Peer teaching and information retrieval: the role of the NICE Evidence search student champion scheme in enhancing students’ confidence

Background

This research reports on the NICE Evidence search (ES) student champion scheme (SCS) first five years of activity (2011–2016) in terms of its impact on health care undergraduate students’ information search skills and search confidence.

Objectives

A review of students’ evaluation of the scheme was carried out to chart the changes in attitude towards NICE Evidence search as an online health care information source and to monitor students’ approach to information seeking.

Methods

This study is based on the results of questionnaires distributed to students before and after attending a training session on NICE Evidence search delivered by their own peers. The exercise was implemented in health related universities in England over a period of five consecutive academic years.

Results

(i) Students’ search confidence improved considerably after the training; (ii) ES was perceived as being an increasingly useful resource of evidence based information for their studies; (iii) the training helped students develop discerning search skills and use evidence based information sources more consistently and critically.

Conclusions

The NICE SCS improves confidence in approaching information tasks amongst health care undergraduate students. Future developments could involve offering the training at the onset of a course of study and adopting online delivery formats to expand its geographical reach.     

Evidence-based information-seeking skills of junior doctors entering the workforce: an evaluation of the impact of information literacy training during pre-clinical years

Objectives: To investigate the extent to which junior doctors in their first clinical positions retained information literacy skills taught as part of their undergraduate education. Method: Participants drawn from different training cohorts were interviewed about their recall of the instruction they had received, and their confidence in retrieving and evaluating information for clinical decision making. They completed a search based on a scenario related to their speciality. Their self‐assessment of their competency in conducting and evaluating a search was compared with an evaluation of their skills by an experienced observer. Results: Most participants recalled the training they received but had not retained high‐level search skills, and lacked skills in identifying and applying best evidence. There was no apparent link between the type of training given and subsequent skill level. Those whose postgraduate education required these skills were more successful in retrieving and appraising information. Conclusion: Commitment to evidence‐based medicine from clinicians at all levels in the profession is needed to increase the information seeking skills of clinicians entering the work force.     

Health care librarians and information literacy: an investigation

Until relatively recently, the concept of information literacy, and teaching the skills to enable it, was mainly a concern of academic libraries. Now, it is also seen to be of high importance within the context of health care libraries. Health care libraries and librarians can provide crucial support towards the implementation of evidence‐based practice in patient care through both information literacy skills training and by conducting mediated searches on behalf of health care practitioners. This article reports the findings from an investigation conducted by Charlotte Kelham as part of her MA in Librarianship from the University of Sheffield. Her dissertation investigated how health care librarians understand the concept of information literacy, the implications of this for their role and their perceptions around how their role is valued. Charlotte graduated from Sheffield in 2013 and is currently job hunting. AM     

Online health information search and evaluation: observations and semi-structured interviews with college students and maternal health experts

Background: While the Internet is a popular source of health information, health seekers’ inadequate skills to locate and discern quality information pose a potential threat to their healthcare decision‐making. Objectives: We aimed to examine health information search and appraisal behaviours among young, heavy users of the Internet. Methods: In study 1, we observed and interviewed 11 college students about their search strategies and evaluation of websites. In study 2, three health experts evaluated two websites selected as the best information sources in study 1. Results: Familiarity with health websites and confidence in search strategies were major factors affecting search and evaluation behaviours. Website quality was mostly judged by aesthetics and peripheral cues of source credibility and message credibility. In contrast to users’ favourable website evaluation, the experts judged the websites to be inappropriate and untrustworthy. Conclusion: Our results highlight a critical need to provide young health seekers with resources and training that are specifically geared toward health information search and appraisal. The role of health seekers’ knowledge and involvement with the health issue in search effort and success warrants future research.     

