Evolution of a Collaborative Undergraduate Information Literacy Education Program

Information literacy has become more important as more information is produced and communication has become easier. Better information skills are vital for individuals working in governmental organizations as well as in the business sector. Employees are expected to be confident and competent in interacting with information in their workplaces in order to deliver better service to customers and to the public. This study examines the differences in information literacy skills (ILS), computer literacy skills (CLS), and frequencies of use of information sources (FIS) among police officers, based on their socio-demographic characteristics, namely education, departmental affiliation, ranks, and experience. Information literacy process models developed in an educational environment are combined to explore information literacy process in the workplace. Bivariate and multivariate analyses indicated significant differences of ILS and CLS based on education, departmental affiliation, and ranks but no difference for experience. In addition, there were differences of FIS for all demographic variables except departmental affiliation. The findings of the study may guide both future researchers in the process of developing new models in understanding information literacy process and the managers in police organizations in planning better training programs by considering information and computer literacy skills and use of information sources of police officers.

This study is aimed at determining the effectiveness of the use of a science textbook integrated with the local potentials of bakpia in improving the critical thinking and communication skills of the junior high school students. The study was a quasi-experiment with a pretest-posttest control group research design. The experiment and control groups were taken by cluster random sampling by considering the location of the school, which is within proximity of the local potentials in question. The study was conducted in the 7 th grade, at one of the junior high schools in Yogyakarta, both for the experiment and control classes. The research instruments were an open-reasoned multiple-choice test and observation sheets to obtain data on students’ critical thinking skills and communication skills. Data analysis was done by the Manova difference test assisted by the SPSS 2.0 computer program with a significance value lower than 0.05. Results showed that the value of the partial Eta squared from the Manova test was 0.981, indicating that the effectiveness of the science textbook integrated with the bakpia local potentials to improve students’ critical thinking and communication skills was in the “high” category. The test of between subject effects of the Manova test showed a significant value of students’ critical thinking and communication skills of less than 0.05. Therefore, it can be said that the science textbook was effective in increasing students’ critical thinking and communication skills, simultaneously. A limitation to the study can be in the fact that the study is not conducted directly in the bakpia factory and that it involves only 60 subjects for both the experiment and control groups. The integrated textbook of bakpia local potentials can be used as a reference for future researchers with other local potentials. The local potential integrated book can also become an alternative-learning mode, e.g.: based on STEM, with materials suitable for local potentials in other regions.

Purpose – This paper outlines a teaching and learning collaboration between information literacy (IL) professionals and a social work academic at The University of Auckland. The collaboration was developed for the purpose of introducing evidence-based practice (EBP) and related IL skills to a third-year social work cohort preparing for their first practicum. Embedding the research–practice connection in the minds of students at this level of study is essential, as using evidence in practice is considered to be a fundamental professional objective. Despite this perspective, it is not uncommon for research to be viewed as an ancillary, if not discretionary skill in social work, with the research–practice gap well recognised in the social work literature. EBP offers students a clearly defined, systematic research framework imminently suited to the novice learner which emphasises the importance of research for practice. Research skills, in particular IL and the ability to find, evaluate and apply information, are essential to the development of effective EBP. Apart from the practical skills of being able to find evidence, critical thinking and reflective skills are key skills also inherent to IL processes and practice, and mastery of the evidence-based approach is impossible without mastery of these key IL competencies. Taking a solution-focused frame, theoretically underpinned by a constructivist teaching philosophy, we detail specific EBP and IL teaching practices, challenges and the remedies applied. The paper concludes with key lessons learned and future directions for teaching EBP and IL skills to social work students at The University of Auckland. Design/methodology/approach – A solution-focused frame is theoretically underpinned by a constructivist teaching philosophy. Findings – This paper offers insights derived from seven years of teaching EBP and IL skills to social work students and investigates specific teaching challenges and details the remedies applied. Research limitations/implications – As a case study, this article deals with one instance of EBP and IL teaching. Focusing specifically on EBP in the social sciences, this may not be relevant for other disciplines. Practical implications – This paper offers insights into methods for merging EBP and IL skills teaching in the social sciences, providing practical examples of activities which can be used in teaching, underpinned by relevant theory. Social implications – To be effective practitioners, social workers must understand the importance of research to practice, in particular how this can improve their professional knowledge and practice. Forging the research–practice connection aids the development of competent practitioners and enhances the well-being of social work clients. Originality/value – The authors outline constructivist–connectivist learning activities that can be used to advance students’ IL skills, develop research capacity and enhance the importance of the research-practice connection in social work practice. While much research has been done on EBP and IL connections in the medical and nursing literature, there is limited literature discussing EBP and IL integration in social work.

