scholarly journals Teaching Information Literacy Skills to Senior Undergraduate Engineering Students

Author(s):  
Jennifer Cong Yan Zhao ◽  
Michael Rabbat

Information Literacy Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology establish a set of abilities for students to recognize their information needs, access information effectively and efficiently, evaluate information critically, and use information in a legal and ethical way. The Standards aim to help students accomplish academic goals in their studies and build lifelong learning skills, and they are also well-aligned with the CEAB graduate attributes. Moreover, it is important that students acquire these skills before completing their undergraduate degrees since, upon entering the workforce, they will need to investigate problems and communicate complex ideas with colleagues and clients in both written and oral format, and they will not have the same support available as when they are in university. The authors, an engineering librarian and instructor, collaborated in the Fall 2012 semester to offer two information literacy training sessions within a final-year electrical and computer engineering course. This paper presents the topics and pedagogies used in this training and discusses the challenges that the authors encountered. Recommendations on integrating information literacy training into engineering curriculum are also provided.

BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamileh Farokhzadian ◽  
Somayeh Jouparinejad ◽  
Farhad Fatehi ◽  
Fatemeh Falahati-Marvast

Abstract Background One of the most important prerequisites for nurses’ readiness to implement Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is to improve their information literacy skills. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a training program on nurses’ information literacy skills for EBP in critical care units. Methods In this interventional study, 60 nurses working in critical care units of hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences were randomly assigned into the intervention or control groups. The intervention group was provided with information literacy training in three eight-hour sessions over 3 weeks. Data were collected using demographic and information literacy skills for EBP questionnaires before and 1 month after the intervention. Results At baseline, the intervention and control groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics and information literacy skills for EBP. The training program significantly improved all dimensions of information literacy skills of the nurses in the intervention group, including the use of different information resources (3.43 ± 0.48, p < 0.001), information searching skills and the use of different search features (3.85 ± 0.67, p < 0.001), knowledge about search operators (3.74 ± 0.14, p < 0.001), and selection of more appropriate search statement (x2 = 50.63, p = 0.001) compared with the control group. Conclusions Nurses can learn EBP skills and apply research findings in their nursing practice in order to provide high-quality, safe nursing care in clinical settings. Practical workshops and regular training courses are effective interventional strategies to equip nurses with information literacy skills so that they can apply these skills to their future nursing practice.


Author(s):  
Mercy A. Iroaganachi ◽  
Promise Ifeoma Ilo ◽  
Loveth Ekwueme ◽  
Idarefame YoungHarry

This chapter explored literature and discussed the importance of knowledge sharing practices, ICT, and information literacy, and their influence on STEM career path choices among girls at the secondary school level. This was properly situated by examining the concept of knowledge sharing, concept of career path choices, knowledge sharing on career path choices of girls, considered ICT and career path choices of girls, effect of ICT on career path choices of girls, information literacy and career path choices of girls, effect of information literacy on career path choices of girls. It concludes that a culture of knowledge sharing practices among the girls will get the less knowledgeable girls informed for informed STEM career path decisions. The use of ICTs for networking and sharing knowledge among the girls will improve information literacy skills needed by the girls to help identify information needs, access, retrieve, evaluate, and use same career choices. The chapter includes recommendations.


Author(s):  
Teresa Oliveira Ramos ◽  
Carla Morais ◽  
Cristina Ribeiro

An academic library created an online course in information literacy skills in 2007 for engineering students. This chapter reports the evaluation of the course's effectiveness in developing those skills. In the academic year 2015/2016, a case study with a mixed-methods approach was applied to 5th-year students (N=91) enrolled in a course unit for Master Dissertation's preparation in the informatics and computing engineering programme. Students showed high confidence in their information literacy skills. Online assignments' performance was good, but activities revealed quality issues. Performance in the course unit's assignments reveals a poor application of acquired skills. But satisfaction is high: students value independent learning and online access to resources and content. Despite evidence of some positive impact, the course lacks effectiveness due to issues in the course unit's assignments. Needed improvements include a better realignment with students' needs and a redesign with an instructional model to assure the promotion of students' success.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Booke ◽  
Todd J. Wiebe

The study of U.S. elections as a part of introductory political science courses has become an increasingly difficult endeavour as students encounter the ever-changing landscape of electoral politics. Instructors seeking to equip students with the skills needed to navigate this complex terrain may look for partnerships with library faculty and staff as a means of bridging the research gap faced by students in these courses. This article examines the efficacy of a courseembedded librarian and information literacy training as a means of increasing student research confidence and competence. The findings of our quasi-experiment suggest that students participating in a course with an embedded librarian, information literacy training and an assignment based on the training session reported higher levels of research confidence and demonstrated the use and understanding of selected information literacy skills and concepts.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerrie Douglas ◽  
Ruth Wertz ◽  
Michael Fosmire ◽  
Senay Purzer ◽  
Amy Van Epps

Author(s):  
Gloria Willson, MLIS, MPH ◽  
Katelyn Angell, MLIS, MA

Objective: The authors developed a rubric for assessing undergraduate nursing research papers for information literacy skills critical to their development as researchers and health professionals.Methods: We developed a rubric mapping six American Nurses Association professional standards onto six related concepts of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. We used this rubric to evaluate fifty student research papers and assess inter-rater reliability.Results: Students tended to score highest on the “Information Has Value” dimension and lowest on the “Scholarship as Conversation” dimension. However, we found a discrepancy between the grading patterns of the two investigators, with inter-rater reliability being “fair” or “poor” for all six rubric dimensions.Conclusions: The development of a rubric that dually assesses information literacy skills and maps relevant disciplinary competencies holds potential. This study offers a template for a rubric inspired by the ACRL Framework and outside professional standards. However, the overall low inter-rater reliability demands further calibration of the rubric. Following additional norming, this rubric can be used to help students identify the key information literacy competencies that they need in order to succeed as college students and future nurses. These skills include developing an authoritative voice, determining the scope of their information needs, and understanding the ramifications of their information choices.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cruickshank Peter ◽  
◽  
Hazel Hall ◽  
Bruce Ryan ◽  
◽  
...  

Introduction: This paper addresses the information practices of hyperlocal democratic representatives, and their acquisition and application of information literacy skills. Method: 1034 Scottish community councillors completed an online questionnaire on the information-related activities they undertake as part of their voluntary roles, and the development of supporting competencies. The questions related to: information needs for community council work; preparation and onward dissemination of information gathered; factors that influence community councillors’ abilities to conduct their information-related duties. Analysis: Data were summarised for quantitative analysis using Microsoft Excel. Free text responses were analysed in respect of the themes from the quantitative analysis and literature. Results: Everyday life and workplace roles are perceived as the primary shapers of information literacy as a predominantly joint competence. Conclusion: The focus of information literacy development has traditionally been the contribution of formal education, yet this study reveals that prior employment, community and family roles are perceived as more important to the acquisition of relevant skills amongst this group. This widens the debate as to the extent to which information literacy is specific to particular contexts. This adds to arguments that information literacy may be viewed as a collective accomplishment dependant on a socially constructed set of practices.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document