The paradigm of learning in education has shifted from the classical theory of the scientific method and the teacher as authority and the student as passive learner. In today’s modern educational environment, advanced knowledge of cognitive processes have evolved a new paradigm that encompasses inquiry or constructivism. Instead of the wise all-knowing sage who disseminates information from a podium teachers now serve the role of “guides on the side” who help children learn constructivism and critical thinking, skills that enable them to remain continuous life-long learned who are self-directed and possess the skills that make knowledge acquisition and learning possible (Loertscher and Woolls, 1997, 344). When it comes to school libraries, a similar paradigm shift has evolved. This shift focusing on resource-based teaching increased interest in information literacy. Resource-based learning represents the “adoption of information literacy principles in learning projects using a wide variety of information sources and technologies. Resource-based learning is a school library term for inquiry-based learning or project-based learning” (Loertscher et al., 1997, 344).
While some library media specialists have remained entrenched in the traditional behaviorism mode of learning, many others have shifted to a constructivist approach. The role of the library media specialist has recently encompassed both the concepts of critical thinking and information literacy. Both of these concepts when defined suggest the qualities or skills that a learning will possess. With information literacy, the American Library Association defines those qualities as follows, “To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the information needed…Ultimately information literate people are those who have learned how to learn. They know ...