Using Journals to Build Information Literacy Skills Violet H. Harada University of Hawaii [email protected] ACEI Annual International Conference April 16, 2003
Jan 17, 2016
Using Journals to Build Information Literacy Skills
Violet H. HaradaUniversity of [email protected]
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