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The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at EMU

Abstract

Paula Storm and Laura Eidietis have collaborated on a chapter that deals with information literacy and preservice teachers. Eidietis, who teaches classes on biology education for future elementary teachers, became concerned about the poor job her students sometimes did when searching for Internet resources for use in their classes. She combined with Paula Storm, EMU's Science and Technology Librarian, to develop and assess workshops aimed at helping students perform more productive Internet searches on scientific topics. The two authors report here on their study; they demonstrate that the criteria students use in assessing Internet sites are often rather different from those used by an expert. This paper includes a valuable description of the criteria students used, with explanations derived from student assignments.

As one who concentrates somewhat on information literacy in my classes, I find this work to be particularly valuable. It is thoughtful work on a critical topic. More than this, Storm and Eidietis' discussion of issues of professionalism is quite persuasive. The biggest fear this work raises is that our preservice teachers may not be acting in a professional way when they choose the easy way to do Internet searches rather than doing better searches in a more time-consuming manner. One hopes that students begin to view themselves as professional educators more as they proceed in their teacher education program.

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