Quick library fix or basic educational skills? : information literacy in higher education

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with how students in higher education can benefit from an embedded information literacy (IL) course. Most information literacy courses are given, by librarians, as single, stand-alone lectures, unconnected with the subject discipline. This is in sharp contrast to most of the learning theorist, who state that learning in context is vital. I conducted a quasi-experiment with radiography students in Gjøvik University College in Norway, embedding information literacy elements into a module about oncology. The results from the experiment are presented and commented, and they are discussed from a broader perspective of information literacy in general, focusing on how librarians use the terms and what they mean in a practical setting. This thesis is divided into three main parts. After the introduction, the first part begins with the experiment and the results from the experiment as well as some discussions around them. The second part evolves around issues connected with how we teach and learn as well as assessment methods. The third part is a presentation of some of the concepts connected to information literacy, some of the frameworks that exist and a discussion about terms. This is followed by a final discussion and conclusions. Main findings from this study are that librarians face a role extension with regards to teaching. More academic librarians will probably begin teaching and there is a need for better education and mentorships. It is not possible to teach in a vacuum and librarians and faculty staff must find better collaboration methods in order to make the IL courses effective and valuable for the students. There is also a great need for better assessment tools and efficient use of these to get a better view of what the students need. Librarians must go further into the students` academic texts and act as mentors and guides. Information literacy is not a “quick library fix”; but rather a set of complex information skills that can only be taught and nurtured through the subject disciplines in the educational context.