I-LEARN: Helping young children become information literate

Abstract

This study involved 49 children and four teachers in the design, development, and evaluation of a research project built around the I-LEARN model [1-2]. The objectives were to investigate the use of the model with an earlychildhood population and to understand how digital and information literacy evolves in best practices for implementing problem-based learning as informed by I-LEARN. Analysis revealed that teachers adjusted their implementation of I-LEARN’s steps to meet students’ needs and to mesh with their own styles. Students were able to build new knowledge and enjoyed learning a variety of ways to acquire information. The model made the idea of research concrete and helped learners focus on specific tasks and accomplishments. Teachers’ technological/ pedagogical knowledge grew, and teachers concluded that students’ projects were successful and that they overcame a lack of computer experience to focus on finding and analyzing sources and reflecting on their learning.