Integrating information literacy into an undergraduate geography research methods course

Conducting research is a challenging but essential component of an undergraduate geography education. Students typically need instruction in fundamental skills such as using library resources. In this study we describe how we, a geography professor and a librarian, integrated information literacy into a newly revised course in which geography students design and write a research prospectus. We assessed student knowledge and self-reported confidence in library research skills at the beginning and completion of the course. This study describes increased information literacy among students who entered the course with a range of abilities and offers areas for further research.     

The Evolution of Critical Thinking Skills in Library Instruction, 1986–2006: A Selected and Annotated Bibliography and Review of Selected Programs

ABSTRACT

Undergraduate students are increasingly being asked to conduct higher-level research in their areas of study. In order to address undergraduate needs, many academic librarians, especially those charged with crafting instruction, take critical thinking as a given in the teaching of information literacy skills. However, this review of the literature has revealed that, though there was some discussion of critical thinking in a library context in the mid 1980s, the concept did not really take hold until the 1990s, when higher education reform began to appear on many campuses. Additionally, the literature regarding critical thinking skills during this period exhibits four themes: (1) a lack of agreement among librarians and others on what critical thinking is and how it can be defined, (2) the importance of subject and course integration in the teaching of critical thinking skills in libraries, (3) the necessity of reaching undergraduate students, and (4) the special challenges of teaching critical thinking skills in an age when technology is changing so rapidly.     

The application and value of information sources in clinical practice: an examination of the perspective of naturopaths

Background: The approach of evidence‐based medicine (EBM), providing a paradigm to validate information sources and a process for critiquing their value, is an important platform for guiding practice. Researchers have explored the application and value of information sources in clinical practice with regard to a range of health professions; however, naturopathic practice has been overlooked. Objectives: An exploratory study of naturopaths’ perspectives of the application and value of information sources has been undertaken. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews with 12 naturopaths in current clinical practice, concerning the information sources used in clinical practice and their perceptions of these sources. Results: Thematic analysis identified differences in the application of the variety of information sources used, depending upon the perceived validity. Internet databases were viewed as highly valid. Textbooks, formal education and interpersonal interactions were judged based upon a variety of factors, whilst validation of general internet sites and manufacturers information was required prior to use. Conclusions: The findings of this study will provide preliminary aid to those responsible for supporting naturopaths’ information use and access. In particular, it may assist publishers, medical librarians and professional associations in developing strategies to expand the clinically useful information sources available to naturopaths.     

Freshman Overconfidence and Library Research Skills: A Troubling Relationship?

This study focuses on the relationship between freshman college students’ self-reported confidence level in library research and their actual library research skills. A demographic survey and skills test were administered to 377 freshmen at East Carolina University in their first-semester English composition classes. The article addresses two research questions: What is the correlation between freshman students’ self-reported confidence level and tested skills? Do other factors such as age, gender, high school grades, or previous library instruction have an impact on students’ confidence level or skills? Results examine implications for library instruction.     

Information literacy skills in the workplace: Examining early career advertising professionals

This study used content analysis to examine job postings from advertising agencies to find how often information literacy (IL) skills were seen in the job posts and how these skills manifest themselves. Five out of the six IL skills were seen in at least 41% of the job postings, however the skill of synthesizing information was rarely mentioned. It was also found evaluating data and using data software is performed by advertisers. This study concludes with asking librarians to introduce marketing students to more data and calls on librarians to consider the context in which IL skills are used.     

Engaging in research: challenges and opportunities for health library and information professionals

This year's virtual issue (the 6th in the series) has been published to coincide with the European Association for Health Information and Libraries’ (EAHIL) 2015 workshop (10–12 June, Edinburgh): Research‐Minded: Understanding, Supporting, Conducting Research. This event is being run in collaboration with the International Conference of Animal Health Information Specialists and the International Clinical Librarian Conference. Although research has always been a central part of any librarian's role, until recently health librarians and library users and funding bodies assumed that librarians were ‘midwives’ – there to assist students, clinicians, academics and managers set up and carry out their research. The notion of the librarian as a professional with a research agenda, who understands research methods, submits research grants, and publishes, is a relatively new perspective. If librarians are to take an evidence‐based approach to their profession they need to acquire research skills. This is the rationale for the 2015 EAHIL workshop. To support the workshop, this virtual issue contains six original articles published in Health Information and Libraries Journal over the last 2 years that demonstrate the range of research activities carried out by health librarians, as well as a review article and articles from each of the three feature columns. All articles included in this virtual issue are available free online.     

