scholarly journals How much do first-year undergraduate students in Norway know about information literacy?

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Nierenberg ◽  
Øyvind Gjems Fjeldbu
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
First Year

scholarly journals Undergraduate Students’ Research and Information Skills Continue to Change in their Second Year

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
Kimberly Miller
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Depth Interviews

A Review of: Hulseberg, A., & Twait, M. (2016). Sophomores speaking: An exploratory study of student research practices. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 23(2), 130-150. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10691316.2014.981907 Abstract Objective – To understand sophomore undergraduate students’ research practices. Design – Mixed methods online survey and participant interviews. Setting – A small liberal arts college in the Midwestern United States of America. Subjects – The sample consisted of 660 second-year students; 139 students responded to the survey (21% response rate). In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 of the 139 survey respondents. Methods – A 13-item survey was emailed to sophomore students during October 2012. To analyze the results, the authors and a library student intern developed a coding scheme to apply to open-ended survey questions. Survey respondents could also volunteer for in-depth interviews. A total of 50 survey respondents volunteered, and 14 were invited for in-depth interviews between December 2012 and January 2013. The interview protocol included open-ended questions about students’ research experiences. Students were also asked to identify and discuss one recent research project. Interviews were audio and video recorded; data from one interview was lost due to technology failure, resulting in data analysis of 13 interviews. Interview transcripts were coded by an anthropology doctoral student, the study authors, and a library student assistant. Main Results – The survey found that students completed fewer research projects and used fewer library resources as sophomores than they did as first-year students. For example, only 4.9% (n=7) of students reported completing zero research assignments in their first year, compared with 34.5% (n=48) in their second year. When asked if there were library resources or skills they wanted to know about sooner in their academic career, students’ top reply was “Nothing” (34.5%, n=48), followed by “Navigating the physical space” (15.8%, n=22), “Librarians/staff & reference desk” (11.5%, n=16), and “Effective searching & evaluating sources” (10.8%, n=15). Male and female students’ responses differed, with male students less likely overall to express interest in library resources. While 42.4% (n=59) of students replied that they would consult with a librarian for help with their research projects, this option ranked third after professors (83.5%, n=116) and peers (70.5%, n=98). Again, responses varied by gender, with female students (49.5%, n=49) more likely than male students (26.3%, n=10) to contact a librarian about a research project. Most interview participants replied that searching online, including library resources, was their research starting point. Students most often selected research topics, based on their interest, from a professor-approved list. Students identified “relevant content, familiarity . . . , and credibility” (p. 138) as important source evaluation characteristics. The majority of students also used library information sources in their research, including databases, research guides, and the catalogue. Students most often mentioned struggling with “finding sources/identifying keywords” (n=6) and “finding known items” (n=6). Unlike survey respondents, interview participants unanimously reported consulting with a librarian. Most students (n=11) received library instruction as first-year students, and some suggested that this instruction helped them feel comfortable asking for help. Finally, most students felt that their research habits improved from their first year to their second year, specifically with regards to “their research technique, improved confidence . . . and an expanded source horizon” (p. 143). Conclusion – The authors recommend continuing strong information literacy support to first-year students, as well as working with faculty members and other campus partners to promote reference services to sophomores. When compared to previous research, the current study reports a higher percentage of students seeking librarian assistance; however, because some students also reported confusion about when and how to ask for help, further analysis could explore how reference librarians capitalize on peer and faculty “referral networks” (p. 145). Finding that students face significant challenges early in the research process was consistent with previous research, and future study might reveal more about this specific phenomenon in sophomores. Interviews should also be extended to include students who are non-library users. Finally, the authors suggest that the findings provide no evidence of a “sophomore information literacy slump” (p. 146).

An assessment of information literacy skills among first-year postgraduate students at Sokoine University of Agriculture Tanzania

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 427-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mugyabuso J. F. Lwehabura
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Concept Maps ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Independent Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Literacy Knowledge ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

This study was set to examine and identify some aspects of information literacy skills among postgraduate students at Sokoine University of Agriculture and determine challenges and problems facing them in terms of searching and use of various information resources. Systematic probability sampling and questionnaires were used to collect data from175 students out of 314 first-year postgraduate students registered. The findings showed that although information literacy exists among students, a good number of students demonstrated significant deficiency in their information literacy knowledge and skills in key aspects including searching for information from electronic sources, application of various information search techniques such as Boolean operators, use of truncation, synonyms and concept maps. Based on the findings, the paper recommends addressing the shortcomings found by introducing a mandatory information literacy course for both postgraduate and undergraduate students to ensure effective independent learning among students.

scholarly journals Should we flip the script?

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Tatiana Pashkova-Balkenhol ◽  
Mark Lenker ◽  
Emily Cox ◽  
Elizabeth Kocevar-Weidinger
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Skills Assessment ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
The Past

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.

The relationships between personality, perceptual, cognitive and technological variables and students’ level of information literacy

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 527-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noa Aharony ◽  
Hadas Gur
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Computer Use ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Openness To Experience ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Semester ◽  
First Year University

The Internet is students’ primary source of information, and the question that arises is whether students know how to evaluate the information they find on the Web. The present research aimed to explore whether openness to experience, curiosity, learning strategies, technological skills, and self-efficacy in computer use are associated with undergraduate students’ information literacy level. The research was conducted in Israel during the first semester of the 2014 academic year and included 180 first-year university students. Seven questionnaires were used to gather data on personal details, information literacy, computer mastery, curiosity, and openness to experience, self-efficacy in computer use, and learning strategies. Results confirm that the personality characteristics of openness to experience and curiosity, as well as cognitive variables such as deep learning strategies, the perceptual variable of self-efficacy in computer use, and computer mastery affect students’ level of information literacy.

Exploring undergraduate student experiences with information literacy

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-251
Author(s):  
Kate Zoellner
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
National Level ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
First Year ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Senior Students

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences between first-year and senior undergraduate students’ information literacy behaviors and experiences as measured by the National Survey of Student Engagement Experiences with Information Literacy module. Design/methodology/approach Publically available data resulting from the 2014 and 2015 module was analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to compare group percentages and inferential statistics to discriminate the statistical significance of enrollment status. Findings Statistically significant differences between first-year and senior students were identified for the majority of survey items in both 2014 and 2015. Survey items with the highest effect sizes showed senior students were more likely to: complete an assignment that used the library’s electronic collections, be required to employ practices of a specific major of field, and indicate their institution contributed to their effective use of information. The least frequently exhibited behaviors for both groups were those that require higher-order thinking. Research limitations/implications Limitations of the study include the granularity of publicly available data and the applicability of the results to specific institutions and beyond the USA. Practical implications This study points to areas for further investigation at the national level and offers an approach for colleges and universities to take with their local data. Originality/value The originality of this paper lies in the analysis of a recently launched information literacy survey.

The Information Literacy of Undergraduate Students: How Knowledgeable Are They When Entering University?

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Mittermeyer
Keyword(s):  
Research Design ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mail Questionnaire

A summary presentation of the research entitled: Information Literacy: Study of Incoming First-Year Undergraduates in Quebec. This was a bilingual (French – English) survey, with over 3,000 participants returning a mail questionnaire for a response rate of 57%. Findings are presented as well as some aspects of the rather distinctive research design followed.Un résumé de la recherche intitulée : Littératie informationnel : étude sur les étudiants de première année universitaire au Québec est présenté. Il s’agit d’un sondage bilingue (français-anglais) avec plus de 3000 participants ayant retourné un questionnaire par courrier pour un taux de réponse de 57%. Les résultats sont présentés, ainsi que quelques aspects suivis lors de la conception de cette étude plutôt originale.

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