Information Literacy Self-efficacy Research Articles

Problem-based learning with library e-resources to enhance student information literacy self-efficacy

PurposeThis study investigates the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) in information literacy curricula using library e-resources to enhance information literacy self-efficacy (ILSE) of students in two universities in Indonesia, in Java Island (University A) and Sumatra Island (University B).Design/methodology/approachA comparison of the effectiveness of the approach in the two universities forms the focus of the study, which has adopted a single group quasi-experimental design which was conducted in one online teaching-learning session. The authors compared the pre-test and post-test scores of 65 library and information science (LIS) students from both universities.FindingsThe results show that the treatment enhanced ILSE effectively. After the treatment, University A students performed better than those at University B.Research limitations/implicationsThe factors which affected the success of PBL using library e-resources have not been identified in this study, a task for a future qualitative research study.Practical implicationsThis study will both inspire the use of library e-resources in learning activities and promote ILSE.Originality/valueIntegrating PBL with library e-resources provides opportunity to identify the advantages of library e-resources in supporting student ILSE, resulting a better learning achievement.

Advancing freshman skills in information literacy and self-regulation: The role of AI learning companions and Mandala Chart in academic libraries

The proactive utilization of generative AI to assist college students' learning is an emerging trend in educational innovation. This study introduces a system that integrates Learning Companion Systems with Mandala Chart Scaffolding, aimed at freshman projects, to investigate its impact on enhancing freshmen's self-efficacy in information literacy and their perception of self-regulated learning when utilizing virtual librarian services. The Mandala Chart Scaffolding, a strategic tool designed to structure and visualize information, complements the Learning Companion System by providing a coherent framework for students to organize and reflect on their learning resources and activities. Implemented in a Creative Thinking course at a National University of Science and Technology in central Taiwan, the study randomly assigned 110 freshmen to Experimental Group A (using both System), Experimental Group B (only the Learning Companion System), and a control group. The findings revealed that the experimental groups, particularly Group A, significantly outperformed the control group in boosting information literacy self-efficacy. Moreover, the intervention positively influenced the students' perception of self-regulated learning. These results offer valuable insights for academic libraries on the potential of integrating generative AI-based Learning Companion Systems with Mandala Chart Scaffolding to enhance freshman learning experiences and foster effective use of library resources.

Program Wise Information Literacy Skills of Students

The current study furthers the understanding of the Information Literacy (IL) competency skill levels between the health science and non-health science students in the United Arab Emirates. IL-HUMASS survey on information literacy questionnaire was partially adopted (17 categories) for surveying the IL competency skill levels between the Health and Non-Health students at College A. The questionnaire comprised four information competency categories: “Information Searching, “Information Evaluation, Information Processing/Application, and Information Dissemination and Communication”. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test the hypotheses. The research findings revealed that among all participants the levels of Motivational Engagement (ME) in the four competence areas were higher, than their levels of Self-Efficacy (SE).Further, interestingly, students enrolled in non-health programs displayed higher levels of both ME and SE in all four categories. Additionally, there were significant variations in IL Self-Efficacy levels between the two programs across the categories. Besides, the application of Pinto’s IL-HUMASS survey instrument to a new user population has provided valuable insights. These insights highlight the importance of considering motivation and self-efficacy levels when designing information literacy programs, especially for health science students. This study is possibly the first in the UAE conducted on a global sample comprising 22 nationalities.

Pro-environmental behavior: the relationship with information literacy self-efficacy, climate knowledge and climate anxiety among students in Ghana

Abstract As environmental concerns escalate globally, understanding pro-environmental behavior is important. Using a cross-sectional survey of 265 university students from Accra, Ghana, the study hypothesized that pro-environmental behavior is related to climate change knowledge, information literacy self-efficacy and climate change anxiety. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and simple linear regression were used to test the hypothesis. Findings suggest that climate change knowledge was positively related to information literacy self-efficacy and climate change anxiety. Climate change knowledge and information literacy self-efficacy also positively predicted pro-environmental behavior. Findings imply that students should be trained to improve their climate change knowledge and acquire information literacy skills. Training these skills can contribute to the development of responsible environmental behavior in society.

