The development of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has destroyed all previuos ideas regarding access, search, use and publication of information. It has also generated new communication channels and new sources of information  (Fernández, Zayas, & Urra, 2008). The Internet is, on its own merit, the most important ITC-related innovation, because it increases information, diversifies it and promotes distributed localization (Hernández Serrano & Fuentes Agustí, 2011).

«The internet has been the key driver of this paradigm shift because it has made possible the transition from analogue to digital information, and this has affected how knowledge is produced and disseminated through the effect of the internet means that this knowledge is more widely accessible than ever before» (Jones & Goff, 2011, p. 11)

It is here in this context that the concept of Information Competency emerges (American Library Association., 1989; Kong, 2008).  According to the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) and the Spanish University Libraries Network, this concept csan be defined as “the group of knowledges, skills, aptitudes and behaviours which enable individuals to recognise when they need information, where to find it, how to evaluate it and use it adequately for the purpose for which it is required”  (CRUE-TIC & REBIUN, 2009, p. 7).

This has led to the creation of a group of teachers concerned with developing training aimed at helping young people to improve their internet search skills and prevent them learning facts based on incorrect information. However, research shows that this concern is insufficient  (Head & Eisenberg, 2009; Hernández Serrano & Fuentes Agustí, 2011). Although standardized tools have not been designed for the evaluation of competency acquisition of this type, there is evidence to show that teachers lack specific training in this regard (Rodríguez Conde, Olmos Migueláñez, Pinto Molina, Martínez Abad, & García Riaza, 2011). From the perspective presented here, this lack of training on the part of teachers is the main direct cause of low student performance in Information Competencies.

The research project presented here forms part of this reality and  aims to design a valid and reliable scale for the evaluation of Information Competencies in teachers of Compulsory Secondary Education (12-16-year-olds) leading to a more exact diagnostic evaluation for the detection of deficient areas in teacher training in competencies of this type.

This research is carried out within the framework and with the financial support of the following RDI Project: Evaluación de competencias clave y formación de profesorado de educación secundarla: TIC, ALFIN Y convivencia escolar (EF-TALCO) Reference: EDU2009-08753. Financing body: Spanish Secretary of State for Research which approved the application for a research grant in 2009 within the subprogramme of non-oriented fundamental research (National Programme for Fundamental Research, 6th National RDI Programme 2008-2011).

And also with the support of the Centro Internacional de Tecnologías Avanzadas. Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruíperez (http://www.citafgsr.org/cita/)

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