During the 4th Annual Symposium hosted by the Catholic University of America’s School of Library and Information Science, Terry Darr, MLS presented her findings from a study that began during the 2009-10 school year.
“Beginning in 2009, I have worked with Mr. Jack Crawford (History Instructor) and his junior/senior students,” said Darr. “He provides their topic choices and I provide information literacy instruction.”
Darr’s research aimed to measure the research and information literacy skills of students in a private secondary school, a setting that Darr explains has been largely ignored. “There has been scarce examination of the research skills of students in private secondary school and boys, as a subgroup have also been ignored,” said Darr. Her presentation is framed by a clear message for college librarians from high school students: “What You Need To Know About Our Research Skills Before We Arrive at College.”
As she continues to look at the increasingly important marriage between the 21st century classroom and library, Darr realizes that information literacy will play a vital role in the success of students in high school and beyond. Her unique partnership with instructors at Loyola will undoubtedly continue to yield great results. “It is important for kids to understand the method and mechanics of writing a paper not just from a physical standpoint but from the mental organization process of finding, evaluating and organizing information into a coherent argument, “ said Crawford. “ It’s a vital skill for students to attain.”