Information literacy is defined as a set of skills required to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information. Due to the knowledge explosion and the availability of a vast amount ofinformation resources, this era is known as the “information era”. In the21stcentury, mere replication of knowledge is not enough rather the survival of the personnel is contingent with the practice specific information literacy skills Information literacy skills empower individuals by allowing them to develop their critical thinking skills, enabling them to become independent lifelong learners. This study was conducted to measurethe information literacy skills of secondary school students. The sample comprised 125 secondary school students of Bhimber, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). An online test was used to measure the level of information literacy of students. The test comprised 32 items. The time limit of the test was 60 minutes. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. It is important to mention that out of 125 students, only 5 students attained a high score ranging between 80.6 and 90.5.These students finished their test within 41-50 minutes. Whereas the rest of the students scored less than 50%. It was concluded that the selected secondary school students could not use technology in their day-to-day activities. It is recommended that students should beprovided with opportunities to use technology in their day-to-day life at school level. Moreover, it is suggested here that a comprehensive course on information literacy skills andtheir practical applications should be mandatory at secondary level. Keywords: critical thinking skills, information literacy skills, lifelong learning

Students need critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration skills to face and adapt to social change, so that students can survive and compete well in social life. The aim of the research is to describe the critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity skills of high school students in biology learning. The research was carried out in August-September 2023. The research population was high school students in Magetan Regency. The research sampling technique was cluster sampling and the research sample was 539 high school class students. Data collection techniques used questionnaires on critical thinking skills, communication, collaboration and creativity. This research instrument is a questionnaire in the form of a questionnaire with 5 Likert scales. Quantitative descriptive research data analysis techniques. The research results show that high school students' critical thinking and creativity skills are in the medium and low categories compared to communication and collaboration skills. The results of the research can be used as a reflection for teachers or future researchers as a follow-up to empower students' critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity skills in implementing the Merdeka Curriculum.

PurposeThis study aims to examine the instruction of basic information literacy (IL) skills taught to the socio‐economically disadvantaged students in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Rider University in summer 2011. The study set out to determine how the beginning IL levels of EOP freshmen differ from those of other freshmen, their learning outcomes, and retention of IL as a means to improve future research instruction.Design/methodology/approachFaculty of a speech communication class and two librarians collaborated in integrating IL in the class assignments of the 2011 summer EOP program. The assessment tools include identical pre‐ and post‐tests, a second post‐test with different multiple correct answer questions, a survey about students' perceptions of their IL training, and the teaching faculty's observations of EOP students' research skills.FindingsEOP freshmen are equivalent to the peer freshmen in their low levels of IL skills. The findings suggested that EOP freshmen complete IL instruction with stronger IL skills. The second post‐test revealed that many students were confused about some basic IL concepts. Faculty's observation of students' information literacy skills concurs with the pre‐ and post‐tests.Originality/valueThis study fills a void in the literature on recent research of information literacy skills of socio‐economically disadvantaged college students. The multi‐correct answer questions employed are valuable but rarely employed in studies or discussed in the literature. The collaboration of faculty and librarians in assignment design is valuable as an increasing number of faculty are utilizing librarians to teach the necessary IL skills needed in today's curricula.

Education in a post-truth era poses unique challenges for educators supporting youth in developing the critical thinking and information literacy skills needed to navigate an information landscape fraught with fake news, alternative facts, and information overload. Australia faces further issues with a crowded curriculum, funding cuts in education, and underachievement on national and international tests. As trained professionals in information literacy, teacher librarians are in a strong position to guide teachers and students towards achievement of these important information literacy and lifelong learning skills. The purpose of this research was to explore collaboration between Australian teachers and teacher librarians while planning, delivering, and assessing inquiry units supporting information literacy skills. Using a phenomenological case study methodology with six schools, eight teachers and teacher librarians describe their experiences, sometimes “on the fly” as teacher librarian Annie notes, identifying important elements to successful and unsuccessful collaborations including schoolwide culture, time, and relationships.KeywordsInformation literacyInquiry learningCollaborationSchool librariesTeacher librarians

