scholarly journals Is There an Information Literacy Skills Gap to Be Bridged? An Examination of Faculty Perceptions and Activities Relating to Information Literacy in the United States and England

2010 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqui Weetman DaCosta
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Faculty Perceptions ◽  
The United States ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Skills Gap ◽  
Practical Reality ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Information Skills

Surveys of faculty were conducted at two higher education institutions in England and the United States to ascertain their perceptions of information literacy. Faculty were also asked about the extent to which they incorporated information literacy skills into their courses. Similarities were found across the two institutions both in the importance that faculty attached to information skills and what they actually did to incorporate the skills within curricula. The results reflect an information literacy skills gap between what faculty (and librarians) want for their students and the practical reality. Librarians and faculty should work collaboratively together to bridge this gap.

scholarly journals Games in School Libraries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Kaspari Hohmann
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

The presentation will discuss how schools in the United States are using games to teach information literacy skills to students. 

scholarly journals Addressing Information Literacy and the Digital Divide in Higher Education

10.28945/4029 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 077-093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole A. Buzzetto-Hollywood ◽  
Hwei C wang ◽  
Magdi Elobeid ◽  
Muna E Elobaid
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
First Generation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Computer Applications ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
Technological Readiness

Aim/Purpose: The digital divide and educational inequalities remain a significant societal problem in the United States, and elsewhere, impacting low income, first-generation, and minority learners. Accordingly, institutions of higher education are challenged to meet the needs of students with varying levels of technological readiness with deficiencies in information and digital literacy shown to be a hindrance to student success. This paper documents the efforts of a mid-Atlantic minority-serving institution as it seeks to assess, and address, the digital and information literacy skills of underserved students Background: A number of years ago, a historically Black university in Maryland developed an institutional commitment to the digital and information literacy of their students. These efforts have included adoption of an international certification exam used as a placement test for incoming freshmen; creation of a Center for Student Technology Certification and Training; course redesign, pre and post testing in computer applications courses; and a student perception survey. Methodology: A multi-methodological approach was applied in this study which relied on survey results, pre and post testing of students enrolled in introductory and intermediate computer applications courses, and scores from five years of placement testing. Student pre and post test scores were compared in order to examine degree of change, and post test scores were also assessed against five years of scores from the same test used as a placement for incoming freshmen. Finally, a student perception and satisfaction survey was administered to all students enrolled in the courses under consideration. The survey included a combination of dichotomous, Likert-scaled, and ranking questions and was administered electronically. The data was subsequently exported to Microsoft Excel and SPSS where descriptive statistical analyses were conducted. Contribution: This study provides research on a population (first-generation minority college students) that is expanding in numbers in higher education and that the literature reports as being under-prepared for academic success. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of current studies examining the information and technological readiness of students specifically enrolled at minority serving institutions. As such, this paper is timely and relevant and helps to extend our discourse on the digital divide and technological readiness as it impacts higher education. The students included in this study are representative of those enrolled in Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) in the United States, giving this paper broad implications across the country. Internationally, most countries have populations of first-generation college students from under-served populations for whom a lack of digital readiness is an also an issue therefore giving this study a global relevance. Findings: The digital divide is a serious concern for higher education, especially as schools seek to increasingly reach out to underserved populations. In particular, the results of this study show that students attending a minority serving institution do not come to college with the technology skills needed for academic success. Pre and post testing of students, as well as responses to survey questions, have proven the efficacy of computer applications courses at building the technology skills of students. These courses are viewed overwhelmingly positive by students with respondents reporting that they are a necessary part of the college experience that benefits them academically and professionally. Use of an online simulated learning and assessment system with immediate automated feedback and remediation was also found to be particularly effective at building the computer and information literacy skills of students. The total sample size for this study was over 2,800 individuals as data from 2690 IC3 tests administered over a five year period were considered, as well as 160 completed surveys, and pre and post testing of 103 students. Recommendations for Practitioners: Institutions of higher education should invest in a thorough examination of the information and technology literacy skills, needs, and perceptions of students both coming into the institution as well as following course completion. Recommendation for Researchers: This research should be expanded to more minority serving institutions across the United States as well as abroad. This particular research protocol is easily replicated and can be duplicated at both minority and majority serving institutions enabling greater comparisons across groups. Impact on Society: The results of this research help to shed light on a problem that desperately needs to be addressed by institutions of higher education, which is the realities of the digital divide and the under preparedness of entering college students in particular those who are from low income, first generation, and minority groups Future Research: A detailed quantitative survey study is being conducted that seeks to examine the technology uses, backgrounds, needs, interests, career goals, and professional expectations with respect to a range of currently relevant technologies.

