scholarly journals Teachers and information literacy:

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Christine Shannon ◽  
Jacqueline Reilly ◽  
Jessica Bates
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Young People ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
School Library ◽  
Staff Perceptions ◽  
Teacher Survey ◽  
Skilled Workforce ◽  
Online Teacher ◽  
Age Range

Building on our 2017 article focussing on school library staff perceptions of teachers’ information literacy, this article reports on the information literacy (IL) understandings and skills of teachers in post-primary schools (the age range for pupils in post-primary schools is 11–18) throughout Northern Ireland. Results of a comprehensive online teacher survey (n=426) indicated that, despite misplaced confidence in their own skills, teachers’ IL understandings and skills were underdeveloped. The majority of respondents had neither received IL training nor included IL instruction in their teaching. The significance of these findings for theory, practice and policy relating to the teaching of IL skills, which are intended to equip young people to become active citizens and members of a skilled workforce, is discussed.

scholarly journals School library staff perspectives on teacher information literacy and collaboration

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine McKeever ◽  
Jessica Bates ◽  
Jacqueline Reilly
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
School Library ◽  
Digital Citizenship ◽  
Classroom Setting ◽  
Information Competencies ◽  
Skilled Workforce ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Library Staff

Pupils need to develop information literacy (IL) skills in schools in order to be active members of a skilled workforce, for lifelong learning and digital citizenship. However, there has been little focus on the extent to which this happens in a classroom setting and on information competencies of teachers. As part of a broader study of teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of IL, librarians in schools in Northern Ireland were interviewed. Findings reveal low levels of collaboration with teachers. Recommendations are made regarding how to overcome challenges involved in developing teachers’ IL so that they can better support learners.

scholarly journals Unlocking the Potential of School Libraries: What Actions are New Zealand Primary School Principals Taking to Integrate the School Library in Information Literacy Initiatives? Final Report

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elisabeth Mei-Xing Ngan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Library ◽  
External Support ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
Literacy Initiatives

<p>Information literacy is implicit in the national education curriculum’s key competencies for students, yet primary schools lack an explicit path to develop students’ information skills. The literature shows that school library programs can foster information literacy and improve student achievement, with the principal’s support identified as a significant factor. This study investigates the actions of New Zealand primary school principals to integrate the school library in information literacy initiatives. An online survey collected quantitative and qualitative data from a random sample of primary school principals, stratified by decile rating to reflect the school population in microcosm. Sixty-nine responses were collected and the low response rate meant it was not possible to generalise the results of the survey. Key findings of the research were that a majority of principals supported information literacy initiatives through advocacy; professional development; use of external support; student assessment; separate library budgets; and reasonable library opening hours. A minority maintained a separate information literacy policy; adequately resourced the library with trained staff; or promoted collaborative planning between teaching and library staff through flexible scheduling of class library time. Actions were not affected by decile rating but differences by school size and locale were identified, particularly for small and rural schools. Principals’ perceptions of information literacy did not appear to affect their actions. Suggestions for further research are made to expand upon the findings.</p>

scholarly journals Roles and Practices of School Librarians in Digital Age: A Study from Croatia

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihaela Banek Zorica ◽  
Zvjezdana Dukic
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
School Library ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
School Principal ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Teaching Information

In Croatian school system it is prescribed by the law that every school should have a library and a professional librarian managing the library and serving the school community. School library is a part of the educational system and school librarian has to be involved in teaching and extracurricular activities. This research explores how school librarians in primary school in Croatia perceive their various roles and what roles related duties they perform in their daily practices. A survey was conducted on a sample of primary school librarians in Croatia and 122 valid responses were collected and analyzed for the purpose of this study. The study findings show that school librarians in primary schools perceive that promotion of students’ reading is their most important role while teaching information literacy is less important. In their daily practices Croatian school librarians perform various duties related to reading promotion, administration of library, managing collections, supporting school curriculum and providing information services. Further they are engaged in teaching information literacy but they hardly use of technology for enhancement of library collections and services. Only a little more than half of study participants state that school principal and teachers understand their roles and support them in performing these roles. Further studies on roles of school librarians are recommended.

scholarly journals Low Levels of Teacher Information Literacy Awareness and Collaboration Between Librarians and Teachers in Information Literacy Instruction

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 88-90
Author(s):  
Ruby Warren
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Standardized Testing ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Staff Member ◽  
School Library ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Axial Coding

