scholarly journals Collaboration between Librarians and Teaching Faculty to Teach Information Literacy at One Ontario University: Experiences and Outcomes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maureen J. Reed ◽  
Don Kinder ◽  
Cecile Farnum

Purpose: In this study, we sought to describe information literacy success outcomes for students who participated in a university course where university librarians and teaching faculty collaborated in all aspects of the course including; curricular development, assignment development, in-class teaching, office hours for individual student development, and assessment activities. The authors wanted to examine student success in attaining information literacy skills following this one semester course. Further, the authors wanted to determine what difficulties in achieving expected information literacy levels persist even after intensive collaborative instruction. Finally, the authors wished to describe the challenges of these collaborations. Methodology: The focus of this study was to determine changes in first-year university students’ information literacy knowledge and skill following a thirteen week university preparation course that was developed through strong collaboration between university librarians and teaching faculty. Students entering their first semester of university were tested on their information literacy skills without feedback. They then took part in the required course and were post tested in the last week of the semester. Findings: Student showed strong increases in information literacy from this collaborative approach. In addition, teaching faculty and librarians felt positive about the collaborative experience. However, some students showed misunderstandings about information literacy that requires further research. Originality and Practical Implications: Our unique contribution here is our description, experiences and detailed outcomes with a collaborative process to teach information literacy. Based on our experiences here, we believe that collaboration will work best if it is planned at a curricular level, if the librarians are truly integrated into the classroom, if the librarians provide input on assignments and help with student feedback, and if targeted information literacy knowledge is tested. This planning takes time, but the librarians offer unique contributions and insight into issues surrounding information literacy that may not be obvious to faculty instructors. In our study, we also found that students confuse assignment requirements with general information literacy standards and those teaching information literacy need to be aware of these confusions. Finally, integration of librarians into college/university courses has benefits in terms of increases in student information literacy and increases in librarian knowledge of faculty expectations.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maureen J. Reed ◽  
Don Kinder ◽  
Cecile Farnum

Purpose: In this study, we sought to describe information literacy success outcomes for students who participated in a university course where university librarians and teaching faculty collaborated in all aspects of the course including; curricular development, assignment development, in-class teaching, office hours for individual student development, and assessment activities. The authors wanted to examine student success in attaining information literacy skills following this one semester course. Further, the authors wanted to determine what difficulties in achieving expected information literacy levels persist even after intensive collaborative instruction. Finally, the authors wished to describe the challenges of these collaborations. Methodology: The focus of this study was to determine changes in first-year university students’ information literacy knowledge and skill following a thirteen week university preparation course that was developed through strong collaboration between university librarians and teaching faculty. Students entering their first semester of university were tested on their information literacy skills without feedback. They then took part in the required course and were post tested in the last week of the semester. Findings: Student showed strong increases in information literacy from this collaborative approach. In addition, teaching faculty and librarians felt positive about the collaborative experience. However, some students showed misunderstandings about information literacy that requires further research. Originality and Practical Implications: Our unique contribution here is our description, experiences and detailed outcomes with a collaborative process to teach information literacy. Based on our experiences here, we believe that collaboration will work best if it is planned at a curricular level, if the librarians are truly integrated into the classroom, if the librarians provide input on assignments and help with student feedback, and if targeted information literacy knowledge is tested. This planning takes time, but the librarians offer unique contributions and insight into issues surrounding information literacy that may not be obvious to faculty instructors. In our study, we also found that students confuse assignment requirements with general information literacy standards and those teaching information literacy need to be aware of these confusions. Finally, integration of librarians into college/university courses has benefits in terms of increases in student information literacy and increases in librarian knowledge of faculty expectations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 427-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mugyabuso J. F. Lwehabura

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (4_Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 7211510207p1
Author(s):  
Elaina DaLomba ◽  
Kaitlin Sauder ◽  
Melanie Watson ◽  
Kyle Soldevilla ◽  
Samantha O’Neill

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy L. Kovalik ◽  
Susan D. Yutzey ◽  
Laura M. Piazza

Change in high school student information literacy (IL) knowledge and skills, from freshman year to senior year in high school was the focus of this quasi-experimental research project. Researchers used a free information literacy skills assessment tool entitled TRAILS (Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) to measure student IL skills. A total of 201 high school students participated in the study. Paired samples t-test results were mixed for specific TRAILS sub-categories, however, the senior mean for the total TRAILS assessment was significantly higher than the mean the participants earned on the total TRAILS assessment when they were freshman. Cohens d effect size was 0.61. The significance of the information literacy curriculum is discussed in light of these findings.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinwe Veronica Anunobi ◽  
Obiora Kingsley Udem

The study investigated the information literacy competencies possessed by Library and Information Science (LIS) postgraduate students in Federal Universities in South East Zone Nigeria with a focus on the Knowledge and skill level. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Seventy two students which included all 2011/2012 PhD and Masters degree students from the Departments of LIS in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Data was collected using Achievement Test and Questionnaire. Percentages, frequencies and mean rating were used to answer research questions. T-test was used to test hypotheses. The major findings of the study include: LIS postgraduate students in Federal Universities in South East Zone Nigeria possessed information literacy knowledge since the measure based on understanding the need for information, how to locate, evaluate and use information have average percentage scores of 95%, 87%, 82% and 88% respectively. However, the information literacy knowledge possessed by LIS Postgraduate students in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU) differed significantly from those possessed by LIS Postgraduate students in University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN); LIS postgraduate students possessed moderate level of information literacy skills as their level of information literacy skills as measured based on ability to locate and access, evaluate and use information has general mean rating of 3.34. However, the skills differed significantly between LIS Postgraduate students in NAU and UNN. Based on the findings, it was recommended that more practical aspect of information literacy should be employed through students’ industrial training and internship, and LIS curriculum should be enhanced especially with reference to skill acquisition.


2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Taylor ◽  
Heather A. Dalal

Information literacy studies have shown that college students use a variety of information sources to perform research and commonly choose Internet sources over traditional library sources. Studies have also shown that students do not appear to understand the information quality issues concerning Internet information sources and may lack the information literacy skills to make good choices concerning the use of these sources. No studies currently provide clear guidance on how gender might influence the information literacy skills of students. Such guidance could help improve information literacy instruction.This study used a survey of college-aged students to evaluate a subset of student information literacy skills in relation to Internet information sources. Analysis of the data collected provided strong indications of gender differences in information literacy skills. Female respondents appeared to be more discerning than males in evaluating Internet sources. Males appeared to be more confident in the credibility and accuracy of the results returned by search engines. Evaluation of other survey responses strengthened our finding of gender differentiation in information literacy skills.


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