Information Literacy

2011 ◽  
pp. 1091-1092
Author(s):  
Elaine Magusin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Lifelong Learners ◽  
Information Literacy Instruction ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
The Creation

Information literacy is essential in the creation of lifelong learners. As educators struggle continually to ensure that students are able to successfully navigate the plethora of information available, and be able to think critically about this information, it is logical to consider information literacy skills instruction as a method of helping meet this goal. However, in order to provide information literacy instruction it is necessary to fully understand the concept and all it entails, including how it can be implemented and what benefits it offers to students, educators, and higher education institutions as a whole.

Information Literacy

2011 ◽  
pp. 1178-1182
Author(s):  
Elaine Fabbro
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Lifelong Learners ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Need For Information

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education defines information literacy as the ability to recognize the need for information, and be able to locate, evaluate, and use the information effectively (2000, p.2). Information literacy is essential in the creation of lifelong learners (Wallis, 2005, p. 221). Educators struggle continually to ensure that students are not only able to successfully navigate through the plethora of information available, but that they are able to think critically about information, and put it to use in all aspects of their lives. Information literacy skills instruction can serve as a method to help meet this goal. However, in order to provide information literacy instruction it is necessary to fully understand the concept and all it entails, including how it can be implemented and the benefits it offers to students, educators, and higher education institutions as a whole.

scholarly journals A Report on Faculty Perceptions of Students’ Information Literacy Competencies in Journalism and Mass Communication Programs: The ACEJMC Survey

2005 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 294-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annmarie B. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Mass Communication ◽  
Faculty Perceptions ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Library Instruction ◽  
Mass Communications ◽  
Perceptions Of Students ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

This article presents the results of a survey done of the faculty of programs fully accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) in 2002–2003. The purpose of the survey was to assess the faculties’ perceptions of their students’ information literacy skills as defined by the ACRL standards adopted in 2000. Faculty reported that most of their graduate students met the ACRL criteria for information literacy, but only some of their undergraduate students could be considered information literate by these standards. Faculty also reported consistent improvement in their students’ research process after receiving library instruction.

scholarly journals Leeds Metropolitan University: the impact of the Information Literacy Framework

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (91) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Everest ◽  
Marie Scopes ◽  
John Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Recent Work ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Independent Learning ◽  
Learner Support ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Information Skills ◽  
Metropolitan University ◽  
Literacy Framework ◽  
The Impact

Leeds Metropolitan University chose the theme of learner support and centred our objectives around information literacy skills. This is because of our recent work in developing an Information Literacy Framework which articulates what information literacy is and how we can integrate it into students' learning. It was developed by Learning Advisers in response to the growth in the amount and availability of information, the need for information literacy in engaging effectively in independent learning and the great diversity in the level of students' information skills.

scholarly journals Information Literacy Skills in Turkey

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1193-1196
Author(s):  
Irfan Tosuncuoğlu
Keyword(s):  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
First Century ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Technological Factors ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Information Skills ◽  
The Subject

