Information literacy skills: Hong Kong primary teachers' perceptions of the role of the teacher librarian

The thesis reviewed the changes to the role of teacher librarians and the implications of this for primary teachers. The study sought to explore the teachers’ views about information literacy skills, who should teach them and the role of the teacher librarian. This study took a mix-methods approach, i.e. quantitative and qualitative research, in which self-report data were collected through a questionnaire to classroom teachers followed by individual face to face interview with six questionnaire respondents. The findings of the study were that teachers associate information literacy skills with information technology skills. Though they said they understand information literacy skills, their understanding of information literacy skills was discrete and not systematic compared with the definition of information literacy skills in the literature. They agreed that information literacy skills were important and they have the responsibility to teach student such skills. They agreed that they have further professional development needs in terms of information literacy skills. Teachers who started teaching before 1998 reported some changes in teaching and learning made by the presence of the teacher librarian. They agreed with the provision of the teacher librarian post though they were not aware of the legislated role of the teacher librarian. They thought that awareness of the role of the teacher librarian and information literacy skills and the ability to develop students’ information literacy skills would help them utilize the skills of the teacher librarian. The findings have highlighted the implications for teacher education to train teacher information literacy skills, raise teachers’ awareness of the role of the teacher librarian especially in Cooperative Planning and Teaching with teachers to equip student information literacy skills. For serving teachers, piloting the role of the teacher librarian, Cooperative Planning and Teaching and flexible library timetable are necessary to facilitate implementation of the legislated role of the teacher librarian