Promotion of electronic resources through information literacy

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Bennett ◽  
Predrag Djukic ◽  
Rupa Kapitzki

Purpose The study aims to report on how electronic resources of Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) library are being promoted through information literacy sessions and how quick response (QR) codes are created for patrons for ease of access to these electronic resources. Design/methodology/approach The QR codes created are displayed in the library to attract attention of the patron. Information literacy sessions include database training and how to access e-resources through the library website. Database posters and PowerPoint presentations are displayed in the library. Student Research blog and subject LibGuides are created with access to databases content as necessary. Library volunteer projects include extensive database searches. Findings While accessing the databases through Student Research blog, LibGuides, volunteer project work and QR codes the usage statistics of these resources have shown an increase. QR code poster attracted attention from many patrons, followed by curiosity to access the databases and eventual access of the databases as evidenced through email inquiry and troubleshooting. Research limitations/implications Usage statistics harvested from vendor platforms is only available system wide and not per HCT campus locations. It is thus not possible to report per location or track usage per location. More advanced analytical tools are required in future to extract more specific data for further deeper analysis. Practical implications Findings recommend future online information literacy courses offered through the proposed virtual library platform to be easily accessible through the Blackboard Learn mobile application including more subject specific resources from databases in their content. The more the databases are used by patron, the higher the chances are they will be renewed for subscription. Social implications Academic libraries work closely and collaboratively with database vendors and aggregators to promote information literacy. Vice versa if libraries are promoting their databases through information literacy sessions and easier access through QR codes – then it is a mutual symbiosis for growth benefitting the academic community. Originality/value A majority of HCT library patrons are UAE nationals – the future leaders of the country. Using rich resources through the databases and lifelong learning skills through information literacy sessions – provides them with authentic information enriching their knowledge and application of skills encouraging, which fosters innovation.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yating Li ◽  
Chi Zhou ◽  
Di Wu ◽  
Min Chen

PurposeAdvances in information technology now permit the recording of massive and diverse process data, thereby making data-driven evaluations possible. This study discusses whether teachers’ information literacy can be evaluated based on their online information behaviors on online learning and teaching platforms (OLTPs).Design/methodology/approachFirst, to evaluate teachers’ information literacy, the process data were combined from teachers on OLTP to describe nine third-level indicators from the richness, diversity, usefulness and timeliness analysis dimensions. Second, propensity score matching (PSM) and difference tests were used to analyze the differences between the performance groups with reduced selection bias. Third, to effectively predict the information literacy score of each teacher, four sets of input variables were used for prediction using supervised learning models.FindingsThe results show that the high-performance group performs better than the low-performance group in 6 indicators. In addition, information-based teaching and behavioral research data can best reflect the level of information literacy. In the future, greater in-depth explorations are needed with richer online information behavioral data and a more effective evaluation model to increase evaluation accuracy.Originality/valueThe evaluation based on online information behaviors has concrete application scenarios, positively correlated results and prediction interpretability. Therefore, information literacy evaluations based on behaviors have great potential and favorable prospects.


2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 990-1007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olof Sundin ◽  
Hanna Carlsson

Purpose This paper investigates the experiences of school teachers of supporting pupils and their apprehensions of how pupils search and assess information when search engines have become a technology of literacy in schools. By situating technologies of literacy as sociomaterial the purpose of this paper is to analyse and discuss these experiences and understandings in order to challenge dominant views of search in information literacy research. Design/methodology/approach Six focus group interviews with in total 39 teachers working at four different elementary and secondary schools were conducted in the autumn of 2014. Analysis was done using a sociomaterial perspective, which provides tools for understanding how pupils and teachers interact with and are demanded to translate their interest to technologies of literacy, in this case search engines, such as Google. Findings The teachers expressed difficulties of conceptualizing search as something they could teach. When they did, search was most often identified as a practical skill. A critical perspective on search, recognizing the role of Google as a dominant part of the information infrastructure and a co-constructor of what there is to know was largely lacking. As a consequence of this neglected responsibility of teaching search, critical assessment of online information was conflated with Google’s relevance ranking. Originality/value The study develops a critical understanding of the role of searching and search engines as technologies of literacy in relation to critical assessment in schools. This is of value for information literacy training.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Hunter ◽  
Samantha Kannegiser ◽  
Jessica Kiebler ◽  
Dina Meky

