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Factors in Information Literacy Education
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Factors in Information Literacy Education
Michelle Hale Williams
Jocelyn Jones Evans
University of West Florida
11000 University Parkway
Bldg. 50, Rm. 125
Pensacola, FL 32514
Information literacy is “a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information ” (Association of College and Research Libraries 2000). Information literacy has long been discussed in the field of library science but is only recently becoming applied in specific academic disciplines. Apart from Marfleet and Dille (2005), little research exists on the application of information literacy to the political science curriculum. This paper analyzes data collected from three semesters of the Introduction to Comparative Politics course. A pre-test / post-test design was used to measure student learning. Variables such as major discipline, gender, class year, and grades on several performance indicators are used to identify key patterns in successful information literacy learning among students. Questions that drive this research include: How do major disciplines approach information literacy differently. Is information literacy discipline specific? Does gender affect information literacy aptitude? Do upper division students still need information literacy education? Which students are most deficient in their pre-test knowledge of information literacy? What types of exercises are effective in teaching information literacy? Through analysis of our data, we address these questions and isolate the most significant factors in student learning of information literacy skills. While Marfleet and Dille (2005) find that information literacy knowledge is content neutral and can be applied equally well across academic discipline, our data suggest otherwise. Not only is information literacy significantly associated with several performance indicators, information literacy appears to be discipline specific. Additionally, our study differs from this previous one because we utilize both a pre and post-test (Marfleet and Dille have only a post-test), we examine more independent variables to account for student learning, and we examine a second dependent variable, besides post-test scores. Our second dependent variable is student grades on a research paper assignment designed specifically as a rubric for assessing information literacy skills.
Prepared for presentation at the annual Teaching and Learning Conference of the American Political Science Association, Washington, D.C., February 18-20, 2006.
*This paper is a work in progress. Any use of the material or ideas contained herein should first obtain the permission of the author. Comments are welcome and should be addressed to the authors at:
## email not listed ##
and
## email not listed ##
.
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| | Authors: Williams, Michelle. and Evans, Jocelyn. |
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Factors in Information Literacy Education
Michelle Hale Williams
Jocelyn Jones Evans
University of West Florida
11000 University Parkway
Bldg. 50, Rm. 125
Pensacola, FL 32514
Information literacy is “a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is
needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information
” (Association of College and Research Libraries 2000). Information literacy has long been
discussed in the field of library science but is only recently becoming applied in specific
academic disciplines. Apart from Marfleet and Dille (2005), little research exists on the
application of information literacy to the political science curriculum. This paper analyzes data
collected from three semesters of the Introduction to Comparative Politics course. A pre-test /
post-test design was used to measure student learning. Variables such as major discipline, gender,
class year, and grades on several performance indicators are used to identify key patterns in
successful information literacy learning among students. Questions that drive this research
include: How do major disciplines approach information literacy differently. Is information
literacy discipline specific? Does gender affect information literacy aptitude? Do upper division
students still need information literacy education? Which students are most deficient in their pre-
test knowledge of information literacy? What types of exercises are effective in teaching
information literacy? Through analysis of our data, we address these questions and isolate the
most significant factors in student learning of information literacy skills. While Marfleet and
Dille (2005) find that information literacy knowledge is content neutral and can be applied
equally well across academic discipline, our data suggest otherwise. Not only is information
literacy significantly associated with several performance indicators, information literacy appears
to be discipline specific. Additionally, our study differs from this previous one because we utilize
both a pre and post-test (Marfleet and Dille have only a post-test), we examine more independent
variables to account for student learning, and we examine a second dependent variable, besides
post-test scores. Our second dependent variable is student grades on a research paper assignment
designed specifically as a rubric for assessing information literacy skills.
Prepared for presentation at the annual Teaching and Learning Conference of the American
Political Science Association, Washington, D.C., February 18-20, 2006.
*This paper is a work in progress. Any use of the material or ideas contained herein should first
obtain the permission of the author. Comments are welcome and should be addressed to the
authors at:
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