Investigating curriculum integrated information literacy

Information literacy has become an essential element of the student learning process due to the current information overload that university students face. The world is in the information age where the options for access to information is changing daily. University students need to be information literate to be able to use information responsibly and ethically. This article describes the third cycle of an action research study that sought to investigate the merit of integrating information literacy that is aligned to an acceptable framework into the curriculum of an institution of higher learning by assessing students' perceptions before and after an information literacy intervention. First-year undergraduate students at a [institution name] responded to an online questionnaire and participated in online interviews to share perceptions of their information literacy competencies during the second semester of academic year 2021/2022. SPSS was used to analyze the quantitative data and the qualitative data was coded to identify common themes. The results of the study revealed information literacy courses positively impacted students' perceptions of their information literacy self-efficacy, skills, and attitudes.

Journal Club: An Innovative Teaching Practice to Foster Peer Connection and Enhance Information Literacy Skills

This project aimed to better understand the impact and student experience of an innovative teaching strategy focused on information literacy (IL) for first-year undergraduate nursing students. Information literacy (IL) involves the development of a set of abilities essential for higher education learners, such as the ability to identify, critically evaluate, understand, and apply scholarly literature (ACRL 2013), yet studies often demonstrate that these IL skills are lacking and need further development (Bury 2016; Saunders 2012). Traditional methods of addressing this need center around stand-alone librarian-led IL sessions, which cannot provide the time or space needed to develop critical reading and reflection practices. Within our context of nursing, this is a common challenge; one study found that 40% of second-year nursing students have difficulty reading journal articles (Chaudoir et al. 2016), despite IL being an essential skill for nursing practice (Mitchell and Pereira-Edwards 2022). In an attempt to address learner needs, a course instructor and librarian teamed up. Journal clubs, used in practice settings to maintain currency and promote EBP behavior (Wilson et al. 2015), have been used successfully in other health education contexts (Steenbeek et al. 2009; Szucs et al. 2017; Thompson 2006). This application is referred to as evidence-based practice (EBP) and is an essential component of nursing practice. Having activities for undergraduate nursing students that instill EBP aims to ensure that it will be incorporated into practice after graduation (Mitchell and Pereira-Edwards 2022). Instead of the traditional librarian-led IL sessions, a first-year nursing course was redesigned to utilize a guided journal club approach to enhance the ability to seek, read, and interpret journal literature. Journal club activities took place over eight weeks, alternating guided activities with brief IL lessons, and culminated in a group journal club assignment. Students were placed in small groups based on an area of practice they wanted to learn more about. Activities were scaffolded starting with introducing a research database and basic literature searching strategies. As students progressed through the term’s journal club activities, they were asked to find articles related aligned with course topics and their area of practice, critique and present their articles to their group members, and then apply their interpretations. A survey was used to measure the impact of journal club on student IL self-efficacy, as measured through the validated Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale (ILSES) developed by Kurbanoglu et al. (2006). Initial findings support journal club as an effective modality to enhance students’ self-efficacy in specific areas of IL. Additionally, other valuable outcomes of this strategy were discovered. For example, students reported becoming more comfortable collaborating with peers and anecdotal reports showed students developed friendships with peers. This scaffolded journal club approach to discipline-specific IL learning would translate well to other contexts, particularly those that require a significant grounding in reading and understanding disciplinary research. The journal club activities are available at: https://tinyurl.com/JournalClubPosterISSOTL2022, or by contacting the authors. Click here to read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post.

Media and Information Literacy Self-Efficacy of LIS Students in Bangladesh

Media and information literacy (MIL) is one of the crucial factors to sustain in the age of information explosion. Particularly, LIS students need to be literate regarding media and information around them to provide authentic information in their future workplaces. The study aims to identify the MIL self-efficacy level of LIS students and the influence of demographics on this. The study adopted a quantitative approach to identify the MIL level of LIS students using a structured questionnaire. The data was collected from 337 LIS students from different public and private universities in Bangladesh using a convenience sampling technique. The study reveals that LIS students in Bangladesh rated their level of MIL as moderate, but at the same time, they are confident regarding their competence in accessing relevant resources using different media. It is also observed that LIS students’ MIL level is comparatively less in creation than other dimensions like access, evaluation, use, and understanding. The research also found significant differences between the students’ demographics and their MIL level. This is one of the first attempts in Bangladesh to analyze LIS students’ MIL self-efficacy level. The study can be broadened in the future to understand the factors affecting the MIL level of LIS students in Banglaesh by adopting a qualitative research strategy. In addition, the problems can also be identified from future studies which will provide a guideline to the respective LIS departments on how to improve the MIL level of the students.

