Developing information literacy courses for students through virtual learning environments in Tanzania: Prospects and challenges

After a reform of the doctoral study programme at the authors’ faculty in Slovenia, an introductory course on scientific research methods became mandatory. It includes the topic of information literacy and covers its five main elements according to ALA 2000 standards. A librarian/researcher runs the practical part. As this course has been running for seven years we were interested in its impacts: (1) what are students’ subjective impressions about the course and (2) if and how such a systematic education on information literacy topics objectively impacts their publishing and citations. The paper first presents the results of the questionnaire among 120 PhD students (the response was 67.5%, i.e. 81 of them) conducted immediately after the completion of the information literacy course. Four indicators were measured to address Question 1. Question 2 was approached by examining students’ citation practices in their own PhD theses and their publishing results. The hypothesis was that the information literacy course increased students’ competence. It was tested using quantitative parameters, such as the number of references in PhD theses and the number of scientific publications written during the study and shortly after it, separately for reformed programme students who attended the information literacy course, and for pre-Bologna reform students who did not take this course. We found that although pre-reform students on average cited a few more references than their post-reform colleagues, there were smaller differences among post-reform than among pre-reform students. Also, the median/typical post-reform students cited more references, what can be attributed to the information literacy course.

Objective – The aim of this study is to demonstrate the impact of a stand-alone, credit-bearing information literacy course on retention and GPA for students at an open access urban college. Methods – Researchers conducted a mixed-methods study with a two-part focus. The first examined the impact of a credit-bearing course using propensity score matching (PSM) techniques to compare academic outcomes for students who participated in the course versus outcomes for similar students who did not enroll in the course. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to measure impact on GPA and performance in 100-level introductory English general education courses. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine persistence one year after enrolling in the course. The second part utilized a questionnaire to survey students of this targeted group to determine impact of the course on their information-seeking behaviour in subsequent academic courses and for non-academic purposes. Results – The quantitative analyses showed: (a) a higher GPA, though slight, for students who have taken the course over the matched comparison group; (b) an increase in persistence for students who have taken the course over the matched comparison group after one year of taking the course; but (c) lower performance in 100-level introductory English courses by students who have taken the course in contrast to the matched comparison group. Qualitative data provided through the questionnaire revealed positive and substantive reflective statements that support learning outcomes of the course. Conclusion – The findings in this study underscored the importance of a stand-alone, credit-bearing information literacy course for undergraduate students, particularly for first-generation students attending an open access urban institution. The findings also demonstrate the academic library’s contribution to institutional retention efforts in support of students’ academic success.

As instructors in the Z. Smith Reynolds Library information literacy program at Wake Forest University, we are expanding beyond our introductory course model to teach discipline-specific information literacy courses. Z. Smith Reynolds Library initiated an information literacy program in 2002 and currently offers a 1-credit elective, taught in 15 sections per semester. Advanced discipline-specific courses were added in Spring 2008, and include courses in the social sciences, business and economics, and the sciences. As the subject specialists for art, dance, literature, music, religion and theatre, we were charged with creating a credit-bearing arts and humanities information literacy course, LIB250: Humanities Research Sources and Strategies. In addition to our arts and humanities course content and methodologies, we incorporated web2.0 technologies throughout course design and delivery in order to streamline planning and to facilitate student engagement. In our course preparation, we utilized Google Docs for collaborative brainstorming, planning, organization and self-evaluation. Our students used Google Docs for submitting their course assignments, which included a faculty or practitioner interview and the final project for the course. The project was an annotated bibliography that extended beyond books and journal articles to include additional elements such as scholarly associations, core journals, primary sources, and major special collections related to their topics. A blog was used for the course syllabus, incorporating assignment information and supplementary resources for class topics; student blogging included reflection and feedback on each lecture as well as application of class content to their research topics. A visit to the Library's Rare Books Reading Room exposed the students to the Library's unique holdings and introduced them to rare and archival resources at other libraries. Our article presents this process from start to finish, including the steps we went through to plan the course, the utilization of web2.0 applications, the course syllabus and assignments, marketing efforts, as well as the course implementation in Spring 2009 and 2010, and what we and our students learned from this process.