Purpose Reflecting on the new ACRL Framework, a deficiency was observed in literature on the assessment of information literacy instruction in chat reference. An evaluation of recent chat transactions was undertaken and the purpose of the study was twofold. The purpose of this study is to discover if and how librarians were teaching information literacy skills in chat reference transactions and identify best practices to develop training and resources. Design/methodology/approach To start, a literature review was performed to identify current industry standards. A rubric, influenced by the ACRL Framework, was developed to evaluate chat transactions from one semester. Results from the assessment were compiled and interpreted to determine current practices. Findings This study identified the necessity of balancing customer service and instruction to manage student expectations and encourage successful chats. Best practices and strategies that librarians can use to provide a well-rounded service were culled for the development of training and resources. Originality/value Reference assumes a large portion of the services that academic librarians provide to students. As technology advances, librarians are relying on virtual platforms, including chat reference, as convenient and useful tools to provide reference services to the academic community. While face-to-face reference encourages information literacy instruction, it is challenging to perform the same instruction in a virtual setting where expectations are based on retail models. With the growing use of virtual services, evaluating the success of chat reference based on industry standards is imperative.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-30
Author(s):  
Jan Michael Alexandre Cortez Bernadas ◽  
Cheryll Ruth Soriano

Purpose The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, it explores the extent to which diversity of connectivity or the connection through multiple internet access points may facilitate online privacy behavior. Second, it explains the diversity of connectivity-online privacy behavior link in terms of information literacy. Design/methodology/approach Situated in the context of urban poor youth in the Philippines (n = 300), this paper used a quantitative approach, specifically an interview-administered survey technique. Respondents were from three cities in Metro Manila. To test for indirect relationship, survey data were analyzed using bootstrapping technique via SPSS macro PROCESS (Hayes, 2013). Findings Urban poor youth with diversified connection to the internet engaged in online privacy behavior. The more the youth are connected to the internet through diverse modalities, the more this fosters cautious online privacy behavior. In addition, information literacy explained how diversity of connectivity facilitated online privacy behavior. It suggests that differences in online privacy behavior may result from the extent of basic know-how of navigating online information. In the context of the urban poor in the Global South, the youth are constantly negotiating ways to not only connect to the internet but also acquire digital skills necessary for protective online behaviors. Originality/value To date, this is one of the few papers to contribute to conversations about online privacy among youth in the Global South. It broadens the literature on social determinants of online privacy behavior that is crucial for designing policy interventions for those in the margins.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 699-713
Author(s):  
Rebeca Peacock ◽  
Heather Grevatt ◽  
Ellie Dworak ◽  
Lindsay Marsh ◽  
Shelly Doty

Purpose This paper aims to describe the evolution of an academic library’s approach to first-year student information literacy instruction from face-to-face instruction to a fully integrated online microcredential. The design considerations, motivation theory and evaluation methods used to create and evaluate the course are also discussed, with implications for future library microcredential design, integration and research in campus first-year seminar courses. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, a multi-method approach is used to evaluate an undergraduate asynchronous online information literacy microcredential embedded in a first-year seminar. Two methods (Likert scale survey and coded reflection essays) were used to evaluate whether one method may be more beneficial than the other in future iterations of evaluating microcredentials. Findings In looking at a complex cognitive process such as motivation, multiple approaches to analyzing student thoughts may be beneficial. In addition, the role of the first-year seminar instructor, to help students make a connection to library material, is reinforced as is the need to provide students with accurate expectations for time required to complete online asynchronous microcredential courses. Originality/value This paper addresses the evaluation of microcredentials in academic libraries and also has implications for other campus departments investigating the creation of microcourses that are integrated into campus programs. These implications can be addressed in the design and development phases of the microcredential using Keller’s attention, relevance, confidence and satisfaction model, and in turn, can be improved through iterative evaluation cycles using collected student data.


2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 521-535
Author(s):  
Chukwuma Clement Okeji ◽  
Obiageli Martina Ilika ◽  
Emmanuel Ebikabowei Baro

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess information literacy skills of undergraduates in Nigerian universities. Design/methodology/approach A self-assessed questionnaire was developed to collect data from the final year undergraduates in 15 universities. A total of 1,350 final year Library and Information Science (LIS) students responded to the questionnaire which was used for analysis. Findings The study revealed that the majority of the LIS final year undergraduates mostly consult journal articles, followed by internet information and online databases during their research process. The undergraduates rated well-known author(s), current information, credible information, accurate and relevant information as very important when evaluating online information resources. It was found that the students rated their ability to organize information and integrate ideas from consulted information as high. While they were deficient in ability to correctly paraphrase ideas to avoid plagiarism and use citation and referencing styles correctly. On the whole, almost half of the final year undergraduates of LIS rated their level of information literacy skills to be moderate. Practical implications The findings of the study will inform librarians and faculty in universities in developing countries like Nigeria to develop an information literacy instruction policy. Originality/value Assessing information literacy skills will provide the foundation and knowledge to improve the development of information literacy training programmes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 274-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jannatul Ferdows ◽  
S.M. Zabed Ahmed