Relationship between psychological adaptability and work engagement of college teachers within smart teaching environments: the mediating role of digital information literacy self-efficacy

IntroductionIntegrating the Internet and traditional teaching has enriched teaching resources and methods and introduced many advanced digital media. The smart teaching process is influenced by teachers' psychological adaptability, which can be affected by teachers' work engagement. However, the relationship between the two has not received sufficient attention in the literature. This study aims to analyze the relationship between college teachers' psychological adaptability and work engagement in a smart teaching environment.MethodsApplying structural equation modeling (SEM) to a sample of 373 front-line teachers, this study focuses on the mediating effect of digital information literacy self-efficacy on the relationship between teachers' psychological adaptability and work engagement.ResultsThe results show that the four dimensions of college teachers' psychological adaptability strongly influence work engagement and digital information literacy self-efficacy. In particular, teachers' psychological adaptability and work engagement are positively correlated; teachers' self-efficacy can positively affect the three dimensions of their work engagement, and teachers' psychological adaptability can positively affect their digital information literacy self-efficacy.ConclusionThe above results can serve as a basis for the development and improvement of the training of college teachers and the implementation of smart teaching. The study findings highlight the importance of training teachers on information technology teaching and implementing measures to enhance teachers' digital information literacy self-efficacy. Training should focus on the knowledge and skills of teachers using information technology teaching and increase the practical links of teachers using information technology teaching.

Investigating the impact of demographic and academic variables on assessing students' perceived information literacy self-efficacy

This paper explores the demographic and academic variables influencing students' perceived information literacy self-efficacy using Kurbanoglu et al.'s Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale (ILSES) and its two subscales. An online survey was created to gather data from students which contained Bangla version of the 28-item ILSES together with demographic and academic questions. A printed version of the survey was also distributed to students locally. A total of 408 students participated in the study. The findings revealed that students had moderate self-efficacy, with higher confidence in basic and intermediate-level information literacy (IL) tasks compared to advanced skills. There were significant differences in IL self-efficacy based on students' demographic and academic variables. The results suggest that age and computer proficiency were significantly associated with students' self-efficacy beliefs in information literacy. Overall, the 28-item ILSES and its two smaller subscales yielded similar results, indicating that shorter versions of the ILSES can be utilized to reduce questionnaire completion time without compromising the validity of the results. This study highlights the importance of demographic and academic variables in shaping students' IL self-efficacy beliefs and emphasizes the need for providing adequate support and training to improve information skills among students.

Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale: Validating the translated version of the scale for use among Bangla-speaking population

The main aim of this paper is to evaluate the validity of a translated version the Information Literacy Self-Efficacy (ILSE) scale in a different socio-cultural context in Bangladesh. The 28-items of the ILSE scale was translated into Bangla to collect data from students of a public university in Bangladesh. To determine the underlying factor structures of the 28-items scale and its short version of 17-items, exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) were conducted with a sample of 394 students. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were performed with a group of undergraduate students (n = 267) to examine the validity of the scale. The 28-items and 17-items versions of the scale extracted four factors and three factors, respectively. In the CFA analyses, 23 out of the 28-items were found reliable although discriminant validity was not achieved between two constructs. While analyzing the 17-items subscale, 13-items were found to be reliable. Overall, the CFA model fit statistics for both the 23-items and 13-items support the use of the translated version of the ILSE scale for assessing self-efficacy for information literacy among Bangla-speaking population.

Öğretmen Adaylarının Bilimsel Araştırmaya Yönelik Tutumlarının Aracılık Rolü

In this study, it was aimed to determine the indirect effects of pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards scientific research on the relationship between their information literacy self-efficacy, their critical thinking dispositions, and their gender. The population of the research, in which the correlational research model was adopted, consists of pre-service teachers who continue their education at a state university in the Central Anatolia Region in the 2021-2022 academic year; the sample consists of 464 pre-service teachers selected from the population through simple random sampling. Personal information form in which demographic variables were asked, the Attitudes towards Scientific Research Scale, the Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Critical Thinking Tendency Scale were used as data collection tools in the research. Hayes' Model 4 was tested to examine the effect of the mediator variable. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that pre-service teachers' attitudes towards scientific research had a positive partial mediator effect on the relationship between their critical thinking dispositions and information literacy. Similarly, pre-service teachers' attitudes towards scientific research had a positive partial mediator effect on the relationship between their gender and information literacy. Accordingly, it is recommended that faculty members in education faculties plan their lessons in a way that will allow pre-service teachers to increase their positive attitudes towards scientific research.

