The aim of this Master’s thesis is to examine how teachers of primary school students view the concept of information literacy and their classroom practices related to this subject. In addition, the study was designed to compare teachers’ understanding of information literacy in two European countries, Norway and Hungary. In spite of the fact that both countries are European developed countries with a similar culture and educational purposes, the economic difference can affect their possibilities to profit from the rapidly developing internet and information technologies. This study investigates the assumption that the differences between teachers’ answers in the two countries will be more and more significant on each further step of Van Dijk’s model of access: motivational, material, skills, and usage access. The study has a socio-economic perspective and the empirical data was collected through quantitative web-based questionnaire. The findings indicate that most of the teachers have a good understanding of the concept of information literacy and they are aware of the importance of information literacy skills to some level. Exploring the teachers’ classroom practices, I found that they do teach information literacy skills, and they do have classroom practices which can facilitate the improvement of information literacy skills, but there is a difference between the Norwegian and Hungarian teachers’ practices. The findings of the study confirm my initial assumption and are consistent with the pattern that I would expect to find according to the Van Dijk’s model, and thus, with the influence of the socio-economic features on teachers’ view on information literacy and their classroom practices related to teaching information literacy skills.

Information literacy is widely acknowledged as important for student success in higher education. Information literacy is the ability to sort through a large amount of available information, decide what is useful and believable, and apply it in an effective and ethical way. Faculty members have expectations regarding information literacy for students in the first year of college, while students have information literacy practices that may or may not match those expectations. In my study, I examined the alignment of faculty member information literacy expectations and student information literacy practices, focusing on freshman students and faculty members who teach freshman students in a required general education course at a public university in the northwestern United States. Using an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design, I began my study with qualitative interviews of students and faculty members, used data from the interviews to develop a survey instrument, conducted a pilot study with the survey instrument, and used the survey instrument to administer an online quantitative survey to 106 students and 10 faculty members. The survey consisted of 42 items pertaining to student practices and faculty expectations as identified by student and faculty member interview participants. Survey data showed the percentage of faculty members expecting a practice was generally higher than the percentage of students carrying out that practice. Overall, the study findings revealed a gap between faculty expectations and student practices.

This study explored what effect information literacy instruction (ILI) may have on both a generalized anxiety state and library anxiety specifically. The population studied was international students using resources in a community college. Library anxiety among international students begins with certain barriers that cause anxiety (i.e., language/communication barriers, adjusting to a new education/library system and general cultural adjustments). Library Anxiety is common among college students and is characterized by feelings of negative emotions including, ruminations, tension, fear and mental disorganization (Jiao & Onwuegbuzie, 1999a). This often occurs when a student contemplates conducting research in a library and is due to any number of perceived inabilities about using the library. In order for students to become successful in their information seeking behavior this anxiety needs to be reduced. The study used two groups of international students enrolled in the English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) program taking credit courses. Each student completed Bostick's Library Anxiety Scale (LAS) and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess anxiety level before and after treatment. Subjects were given a research assignment that required them to use library resources. Treatment: Group 1 (experimental group) attended several library instruction classes (the instruction used Kuhltau's information search process model). Group 2 (control group) was in the library working on assignment but did not receive any formal library instruction. After the treatment the researcher and ESOL program instructor(s) measured the level of anxiety between groups. ANCOVA was used to analyze Hypotheses 1 and 2, which compared pretest and posttest for each group. Research assignment grades were used to analyze Hypothesis 3 comparing outcomes among the two groups. The results of the analysis ascertained that ILI was associated with reducing state and library anxiety among international students when given an assignment using library resources.

This dissertation reports on a study of the self-reported readiness of undergraduate first-year students at a very large distance teaching institution, the University of South Africa (Unisa). The Unisa library does not offer an online information literacy programme for distance students and has not conducted surveys on students’ needs and their readiness for using online information resources and an online learning management system. The main research question thus was: What are the information seeking behaviour and the readiness of Unisa distance students in using and accessing the library online resources? Sub-questions were: • What has been reported on information literacy and information literacy programmes for distance students, with special reference to online programmes? • What has been reported on virtual learning environments with specific reference to distance education? • What are the students’ self-rated perceptions of their information literacy skills? • What are the students’ information seeking behaviour and preferences in using online information resources? • What are the students’ self-rated perceptions in using an online learning management system in a virtual learning environment? The Unisa School of Accountancy served as case study. All students enrolled for first- year modules in the School of Accountancy (including the Departments of Auditing, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting and Taxation) were invited to participate in the survey. Data collection occurred in July and August 2015 by means of a self-administered, semi-structured online questionnaire survey. In total 587 students responded, resulting in 525 usefully completed questionnaires. Most of the students were geographically remote from the institution and the library and its branches. The study collected mostly descriptive quantitative data, with limited qualitative data. The quantitative data were analysed by means of a statistical package (SAS JMP version 12), and the qualitative data by means of thematic analysis. The questionnaire covered self-reported information seeking behaviour when using the library’s online resources, whether students had received training on information literacy skills, and if these skills were effective enough to assist them to locate and access the library’s diverse online information resources relevant to their studies. It also collected data on their readiness to use an online learning management system. The limitations of self-reporting are acknowledged; in this case it was considered appropriate to determine lack of skills. Although the findings cannot be generalised to all Unisa or all distance students, they can inform recommendations on the need for an online information literacy skills programme for distance students and methods to conduct similar studies of students’ readiness to use such a programme. Respondents lacked information literacy skills that could enable them to access or use the online library resources from a distance. They lacked skills in using the virtual learning environment system, experienced problems in accessing the library from a distance, could not use databases to access online full-text articles and were often not aware of the library website and how it could be used. It is recommended that the Unisa library consider developing an online information literacy programme that adheres to international standards and guidelines for information literacy, and that this be informed by the needs expressed by students from diverse disciplines and study years and their self-reported information-seeking behaviour. For distance students a programme must be available through a virtual learning environment and this must be linked to the library’s website and marketing efforts. KEYWORDS • Case study • Distance education • Distance libraries • Distance students • Information literacy skills • Information seeking behaviour • Online information literacy programmes • Online information seeking behaviour / Dissertation (MIS)-University of Pretoria, 2017. / University of South Africa (UNISA) / Information Science / MIS / Unrestricted

