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Author: search.filters.author.Makiya, Cyprian RatemoSubject: search.filters.subject.Secondary Schools

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    INFORMATION LITERACY PRACTICES AS A TOOL FOR ACCESSING AND UTILIZING INFORMATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KENYA
    (2021-04-23) Gekara, Moses Mong’are; Namande, Ben Wekalao; Makiya, Cyprian Ratemo
    Background of the study: Information literacy practices have been recognized as essential educational goals to judge and evaluate student’s aptitude for critical thinking, decision making and problem-solving. Inculcating information literacy skills to students is not only significant to survival but also enables them to know when they need information, how to locate information and how to use information hence success in their studies. However, the state of information literacy practices in secondary schools in Kenya has not been adequately investigated to determine their degree of effectiveness. Objective of the study: Consequently, this study aimed at investigating information literacy practices as a tool for accessing and utilizing information in secondary schools in Kenya. Methodology: The study was based on a pragmatic paradigm where both quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted. Data was collected from a targeted population which consisted of 288 teachers, 12 school/teacher librarians and 1785 students from 12 sampled schools. Questionnaires were administered to teachers and students while an interview schedule guide was used to gather data from school/teacher librarians. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and presented in form of tables, charts and graphs and verbatim reports. The study was important as it elicited discussions that could be used for purposes of adoption of an information literacy programme in secondary schools. Results and findings: The findings show that some information literacy practices were available in secondary schools but not effectively practiced resulting to students proceeding to institutions of higher learning without adequate information literacy skills. Conclusions and recommendations: The study concludes that information literacy is a prerequisite tool for accessing and using information in secondary schools. Information literacy skills enables students to conduct independent information search, efficiently retrieve information using modern technologies, critically evaluate their findings and effectively apply relevant information into their day to day situations. Therefore, the incorporation of information literacy practices into secondary schools’ curriculum would institutionalize information literacy in secondary schools.
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    Information Literacy Competencies in Secondary Schools in Kenya
    (Stratford, 2021-06-05) Gekara, Moses Mong’are; Namande, Ben Wekalao; Makiya, Cyprian Ratemo
    The knowledge economy is marked by an increasing need for information skills at all levels including schools, universities, workplace and ordinary life. Therefore, education stakeholders should campaign for the teaching of information literacy skills at all levels of learning since they are life skills. The state of information literacy competencies among secondary school students in Kenya has not been adequately investigated to determine their prowess. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing information literacy competencies among secondary school students using Nakuru County as a study site. The study was premised on the Big6 Skills information literacy theory. The study was based on a pragmatic paradigm where both quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted. Simple random sampling was used to draw teacher and student respondents while purposive sampling was used to select school/teacher librarians from the targeted population which comprised of 288 teachers, 1785 students and 12 school/teacher librarians from 12 sampled schools. This resulted to a sample size of 266 teachers, 1189 students and 12 school/teacher librarians. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview guide. Statistical Packages for Social Sciences was used to analyse quantitative data while thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. The findings of the study indicate that most of secondary students in Nakuru County were not information literate. They relied on teachers to help them understand class assignments. The study concludes that teaching information literacy skills to secondary school students may lead to effective and efficient use of school libraries and flourish educational achievements hence turn around the dwindling standards of our educational sector. The study recommends that information professionals should be in the forefront in advocating for the inclusion of information literacy at all levels of education and for the incorporation of information literacy in the secondary schools’ curriculum. It also recommends for teacher-librarian collaboration in planning information literacy issues. Therefore, information literacy should be included in the university curriculum in order to equip graduate teachers with these requisite skills which they will in turn inculcate to secondary school students. Finally, the study recommends for an IL programme to institutionalize information literacy in secondary schools.
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