Four Pedagogical Approaches in Helping Students Learn Information Literacy Skills

In spring 2012, Rider University librarians heightened their collaboration with classroom faculty to teach students in core writing classes information literacy (IL) skills during IL instruction (ILI) sessions. This quasi-experimental study assessed four pedagogical approaches for single or multi-session ILI. The conventional approach, which involves lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on time, was used in both the control and the experimental groups. The three experimental groups involved: (a) assigning students to preview the class Research Guide and take a graded quiz (Preview group), (b) engaging interactively with students during the ILI session (Active Learning group), and (c) providing multiple instruction and follow-up sessions (Multi-session group). A different pretest and posttest based on the first two ACRL Information Competency Standards for Higher Education (2000) were developed for assessment. The results showed that student knowledge of concepts included in the training improved significantly in both the control and the experimental groups, but no differences were found among the teaching methods employed. The qualitative analysis revealed that the professor in the Preview group who integrated IL cohesively in her assignments experienced more satisfactory learning outcomes. The overall low scores suggest that more powerful instruction strategies besides diversified pedagogies are needed to significantly enhance long-term retention.     

Added value of secondary school education toward development of information literacy of adolescents

Information literacy (IL) education in secondary schools should adequately prepare students for research activities in higher education and guide them toward becoming informed and responsible citizens. The existing international IL frameworks and tests are only partially aligned with the IL curricula in Slovenia. Therefore, a new IL framework for secondary education, consisting of seven IL standards and twenty performance indicators, was proposed together with two new assessment instruments (e.g. a multiple choice test and a self-evaluation questionnaire). Two groups of students were tested, namely first-year secondary students and first-year university students. The latter, before taking any university IL courses, were found to be more successful in all subject areas of the test, which could inter alia indicate a positive influence of secondary education on IL. Both student groups were the weakest in information search, followed by information evaluation and knowledge of legal/ethical issues. Secondary school students were less aware of their deficient search skills. The item analysis emphasized the need to put more educational efforts and practical examples into the teaching of IL topics where both groups were found deficient.     

Perceptions of Faculty about Information Literacy Skills of Postgraduate Engineering Students

Purpose: This study identifies perceptions of faculty about the current level of information literacy (IL) skills of engineering students in higher education in Pakistan. It may help to design better IL programs for the tertiary level students. Methodology: The study used ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology as the basis to assess these perceptions. Teachers of the National University of Science & Technology (NUST), who were teaching engineering students of postgraduate level, were selected as population. A structured questionnaire was sent to 113 faculty members and the response remained 80 percent. Paired samples t-test was used for data analysis through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings: Research indicates that faculty perceived IL skills of their PhD level students higher than those of MS level students. Originality: The term “Information literacy” is yet new on the Pakistani library scene. Regarding perceptions of faculty about information literacy skills of their students so far no study has been carried out in Pakistan. This study will help to identify existing IL skills of Pakistani students of university level, their requirements and how these requirements can be best fulfilled.     

“图书馆员-教师”协作式教学展望

学校中的专业课教师无法独自胜任信息素质教育任务,而图书馆员在此方面有义不容辞的责任,但传统图书馆培训远不符合信息素质教育的要求,因此“馆员-教师协作”逐渐成为未来教学的趋势。它产生的原因,不同层次的合作阶段以及发展原则都值得去认真研究,同时也激起深入的思考。推广协作式教学必有助于提高教学质量和学生终身学习的能力。     

Information literacy proficiency: Assessing the gap in high school students' readiness for undergraduate academic work

This study examines how high school students' information literacy (IL) skills prepare them for academic work in the digital age. The project included: (a) an audit of university IL practices; and (b) the administration of the James Madison University (JMU) Information Literacy Test (ILT) to 103 twelfth grade students in Alberta, Canada. Due to the low stakes of the test, there was concern about the reliability of the results. Rapid guessing, response time effort, and motivation filters were applied to confirm the reliability of the results. Results indicate a gap between expectations of high school students and their skills. Using a standardized test, potential incoming undergraduate IL proficiency was identified, including student strengths and weaknesses. The audit identified IL policies and practices at the university, indicating discrepancies in the IL instruction students may receive. Findings indicate that students lack the IL proficiency required to succeed in the post-secondary educational environment, and the libraries are not prepared to effectively address this gap.     

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.     

Defining and assessing medical informatics competencies

As academic health sciences libraries assume larger roles in informatics instruction within medical school curricula, librarians are challenged to develop useful and accurate measures for assessing the effectiveness of instructional approaches. The need for this evaluation has intensified as medical schools increase their emphasis on integration of curriculum content and shift to competency-based education and assessment of medical students. This paper reports on a pilot project developed at Dahlgren Memorial Library, Georgetown University Medical Center, for two courses using an instructional intervention and tailored assignment for assessing student competencies.     