The aim of the thesis is to gather data for the creation of information literacy standards for graduates of 9th grade of elementary school in the Czech Republic. The theoretical part contains the definition of information literacy, organizations in the field of information literacy, documents in the information society, as well as existing standards of information literacy in the Czech Republic and abroad. Finally, research activities in the field of information literacy in the Czech Republic are described. In the practical part, the analysis of the current situation in the information literacy development in the UK and Sweden is introduced. The analysis of the currricula of selected elementary and grammar schoools in Benešov distrikt is described as well. The main contribution of this thesis is the analysis of the selected schools and a proposal of the information literacy standards. Keywords information literacy information literacy standards education elementary education elementary school

Information fluency refers to the ability to recognize information needs and to gather, evaluate, and communicate information appropriately. In this study, I treat "information fluency" as both an overall competency and as a collection of knowledge and skills. The purpose of this study is to explore the specific workplace information fluency skills valued by employers of technical communicators, to find out how instructors perceive and teach these skills, and to suggest how these findings can inform our teaching practices. Within the framework of qualitative methodology, this study employs two data-collection instruments, including a content analysis of online job recruitment postings and a survey of technical communication instructors across the United States. The study discovers that when hiring technical communicators, employers require candidates to have skills in information processing, information technology, and critical thinking. Candidates must be able to identify their information needs, and must know how to use specified tools to gather, evaluate, and communicate information. It also reveals that although "information fluency" is a new terminology to a majority of instructors, the skill sets that constitute information fluency already existed in their knowledge. The study's last finding suggests that the opportunity for an internship is perceived as the most helpful in students' acquisition of information fluency skills. This dissertation concludes with a list of specific employer-valued information fluency skills, recommendations for program administrators and instructors for implementing information fluency, as well as recommendations for future researches on this subject.

<p>The aim of the research project is to investigate the effectiveness of an information literacy intervention for first year engineering students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Information literacy has been identified as a necessary outcome of tertiary education. It refers to the life-long learning competencies of finding and using information in order to solve problems, to make decisions and to create new knowledge. Information literacy education has evolved from earlier forms of library user education, such as bibliographic instruction, and is central to the mission of academic libraries. However, librarians responsible for information literacy programmes seldom evaluate the effectiveness of their interventions. In today&rsquo / s climate of accountability and outcomes-based education, it is necessary to provide evidence of the benefits of the user education that libraries provide. The researcher uses the American College and Research Library (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, which are internationally recognized and widely used by South African academic librarians, as a benchmark to evaluate an intervention for a group of first year students enrolled for a mechanical engineering course. The intervention consists of two workshops which aim to teach the students to find information relevant to their essays via the university&rsquo / s OPAC, various engineering databases and to teach them how to reference and cite their sources in their essays. The research methodology assessed students&rsquo / information literacy before and after the two workshops with the use of a questionnaire consisting of a set of questions based on some of the ACRL standards. The questionnaire also gathered data on students&rsquo / prior experience of libraries, reading and computers, which might impact on their information literacy...</p>

<p>The aim of the research project is to investigate the effectiveness of an information literacy intervention for first year engineering students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Information literacy has been identified as a necessary outcome of tertiary education. It refers to the life-long learning competencies of finding and using information in order to solve problems, to make decisions and to create new knowledge. Information literacy education has evolved from earlier forms of library user education, such as bibliographic instruction, and is central to the mission of academic libraries. However, librarians responsible for information literacy programmes seldom evaluate the effectiveness of their interventions. In today&rsquo / s climate of accountability and outcomes-based education, it is necessary to provide evidence of the benefits of the user education that libraries provide. The researcher uses the American College and Research Library (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, which are internationally recognized and widely used by South African academic librarians, as a benchmark to evaluate an intervention for a group of first year students enrolled for a mechanical engineering course. The intervention consists of two workshops which aim to teach the students to find information relevant to their essays via the university&rsquo / s OPAC, various engineering databases and to teach them how to reference and cite their sources in their essays. The research methodology assessed students&rsquo / information literacy before and after the two workshops with the use of a questionnaire consisting of a set of questions based on some of the ACRL standards. The questionnaire also gathered data on students&rsquo / prior experience of libraries, reading and computers, which might impact on their information literacy...</p>

