scholarly journals The role of libraries in teaching doctoral students to become information-literate researchers

2019 ◽  
Vol 120 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 158-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Ince ◽  
Christopher Hoadley ◽  
Paul A. Kirschner
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Types Of Information

PurposeThis paper aims to review current literature pertaining to information literacy and digital literacy skills and practices within the research workflow for doctoral students and makes recommendations for how libraries (and others) can foster skill-sets for graduate student research workflows for the twenty-first century scholarly researcher.Design/methodology/approachA review of existing information literacy practices for doctoral students was conducted, and four key areas of knowledge were identified and discussed.FindingsThe findings validate the need for graduate students to have training in information literacy, information management, knowledge management and scholarly communication. It recommends empirical studies to be conducted to inform future practices for doctoral students.Practical implicationsThis paper offers four areas of training to be considered by librarians and faculty advisers to better prepare scholars for their future.Originality/valueThis paper presents a distinctive synthesis of the types of information literacy and digital literacy skills needed by graduate students.

scholarly journals A qualitative investigation of the digital literacy practices of doctoral students

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Diane Louise Bell
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Research Productivity ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Time Pressure ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Digital Skills ◽  
Research Students

Academic libraries are currently part of a landscape where there is a rapid growth of digital technologies and electronic resources and they have responded to this by developing their research services. Some of the most specialised and complex research in higher education is conducted by doctoral students and the effective use of digital tools and skills is often crucial to their research workflow and success. The need for digital literacy has been further emphasised during the global pandemic of 2020-21 which has required the maximisation of online working and digital skills to ensure the continuation of education, services and research productivity. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative research study in a UK university exploring factors influencing differences in the digital literacy skills of doctoral students. The literature included has been updated as digital skills and technologies are a constantly changing area of research.   Due the complex nature of doctoral research, it was difficult to draw definite conclusions about the many factors which influence the digital literacy practices of research students. Students interviewed in the study discussed their approaches to and understanding of information, digital and media literacy (Jisc, 2016) but the influence of demographic factors such as age, discipline and gender could not easily be evaluated.  All students in the study appeared to be under time pressure and required a high level of organisation and this was assisted by digital skills and proficiency and access to robust hardware and software. They believed they were largely self-taught and some required appropriate training at the point of need to increase their research productivity. This paper will explore how evidence-based practice and engagement may be used to understand the digital practices of doctoral students and to inform the development of research services within academic libraries. 

“Virtual reality in libraries is common sense”

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 10-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicia Ann Smith
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Common Sense ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Formative Assessments ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to propose an Immersive Virtual Reality program to teach Information Literacy skills to college students. The proposal aims to expand the horizon of instruction into cyberspace. Design/methodology/approach The paper explains the planning, cost and logistics required to implement such a program. The virtual reality (VR) program puts students in everyday situations that require “common sense” decision-making actions, then transfers them into a library setting requiring them to use the exact same reasoning. A crucial component of Information Literacy is Digital Literacy, so this program includes scenarios that require students to identify “Fake News.” Findings The paper provides insights about the Game Design Document, Concept and Design Phases as well as Performance Specifications, Deliverables and for Return on Investments used for formative assessments. Research limitations/implications Without securing sponsorships or collaborations due to the inordinate expense of creating virtual worlds this program remains unfunded. Practical implications The program is a revolutionary approach to Information Literacy instruction. It shows students that they inherently possess the cognitive tools necessary for critical evaluation skills needed to be Information Literate. Social implications VR can transmit knowledge without students feeling they are being preached at. Originality/value This program fulfills an identified need to keep libraries relevant in this technologically advanced Digital Age. This radical VR program represents a truly transformational approach to instruction that can catapult us into the virtual and eventual future of Libraries.

Assessing undergraduate information literacy change over time

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-138
Author(s):  
Arthur Brian Ault ◽  
Jessame Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Literacy Skill ◽  
Pell Grant ◽  
First Year ◽  
Exact Matching ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Student Information

