Students’ behaviour playing an online information literacy game

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.

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.

This research paper delves into the Information Literacy (IL) skill development strategies implemented by Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Tolon District of Northern Ghana. The study employs a phenomenological approach and qualitative method to explore the perspectives of students, teaching staff, and management within these institutions. Through purposive sampling and focus group interviews, the research investigates both the institutional and individual efforts in enhancing IL skills of students. The findings illuminate the proactive measures taken by SHS management, including fresh students’ orientation programs and dedicated library time and creation of conducive learning environment. There is no IL course in the curriculum of the SHS. The findings further reveal that teaching staff, recognizing the significance of IL, employ varied strategies to enhance students' IL skills. Despite these efforts, a noteworthy challenge emerges: teaching staff lack the requisite IL skills. Finally, students of these institutions rely on Google, teachers, parents and colleagues for the needed information. The research recommends a holistic approach to IL education, incorporating policy reforms, teacher training programs, and targeted interventions to address the identified challenges.

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 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.

This mixed method systematic review considers recent literature on the information literacy (IL) skills of first-year undergraduate students. The review uncovers the following themes: faculty and librarians perceive first-year students as lacking IL skills; students have varying perceptions of their IL skills; assessment studies yield conflicting findings on first-year students' IL; communication between high school and college librarians is challenging; and some IL researchers emphasise and leverage first-year students' prior knowledge and experience in IL instruction. These themes emerge from extensive searches in four research databases for scholarly and professional articles written in English within the past ten years. With the exception of a few articles, studies reviewed consistently express their findings in terms of students’ gaps or deficits. We question whether this is the most productive basis for developing effective IL programs. Instead, we call for further investigation of students’ existing knowledge and skills as a basis for implementing constructivist and strengths-based pedagogies.

This chapter examines the evolution of information literacy as a distinct concept incorporating critical thinking, and research and communication skills. It describes Duquesne University’s efforts to develop its current information literacy program during a period of rapid technological change and evolving accreditation standards, and briefly addresses the Association of College and Research Libraries’ (ACRL) information literacy research agenda. Duquesne’s librarians and disciplinary faculty have collaborated to introduce information literacy into the curriculum. All freshmen and transfer students receive instruction geared toward establishing baseline competency in computer and information literacy skills. Collaboration among faculty, librarians, and campus computing staff has resulted in improved instruction and adoption of course management software to facilitate management of over a thousand students per semester, as well as sharing of course texts and assignments among instructors in the Schools of Business, Education, and Music, the College of Liberal Arts, and the library.

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 (IL) skills are increasingly becoming acknowledged as vital lifelong skills, necessary to thrive in education, research and the workplace. IL is taught in a variety of formats in higher education. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of drop-in sessions as an effective format to meet the need for ongoing IL teaching. Although research has previously been carried out on various formats of IL teaching, there is little research specifically investigating the effectiveness of drop-in sessions. This study aims to add to the current body of knowledge by examining the experience of providing drop-in IL sessions at the Medical and Dental Libraries at Queen Mary University of London. These sessions have now been running for five years and data has been gathered from attendance statistics, evaluation forms and follow-up questionnaires in order to evaluate their effectiveness for teaching IL skills. The study shows that drop-in sessions can provide the desired one-to-one, personalised, hands-on teaching, delivered in an informal environment. Good attendance figures, high levels of satisfaction and the perceived positive impact on IL skills demonstrate that drop-in sessions can be used as an effective format for IL teaching. The study provides evidence of good practice for those looking at how best to provide ongoing IL teaching.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to assess the information literacy proficiency of transfer students. This assessment of skills was undertaken to improve the services provided to transfer students in academic libraries, with a particular focus on information literacy instruction.Design/methodology/approachThe Project Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (SAILS) test was administered to assess the information literacy proficiency of a cohort of undergraduate students taking courses on two regional campuses of a four-year institution. In total, 114 students participated, and SAILS test scores were compared to several demographic characteristics using one-way and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).FindingsResults showed that undergraduate students generally lack information literacy skills, even at the junior and senior levels. Previous library instruction had a positive impact on scores for two of the Association of College and Research Libraries information literacy standards, suggesting that library instruction programs can be effective at improving these skills. When examining performance across the board on the various information literacy skills, there was no significant difference between transfer and native students in this result set.Research limitations/implicationsThis study had a limited sample size, and only tested students taking courses from two regional campus locations. Follow-up studies could broaden the scope to include main campus transfer students to form a larger sample size.Originality/valueIt was difficult to find original research within the library literature that directly addressed information literacy skills in a mixed population of transfer and native students. Further research in this area can serve to improve the services offered to all students within academic libraries.

