The research was based on sociocultural theories, which describe learning as being
embedded within social events and occurring as a learner interacts with other people,
objects, and events in a collaborative environment (Vygotsky, 1978). The sociocultural
approach was adopted in both the interview and the development phases of this
research. Underpinned by sociocultural theories, this study is based on a number of
assumptions:
. that knowledge is socially constructed and that the social nature of cognitive
development serves as a powerful dialogic model for understanding how
information literacy could be integrated into the curriculum in a community of
practice; and
. that tools have played an important role in these social interactions.