In our modern times, in which the accumulation of knowledge is rapidly increasing, acquiring and developing information skills through education proves to be a lifelong endeavour. The prerequisite for lifelong learning is information literacy. In the process of education, which needs to continue at every stage of life, it is becoming more important that individuals have a wide variety of literacy skills, the most pressing of which is information literacy.  So called skills enable students to learn a language, especially English language effectively.  At the forefront of the basic skills that need to be possessed by people these days, is the finding of information, the use of it and the production of it. From the beginning of the twenty-first century, technological factors have been increasing their dominance in the communication of information as well as in the production of it.  Therefore, students within the education system began to feel the need to develop different literacy skills. By virtue of the current importance of the subject, information literacy has been analysed in detail and problems relevant to the subject have been noted and solutions have been sought.

scholarly journals Preparing for practice: a higher education perspective. Commentary on … A clinical librarian pilot project in psychiatry

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-70
Author(s):  
Pat Spoor ◽  
Liz Neilly
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Contact Time ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Rigorous Approach ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Health Trust

SummaryResearch suggests that contact time between clinical team and clinical librarian can have a direct and positive impact on patient care through encouraging a more rigorous approach to information retrieval and appraisal of the evidence base. This commentary focuses on the findings of a specific clinical librarian pilot project in a mental health trust. It discusses how clinicians could be better supported to develop improved information literacy skills through initiatives in higher education and what impact this might have on the model of clinical librarianship proposed by the project.

scholarly journals Both Online and In-Person Library Orientations Have Positive Effects on Graduate Students’ Information Literacy Skills

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Shen
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

Objective – To assess and compare the effectiveness of online and face-to-face library orientations. Design – Pretest/posttest. Setting – A public university in the United States of America. Subjects – Graduate students in a Master of Social Work program. Methods – At the beginning of the fall 2013 semester, students in 3 different sections of a social work research methods course were asked to complete a 17-question assessment to evaluate their information literacy skills and knowledge. Then, 1 section (Campus A) received a 50-minute in-class library orientation from a librarian, while the other 2 sections (Campus B and Off Campus) received orientation through asynchronous online video tutorials. Post library orientation, research labs were then held for all three class sections, during which students received some hands-on time working with a librarian. After the hands-on labs, students were invited to complete the posttest assessment, which consisted of the same 17 questions. Main Results – The researcher collected 59 pre-test and 27 posttest responses, although many respondents did not answer all the questions. Moreover, none of the posttest responses from the Off Campus students was deemed usable by the researcher. After attending the library orientation and lab sessions, students were more likely to choose the library or a librarian as their starting point for research (19% pretest, 40% posttest). Students’ ability to identify book or chapter title in a citation (48% pretest, 92% posttest), and determine whether common knowledge required citations (87% correct in pre-test, 100% posttest) also appeared to improve after the library sessions. In addition, students’ skills in assessing the scholarliness and credibility of an article by its abstract also improved. While there were some anecdotal variations between responses between Campus A and Campus B groups, no statistically significant differences were noted. Conclusion – The study results suggest that regardless of format, library orientations and hands on lab session had positive effects on graduate students’ information literacy skills and knowledge.

An assessment of academic library services: international and domestic students perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 631-653
Author(s):  
Sanaz Soltani ◽  
Shahrokh Nikou
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

PurposeInformation literacy is defined as discrete abilities that a person requires to have in order to find, assess, use and share information. As information literacy skills play a prominent role in the students' academic achievement, students and in particular international students coming to continue their postgraduate studies in other countries may face problems in finding and using library services. The purpose of this paper is to explore and investigate the information literacy skills, challenges and needs of international and domestic students at the Finnish universities.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey (82 respondents) and qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 international and 10 domestic students.FindingsAcademic library services are used but in different ways. The findings indicate that international students have a relatively low level of information literacy skills compared to domestic students and faces various challenges, especially in the beginning of their studies.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was exploratory, and data were collected from limited number of Finnish universities and may not be representative of the underlying population.Practical implicationsAcademic libraries should provide effective courses on research methods and library services to the international students while keeping in mind the international students language and cultural barriers.Originality/valueThis is one of the first attempts in information literacy research that focusses on international and domestic students' information literacy skills at the higher education environment. As such, the results provided in this paper can help librarians and decision-makers at the higher education environments to plan better and become more efficient in delivering information services meeting students' information needs and expectations.

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