E-learning is widely acknowledged as a possible methodology to teach information literacy. Nevertheless, studies reveal that information literacy courses as separate credit-bearing courses taught entirely in the form of e-learning, and using methods of active learning, are rare. This study analyzes the performance of a model for an e-learning course in information literacy in which learners with various backgrounds can participate, and where assignments can be completed according to personal information needs. Although the course does not provide face-to-face contact, learner-centred personal guidance is applied, as every student has an instructor — a subject librarian familiar with information sources in her field. The course is based on a constructivist learning approach: active learning techniques are used and critical thinking is developed through reflection and analysis of fellow students’ assignments. The preliminary qualitative content analysis of feedback and reflections from graduates indicates that students value knowledge and skills obtained from the course. Moreover, information literacy as a course is considered necessary and guided e-learning is quite suitable for gaining information literacy. We conclude that, in order to be beneficial and valuable for students, information literacy does not necessarily have to be integrated into the teaching process of another subject. However, it should be connected with these studies, enabling students to obtain skills for information searching and learning necessary for successful graduation. At the same time, e-learning as a tool helps to promote information literacy in the academic environment in all segments of the university, integrating it with curricula.

List of Contributors. Editorial Advisory Board. Preface. Introduction - Information Literacy and Information Behaviour, Complementary Approaches for Building Capability. Transforming Information Literacy for Higher Education in the 21st Century: A Lifelong Learning Approach. Curriculum and Curriculum Integration of Information Literacy in Higher Education. The Construction of Information and Media Literacy in Education Policy: A Study of Singapore. Information Literacy in Higher Education: Research Students' Development in Information Search Expertise. Mediating Culture: Media Literacy and Cultural Awareness The Representation of Race and Ethnicity in Maya and Miguel. Empowering Professional Practices of a Community of e-Learners: Special Education Teachers in Alaska and their Information Literacy Conceptions. Information Literacy of Undergraduate Students in Thailand: A Case of the Faculty of Arts, Silpakorn University, Thailand. Building Partnerships for Information Literacy among HE Institutions in African Universities: Opportunities and Challenges - A Case Study. Perspectives on Legal Education and the Role of Information Literacy in Improving Qualitative Legal Practice. Information Literacy in the Business School Context: A Story of Complexity and Success. Workplace Reflections of Information Literacy Training: The Case of the Agriculture and Health Sectors in Tanzania. Workplace Information Literacy: It's Different. Diversifying Information Literacy Research: An Informed Learning Perspective. The Use of Participatory Techniques in the Communication of Information for Communities: Information Literacy and Collaborative Work for Citizenship Development. About the Authors. Developing People's Information Capabilities: Fostering Information Literacy in Educational, Workplace and Community Contexts. Library and Information Science. Developing People's Information Capabilities: Fostering Information Literacy in Educational, Workplace and Community Contexts. Copyright page. Index.

This is a review of information literacy interventions which focused on fostering information literacy skills for agriculturalists and health practitioners in Tanzania. The purpose of the intervention was to impart information literacy skills to agriculturalists and health professionals based on problem-solving and collaborative approaches through pedagogical theories of Kolb and Vygotsky which emphasize experiential and reflective learning as well as mediated communication. The interventions were based on an integration of knowledge from information behaviour research and educational theory and current Information and library science perspectives of information literacy. This was preceded by a survey which collected data on information literacy needs of agriculturalists and health practitioners in order to determine what should be taught in information literacy courses for both categories of professionals. The interventions were evaluated through exercises, reflective discussions and observations of activities. Diagnostic tests were also carried out before and after the interventions to provide an indication of knowledge changes. It was generally discovered that both categories of practitioners lacked information literacy skills and had a dire need for the same to effectively perform their work. Work experiences of participants as well as problems associated with lack of information to perform assigned tasks in their occupations were motivational factors for their active participation in the courses. Judging from participants’ feedback, the courses were effective. Participants were able to demonstrate their abilities to solve a particular information-related problem through collaborative learning and work experience. It is recommended that information literacy courses in work places should focus on work-related information problems and active participation.

