Dubicki & DaCosta - Taking a peek under the academic kilt to see whether information literacy is revealed!
1. Taking a Peek under the
Academic Kilt to see Whether
Information Literacy is Revealed
Eleonora Dubicki, Monmouth University
Jacqui Weetman DaCosta
2. Research Objectives
This study looks at the perceptions of
faculty regarding information literacy
(IL).
Assessment of the importance & value
faculty place on the ACRL Information
Literacy Standards,
Infusion of standards into the
curriculum
Assessment of the competency level
of students in achieving these skills
How students develop IL skills
3. Methodology
10-minute online survey
Four New Jersey institutions
participated
◦ 2 two-year colleges
◦ 2 four-year private universities
178 respondents
4. ACRL IL Standards
1. Identifies and addresses information
need
2. Accesses information effectively and
efficiently
3. Evaluates and thinks critically about
information
4. Uses information effectively for a
specific purpose
5. Uses information ethically and legally
6. Importance of Skills
Respondents gave “very important” rating:
1. Evaluates and thinks critically about information
(96.07%)
2. Uses information ethically and legally (90.45%)
3. Identifies and addresses information need (88.76%)
4. Uses information effectively and efficiently (87.08%)
5. Accesses information effectively and efficiently
(85.39%)
12. Conclusions
Information literacy = research skills
Faculty agree students should achieve
skills by graduation, but only 55% do
Major deficiency in critical thinking and
evaluation
More campus collaboration
13. Recommendations
Explanation of research process
Collaboration with faculty/writing
centers
Faculty workshops
Identify key courses for library
instruction
More individual & small group
instruction
Develop virtual IL website
14. Further Reading on This
Topic
Bury, S. (2011) Faculty attitudes, perceptions and
experiences of information literacy: a study across
multiple disciplines at York University, Canada.
Journal of Information Literacy, 5(1), pp. 45-64.
Weetman DaCosta, J. (2010) Is there an
information literacy skills gap to be bridged? An
examination of faculty perceptions and activities
relating to information literacy in the United States
and England. College and Research Libraries, 71
(3), pp. 203-222.
Weetman, J. (2005) Osmosis – does it work for the
development of information literacy? Journal of
Academic Librarianship, vol. 31 (5), pp 456 – 460.