Purpose The research project assessed information literacy skill changes in college students at two points in time, as entering first-year students in 2012 and as seniors in their senior seminar capstone courses in the 2015–2016 academic year. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (SAILS) individual test was the selected instrument. Version 1 of the test was used for first-year students and Version 2 was used for seniors. All testing was done in person in computer labs with a librarian or library staff member present to proctor the test. This resulted in obtaining 330 student results as first years and 307 as seniors, with 161 exact matches for both administrations of the test. Exact matching of student scores to demographic details pulled from the college’s student information systems were used in the analysis. Findings The analysis shows that overall first-year students tested below the 70 percent proficiency benchmark in all eight skill sets, but by the time they were seniors they scored above 70 percent in three skill sets. Male students and students of color performed lower than their counterparts, but these groups did demonstrate significant improvement in four skill sets by the time they were seniors. Students in the Honors program, those who took longer to complete the test as seniors, those with higher GPAs, those in Humanities majors, and those who had upper level course exposures to librarian information literacy instruction had higher performance on the test. There were no statistically significant results for students who were first generation, Pell Grant eligible, or were in-state or out-of-state residents. Originality/value There are few published studies that utilized the SAILS test for longitudinal institution-wide assessment. The majority of institutions that utilized the individual version of SAILS did so to determine change within a selected course, or set of courses, in the same semester and very few are published.

scholarly journals Developing information literacy skills in nursing and rehabilitation therapy students

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Durando ◽  
Patricia Oakley
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Rehabilitation Therapy ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
New Graduates ◽  
Advanced Search

The environment in which nurses and rehabilitation therapists practice is rapidly evolving, resulting in changes in the skill sets and competencies required of new graduates. Evidence-based practice models, for example, require that entry-level nurses, physical therapists, and occupational therapists have the ability to identify, locate, and critically appraise research findings. This paper will describe curriculum-integrated, for-credit information literacy programs developed by the authors in collaboration with faculty members from the Schools of Nursing and Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. The short-term goal of these programs is to teach undergraduate and graduate students advanced search strategy skills and critical appraisal techniques that will enable them to explore the implications of their literature findings. The long-term goal is to graduate practitioners who not only will have the skills to practice evidence-based health care but also will participate in scholarly activities and thus contribute to the evidence base in their disciplines.

Lessons learned from designing flipped lessons for fourth grade students: implications for school librarians

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 19-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniella Smith
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Technology Implementation ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Flipped Learning ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine student perceptions of flipped learning lessons designed to teach information literacy skills. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-method design was implemented using a paper-based survey and an online focus group. The survey asked questions about the participants’ perceptions of the flipped lessons. The focus group was used to clarify the participants’ responses to the survey questions. Findings A majority of the students enjoyed completing the lessons. Responses also indicated that a majority of the students felt that the lessons helped them prepare for class. However, issues with computers and internet connectivity at home resulted in some of the students completing the lessons before or after school. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to a class of 21 students enrolled in a public school in North Texas. Originality/value There is limited research supporting the value of flipped learning in relation to the technology implementation role of school librarians. This study provides insights into how school librarians can develop flipped learning lessons in collaboration with classroom teachers to improve the information literacy skills of students.

Examining digital information literacy as a determinant of women's online shopping behavior

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Munazza Mahmood ◽  
Syeda Hina Batool ◽  
Muhammad Rafiq ◽  
Muhammad Safdar
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Online Shopping ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Shopping Behavior ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Information Professionals ◽  
Online Shopping Behavior

PurposeThe present study aims to examine the current digital information literacy (DIL) skills of female online shoppers in Lahore city of Pakistan. Data were gathered from a purposive sampling of women, aged between 20–50 years who were buying products online, not from the traditional retail stores. Out of 309 received questionnaires, 269 responses were useable and were utilized for data analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to deduce inferences.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative research approach was employed for this study, and a survey was conducted to collect the data from the study's respondents. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used.FindingsResults revealed that the digital information literacy skills of women were good to a moderate level. However, they were not confident in applying advanced searching options. In accordance with what was hypothesized in a directional hypothesis, DIL was found to be a strong predictor of online shopping behavior of women, consequently highlighting the importance of such competencies in modern life. Other findings illustrate that participating women rarely engaged in online shopping and felt hesitation in using credit/debit card for online transactions.Research limitations/implicationsThese observations highlight the important role of information professionals in creating digital literacy among different population groups, specifically women, by planning digital information instruction through courses, workshops and trainings. This could eventually be possible with the dynamic role of librarians or information professionals in the society.Originality/valueThe present study adopts the unique approach of measuring online shopping behavior of female shoppers in connection with their digital information literacy skills.