Information literacy self-efficacy of scientists working at the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

Introduction. This study reports the results of a cross-sectional survey to assess the information literacy self-efficacy of scientists working at the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Lahore, Pakistan. Method. A survey questionnaire containing information literacy self-efficacy scale and some demographic variables was personally administered to all the scientists at e Council. The response rate was 86.42%. Analysis. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for data analysis using SPSS. Results. The results indicated that the scientists assessed themselves as ‘often true’ for overall information literacy self-efficacy scale and its sub-dimensions. However, item-based analysis revealed that these scientists were less comfortable in utilizing advanced level information literacy skills. In addition, the age, sex, academic qualification, research experience, number of research publications, and instruction received appeared to be the predictor of self-efficacy. Conclusions. Since the scientists were less competent in advanced level information literacy skills, efforts should be focused on improving their self-efficacy. There is a critical need for user-centered instruction programmes for in-service staff as well as for future scientists. This study would make a worthy contribution to the existing research on workplace information literacy as no such study was found addressing the context of working scientists.

Instructional elements in an online information literacy Open Educational Resource (OER) and their influence on learner achievement, satisfaction, and self-efficacy

This study tested the influence of instructional elements within an online Open Educational Resource (OER) focused on information literacy (IL) on outcome measures of IL achievement, learner satisfaction and IL self-efficacy among undergraduate students. An online OER was designed to address the domains of access, evaluation and communication of IL guided by the notion of instructional scaffolding and self-regulated learning. Participants were randomly placed into one of six different OER conditions: (a) full version with all instructional elements, (b) lean version, (c) version without tooltip text, (d) version without embedded practice questions, (e) version without learning objectives and (f) version without summaries. There were no significant differences found across the six conditions on the dependent measures. Participants averaged 58% for IL achievement, performing slightly better in the domain of access versus evaluate and communicate. Limitations include a controlled laboratory setting where participants were not necessarily motivated to complete the study tasks at a high level of achievement. Future research can explore more ecologically valid environments where learners might be more motivated, along with more rigorous intervention and assessment construction. This paper includes implications for educators and researchers to explore the established and innovative instructional elements that are natural affordances of an online OER in IL. This paper presents innovative IL instruction that does not require instructor or learner training and evaluates its effectiveness using a sound, replicable methodological approach to isolate the effects of the individual instructional elements.

Workplace information literacy: a case of investigation officers from Punjab Police, Pakistan

Introduction. This research investigated the current state of information literacy development among investigation officers working at the Punjab Police from the division of Sargodha, Pakistan. Method. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted. The questionnaire contained an information literacy self-efficacy scale (25 items) along with other questions and personal variables. The data were collected from 200 respondents through personal visits to each police station of the Sargodha division. Analysis. The data were analyzed by applying both descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS. Results.A majority of participants never received information literacy instructions during their careers. They had basic levels of information literacy, but were not comfortable with advanced levels of information literacy. Age, professional experience, and computer proficiency levels of the participants appeared to predict their information literacy self-efficacy. Conclusions. There is a critical need for information literacy instruction programmes for in-service police officers to improve their skills.

Information literacy self-efficacy versus performance: Secondary students

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.

The Effect of Semester Level on Information Literacy Self-Efficacy by Vocational School Students of Diponegoro University During the Online Learning Period

The emergence of Covid-19 has had a tremendous impact on every line of life. As a form of preventing its spread, the Indonesian government has implemented an online learning system for every level of education. For the established online learning system to run smoothly, it must be supported by several aspects, one of which is the self-efficacy of students' information literacy. This study aims to see the effect of semester level on information literacy self-efficacy by Vocational School students of Diponegoro University during the application of online learning. This study uses a quantitative survey method in data collection. Questionnaires were distributed to 61 respondents from various levels of students at the Vocational School of Diponegoro University. Using the Kruskall Wallis test, the results show that H0 was accepted and H1 was rejected. So it can be concluded that there is no influence between the semester level on the information literacy self-efficacy Vocational School students of Diponegoro University during the online learning period.

