The very nature of information seeking in today's world suggests that credibility is an important factor in how one goes about seeking and using information. The proliferation of Web-based resources and the ability for nearly anyone to publish on the Web force individuals to make judgments of quality and authority as they flow on- and offline in…

Buzzwords are as prolific in educational circles as bunny rabbits are in spring. Over the last 10 years everyone has heard the buzz of multiculturism, multiple intelligences, learning modalities, essential questions, cultural literacy, media literacy, differentiated instruction, learning by design, curriculum alignment, curriculum mapping,…

Twenty-eight students (aged 9 to 17) freely explored a science Web site structured either in an outline (linear) format or "puzzle" (non-linear) format for 2.5 hours. Subjects then engaged in tasks involving locational memory and informational recall. The results indicate that presence of metacognitive skills was a necessary but not sufficient…

Over the past decade, educators have stressed the importance of creating exciting and intellectually stimulating environments where students are actively involved in constructing their own understandings. Whether it's designing a WebQuest to spark curiosity in science or establishing an oral history project to spur interest in local history,…

This project designed to teach library and thinking skills to grade 7 students emphasized the importance of metacognition. Students were asked to choose a research topic and to prepare and evaluate daily research strategies. Allotment of time for planning and reflecting on strategies was considered crucial to the project. (MES)

Discusses the development of inquiry skills as a legitimate goal for education and possible ways of using technology to support the inquiry process in classrooms. Three elements of inquiry are examined--how inquiry can be motivated, the centrality of questioning, and metacognitive aspects--and examples of classroom projects are given. (EM)

Studies show that metacognitive strategies can increase learning skills and that independent use of these metacognitive strategies can be gradually developed in people. The school library media center is the ideal place for students to learn how to develop metacognitive strategies; that is, they can learn how to connect new information to former…

Suggests activities for use by school library media specialists who wish to foster the development of thinking skills by elementary students. Areas covered include analysis and evaluation in choosing books, differentiation between fact and fiction, understanding story structure, contests, categories, analogies, self-generated questions,…

Summarizes recent research in reading and developmental psychology. Studies on schema theory and metacognition, and cognitive styles are described, and their implications for school library media programs and teaching critical thinking are discussed. (EM)

Describes 10 key elements of generic teaching strategies for developing student thinking and provides a rationale for the participation of school library media specialists in developing student thinking skills. The role of media specialists within the school and the importance of information-based decision making in a free society are discussed.…

Discusses recommendations from the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science for defining, developing, and promoting library media programs that teach information finding and using skills. Areas covered include helping students develop thinking skills, theoretical implications of current research on how children process information,…

Cites limited meanings derived from a film, "The Shooting Gallery," by both eighth grade and library school students to support argument that students are not using critical analysis skills in responding to works of art. Developmentally-sound literature-based programs are recommended as one way to help students develop critical thinking skills.…