Information literacy skills and learning gaps– Students' experiences and teachers' perceptions in interdisciplinary environmental science

Despite the ease of accessing information in the digital age, environmental science students need information literacy (IL) to competently tackle complex problems and sustainability challenges. Students' experiences and teachers' perceptions of student IL skills in an environmental science program were investigated through student questionnaires and teacher interviews to identify students IL competence and eventual learning gaps in the program. Students expressed confidence in IL, more strongly in basic skills such as information search and source criticism than advanced skills; critical thinking and analysing, interpreting, and creating information. They found formulating problems and locating and assessing information to be challenging, despite repeated training in tutorial groups. Teachers similarly perceived students to be most competent in accessing relevant information while using information is more challenging. This could be linked to the complexity and interdisciplinarity environmental science. Findings suggest that IL learning gaps could be bridged by greater focus on systematic IL training, intentional training on advanced skills, and iterative training of both basic and advanced skills by strengthening faculty and librarians collaborative teaching.     

A Comparative Study of Information Literacy Skill Performance of Students in Agricultural Sciences

The aim was to assess the information literacy (IL) of 310 first- and second-year students enrolled in nine different study programs at the School of Agriculture (Faculty of Agriculture), Novi Sad, Serbia, using an adapted version of a validated IL test (ILT) in an e-environment. Because the school does not provide systematic IL education, another purpose was to raise awareness of the importance of such instruction. ILT results were assessed according to five ACRL (Association of College & Research Libraries) standards, as well as three cognitive levels adapted from Bloom's taxonomy. The mean ILT score was 46.35%. Students were most successful in information evaluation and information need identification, and least successful in legal/ethical issues and information use. As expected, IL skills increase from the first to second year of study. Cognitive skills also increase, except for the highest level (applying knowledge), where all student groups are weak. Different study programs attract students with disparate knowledge/skill levels gained during secondary education, where some groups of first-year students may outperform second-year students in both IL and cognitive abilities. It is thus important to offer IL education to all students in order to provide a basis for more balanced academic progress.     

Controlled before‐after study to evaluate change in evidence‐based practice of speech and language therapy students

Background

The integration of evidence‐based practice (EBP) into speech and language therapy (SLT) curricula has been increasingly encouraged in recent years.

Objectives

The study aimed to evaluate whether an educational module on EBP for undergraduate SLT students can improve their EBP competencies.

Methods

The EBP module, taught by a SLT faculty member and a librarian, was delivered over 2 months. All fourth year SLT students (trained group) and all fourth year psychology students (control group) of the University of Liège (Belgium) were asked to participate in the study. Their performance on an adapted Fresno test was measured before and after the module. In addition, the SLT students took a computer‐based searching task. They were also asked to share their perceptions towards the module.

Results

All the 47 SLT students and 57/108 psychology students took the pre‐ and post‐tests. Although both groups performed similarly at the baseline, only the trained students gained new skills and knowledge. Furthermore, 36 SLT students shared their perceptions on the module and offered suggestions on ways to improve it.

Discussion‐Conclusion

Trained students improved their EBP competencies. Nevertheless, the module could be strengthened along with better integration of EBP into clinical modules and across the curriculum.

     

Assessing Information Literacy Instruction in the Basic Communication Course

Information literacy is becoming a key component of general education programs nationwide. As a critical part of most general education programs, the basic communication course is on the frontlines of the charge to teach information literacy skills to first-year students. Thus, the information literacy skills of basic course students should be assessed to track the effectiveness of instruction and pedagogical practices. The present study used a pretest/posttest design with experimental and control groups to assess the effectiveness of information literacy instruction in the basic course. As predicted, students in the experimental group outperformed students in the control group on the information literacy measure. Results of the present study have implications for basic course directors and instructors, general education curriculum specialists, and librarians.     

Assessing information literacy in first year writing

As the programmatic instructional offerings of academic libraries expand and grow more complex, so too does the effort to effectively assess these programs. In particular, programs informed by the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education are placing librarians in a position to affect institutional outcomes, related to student learning and critical thinking, on a foundational level. In order to assess one particular scaffolded instructional program, the authors of this study collected a variety of data from instructional attendees over a period of four semesters. Through subsequent analysis, these data provided researchers with a means to explore multiple facets of the local instructional environment, including both direct and peripheral intervening factors associated with a program of ongoing support for the development of information literacy (IL) competencies among students enrolled in a first-year writing course. Importantly, this study's findings help to highlight the importance of course-integrated IL content via pre/post-IL session support provided by writing instructors, as well as instructional effectiveness on the part of librarian instructors. Together these facets of the learning environment promote positive affective outcomes for student learners in the context of their development of IL competencies.     

教师在信息素质教育实践中的作用和问题分析

教师是实施信息素质教育的主体之一,他们的数量、自身素质、教学方法、服务手段、分布格局等都直接影响信息素质教育的实施和质量。在现行的教学活动中,教师没有充分发挥他们在信息素质教育中的作用,通过整合模式教学方法的提出和实践,应该能改变现状,提高学生信息素质教育的质量和水平。     

Current status of information literacy instruction practices in medical libraries of Pakistan

Objectives:

The research explored the current practices of information literacy (IL) instruction in medical libraries of Pakistan.