The emergence of the novel coronavirus Covid-19 has quickly spread information, misinformation, and fake news across the world. Health literacy contributes to sharing information and responsibilities between health care providers and users, and understanding health communication through sharing. The present research assesses the level of health information literacy among undergraduates and postgraduates distance learners of library and information science in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University. The questionnaire was designed using the Likert method, and constrained in four sections i.e., Information Searching, Information reliability, Information Sharing and Dissemination in social media, and Information and Health Information Literacy Level. The researcher used Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 28 to analyze the questionnaire using descriptive analyses. The study finds relation of Library Professionals Age Group and Information Literacy Skill; p-value tested for two variables i.e., information literacy skills and age group, p-value tested for two variables i.e., information literacy skills and age group, the value of p< 0.05 is shown that there is the relationship between library professionals age group and their information literacy skill and alternative hypothesis accepted. Another relation of Library Professional’s Gender and Health information literacy; the value of p< 0.05, shows that the null hypothesis is rejected and there is a relationship between library professionals’ Gender group and their health information skills. Both the research hypotheses are alternative accepted. The result showed a low level of information literacy skill and health information literacy in distance learners of library and information science stream, university-organization and libraries needs to increase the information literacy programs and orientation to aware the distance learners for searching information social media platforms, which develop the skill of searching, assessing, dissemination and sharing information with effectively.

Information literacy has been embedded by the university into the first year nursing curriculum.Embedding this literacy will not necessarily ensure the nursing graduates will apply this skill to the provision of high quality evidence-based health care.For this to happen information literacy skills gained in the classroom must contribute to sound decision making based on best practice evidence.This paper discusses the findings of a three phases research project designed to (i) determine the information literacy skills, confidence and problem solving abilities of students entering the university"s Bachelor of Nursing Program;(ii) determine if information literacy skills, confidence and problem solving abilities improve as a result of embedding information literacy instruction into a nursing course; and iii) ascertain whether there are any differences in information literacy skills, confidence and problem solving abilities based on the students demographic information.Data were collected in two sequential semesters using a questionnaire administered to the students.The response rates in semester one and two were 45 and 56 per cent respectively.Student confidence and awareness regarding information literacy is positively affected by learning experiences from semester one to semester two.Students indicated that they need both specific and regular instruction to adequately retain learning.Overall the study suggests that embedding information literacy instruction into the first year, first semester nursing program is beneficial.By the second semester the information literacy confidence and awareness of students increased as a result of intracurricular instruction, however, problem solving skills need to be improved.

This article aims to examine the importance of information literacy and scientific literacy skills to prevent exposure to misinformation in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Believing in misinformation encourages behaviour that is detrimental to individuals and groups due to anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and a lack of critical thinking skills. This study uses a qualitative approach with a systematic literature review (SLR) method. Through the SLR method, this article uses various sources of empirical research by collecting data and information to analyze elements in information literacy and scientific literacy that can identify misinformation. Information literacy is considered to be more useful in preventing belief in misinformation compared to the concepts of digital literacy, media literacy, and news literacy. Information literacy skills with information verification, and supported by scientific literacy with intellectual virtue, can recognize misinformation about COVID-19 so that it can prevent individuals from believing in misinformation that can result in errors of action. Scientific information literacy needs practical intervention to the public, one of which is through the role of educational institutions.

Using collaborative teaching and inquiry project-based learning to help primary school students develop information literacy and information skills

Secondary teachers and information literacy (IL): Teacher understanding and perceptions of IL in the classroom