Tuesday, December 13, 2005

The Development of a Library Instruction Program for the St. Stephen’s High School Library with Emphasis on Improving Specific Library-Related Skills

Researcher: JUDITH Y. SY

Course: Master in Library and Information Science

School: University of the Philippines, Diliman

Subject Area: Library Instruction

Year of Graduation: 2005

Statement of the Problem
This study developed a library instruction program that aims to improve students’ competence in using library resources and in finding information that they need in the library by addressing specific library-related skills. In order to achieve this, the study measured the existing level of awareness or knowledge of students regarding these skills. Specifically, the study addresses the following questions: 1) What is the current level of awareness of students at St. Stephen’s High School (SSHS) of the following specific library-related skills: a) knowledge on the different parts of a book; b) knowledge on Dewey Decimal Classification; c) knowledge on card catalog; d) knowledge on the use of reference materials; and e) knowledge on conducting basic research?; 2) Which of the preceding specific library related skills need to be given emphasis in a library instruction program that aims to address and improve identified weaknesses/knowledge among the students' level of awareness of the said skills?

Methodology
The data required for this study were gathered into two phases. The first phase involved measuring the current level of awareness/knowledge of the students of St. Stephen's High School by means of administering the research instrument to both experimental and control groups drawn from the three year levels. Results of the pre-test were used to guide the development of the library instruction program. The prototype library instruction program developed using the result of the first phase of data collection was then used in instructing only the experimental groups. The second phase involved administering a post-test to both experimental and control groups.

Findings
The results of the pre-test showed that knowledge on the use of reference materials and knowledge on conducting basic research are the two areas that garnered the lowest average percentage of correct answers. Moreover, the average percentage of correct answers for these two areas is less than 50% which means that less than half of the sample respondents were able to answer the questions pertaining to these areas correctly. Moreover, it was also noted that each of the five areas had items that garnered low percentages of correct answers. using formulated concepts based on the results of the pre-test as guidelines, materials were compiled from various sources to constitute the library instruction program for SSHS Library. The three designated experimental group were then given the library instruction program developed using the results of the pre-test. Afterwards, a post-test was administered to both designated experimental and control groups. Results of the pre-test and post-test were examined and compared. It was generally found out that there is an increase/improvement in students level of awareness/knowledge of specific library related-skills upon being administered a library instruction program that is specifically based upon actual diagnosed instructional needs of the students.

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