Running head: CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
Assignment Four: Chapter Two Literature Review
Sara Cantor
EDAM 528
Drexel University
CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
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Chapter Two Literature Review
Introduction
The researcher is a high school librarian for Donegal High School, which is part of the
Donegal School District located in Western Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This is the
researcher’s third year in this position and they have had the opportunity to work with all grade
levels, subject areas, and different types of students. As the high school librarian, the researcher
is partly responsible for teaching students how to become information literate. One component
of becoming information literate is learning how to properly identify and evaluate quality
sources of electronic information. The American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
publishes Standards for the 21st-Century Learner which highlights important criteria that
students must master in order to be fully prepared for their futures (2007). During their freshman
year, all ninth grade students are required to take a class called Information Literacy, which
teaches these important 21st-Century skills.
The problem that the researcher has identified for this study is: many ninth grade students
do not know how to properly identify and evaluate quality sources of electronic information
using the library’s LibGuides pages. Even though they are taught specific information literacy
(IL) skills and strategies, and shown specific groupings of resources to use for their research
through the high school library’s LibGuides pages, they choose to bypass the information given
and use their own strategy which consists of scanning Google search results.
The Research Questions
Central Question
Why do ninth grade students have difficulty identifying and evaluating quality sources of
electronic information using the library’s LibGuides pages?
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Sub Questions
How frequently do you use the library’s website for school-related research projects?
How does the organization of content on the library’s website compare to the content that
you find through Google?
What difficulties do you have with the resources?
Why would you rather use Google?
Do you find the library’s website difficult to navigate?
Why do you have trouble determining what sources to use for research?
Three Themes
The three themes identified are problems that the researcher has encountered while
working with high school students. These themes have presented themselves as prominent issues
while reviewing current issues in the fields of education and information literacy instruction at
the high school level.
Information literacy cannot be taught using a one size fits all approach
Over the past decade, students’ use of the Internet has grown exponentially. Teachers
and librarians quickly discovered that they would have to begin teaching information literacy
skills to ensure that students were properly using these technology resources. As mentioned in
O'Sullivan (2000), educators do face challenges when integrating the Internet into the school
curriculum. Using the Internet changes the way in which students learn. Teachers are not
experts in teaching IL skills and need the help of their librarian counterparts.
While IL skills need to be taught using a collaborative approach, they also need to be
taught on a continual basis. As stated in Harris (2003), students are not capable of learning IL
skills once and applying that set of skills to all future situations. Students have a difficult time
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transferring IL skills to new situations. Students need IL refresher courses and the opportunity to
practice these skills in various scenarios. Harris (2003) also mentions that students have the best
opportunity of becoming information literate (IL) when they receive continual coaching from
their teachers and librarians.
Along with a collaborative, continual approach to teaching IL instruction, teachers should
be provided with ongoing training to best meet the needs of their students. Bolletti (2009)
mentions that in order for teachers to properly participate in the IL collaborative teaching
process, they need to receive ongoing training. IL training for the teachers should offer core
material as well as refresher courses. When teachers and librarians are on the same page, a solid,
collaborative relationship is formed.
Focusing on the true needs of the students now and in the future will prepare them to be
lifelong learners. Shenton (2010) suggests that librarians and other educators who teach IL skills
must go beyond teaching to the parameters of each individual assignment. Educators must
provide students with skills that will transfer to their future personal and professional pursuits.
While IL skills should be taught using a variety of methods to best meet the needs of the
students, there should also be a reference guide available to students when they need additional
help or a place to find organized, research-quality information. Thomas (2011) discusses the use
of LibGuides for the purpose of managing and curating content and supporting IL initiatives
within a school. LibGuides can be used to quickly assemble content based on the changing
needs of the students and teachers. Additionally, the content housed on the school’s LibGuides
pages can be accessed both at school and remotely.
To best meet the needs of the students will sometimes require teachers and librarians to
adjust their teaching methods to those that align to the students’ lifestyles. Many students in
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today’s schools have smart devices and access to the Internet outside of school. Valenza (2012)
discusses a relatively new teaching strategy called the flipped classroom. A flipped classroom
“changes the place in which content is delivered” (Valenza, 2012, p. 22). The flipped classroom
technique could be used by the school librarian to upload their own content to the LibGuides
pages for students to reference outside of the classroom.
High school students experience information overload and prefer to take the easiest
approach to finding information.
