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1 – 10 of 463Simone Julie-Ann Harrison and Mark-Jeffery O'niel Deans
The purpose of the study is to highlight the need for academic librarians to incorporate effective methodologies in their delivery of information literacy instruction.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to highlight the need for academic librarians to incorporate effective methodologies in their delivery of information literacy instruction.
Design/methodology/approach
The researchers conducted a qualitative research using a case study approach. A nonprobability or purposive sampling method was employed in this research to select five participants. Semistructured interviews and observation were used to garner data from the sample.
Findings
The findings of the study revealed that the support required by distance education and face-to-face students is typically the same. An examination of the findings pointed to the fact that some students may be demotivated in information literacy instruction sessions because of an overload of information, which leads to frustration and poor performance.
Practical implications
The findings of the study highlight the need for Caribbean academic librarians to incorporate effective methodologies in their delivery of information literacy instruction and provide an analytical view of how these methodologies may impact performance, understanding and the overall work produced by both students and faculty.
Originality/value
Research on the topic specific to the Caribbean is limited; therefore, research of this nature provides useful strategies that academic librarians may use in developing stellar information literacy programs in the Caribbean to help both students and faculty members achieve excellence.
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Brian Bielenberg and Maxine Gillway
The United Arab Emirates University has implemented a unique adaptation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) to meet the short, medium and long-term interdisciplinary developmental…
Abstract
The United Arab Emirates University has implemented a unique adaptation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) to meet the short, medium and long-term interdisciplinary developmental needs of its first-year university students (Learner Training, Thinking Skills, Application of Knowledge, Information Literacy, and Communication). This paper highlights the process of adapting PBL to the foundation year context and presents initial findings demonstrating its positive impact. These findings provide evidence that this adaptation of PBL supports the development of important life-long learning skills, can motivate and engage students, and enables them to make a variety of connections to other subjects, to other students (a community of learners), and to the broader community.
Stefan Dreisiebner, Anna Katharina Polzer, Lyn Robinson, Paul Libbrecht, Juan-José Boté-Vericad, Cristóbal Urbano, Thomas Mandl, Polona Vilar, Maja Žumer, Mate Juric, Franjo Pehar and Ivanka Stričević
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the rationale, technical framework, content creation workflow and evaluation for a multilingual massive open online course (MOOC) to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the rationale, technical framework, content creation workflow and evaluation for a multilingual massive open online course (MOOC) to facilitate information literacy (IL) considering cultural aspects.
Design/methodology/approach
A good practice analysis built the basis for the technical and content framework. The evaluation approach consisted of three phases: first, the students were asked to fill out a short self-assessment questionnaire and a shortened adapted version of a standardized IL test. Second, they completed the full version of the IL MOOC. Third, they were asked to fill out the full version of a standardized IL test and a user experience questionnaire.
Findings
The results show that first the designed workflow was suitable in practice and led to the implementation of a full-grown MOOC. Second, the implementation itself provides implications for future projects developing multilingual educational resources. Third, the evaluation results show that participants achieved significantly higher results in a standardized IL test after attending the MOOC as mandatory coursework. Variations between the different student groups in the participating countries were observed. Fourth, self-motivation to complete the MOOC showed to be a challenge for students asked to attend the MOOC as nonmandatory out-of-classroom task. It seems that multilingual facilitation alone is not sufficient to increase active MOOC participation.
Originality/value
This paper presents an innovative approach of developing multilingual IL teaching resources and is one of the first works to evaluate the impact of an IL MOOC on learners' experience and learning outcomes in an international evaluation study.
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Patrick Ajibade and Ndakasharwa Muchaonyerwa
This study aims to promote the need for advanced skills acquisition within the LIS and academic libraries. This study focuses on the importance of library management systems and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to promote the need for advanced skills acquisition within the LIS and academic libraries. This study focuses on the importance of library management systems and the need for the graduates to be equipped with analytics skills. Combined with basic data, text mining and analytics, knowledge classification and information audit skills would benefit libraries and improve resource allocation. Agile institutional libraries in this big data era success hinge on the ability to perform depth analytics of both data and text to generate useful insight for information literacy training and information governance.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopted a living-lab methodology to use existing technology to conduct system analysis and LMS audit of an academic library of one of the highly ranked universities in the world. One of the benefits of this approach is the ability to apply technological innovation and tools to carry out research that is relevant to the context of LIS or other research fields such as management, education, humanities and social sciences. The techniques allow us to gain access to publicly available information because of system audits that were performed. The level of responsiveness of the online library was accessed, and basic information audits were conducted.
Findings
This study indicated skill gaps in the LIS training and the academic libraries in response to the fourth industrial technologies. This study argued that the role of skill acquisition and how it can foster data-driven library management operations. Hence, data mining, text mining and analytics are needed to probe into such massive, big data housed in the various libraries’ repositories. This study, however, indicated that without retraining of librarians or including this analytics programming in the LIS curriculum, the libraries would not be able to reap the benefits these techniques provided.