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to empirically investigate the information skills of undergraduate students at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire-based survey was administered to obtain data about undergraduates’ information skills. The questionnaire consisted of demographic information, computer and Internet experiences, and a set of ten questions relating to information skills. A total of 199 undergraduate students responded to the survey. Findings – The results indicate that undergraduates’ information skills were poor. Only a few of them were successful in answering some of the questions correctly. There are significant differences in information skills among respondents in terms of gender, age, possession of personal computers and computer and Internet experience. The main reasons for these differences and the general failure in answering the task questions correctly are mostly attributed to the absence of information literacy instruction within the university, lack of online information resources and inadequate information and communication technology facilities. Practical implications – The findings of this study will help universities in Bangladesh and other developing countries to develop appropriate information literacy instruction at undergraduate level. Originality/value – This is the first time an effort has been made to assess task-based information skills of undergraduate students in Bangladesh. The findings of this study will help universities in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the developing world to introduce information literacy instruction at undergraduate level.


2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramón Alberto Manso Rodríguez ◽  
Manuel Osvaldo Machado Rivero

Purpose This paper aims to examine the use of different mobile devices by libraries to develop programs for information skills training, focusing on the application of quick response (QR) codes for such a purpose. Design/methodology/approach The study was developed in two stages; primarily an analysis of the literature was conducted to determine the theoretical framework underlying the use of this tool for information literacy. The second part examined the practical application of this tool, with examples of several university libraries. In all, 13 academic libraries were included as the sample, which were chosen randomly from a global search on the Internet under the thematic basis for the theme of the study and thus evaluate the different employment opportunities of mobile telephony in developing skills information on users. The study is complemented with an assessment from the practice of the applicability of the principles described, arriving at conclusions and recommendations. Findings The purpose of the study is to recognize the use given to mobile technologies from libraries, particularly the use of QR codes, to help meet the demands of users in relation to skills training information, just as you may have the need. Originality/value The benefits of the use of mobile devices for the development of information literacy actions are identified and the set of actions that can be implemented for training information skills through the use of QR codes are set based on all outlined by the Association of College and Research Libraries goals.


2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Halpern ◽  
Chimene Tucker

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to apply adult-centered learning theories to online information literacy tutorials. Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual paper that examines the application of adult learning theories to online information literacy tutorials. The application is supported by examples from the literature of libraries and higher education, and from the writers’ own experiences with designing online tutorials informed by adult learning theories. Findings – As online learners continue to be a growing population on our campuses, and as those online learners continue to be older than our traditional students, librarians must be prepared to design information literacy objects tailored to the unique learning styles of adults. Building from Knowles’ theory of andragogy, online tutorials that are informed by adult-centered strategies can be powerful tools for engaging with the adult online learner. Practical implications – This article gives a useful and comprehensive overview of adult learning theory as applied by education and library researchers. It also provides a specific example of how those theories can be implemented in online tutorials through the Information Literacy Toolkit the authors created. Originality/value – While there is literature on applying adult learning theory to library environments, little of it addresses how to do so in an asynchronous, self-paced tutorial. This is a contribution to the literature on asynchronous learning environments and suggests concrete ways to incorporate an adult-centered approach to digital learning objects.


2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 486-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ngozi Blessing Ukachi

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the relationship existing between undergraduate students’ information literacy skills and their use of electronic resources (ERs) located in university libraries in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – The descriptive design was adopted for the research questions, while the correlational design was adopted for the hypothesis. The purposive sampling technique was also adopted in selecting 12 university libraries which the preliminary study had revealed that they have Internet access and also subscribe to ERs in the south-west geopolitical zone in Nigeria. Questionnaire and oral interview were used for data collection. The population size consists of all the 36,116 library-registered undergraduate students in the 12 universities, while the sample size is 1,806 (5 per cent of the population) and the 12 librarians heading the ERs sections of the libraries. Findings – The findings revealed that ERs are not adequately utilized, undergraduate students do not possess adequate information literacy skills necessary for optimal utilization of the libraries’ ERs and strong positive correlation between level of undergraduate students’ information literacy skill and their use of ERs provided in the library. Practical implications – This paper provides practical insights into the impact of possessing inadequate information literacy skills on the use of ERs. Originality/value – This paper is the first to relate undergraduate students’ information literacy skills and their use of libraries’ ERs in south-western zone of Nigeria.


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