ESENSI PROKRASTINASI FUNGSIONAL MEMBENTUK INFORMATION LITERACY SELF-EFFICACY MAHASISWA TINGKAT AKHIR PROGRAM STUDI ILMU PERPUSTAKAAN DI INDONESIA

The process of writing a thesis for final year students of the library science study program provides a new platform for developing the ability to manage information to become new knowledge. It is often mentioned that writing a thesis presents its own challenges for students at every stage. The emergence of functional procrastination activity is no exception. The purpose of this study is to describe the essence of functional procrastination activities in the thesis writing process, both individually and in groups. The research method used is descriptive with a qualitative approach involving library science students from two universities as informants. The results showed that functional procrastination activity is an unavoidable but can be minimized part. This condition occurs because students have difficulty in analyzing and determining information based on their information needs. In general, functional procrastination activities have a positive essence on perfecting the results of the thesis, but it should be understood that these conditions need to be minimized considering the limited processing time and the expiration duration of the data held. In addition, the results of the study also found that a series of processes for completing thesis writing by students is a platform for developing information literacy self-efficacy.

Tourists’ information literacy self-efficacy: its role in their adaptation to the “new normal” in the hotel context

PurposeThis study aims to determine whether the consumer’s information literacy self-efficacy plays a role in their intention to resume their consumption of tourist services – specifically, hotel accommodation – in the context of the “new normal” brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative empirical study is performed on hotel accommodation consumers and a structural equation modeling analysis is used to verify the proposed relationships.FindingsThe findings reveal that the tourist’s information literacy self-efficacy – their ability to find the information they need, use it efficiently and discount fake news – positively influences their perception of hotel safety; and perceived hotel safety increases tourist intention to return to consuming hotel services.Practical implicationsThe results show how the consumer’s intention to return to using hotel services can be enhanced because of their management of information, especially in a crisis context. Hotel firms must position the provision of safety information at the heart of their marketing and communications strategies, and adapt this information to the different processing capabilities of consumers.Social implicationsThis study provides valuable insights into the hotel industry – a major contributor to gross domestic product and employment worldwide that is being particularly hard-hit by the COVID-19 crisis.Originality/valueThis study represents an advance in the literature as it demonstrates – as a novelty – the vital role of consumer information literacy self-efficacy in encouraging people to begin visiting hotels again in the “new normal.”

Finding a New Fit for Student Success: Librarians as Agents of Teaching Innovation and Institutional Change

This article describes the role of librarians as integral partners in the development and implementation of an innovative university quality enhancement plan designed to promote success for undergraduate students seeking major and career clarity. Through collaboration with the university’s center for teaching and learning, librarians are expanding their influence across campus and enhancing their skills as teachers, instructional designers, and institutional change agents. Initial assessment results suggest that librarians are having a demonstrable impact on students’ information literacy self-efficacy. The article discusses opportunities and challenges associated with large-scale collaboration from an administrative and organizational perspective, including recommendations to facilitate success.

Undergraduate information literacy self-efficacy: a cross-sectional study of Cambodian provincial universities

Introduction. This paper examines the information literacy self-efficacy of undergraduate students at provincial universities in Cambodia, and to determine whether there are significant differences in information literacy self-efficacy in terms of sex, academic year, faculty and university. Method. We adapted the information literacy self-efficacy skills survey by Kurbanoglu and administered to 1,009 undergraduate students at three public provincial universities to measure their confidence on information literacy. Analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics using independent sample t-test (t-test) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyse the responses. Results. The results indicated that the information literacy self-efficacy of provincial universities in Cambodia was low as the mean scores were lower than the midpoint value of the original scale. Significant differences were also observed across the faculties and universities. This study revealed no significant difference of information literacy self-efficacy between male and female students. However, significant difference was observed between universities due to the performance of infrastructures and supporting funds. Conclusions. The findings indicated that undergraduate students at the provincial universities in Cambodia exhibited low confidence in information literacy. Policy making on information and communication technologies should be well implemented to provide practical skills to students from first to fourth year.