Today’s students have access to too much information. With a click of their mouse, they
can easily access millions of websites and articles through a simple search using Google. Scott
(2005) noted that when high school students are faced with endless choices for finding
information, they most often choose the keyword-search method using Google or a similar
search engine. This method often leads to frustration as the students have trouble uncovering
information on the Internet and claim to not be able to find any information. While today’s high
school student is quite versed in technology, they are inexperienced searchers for information.
Some like to refer to those students currently enrolled in high school as the Google
generation. These students have grown up with the Internet and technology devices. As stated
in Tenopir (2008), students have grown up with this available technology which causes them to
employ different search strategies than students of past generations. Tenopir (2008) describes
observed student behaviors such as skimming, browsing, and viewing that do not actually
involve the students reading and analyzing text. With this heavy reliance on skimming search
engine results, Tenopir (2008) states that the Google generation does not truly understand the
layout of the Internet and since they rely on the highly intuitive Google search for their
information, they do not find library resources to be a simple solution for their research needs.
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Furthermore, Rehman (2009) states that even when high school-aged students are searching for
information using a search engine, they still have difficulty selecting sources and developing a
search strategy.
As noted in Maestretti (2009), even though today’s students grow up with gadgets, it does
not mean that they are IL. It is too easy to assume that these students know how to properly
locate and evaluate quality sources of digital information. Today’s students do not think about
“how, why, and what they are doing” (Maestretti, 2009, p. 23). When using a search engine only
to find results, often students are led to the sites that are optimized by the search engine itself;
they might not choose the best sources of information. According to Bhatt (2012), students must
also realize that that their simple Google searches may not be providing them with accurate
information. Students should be able to determine the reliability of digital information.
Furthermore, Humphrey (2012) mentions that since students are used to doing and finding
everything so quickly using technology, they get frustrated and quit when they cannot
immediately find results.
Students need to know how to critically evaluate and analyze information to be successful
in their post-secondary education and future careers.
While students are taught IL skills in high school, it has been found that they often
graduate and enter college ill prepared for the challenges that await them. Fitzgerald (2004)
discovered several issues that may be causing students to have trouble transitioning from high
school to college. One issue is that IL skills are hard to assess which makes it difficult for
teachers to truly determine if their students are prepared for the demands of post-secondary
education. Other issues determined by Fitzgerald (2004) are that students do not possess the
skills to critically evaluate information and have difficulties when synthesizing information from
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multiple sources. Fitzgerald (2004) also mentions that even if high school students are not
planning on pursuing post-secondary education, they still need IL skills and critical thinking
skills to make everyday life decisions. As noted in Rosenfeld (2005), today’s society requires
that everyone have a core set of critical thinking skills. Students cannot get by after they
graduate with only having mastered specific subject content.
Along with possessing IL skills and critical thinking skills, it is necessary for students to
become familiar with library networks and resources outside of their high school to prepare them
for the challenges of finding information when enrolled in college or when starting a new career.
Esch (2006) mentions ways that the school librarian can prepare high school students for such
challenges. Exposing students to university-level research materials such as journals, e-books,
and databases allows students to become familiar with resources that they will likely use later in
life. This practice also allows students to experience less anxiety and difficulty when
transitioning out of the structure of high school. Julien (2009) states that if the instruction of IL
skills is removed from the high school realm, those students will likely suffer a severe
disadvantage while participating in 21st century life, as well as their future careers and
educational endeavors. Teachers and librarians must assume responsibility for ensuring that
students possess IL skills and critical thinking skills.
Despite cultural influences found in the media, politics, and the public school system,
Schlesinger (2009) urges students and those individuals who work with those students that
avoiding critical thinking skills and IL skills is detrimental to society. Taking everything at face
value and not asking questions will not create inquiring, 21st century learners. O’Sullivan (2010)
mentions that companies and higher education institutions of today are looking for students who
can evaluate and analyze information to solve real world problems. These organizations are
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looking for individuals that can do more than complete an assessment to demonstrate
understanding. Despite pressures that teachers face to demonstrate student proficiency on
standardized tests, advanced research skills should be embedded into the school’s curriculum.
To further prepare students for life after high school, Oakleaf (2010) suggests that school
librarians collaborate with college librarians to help close the gap between skills students learn in
high school and the skills that students will need upon entering college. This collaborative
relationship could also provide benefits to the high school librarian as new insights into skills
necessary beyond college will be discovered and IL teaching strategies at the high school level
can be altered.
Summary
The three themes presented in this review highlight relevant problems found in the high
school where the researcher serves as the librarian. The researcher finds the information from
these articles and studies valuable in the sense that it helps to guide the action research study to
determine the reasons why students choose easier methods for researching as opposed to using
the library’s LibGuides pages.
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References
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