Information literacy self-efficacy versus performance: Secondary students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if secondary students overestimate their information literacy (IL) abilities and if differences exist between their information literacy self-efficacy and performance levels. A sample of 397 secondary students completed the Information Literacy Self-efficacy Scale (ILSES) and the Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (TRAILS) to measure their information literacy self-efficacy and performance. Descriptive means were calculated, compared using a t-test, and reported for student information literacy self-efficacy levels according to the ILSES and student information literacy performance levels according to the TRAILS measure. Quantitative analyses showed that all groups overestimated their information literacy abilities. Additional findings were that as self-efficacy increased, so too did performance. However, the discrepancy between self-efficacy and performance increased as self-efficacy increased as well.