A Review of: McKeever, C., Bates, J., & Reilly, J. (2017). School library staff perspectives on teacher information literacy and collaboration. Journal of Information Literacy, 11(2), 51-68. https://doi.org/10.11645/11.2.2187 Abstract Objective – Researchers sought to determine school library staff perspectives on the information literacy knowledge held by secondary school teachers, and teacher relationships with the library. Design – Interviews analyzed with thematic and axial coding. Setting – Secondary schools in Northern Ireland. Subjects – 21 schools across Northern Ireland were selected as a sample, including urban, rural, integrated, grammar, and secondary schools. 16 schools ultimately participated. Methods – Semi-structured interviews were conducted with one library staff member at each selected secondary school. Interview audio and notes were transcribed and coded thematically both manually by the researchers and using NVivo. Categories were identified by open coding, then relationships identified via axial coding. Main Results – The majority (10 of 16) of library staff members interviewed expressed that they had not been asked about information literacy by teachers, and only one library staff member described a truly collaborative instructional relationship with teaching staff. The majority of staff expressed either that teachers were familiar with concepts related to information literacy but did not know the name for them, or, that they thought information literacy was entirely unfamiliar to teachers at their school. Staff frequently cited competing priorities (for example, standardized testing) and limited class time as potential causes for teachers not focusing on information literacy concepts. Conclusion – Both cultural and policy changes need to be made in schools to prioritize information literacy as a core competency for both students and teachers. The researchers call for greater intra-school collaboration as a means to achieve this cultural change.

scholarly journals Unlocking the Potential of School Libraries: What Actions are New Zealand Primary School Principals Taking to Integrate the School Library in Information Literacy Initiatives? Final Report

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elisabeth Mei-Xing Ngan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Library ◽  
External Support ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
Literacy Initiatives

<p>Information literacy is implicit in the national education curriculum’s key competencies for students, yet primary schools lack an explicit path to develop students’ information skills. The literature shows that school library programs can foster information literacy and improve student achievement, with the principal’s support identified as a significant factor. This study investigates the actions of New Zealand primary school principals to integrate the school library in information literacy initiatives. An online survey collected quantitative and qualitative data from a random sample of primary school principals, stratified by decile rating to reflect the school population in microcosm. Sixty-nine responses were collected and the low response rate meant it was not possible to generalise the results of the survey. Key findings of the research were that a majority of principals supported information literacy initiatives through advocacy; professional development; use of external support; student assessment; separate library budgets; and reasonable library opening hours. A minority maintained a separate information literacy policy; adequately resourced the library with trained staff; or promoted collaborative planning between teaching and library staff through flexible scheduling of class library time. Actions were not affected by decile rating but differences by school size and locale were identified, particularly for small and rural schools. Principals’ perceptions of information literacy did not appear to affect their actions. Suggestions for further research are made to expand upon the findings.</p>

scholarly journals Holiday Club Programmes in Northern Ireland: The Voices of Children and Young People

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1337
Author(s):  
Jackie Shinwell ◽  
Ellen Finlay ◽  
Caitlin Allen ◽  
Margaret Anne Defeyter
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Young People ◽  
School Children ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
High Level

In Northern Ireland, nearly 30% of children are thought to be at risk of going hungry in the summer holidays when they are unable to access free school meals. Community groups, voluntary groups, local authorities, and faith groups have responded to this concern by developing and delivering holiday programmes that enable children from low-income families to take part in activities and access food. The current study used purposive sampling to investigate children’s and young people’s views of holiday provision, from across three holiday clubs, in Northern Ireland. Both primary school children (n = 34; aged 4–11) and secondary school children (n = 31; aged 12–17) showed high levels of awareness of poverty and food insecurity and associated pressures and stresses on households. Importantly, children and young people did not feel stigmatised about attending holiday provision, suggesting a positive and inclusive culture towards holiday club attendance. Children reported that they enjoyed the range of activities provided at holiday clubs and reported that attendance improved their self-confidence, especially for some older children, who acted as peer mentors to younger attendees, helped them to develop new skills, and provided them with opportunities to socialise with peers in a safe environment, out with their normal social groupings in school. Older children showed a high level of shrewdness and knowledge of sectarian divides in communities but spoke positively about how different religious or cultural backgrounds did not matter in terms of meeting and making new friends in holiday club settings. In terms of food provision, the findings of this study suggest that further work needs to be done to support children to access and eat healthy, nutritious food.

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