In recent years, unfiltered information has become increasingly available to individuals. It is important to cultivate students' information literacy, including evaluating, synthesising and using information appropriately and ethically. To reduce the limitations of course duration, this study applied the flipped-classroom pedagogy to create the in- and out-of-class learning environment in an information literacy course. Taking prior knowledge into account, a personalised ubiquitous learning support system was developed to support this pedagogy in this course. An experiment was conducted on an information literacy course at a university in Thailand to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The experimental results highlight that, in comparison with the flipped classroom with conventional ubiquitous learning support system, the proposed approach significantly improved students' information literacy performance, self-efficacy, career motivation and grade motivation.

There is a common concern among academic libraries that their library Web portals are being underutilized. Literature pertaining to technology acceptance and information systems success indicates that user training plays a pivotal role in fostering favorable attitudes, and facilitating information systems usage among users. However, no study had been conducted to investigate the effect of user education on the acceptance and use of academic library Web portals. To address this gap in the literature, the researcher took the initiative to explore the impact of a semester‐long credit‐bearing information literacy course on undergraduate students' perceptions and use of the University at Albany Libraries Web portal. Data were collected through two rounds of survey over a period of an academic semester. Results showed that the information literacy course positively influenced participants' perceptions of the Libraries Web portal in terms of perceived ease of use, information quality, system quality, and user satisfaction. Yet, the course did not have an impact on their perceptions of service quality. In addition, statistically significant differences were not found in the overall frequency and duration of use, but in other dimensions of use, namely purpose and task.

In contemporary knowledge society, the impact of library and information professions has expanded to practical workforce preparation in many adjacent fields, including social work, that heavily rely on information competencies to promote community well-being and public good.This poster adds a practitioner perspective to the ongoing conversation about the need to reimagine LIS education to better align curricular priorities with the demands of the increasingly interconnected information landscape. Through a tale of a subject librarian and Social Work faculty partnership to develop a tailored credit-bearing information literacy course for Social Work pre-majors, the author illuminates the evolving role of librarians who are called upon to educate members of other information-intensive professions in the use of general and subject-specific resources essential for their field. The poster highlights the shared values that inform the practice of both librarianship and social work in response to the issues faced by communities in times of uncertainty and change. Built around the ALA’s Core Competences of Librarianship and the Social Work Competencies established by the Council on Social Work Education, the project reflects on the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating information literacy education into a domain where advanced information literacy skills are an indispensable component of the current professional practice. Finally, the project discusses several implications for LIS programs keen on creating a better connection between the LIS foundational values and other professional competency frameworks today’s librarians lean on, particularly in such vital areas as user services, lifelong learning and continuing education, and social justice.

An important goal for educators, especially those in postsecondary education, is teaching students essential skills that will allow them to become lifelong learners. The Association of College and Research Libraries's Information Literacy Competency Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology address this issue in Standard Five. Library instructors who teach information literacy courses that focus on the natural sciences can use this standard to develop performance indicators and outcomes for their courses. This article reports on the results of a survey administered to the students in information literacy classes taught by the author. The survey examined students’ attitudes toward science literacy and lifelong learning as addressed in Standard Five.

Librarians, as educators, must demonstrate the hypothesis that the design and delivery of information literacy-rich curriculum rooted in rigorous pedagogical principles and blended with the astute use of ICT will result in profound learning. In order to lead a shift in practice, we must prove that such an approach is not only viable but also vital. This chapter discusses some of the key aspects which teaching librarians must consider as they undertake this challenge. In an Australian context, it explores broad facets of theory and application of blended information literacy and curriculum using ICT, and illustrates how some of these aspects have been applied in the development of a discrete online information literacy course at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Throughout the discussion, unless specifically differentiated, it should be understood that teacher, educator and librarian are used synonymously.