Research limitations/implications
This paper covered research within the general and academic libraries and the broader LIS fields. The same principle and concept is very important for both public and private libraries with substantial usage and patrons.
Practical implications
This paper indicated that librarianship training must fill the gaps within the LIS training. This can be done by including data mining, data analytics, text mining and processing in the curriculum. This skill will enable the news graduates to have skills to assist the library managers in making informed decisions based on user-generated content (UGC), LMS system audits and information audits. Thus, this paper provided practical insights and suggested solutions for academic libraries to improve the agility of information services.
Social implications
The academic librarian can improve institutional and LMS management through insights that are generated from the user. This study indicated that libraries' UGC could serve as robust insights into library management.
Originality/value
This paper argued that the librarian expertise transcends information literacy and knowledge classification and debated the interwoven of LMS and data analytics, text mining and analysis as a solution to improve efficient resources and training.
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Xanthippi Tsortanidou, Thanasis Daradoumis and Elena Barberá
This paper aims to present a novel pedagogical model that aims at bridging creativity with computational thinking (CT) and new media literacy skills at low-technology, information…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a novel pedagogical model that aims at bridging creativity with computational thinking (CT) and new media literacy skills at low-technology, information-rich learning environments. As creativity, problem solving and collaboration are among the targeted skills in twenty-first century, this model promotes the acquisition of these skills towards a holistic development of students in primary and secondary school settings. In this direction, teaching students to think like a computer scientist, an economist, a physicist or an artist can be achieved through CT practices, as well as media arts practices. The interface between these practices is imagination, a fundamental concept in the model. Imaginative teaching methods, computer science unplugged approach and low-technology prototyping method are used to develop creativity, CT, collaboration and new media literacy skills in students. Furthermore, cognitive, emotional, physical and social abilities are fostered. Principles and guidelines for the implementation of the model in classrooms are provided by following the design thinking process as a methodological tool, and a real example implemented in a primary school classroom is described. The added value of this paper is that it proposes a pedagogical model that can serve as a pool of pedagogical approaches implemented in various disciplines and grades, as CT curriculum frameworks for K-6 are still in their infancy. Further research is needed to define the point at which unplugged approach should be replaced or even combined with plugged-in approach and how this proposed model can be enriched.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a pedagogical model that aims at bridging creativity with CT, collaboration and new media literacy skills.
Findings
The proposed model follows a pedagogy-driven approach rather a technology-driven one as the authors suggest its implementation in low-tech, information-rich learning environments without computers. The added value of this paper is that it proposes a novel pedagogical model that can serve as a pool of pedagogical approaches and as a framework implemented in various disciplines and grades. A CT curriculum framework for K-6 is an area of research that is still in its infancy (Angeli et al., 2016), so this model is intended to provide a holistic perspective over this area by focusing how to approach the convergence among CT, collaboration and creativity skills in practice rather than what to teach. Based on literature, the authors explained how multiple moments impact on CT, creativity and collaboration development and presented the linkages among them. Successful implementation of CT requires not only computer science and mathematics but also imaginative capacities involving innovation and curiosity (The College Board, 2012). It is necessary to understand the CT implications for teaching and learning beyond the traditional applications on computer science and mathematics (Kotsopoulos et al., 2017) and start paying more attention to CT implications on social sciences and non-cognitive skills. Though the presented example (case study) seems to exploit the proposed multiple moments model at optimal level, empirical evidence is needed to show its practical applicability in a variety of contexts and not only in primary school settings. Future studies can extend, enrich or even alter some of its elements through experimental applications on how all these macro/micromoments work in practice in terms of easiness in implementation, flexibility, social orientation and skills improvement.
Originality/value
The added value of this paper is that it joins learning theories, pedagogical methods and necessary skills acquisition in an integrated manner by proposing a pedagogical model that can orient activities and educational scenarios by giving principles and guidelines for teaching practice.
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This study aims to assess the spread of environmental literacy graduation requirements at public universities in the USA, and to highlight factors that mediate the adoption of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to assess the spread of environmental literacy graduation requirements at public universities in the USA, and to highlight factors that mediate the adoption of this curriculum innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
The author analyzed the undergraduate general education curriculum requirements at all 549 public BA-granting higher education institutions in the USA between 2020 and 2022.
Findings
The study found that only 27 US public universities out of 540 have an environmental literacy graduation requirement, which represents 5% of universities and is substantially lower than previous estimates.
Originality/value
First, this study provides a more complete, more reliable and more current assessment of the graduation requirement’s presence at US tertiary institutions, and shows the number of universities that have implemented this innovation is lower than was estimated a decade ago. Second, it draws from the scholarship on the infusion of sustainability into the university curriculum to provide a comprehensive discussion of factors that mediate the pursuit and implementation of the graduation requirement. As well, it identifies factors that played a key role in one pertinent case.
