignment 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 phase
Assignment 1

90% selected focus solely on interest.
Assignment 2

76% identified multiple criteria including
•
•
•
•
Availability of resources.
Readability.
Relevance.
Personal interest.
Findings: Collection phase
Assignment 1

50% able to vaguely describe the note taking
process.
Assignment 2

90% able to identify major elements and
elaborate on them.
Findings: Evaluation phase
Assignment 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
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Cycle 1
Cycle 2
Opt
Doubt
Conf
Satis
Disatis
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 study
refer to the following:
Harada, V. H. (2002). Personalizing the
information search process: A case study
of journal writing with elementary-age
students. [Online] School Library Media
Research.
Available at
http://www.ala.org/aasl/SLMR/vol5/
search/search.html