A Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiry into Future Teachers’ Use of Information and Communications Technology to Develop Students’ Information Literacy Skills

Oct 15, 2026

Study investigates how preservice teacher programs prepare future teachers to use ICT to develop students’ information literacy skills. A quantitative survey ran from January to May 2014 with 413 future teachers across four French Canadian universities. Qualitative data were then gathered in spring 2015 from 48 students in their final year of initial teacher training. Findings indicate formal ICT training exists, yet information literacy is not addressed explicitly, despite being viewed as essential.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background on ICT and information literacy

Evidence from Canadian and international studies

Gaps in teacher training and instructional models

A Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiry into Future Teachers’ Use of Information and Communications Technology to Develop Students’Information Literacy Skills Enquête quantitative et qualitative auprès de futurs enseignants portant sur l’utilisation des technologies de l’information et de la communication pour développer les compétences informationnelles des élèves Stéphanie Simard, University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières Thierry Karsenti, University of Montreal Abstract This study aims to understand how preservice programs prepare future teachers to use ICT to develop students’ information literacy skills. A survey was conducted from January 2014 through May 2014 with 413 future teachers in four French Canadian universities. In the spring of 2015, qualitative data were also collected from 48 students in their final year of an initial teacher training program. Our findings suggest that although future teachers receive formal ICT training as part of their program, information literacy is not formally addressed. Nevertheless, information literacy is perceived to be an important skill. In addition to a lack of formal training, future teachers perceive that barriers such as time constraints and lack of access to necessary technologies in the classroom will prevent them from helping students develop information literacy skills. Based on these results, we propose some practical implications and recommendations for preservice programs and education policy makers. Résumé Cette étude vise à mieux comprendre comment la formation initiale en enseignement prépare les futurs enseignants à utiliser les TIC pour développer les compétences informationnelles des élèves. Dans un premier temps, une enquête a été réalisée entre janvier et mai 2014 auprès de 413 futurs enseignants dans quatre universités québécoises. Dans un second temps, au printemps 2015, des données qualitatives ont été recueillies auprès de 48 futurs enseignants au cours du dernier trimestre de leur formation initiale. Nos analyses suggèrent que si les futursenseignants reçoivent une formation à l’utilisation pédagogique des TIC, les compétences informationnelles ne sont pas explicitement abordées, et ce, bien qu’elles soient perçues comme essentielles. De plus, les contraintes de temps et l’accessibilité aux outils informatiques sont pressenties comme des défis importants. Sur la base des suggestions des participants, nousdégageons des retombées pratiques pour la formation initiale et pour les détenteurs d’enjeux en éducation. Introduction Information and communication technology (ICT) and the Internet have spurred profound changes, with enormous repercussions on socioeconomic systems, including education systems (Conference Board of Canada, n.d. ; Livingstone, 2012). ICT is increasingly present in Canadian classrooms (e.g., interactive smart boards, laptops, and tablets), and even more so in students’daily lives (e.g., social media and mobile technologies) . The exponentially expanded access to knowledge and information provided by this massive influx of ICT tools calls for teaching practices to be redesigned. Teachers are in a position to help children develop new sets of technical and cognitive skills that will equip them to assess the usefulness of digital tools to access meaningful information (and exclude irrelevant information), manage it, use it effectively for learning, and share it ethically in collaborative online spaces. The International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IAE), 2013) investigated how school-aged children (in their eighth year of school) develop these skills. Results suggest that information literacy should be taught in school, and that it would be naive to believe that children develop these skills on their own, as a natural by-product of ICT access. However, in her study of 5,436 Canadian students from grades 4 to 11, Steeves (2014) suggests

FAQs

What is the purpose of the study?

To understand how preservice programs prepare future teachers to use ICT to develop students’ information literacy skills.

How was the data collected?

A survey was conducted from January to May 2014 with 413 future teachers in four French Canadian universities, and qualitative data were collected in spring 2015 from 48 students in their final year.

What do the findings suggest about current training?

Future teachers receive formal ICT training, but information literacy is not formally addressed, even though it is considered an important skill.

Oct 15, 2026

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