Reading routines: strategies of recall in graduate education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Alan Fine ◽  
Hannah Wohl ◽  
Simone Ispa-Landa
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
Graduate Training ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Note Taking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social

Purpose This study aims to explore how graduate students in the social sciences develop reading and note-taking routines. Design/methodology/approach Using a professional socialization framework drawing on grounded theory, this study draws on a snowball sample of 36 graduate students in the social sciences at US universities. Qualitative interviews were conducted to learn about graduate students’ reading and note-taking techniques. Findings This study uncovered how doctoral students experienced the shift from undergraduate to graduate training. Graduate school requires students to adopt new modes of reading and note-taking. However, students lacked explicit mentorship in these skills. Once they realized that the goal was to enter an academic conversation to produce knowledge, they developed new reading and note-taking routines by soliciting and implementing suggestions from advanced doctoral students and faculty mentors. Research limitations/implications The specific requirements of the individual graduate program shape students’ goals for reading and note-taking. Further examination of the relationship between graduate students’ reading and note-taking and institutional requirements is warranted with a larger sample of universities, including non-American institutions. Practical implications Graduate students benefit from explicit mentoring in reading and note-taking skills from doctoral faculty and advanced graduate students. Originality/value This study uncovers the perspectives of graduate students in the social sciences as they transition from undergraduate coursework in a doctoral program of study. This empirical, interview-based research highlights the centrality of reading and note-taking in doctoral studies.

Testing the relationships of motivation, time management and career aspirations on graduate students’ academic success

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ademola Amida ◽  
Sameera Algarni ◽  
Robert Stupnisky
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Career Aspirations ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Career Aspiration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Success

PurposeThis study explored graduate students' academic success by testing a hypothesized model based on the self-determination theory (SDT), which posits that motivation, time management and career aspiration predicts perceived success.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative methodology was employed to garner data from a population of 324 graduate students, and then analyzed using structural equation modeling in R.FindingsIntrinsic motivation was the strongest motivation type that predicted graduate students' perceived success. Time management was another important predictor of perceived success, while career aspiration did not impact students' perception of success. Doctoral students showed significantly higher relatedness when compared to master degree students. In addition, male students showed significantly higher career aspirations than females, while female students showed significantly higher time management than their male counterparts. The results of this study support the SDT as a framework to understand graduate students' academic success.Originality/valueImplementing the research findings may increase graduate students' academic success. This study suggests direct ways of increasing graduate students' achievement through intrinsic motivation, time management and autonomy, as well as reducing amotivation (lack of motivation) to indirectly enhance academic success.

A call for libraries to go green

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 428-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ina Fourie
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Environmental Friendly ◽  
Making A Difference ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

PurposeWhen confronted with a problem where the solution is not clear or obvious, a first step would be to search for more information, trying to make sense of the problem. The intention of this contribution is to make sense of the call for “libraries to go green”, while at the same time to show the potential of explicitly considering information behaviour and the need to draw on the full spectrum of information literacy skills (e.g. recognising and expressing an information need, seeking, using, and disseminating information) to stimulate librarians' interest and confidence in taking on the challenge of going green and making a difference.Design/methodology/approachThe column will be written against the background of research from information literacy, information behaviour, and research on sustainable and environmental friendly library and information (LIS) services.FindingsAlthough rather a limited number, publications on “going green” and the “paperless” library/society address a variety of issues ranging from planning “green” library buildings, to assessing the experiences of LIS professionals in developing sustainable “green libraries”, to information behaviour in using e‐books in academic contexts. Considering the finding and use of information on “going green”, from an information behaviour perspective, helps to bring many issues to consider in furthering research on “going green” to the front.Originality/valueAlthough much has been published about information behaviour and information literacy, and although attempts of publishing on various issues of “green” libraries are noted, the author is not aware of other work aligning these issues.

scholarly journals Working in partnership to embed Information & Digital Literacy Skills into TeenTech events and Awards to empower pupils, teachers and librarians

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Jones
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Career Opportunities ◽  
New Information ◽  
Engineering And Technology ◽  
The Uk

This paper discusses the partnership that Cilip’s Information Literacy Group (ILG) in the UK has been developing over the last 18 months with TeenTech, an award winning, industry led initiative that focuses on helping teenagers understand the career opportunities available within Science, Education and Technology. It focuses on the role of the ILG’s School Representative as co-ordinator of a team of school librarians and university specialists who were tasked with; supporting the group’s new Information Literacy Award creating resources and opportunities to encourage teacher and pupil use of libraries, and with supporting pupil development of information and digital literacy skills within the area of science, engineering and technology across all of the award categories.

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