Enhancing Preservice Elementary Teachers' 21st-Century Information and Media Literacy Skills

Abstract

This two-semester pedagogical study investigated the effectiveness of an approach to information and media literacy instruction for elementary preservice teachers. Participants were trained in and then used a systematic process of searching for, evaluating, and using journal articles and websites. Two-thirds of the Semester one participants were unsuccessful identifying relevant, high-quality journal articles and ½ inaccurately evaluated the quality of websites. After three opportunities for formative assessment were added to the instruction model in Semester two, participants proficiently evaluated websites and ¾ were able to find relevant journal articles. The results demonstrate the importance of formative assessment and the need to provide preservice teachers with information and media literacy training so they are better able to navigate and evaluate digital-age resources in order to expand their content mastery and teach their students 21 st century skills. This pedagogical study investigated the effectiveness of an approach to information and media literacy instruction for elementary preservice teachers. We, a teacher educator and education librarian team, were specifically concerned with preservice teachers' skill using Internet search engines and library subscription databases to locate, evaluate, and use relevant, appropriate, reliable, and authoritative resources. We trained the participants in a systematic research process of searching for, evaluating, and using information resources, specifically journal articles and websites, to increase their content knowledge. After completing the training, preservice teachers used the research process to complete a major assessment in a social studies curriculum and instructional methods course. Although we focused on two forms of media in the training, the information and media literacy skills they learned are transferable to other resources. We evaluated the effectiveness of our instructional approach over a 2-semester academic year by collecting data to explore the questions: How successful are preservice teachers in selecting and evaluating high-quality resources? How do preservice teachers' perceptions of their information and media literacy skills compare with their abilities to evaluate resource quality? What is the relationship between preservice teacher age and ability to evaluate resource quality?

Student teachers’ discourse about digital technologies and transitions between formal and informal learning contexts

“…Prospective students prefer an individual learning culture and clear instructions. This confirms the evidence of previous research that students are not advanced technology users (Warschauer and Matuchviak 2010;Fry and Seely 2011). However, in our case advanced technology skills refer to the ability to creatively apply technological skills and experiences pedagogically.…”

“…Bennet and Maton (Bennett and Maton 2010) suggest that the lives of young people involve multiple, complex and overlapping social spaces, and thus urge teachers to recognize that young people engage in a wide range of different contexts, many of which entail learning in more or less formalized ways. Typically, use of informal technology is seen to inadequately prepare young people for advanced technology use in education (Warschauer and Matuchviak 2010;Fry and Seely 2011). This is endorsed by Beckman et al (2014) who found that young students' use of technology outside of school is dominated by communication and interest driven activities.…”

Measuring mathematics and science teachers’ perception on thinking and acting in 21st-century learning

“…Previous studies stated that many 21st century skills are needed by students such as problem-solving (Idawati et al 2020;Amin et al 2020;Son & Lee, 2020;Tursucu et al 2020;Al-Hilli, 2019;Herde et al 2016), critical thinking (Nur et al 2020;Tiruneh et al 2018;Tiruneh et al 2017;Suwono et al 2017), metacognition (Al Gaseem at al. 2020;Tachie, 2019;Listiana et al 2016), creativity (Salehudin, 2019;Lucas, 2016;Ercikan & Olivery, 2016), computer and information literacy (Ainley et al 2016;Fry & Seely, 2011). This explanation also shows that TA21stCL was hot topics which require adequate studies related to mastering mathematics or science (Geisinger, 2016).…”

Part II: Measuring Media-related Educational Competencies

“…Hence, scholars and practitioners all over the world agree that teachers need specific knowledge and skills in order to integrate new media into their lessons successfully. While most works of research have focused on teachers' and preservice teachers' own media literacy skills or technological knowledge (Fry and Seely 2011;Oh and French 2004), further competencies are required for a professional inclusion of media into school. Teaching with media and teaching about media / media education are generally considered the two core areas in this context.…”