Developing Legal Information Literate Law Students: “That Dog Will Hunt”

The legal profession has been adamant about the need for law schools to more adequately prepare law students for legal practice. Criticisms concerning a student's practical legal skills, such as the ability to conduct legal research, are prevalent. As the legal profession continues to transform, the need for law students and new attorneys to be “legal information literate” prior to being hired is quite evident. In order to instill competent legal research skills, legal research instruction must focus both on incorporating legal information literacy skills and on understanding how students learn. For this reason, teachers of legal research should rethink teaching strategies and explore different teaching methodologies.     

Advancing Critical Thinking and Information Literacy Skills in First Year College Students

ABSTRACT

This article provides a case study of recent curriculum development in a freshman skills program which integrates critical thinking and English composition as linked courses at Gonzaga University. Known as “thought and expression” courses, this block of courses, which also includes speech communication, can be taken by students separately or in a linked cohort with the same twenty students in each class. In linked courses, faculty are generally aware of each others' course topics and assignments, and they meet to discuss student progress and look for opportunities for curriculum integration. In this case study, library faculty were included in the instructional team, and information literacy skills that relate to critical thinking were integrated into the goals of the critical thinking and English composition courses. Faculty involved in the courses believe that integrating library skills into course goals adds coherence to the curriculum; it also helps students to achieve the developmental goals of the learning community created by this course model.     

Preparing students for research: faculty/librarian collaboration in a pre‐doctoral physical therapy research course

In this article, guest writers Susan Bigelow and Dr Salome Brooks from Springfield College, Massachusetts, present an overview of their evaluative research study in which a faculty professor and the liaison librarian collaborated to develop an information literacy course entitled Physical Therapy (PT) and Health care Research Skills, in order to teach necessary information literacy skills to upper‐level undergraduate PT students. Triangulation of the Physical Therapy and Information Literacy standards in alignment with the course objectives strengthened the collaboration, course development and expectations of student performance. Student performance was assessed through formal and expected evaluative means, and the preliminary evidence suggests some key successes in the course outcomes. H.S.     

2BIC: taking your adventuring gear to organise pop‐up health information literacy sessions

Academic libraries play an important role in the provision of health information literacy (IL) skills and there are many approaches to how these can be delivered. In this paper, guest writers Inge Discart and colleagues from KU Leuven Libraries 2Bergen Information Centre (2BIC) in Belgium discuss a pop‐up information literacy skills project. In particular, the article presents the findings from an initial information skills needs assessment conducted at the University, followed by how the concept of the pop‐up sessions was developed and promoted throughout the organisation. The paper identifies the variety of sessions offered and the format in which they were delivered, with final results on how these were received and which sessions were the most popular. This article provides insight into an alternative approach to health information skills delivery and the outcomes from it. H S     

A Review of “Profiles of New York State—Facts,Figures & Statistics for 2,365 Populated Places in New York”

In 2015, the information literacy (IL) team designed an instrument to determine international graduate business students' perceptions of their IL skills and their actual test-assessed IL skills. The purpose of this research was to compare international graduate students' perceptions of their IL skills versus their test-assessed competencies, with the aim of creating training modules to improve test-identified deficiencies. Results demonstrate that wide discrepancies exist between students' perceptions of their own skills and their actual skills on all six ILA-topic areas assessed by the internally developed test instruments, with students overestimating their abilities in all areas.     