Critical thinking skills (CTS) and communication skills (CS) in students still need to be improved. This study aims to analyze CTS and CS through the experimental implementation of blended discovery learning (BDL). The research method used is a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group design. The study subjects consisted of high school students (SMA) who were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received learning with the BDL model, while the control group used conventional methods. The research instruments were observation sheets for critical thinking and communication skills, as well as CTS tests. The data analysis results showed a significant increase in CTS and communication skills after the implementation of BDL compared to the control group. This increase can be seen from the results of statistical tests that showed a significant difference in pretest and posttest scores in the experimental group. Thus, the implementation of BDL has proven effective in improving CTS and CS, so that it can be an alternative for innovative and interactive learning

Flipped learning technology is an effective approach that has been used widely in Morocco during the pandemic period. It is an approach that combines both face-to-face and online settings of learning and teaching. It is claimed that the utilisation of this approach matches the learners’ needs and promotes autonomous learning among students at almost all educational levels. In this regard, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of Flipped learning technology in upgrading critical thinking and communication skills. This paper employed a quasi experimental pre-test post-test study design and teacher’s observations. The sample was two groups consisting of 60 students aged 13 and 14 years old in the 8th grade at Tazi middle high school in Casablanca, Morocco. The participants were divided into an experimental group (N=30) that received the treatment study using Flipped learning technology approach and a control group (N=30) taught traditionally. They were taught using a teacher centred method. The researcher used a critical thinking and communication skills test as an instrument and a paired sample t-test for the analysis. The findings revealed a significant difference between the experimental and the control group (sig <0.05); it showed that experimental group participants achieved higher thinking and communication skills. Overall, we conclude that Flipped learning technology influenced critical thinking and communication skills.

BackgroundProblem-based learning (PBL) is widely recognized as an effective method for enhancing critical thinking and communication skills in medical education. However, in first-year medical students, the specific and detailed effects have yet to be explored, especially across resource-rich and resource-limited educational settings.ObjectiveThe scoping review evaluates the effects of problem-based learning on the development of critical thinking and communication skills of first-year medical students and compares the effectiveness of the method in resource-rich and resource-limited environments.MethodsThis scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. A systematic search of the literature was conducted on Google Scholar, PubMed, and ProQuest for studies published between 2015 and 2024. Included studies were screened according to the defined criteria, and data were extracted on study characteristics, interventions, and outcomes measured.ResultsA total of eight studies were found that met inclusion criteria: only one among them exclusively studied first-year students. The results of this cross-sectional study (with a descriptive self-report questionnaire) found that first-year students have a positive attitude toward PBL since they reported the following: high engagement (97%) and improved teamwork (87%). The included studies reported that PBL was associated with perceived improvements in critical thinking and communication skills among undergraduate medical students in both resource-limited and resource-rich educational environment. There were methodological variations, and some regions were entirely unrepresented. All the reviewed studies were published in Asia, with no studies from Africa.ConclusionThe reviewed studies suggest that PBL may be associated with perceived improvements in critical thinking and communication skills; however, findings remain tentative due to methodological and contextual limitations.

Students often struggle to solve complex mathematical problems in real-world contexts due to low information literacy skills. To improve information literacy skills, an effective learning approach can be RBL-STEM, which provides research-based learning and can be practically applied in the real world. This study aims to investigate RBL-STEM activities, describe the process and results of developing RBL-STEM materials, and analyze data from the results of developing these materials to improve students’ information literacy skills. The method of research used is research and development (R&D). The purpose of this research is to develop RBL-STEM materials and produce learning material products in the form of semester learning plans, student assignment designs, student worksheets, and learning outcomes tests. The results of the materials development showed validity with a validity criterion of 92.75%. The trial was conducted with 40 students, and the implementation using the RBL-STEM materials was found to be practical with a practical criterion of 98.75% and effective with an effectiveness criterion of 94%. In addition, the students were highly engaged and responded very positively to the learning experience. Pretest and posttest analysis showed an increase in students’ information literacy in solving the rainbow antimagic coloring problem. The study also identified three levels of information literacy skills: high, medium, and low. Statistical analysis, phase portrait, NVivo, and word cloud confirmed the research findings and showed an increase in students’ information literacy skills. Thus, RBL-STEM has the potential to improve students’ information literacy in real-world contexts, such as the application of ETLE using graph neural network techniques.