1 online resource (xii, 184 leaves : ill.) / A high level of literacy is essential if a child is to be employable and determines the role a person will play in the globalised information age. In South Africa the literacy levels, including reading levels, of school children is extremely low. The study forms part of a longitudinal reading and literacy intervention project undertaken over a five year period in two disadvantaged primary schools in an urban township. The project focused on capacity building and resource building of the school community including the teachers, learners, school librarians and parents. This dissertation describes an action research study that focused specifically on setting up school libraries in each of these schools and the professional development of the teachers in order to contribute to the teaching and learning practices in the schools. It offers critical reflections on the process and findings and contributes to research on school libraries in South Africa. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

資訊技術與通信科技的發展，將人類文明自工業社會帶入後工業社會的資訊社會，於資訊社會中，資訊已成為現代人生活的必需品，尤其，網際網路的興起，猶如個資訊海，充斥著各式各樣的資訊，雖然帶來生活上的便利與充實，但是大量的資訊卻也帶來人們的壓力，為免於落伍，不會為社會所淘汰，因此，資訊社會中持續地追求新知、不斷學習，已成為未來的生活方式。資訊和知識的最大差別，在於資訊只是經過整理的數據，而知識卻是經過反思消化後融入個人的知識體系□，如何將資訊轉化為知識，是身處知識經濟時代中個人不可或缺的能力。 對傳播學門而言，由於傳播新科技的運用，無論是電腦中介傳播或是網路的應用，不僅改變了傳播的媒介型式，甚至造成傳播理論的變化，影響了整個傳播學門的教育；而研究典範的變遷，由傳統陳述性的專業知識，轉為程序性與情境知識，提供問題導向與資訊處理的知識，學生要有分析環境、探索問題的能力。能察覺何時需要資訊，且有能力去搜尋、評估及有效使用資訊的一系列能力，稱之為「資訊素養」。因此，身處於現代社會的傳播學門的大學生，應具有怎樣的資訊素養能力，才能順應個人及未來工作上之需要，且能弭平人與人間的數位落差。 本論文主要是探討傳播學門大學生資訊素養能力，採疊慧法進行研究，由傳播學門專家、圖書資訊學門專家及大學圖書館館員共同參與，將資訊素養能力分成：資訊需求認知能力、資訊取用能力、資訊評估能力、資訊利用能力、資訊倫理能力等五大面向，透過三回合的問卷反覆調查，當所有參與者的意見達到一致性與穩定性，則視為研究結束。研究結果：界定了傳播學門的資訊素養意涵、建構了81項傳播學門大學生資訊素養能力指標、瞭解美國「高等教育資訊素養能力標準」於國內的適用情形、及獲得傳播學門特色的資訊素養能力。最後建議應訂定我國的資訊素養能力標準、強化傳播學門的課程設計、提供圖書館利用教育之參考、及研擬資訊素養教育相關之課程教材。 / The development of information and communication technology had brought forth human being’s information society from industrial society to post-industrial society. In the information society, the information has already become the part of the necessities of everyday life especially after the blooming of the world wide web. WWW, like an information ocean, provides a rich, easy, and various information. People are not only enjoying the benefits of information utilization from it, but also feel the stress from the massing information. It has already become a life pattern that people keep on learning new knowledge in order to prevent elimination from the modern information society. The major difference between information and knowledge is that information is sort of formulated materials, whereas knowledge is integrated to individual knowledge base after personal recognizing. For people in the modern knowledge economical century, it seems extremely important to get competency of transfer information to knowledge. For Communication field, it has changed the communication media type and communication theory due to the applications of computer mediated communication and internet utilization; furthermore, has influenced the entire communication education. The research paradigm has shifted from the declarative knowledge to procedural and context knowledge, which has provided the problem oriented knowledge and the information handling knowledge. Student needs to equip with environment analysis and problem tracing capabilities. It is called “information literacy” which is a set of abilities to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information. Hence, being a communication undergraduate student in the modern society, what should owns the competencies of information literacy in order to meet the requirements of the workplace and to bridge the gap of digital divide between human beings. This thesis explored the information literacy competencies for undergraduate students in communication applying by Delphi methodology. The Delphi panel collaborated with several communication experts, library information experts and academic librarians. Information literacy competency was carried out the following five facets: information needs recognition, information access ability, information evaluation capability, information utilization ability, and information ethics ability. The study was ended when all participants’ opinions had reach consensus or stability after three rounds of questionnaire survey. Results from experts’ consensus included that: (1) recognized the definition of information literacy in communication, (2) constructed the 81 items of information literacy indicators for the communication, (3) understood the application status for ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education in Taiwan and (4) acquired the features of information literacy competency of the communication. Finally, it was suggested to build up the local information literacy competency standards, to reinforce the communication curriculum design, to provide the guidance for the library instruction program, and to plan forward the information literacy educational curriculum resource materials.