A study of the information seeking behaviour of hospital pharmacists: empirical evidence from Greece

Background: Hospital pharmacists need access to high‐quality information in order to constantly update their knowledge and improve their skills. In their modern role, they are expected to address three types of challenges: scientific, organizational and administrative, thus having an increased need for adequate information and library services. Objectives: This study investigates the information‐seeking behaviour of public hospital pharmacists providing evidence from Greece that could be used to encourage the development of effective information hospital services and study the links between the information seeking behaviour of hospital pharmacists and their modern scientific and professional role. Method: An empirical research was conducted between January and February 2010 with the development and distribution of a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was filled in and returned by 88 public hospital pharmacists from a total of 286 working in all Greek public hospitals, providing a response rate of 31%. Results: The hospital pharmacists in Greece are in search of scientific information and, more particularly, pharmaceutical information (e.g., drug indications, storage, dosage and prices). The Internet and the National Organization of Medicines are their main information sources, while the lack of time and organized information are the main obstacles they have to face when seeking information. Conclusions: The modern professional role of hospital pharmacists as invaluable contributors to efficient and safer healthcare services may be further supported through the development of specialized libraries and information services within Greek public hospitals.     

‘Letting them loose!’ A different approach to a biochemistry post‐exam training session

This feature looks at changing the format of a well‐established information skills session for first‐year biochemistry students at UCL, to improve its design, delivery and the overall learning experience for the students. After reviewing current literature, active learning methods were explored and an idea of a research‐based quiz based on famous scientists was devised. After a brief introduction to the library resources available, the students were ‘let loose’ to research their particular scientist and answer a series of questions. Feedback was gained and evaluated and concluded that the session was well received by students. The feature also raises the discussion of generic verses subject‐based information skills training. H.S.     

Success of reiterative instruction: Looking at faculty-librarian collaboration to improve information literacy in political science education

The purpose of this case study was to ascertain if college students’ information literacy improves through a faculty-librarian collaboration involving a session of library instruction as part of a regular political science course. The authors conducted two surveys to determine if in-person library instruction increases students’ research abilities. The authors surveyed political science faculty to discover their attitudes toward library research instruction. They also surveyed political science students to gauge their opinions on the value of library instruction and to see if there is a connection between their research proficiencies and instruction by a librarian. Through this case study, the authors found that such instruction does improve information literacy. The researchers concluded that for faculty and colleges interested in improving information literacy skills in undergraduate political science students, such library instruction is helpful towards that goal.     

Information Skills of Librarians Working at Public Universities in Bangladesh: A Task-Based Analysis of Pre- and Post-Training Performance Scores

Abstract

The main aim of this paper is to empirically examine the information skills of public university librarians and whether attending a short training on navigation to e-resources results in improvements in their knowledge base. A group of 33 librarians working at different public university libraries participated in this study. They were participants in a 90-min long training program on navigation to e-resources conducted at University Grants Commission of Bangladesh. The survey questionnaire, consisted of 12 information tasks, was distributed and answered before the training. The same tasks were repeated at the end of the training session to see the improvement of information skills. It was found that librarians did not have adequate knowledge of information skills; in fact, a major proportion of university librarians demonstrated inappropriate and insufficient knowledge before the training. The training helped improve their performance score significantly in six out of 12 tasks. The study concluded that the provision of systematic and regular training will improve the skills of librarians and it will positively affect their service outcomes.     

Electronic Legal Research Tools: An Examination of the Resources Available,Training of New Attorneys,and Employer Expectations

Information literacy of recent law school graduates is examined from both the academic and professional sector. This article explores the literature on the different types of legal resources, the adequacy of legal research instruction provided to law students, employers’ expectations in regard to the legal research skills of recent graduates, and the information literacy of lawyers. This study consists of two surveys designed to determine the scope of the research instruction and resources available at law schools, and the electronic resources available to new associates at their employment, and to assess employers’ expectations of the research skills of their new associates. The surveys were sent to samples of Massachusetts’ law school libraries and law firms.