Secondary School Teachers' Perceptions of Information Literacy Skills

Abstract

Information literacy (IL) is a precondition for lifelong learning, especially for teachers whose profession authorises them to impart knowledge to students who are expected to be resourceful and critical thinkers. The study investigated the perceptions of secondary school teachers of IL skills, in the two cities of Lagos, Nigeria, and Durban, South Africa, focusing on six research questions. The post-positivist research paradigm was adopted for this study, which combines both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies through a multicase study research design. Data were gathered through questionnaires, interviews, observation and document analysis that included a literature review. The target population was secondary school teachers in Lagos and Durban. The study revealed the following: 1) teachers in Durban had a higher level of perception of the need for IL than their counterparts in Lagos, 2) electronic information resources were infrequently used by the teachers, 3) younger teachers tend to possess a higher level of IL than their older colleagues, which makes in-service training imperative, 4) female teachers are significantly more information literate than their male counterparts, 5) many of the school libraries seem to have been afterthoughts, and the specifications for library building and planning were not observed as itemised by IFLA library building guidelines, and 6) interaction and collaboration between teachers and librarians are limited. The study recommended a comprehensive policy review to deal with IL challenges, with appropriate training and workshops for teachers topping the list.