This paper describes how college students played the web-based BiblioBouts Information Literacy (IL) game, which ushers players through the library research process while they complete a research-and-writing assignment. The game teaches students basic IL skills including creating citations, judging citation completeness, assessing author expertise, assessing source relevance and credibility, judging quality, and assessing accuracy. BiblioBouts’ collaborative and social mechanisms help students leverage their own research efforts in finding sources, evaluating their usefulness, and choosing the best sources, with their classmates’ efforts so that everyone benefits. Players benefit from receiving hands-on practice and experience with the wide range of information literacy (IL) skills that confront them during the process from conducting library research to completing writing assignments. Both quantitative and qualitative game-play data were gathered from game-play logs, game diaries, focus group interviews with student game players, and personal interviews with instructors. These data were analyzed to determine typical game-play styles, how long students played the game, and the impact of scoring on the way the students played the game and engaged in IL activities. The results were used to improve game mechanics and player engagement. The R&D team’s experience building an online, interactive IL game demonstrates that game design must first focus on evaluations of player behavior followed by game-system improvements that are expected to affect the desired game-play behavior. The BiblioBouts game presents an innovative method for learning IL competencies and is unique in its social, collaborative, and interactive approach to educational gaming. It is hoped that this article will encourage IL librarians to explore games and other alternative forms of IL instruction.

This paper elucidates the process of creating and maintaining a successful librarian-faculty partnership which originally was intended as a quality improvement tool for a bachelor program in business administration at University West, Sweden. In 2012, after receiving criticism from the Swedish Council for Higher Education regarding the learning outcomes of students’ information literacy skills within the field of business administration, the process of regeneration started.
 A quality improvement process called “A Scientific Wave” was initiated to support the student's development regarding skills in critical and analytical approaches, presentation techniques and media and information literacy skills. The Scientific Wave includes different quality aspects and applies a holistic approach to improve education quality and accentuate progression of knowledge throughout all courses of the program. Furthermore, work-integrated learning, WIL, is applied as an educational and pedagogical model throughout the program to reinforce the link between work life and learning - theory and practice. Earlier research states that successful integration of media and information literacy in higher education should be based on close collaboration between librarians and discipline faculty, strategic anchoring and visualization in curriculums, syllabi, course objectives and examinations, and developed in line with the mission of the university. The Scientific Wave is here viewed as a co-creative continuous process based on the separate but still complementary skills of librarians and faculty to provide students with tools for critical and creative thinking in today’s digital society.

This study examined media and information literacy (MIL) skills in the use of electronic information resources among senior secondary school students in Ibadan North West Local Government Area (LGA), Oyo State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with a population of 3,103 SS2 students across 13 public senior secondary schools. A multi-stage sampling technique was used: in the first stage, seven schools were randomly selected using the balloting method, and in the second stage, 484 students (30%) were selected proportionately. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection, comprising four sections: Section A captured demographic data, Section B measured information literacy skills (15 items), Section C assessed media literacy skills (15 items), and Section D examined the utilisation of electronic information resources (15 items), all rated on a four-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics, including frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations, were used to analyze research questions 1 to 5, while Multiple Regression was used for questions 3 to 8. The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was used for hypothesis testing. Findings revealed significant positive relationships between media literacy skills (r = 0.38) and information literacy skills (r = 0.577) with the utilization of electronic information resources. Jointly, media literacy and information literacy accounted for 47.5% of the variance (F(484) = 217.841, Adj. R² = 0.475). Information literacy emerged as the stronger predictor (β = 0.574), followed by media literacy (β = 0.377). The study recommends incorporating media and information literacy education into the curriculum to enable students to effectively access, evaluate, and utilize electronic information resources.

The 21st Century learning focuses on 4Cs, so students’s target can have basic abilities. Current learning methods are less suitable with 4Cs skills in geography subjects. In addition, students are required to have global awareness. Learning methods that are suitable for improving students' critical thinking and communication skills are using Model united nations (MUN). This research is Analysis-Design-Development-Implementation-Evaluation (ADDIE) development model with data collection that is student need analysis, product validation, implementation validation, and audience validation. Data collection from 59 high school students found 60% of students needed the development of a fun learning method and 92% wanted MUN to be applied to learning. The results of the product validation gained a score of 97.58% and the results of the validation of the implementation got 95% and the results of the validation of the audience based on the critical thinking skills assessment got an average score of 82.58 and communication skills assessment got an average score of 84.45 with 31 students. Based on the results of the validation of the product development is considered very appropriate without revision. Thus, Model United Nations as a learning method is able to train and measure students' critical thinking skills and communication skills.