Methods:

A semi-structured questionnaire was mailed to the head librarians of all 114 academic medical libraries in Pakistan. It investigated the types of IL instruction provided, topics covered, methods of delivery and assessment, level of integration in the curriculum, and level of collaboration with teaching staff.

Results:

The study revealed that 74% of the respondents had offered some types of IL instruction in their institutions during the previous year, ranging from library orientation to research-level skills. IL instruction is typically only offered to new students or first-time library users or on demand. A majority of the respondents developed IL instruction programs without faculty involvement. Librarians were primarily responsible for offering IL instruction in medical institutions. Face-to-face instruction in computer labs or lecture halls and individual instruction at reference desks were identified as the most common IL instruction delivery methods. The data indicated that oral feedback, written feedback, and searching in a computer lab were the most popular assessment methods that medical librarians used.

Conclusion:

IL instruction activities in medical libraries of Pakistan are in their infancy. Medical librarians also lack systematic approaches to IL instruction.

Implications:

Medical librarians need to develop educational partnerships with faculty for integrating IL instruction into the mainstream curriculum.     

Assessment Within the Augustana Model of Undergraduate Discipline-Specific Information Literacy Credit Courses

SUMMARY

Augustana (located in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, and formerly known as Augustana University College) is an undergraduate liberal arts and sciences faculty of the University of Alberta with an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students. The fall of 2001 marked the inception of for-credit discipline-specific information literacy (IL) course offerings at Augustana. At that time, Augustana librarians began teaching two IL courses that were required for graduation for students in the relevant degrees (Bachelors of Music, Arts in Music, and Arts in English). Since that time, for-credit discipline-specific IL courses have been added in nineteen disciplines, bringing Augustana's total number of IL courses to twenty-one. This paper will give an overview of the development and implementation of these IL courses and will focus on the assessment practices to date. Specifically, data gathered from pretests and post-tests will be analyzed and results from a separate follow-up survey conducted of current students and graduates will be reviewed. In addition, an in-house Web-based assessment tool will be introduced and discussed.     

Integrating evidence-based practice and information literacy skills in teaching physical and occupational therapy students

Background: To ensure that physical and occupational therapy graduates develop evidence‐based practice (EBP) competencies, their academic training must promote EBP skills, such as posing a clinical question and retrieving relevant literature, and the information literacy skills needed to practice these EBP skills. Objective: This article describes the collaborative process and outcome of integrating EBP and information literacy early in a professional physical therapy and occupational therapy programme. Methods: The liaison librarian and a faculty member designed an instructional activity that included a lecture, workshop and assignment that integrated EBP skills and information literacy skills in the first year of the programme. The assignment was designed to assess students’ ability to conduct a search independently. Results: The lecture and workshop were successful in their objectives, as 101 of the 104 students received at least 8 out of 10 points on the search assignment. Conclusions: The teaching activities developed for the students in this course appear to have achieved the goal of teaching students the EBP research cycle so that they might begin to emulate it. The collaboration between the faculty member and the librarian was integral to the success of this endeavour. Future work will include the evaluation of students’ long‐term retention of information literacy objectives.     

Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training

Past studies of international students and academic libraries have often focused on students' own characteristics and experiences. Using an online survey, this study instead investigated librarians' teaching skills for serving this population. The analysis reveals that participants perceived an importance in developing skills specifically for international students. They tried to accommodate students' unique needs and optimize teaching approaches using their own experience working with the students. Although they reported having obtained knowledge of students' backgrounds as well as communication and teaching techniques, they showed strong interest in having further training opportunities to improve their teaching. The survey results thus give insight into recommendations for the provision of training to improve teaching in the context of serving international students.     

Supporting the Teaching of Information Literacy with First Year Bsc Nursing Students: The Case for a Printed Workbook

Information literacy (IL) is increasingly considered to be an important life skill and there are a number of challenges that librarians face in implementing an effective IL program. This article examines the experience of library staff at Birmingham City University (BCU) and how they developed a printed workbook to be embedded within sessions attached to a first year Nursing degree academic skills module. Previous approaches to IL input with Nursing students will be discussed. The changes that were made and the impact of these changes on students, academic and library staff are then considered. Since the implementation of the workbook, feedback from students and staff has been encouraging concerning its purpose and value. Possible future developments are then suggested.     

阅读疗法对改善大学生心理问题显效领域的实证研究

通过随机抽样组成了样本都为170人的实验组和对照组,并进行了三个月的阅读治疗,两组分别采用了症状自评量表（SCL—90）进行前后对照测试。结果发现,阅读疗法对改善学生心理问题有良好的疗效,特别表现在增进自信、改善行为和改善人际关系方面。