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Maroun El Rayess, Charla Chebl, Joseph Mhanna and Re-Mi Hage
The purpose of this paper is to provide library professionals with insights into students’ fake news judgment and the importance of teaching media and information literacy, not as…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide library professionals with insights into students’ fake news judgment and the importance of teaching media and information literacy, not as an option but as a core educational requirement.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualtrics was used to collect the study data. Students completed a set of tasks designed in the form of a survey that entailed verifying whether news, stories, images and news sources were real, fake, dubious or trustworthy. Statistical tests were used to asses whether their responses depended on criteria, such as faculty and gender.
Findings
No significant relationship exists between the students’ responses and variables, such as gender, student category, fact-checking and source of information. The findings reveal that students’ ability to identify the authoritativeness of information is dependent on the faculty in which they are enrolled.
Originality/value
This paper reports the first known attempt in Lebanon to measure students’ ability in distinguishing fake from real news. The results of this paper can be used by library professionals, particularly in Lebanon, to convey the importance of teaching and embedding media and information literacy into their curriculum.
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Sanaz Soltani and Shahrokh Nikou
Information literacy is defined as discrete abilities that a person requires to have in order to find, assess, use and share information. As information literacy skills play a…
Abstract
Purpose
Information literacy is defined as discrete abilities that a person requires to have in order to find, assess, use and share information. As information literacy skills play a prominent role in the students' academic achievement, students and in particular international students coming to continue their postgraduate studies in other countries may face problems in finding and using library services. The purpose of this paper is to explore and investigate the information literacy skills, challenges and needs of international and domestic students at the Finnish universities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey (82 respondents) and qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 international and 10 domestic students.
Findings
Academic library services are used but in different ways. The findings indicate that international students have a relatively low level of information literacy skills compared to domestic students and faces various challenges, especially in the beginning of their studies.
Research limitations/implications
The study was exploratory, and data were collected from limited number of Finnish universities and may not be representative of the underlying population.
Practical implications
Academic libraries should provide effective courses on research methods and library services to the international students while keeping in mind the international students language and cultural barriers.
Originality/value
This is one of the first attempts in information literacy research that focusses on international and domestic students' information literacy skills at the higher education environment. As such, the results provided in this paper can help librarians and decision-makers at the higher education environments to plan better and become more efficient in delivering information services meeting students' information needs and expectations.
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The Open University (OU) in the UK has been providing distance learning since 1969. The purpose of this case study is to outline the impact that The OU Library in the UK has had…
Abstract
Purpose
The Open University (OU) in the UK has been providing distance learning since 1969. The purpose of this case study is to outline the impact that The OU Library in the UK has had on student learning outcomes by embedding academic literature and digital and information literacy (DIL) skills materials in the curriculum.
Design/methodology/approach
The case study presents an overview of the university context, including how the curriculum is developed. It discusses the role of the library in this process, outlining how librarians work with academic staff to embed skills and literature in the curriculum. Unique in-house technical solutions are presented to aid future approaches to providing distance library services.
Findings
The impact of the library on university education is discussed. Findings from qualitative research are presented, outlining the value the university places on the role of the library as an educational partner. Quantitative research studies are also presented, outlining the positive relationships between library content access and training attendance with student success.
Practical implications
As universities are considering their distance-learning offerings post-COVID-19, it is hoped that this case study will help both library and university administrators examine the role of their libraries in this strategy.
Originality/value
A case study on the approach The OU Library takes to support education in its broadest sense has not been published before.
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The purpose of this paper is to characterize library and information science (LIS) as fragmenting discipline both historically and by applying Whitley’s (1984) theory about the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to characterize library and information science (LIS) as fragmenting discipline both historically and by applying Whitley’s (1984) theory about the organization of sciences and Fuchs’ (1993) theory about scientific change.
Design/methodology/approach
The study combines historical source analysis with conceptual and theoretical analysis for characterizing LIS. An attempt is made to empirically validate the distinction between LIS context, L&I services and information seeking as fragmented adhocracies and information retrieval and scientific communication (scientometrics) as technologically integrated bureaucracies.
Findings
The origin of fragmentation in LIS due the contributions of other disciplines can be traced in the 1960s and 1970s for solving the problems produced by the growth of scientific literature. Computer science and business established academic programs and started research relevant to LIS community focusing on information retrieval and bibliometrics. This has led to differing research interests between LIS and other disciplines concerning research topics and methods. LIS has been characterized as fragmented adhocracy as a whole, but we make a distinction between research topics LIS context, L&I services and information seeking as fragmented adhocracies and information retrieval and scientific communication (scientometrics) as technologically integrated bureaucracies.
Originality/value
The paper provides an elaborated historical perspective on the fragmentation of LIS in the pressure of other disciplines. It also characterizes LIS as discipline in a fresh way by applying Whitley’s (1984) theory.
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