Blending academic research strategies and e-learning technology is becoming the innovative university teaching/learning strategy, focusing on students' self-endeavour to access information in order to improve their knowledge on any topic. As a result, the university has shifted its focus from the traditional teaching approach, which consists of cramming the students' minds with a huge amount of information and expect them to do a rote learning, to a more rationalized focus on the students conducting their own research to access knowledge and valuable information under the guidance of the instructor. In other words, it shifted its attention from a product to a process -based course. From this stand point, the instructor' role is mainly restricted to equip his students with research strategies and steps in the information literacy course per se, rather than provide them with the course content. This paper seeks to explore the importance of equipping students with lifelong academic strategies and e-learning strategy acquisition-the 21st century technologies and to study its impact in the information literacy course, in addition to using the big 6 framework and other learning strategies. This paper will explore students' delivery mode, as well as research project, assessment, minilectures, notes, assignment and online learning using blackboard. The impact of students' achievement using the process rather than the content-based learning, will be assessed through the analysis of students' presentation and reflective essay delivery and their final performance by comparing the pre-test and the beginning of the course and post-test results at the end of the course.

This chapter focuses on the concept of virtual learning environment (VLE), its characteristics and potentialities. We present the results of a research work conducted with a sample of 347 undergraduates from a Portuguese public higher education institution. The research addressed the issue regarding the use of virtual learning environments within the higher education context and had the following aims: identify the VLE access frequency; assess the influence of users' computer skills on the VLE access frequency; and assess the importance and impact that students consider the VLE to have on supporting the course units they attend. In the light of the results obtained and considering the VLE used in the sample institution, we highlight that the majority of students accesses the VLE on a daily basis, no significant differences were found regarding VLE access according to users' computer skills, and the most valued aspects of the VLE were: checking exam results and receiving teachers' messages or notices.

Teaching in the 21st century requires the ability to know and use technological resources that allow the development of virtual learning environments that facilitate the incorporation of educational content and that the student has access to it through educational platforms, while generating environments and situations of learning that allow the development of socio-emotional skills. Socio-emotional skills are the source of differentiation of human talent within the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is characterized by continuous technological, scientific and social advancement. Within the use and management of technological tools in the context of education, whether formal or non-formal, the relevance of the use and application offered by these resources to develop the capacities, attitudes and Social and Emotional Skills that any citizen of the world needs XXI century. It is in this context that this article supports the effects of virtual learning environments (PLE) in the development of Social and Emotional Skills in university students. A correlational analysis is made between the use of LMS Platforms (Learning Management System) and the development of Socioemotional Skills of undergraduate students. The research is developed in the population of the Faculty of Accounting and Administration (FCA); attached to the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), Mexico. A quantitative, descriptive and correlational research is designed. The degree of association between the independent variables socio-emotional skills in three constructs is evaluated: intrapersonal, interpersonal and cognitive, with the dependent variable, virtual learning environments, by means of a structural equation model. For the statistical analysis, the AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures) software is used, which allows the construction and validation of a structural model that identifies, specifies, estimates evaluation parameters of adjustment specification of the investigative modeling, as well as its results, integrates the multivariate techniques of Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Models (SEM). A recursive model is obtained, which shows a positive correlation direction between the exogenous variable (LMS) and the endogenous variables (Intrapersonal, Interpersonal and Cognitive). The results reflect a greater correlation in the effects of the use of virtual learning environments (PLE) in the development of interpersonal and cognitive Social and Emotional Skills.

SMAN 1 Blahbatuh is one of public schools in Bali that has complete and adequate facilities to support teaching and learning activities. The school also has experienced and supportive teachers who are experts on their field. However, during observation found that some teachers do not familiar with state-of-the-art technology for teaching and learning activities. That case leads to ineffective online lesson where the teachers are expected to use various technology in order to support the lessons. This is a challenge faced by SMAN 1 Blahbatuh in implementing online learning on this pandemic situation. To overcome this problem, training related to the implementing “Animation” Digital Literacy culture-based as an online learning media had been carried out. This training implements “Animation” Digital Literacy through Culture-Based English Teaching. In addition, a training on the use of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in online teaching was also carried out, to further maximize the use of online media in the lessons. The training was held for two days involving 11 teachers to take part into it. In this training, they were given a workshop to create 'animated' media that aims to attract students' interest in learning and improve their literacy.