Three teaching methods, applied to credit-bearing information literacy (IL) university courses, were evaluated and compared. The effects of lecture-based learning (LBL), project-based learning (PjBL) and problem-based learning (PBL) were investigated using the information literacy test (ILT) as an assessment tool, with regard to the total ILT score, specific IL contents according to the five ACRL standards and students’ mental skills according to the Bloom’s cognitive categories. While all three teaching methods showed a significant improvement in the ILT post-test, the active-learning groups of PjBL and PBL scored significantly better than the LBL group. The most notable positive difference was observed in students’ effective access to information related to database searching skills, in the intellectual property/ethics issues and in the cognitive category of comprehension. The PjBL and PBL post-test results did not differ significantly, indicating that both active learning methods resulted in similar improvements of students’ IL.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, effective use of information and communication technology (ICT), access to data sources, and critical evaluation of new information were essential for successful distance learning. University students need both information literacy (IL) and scientific literacy (SL) to learn and conduct research. This study examined the level of IL of 561 undergraduate and graduate students. We investigated the impact of scientific literacy (SL), ICT use, psychological/learning characteristics, and demographic parameters on student IL. The effects of a credit-bearing IL course were studied on 151 students, comparing three teaching methods. The average IL test performance of 67.6% did not differ significantly by student gender or natural/social science orientation. Of the IL topics, students were least proficient in legal/ethical issues, followed by information searching. Students’ knowledge of IL and SL was comparable and decreased with cognitive level. While ownership of ICT devices and ICT-rich courses had no effect on the level of IL, confidence in using the Internet correlated significantly with IL. Also, IL correlated positively with students’ self-concepts about learning and problem-solving, as well as their self-efficacy, but motivation played a smaller role. The credit-bearing IL study course was most effective when active learning methods were used.

Izvleček Namen: V članku predstavljamo in celoti objavljamo validiran test informacijske pismenosti (IP) v visokem šolstvu v slovenskem jeziku. Glavni namen raziskave je bil razvoj novega merskega instrumenta, ki omogoča vrednotenje IP študentov, prepoznavanje razlik v glavnih sklopih vsebin po merilih in kazalcih IP, ter preverjanje kognitivnih stopenj – znanja, razumevanja in uporabe vsebin IP-ja. Metodologija/pristop: Po analizi meril in kazalcev IP-ja v visokem šolstvu smo izdelali zbirko 80 vprašanj ter jih kategorizirali glede na merila IP-ja in Bloomove kognitivne stopnje. V test smo vključili štirideset vprašanj s po štirimi odgovori izbirnega tipa. Po validaciji testa v več skupinah študentov smo v končno raziskavo zajeli 987 študentov univerzitetnih in višješolskih študijev. Za statistične izračune smo uporabili SPSS ver. 22. Rezultati: Novi test za vrednotenje IP-ja vsebuje 40 vprašanj, ki so kategorizirana glede na vsebino in kognitivne stopnje IP-ja. Potrdili smo zanesljivost (Cronbachov alfa 0,715) in diskriminantno moč testa (Fergusonov delta 0,946), izdelali opisne statistike celotnega testa (povprečni dosežek 67 %), analizo pravilnosti po posameznih vprašanjih, analizo dosežkov po posameznih merilih IP-ja ter analizo dosežkov po Bloomovih kognitivnih stopnjah. Omejitve raziskave: Za vrednotenje podrobnih vsebin IP-ja bi test moral vsebovati večje število vprašanj, za preverjanje najvišjih kognitivnih ravni pa uporabne naloge odprtega tipa. Izvirnost/uporabnost raziskave: Nov merski instrument za vrednotenje IP-ja študentov v slovenskem jeziku je prosto dostopen vsem zainteresiranim raziskovalcem in pedagogom. Ključne besede: informacijska pismenost, merila, kognitivne stopnje, test, študenti, visoko šolstvo

This contribution summarizes the results of the evaluation of information literacy (IL) of 677 higher education students enrolled in study programs of life sciences, health, technologies, and social sciences at six Slovenian faculties. The information literacy test (ILT) that was developed, verified and validated by the authors in a previous work served as the IL measuring instrument. Statistical analyses of ILT responses were performed in SPSS. The results suggest that, on average, Slovenian students’ IL is satisfactory and improves with years of education. On average, students know information sources and adequately evaluate the collected information. They possess skills to use the information in academic work and to synthesize data into knowledge. However, students are less proficient in advanced search strategies available in scientific and patent databases. The main deficit in students’ knowledge is evident in topics related to intellectual property rights and in ethical issues related to acquisition and use of information. Students that participated in an IL-specific study course significantly improved their ILT achievement, most significantly in topics where their pre-knowledge was lower.

IzvlečekNamen: V članku obravnavamo razvoj in predstavljamo predlog meril in kazalcev informacijske pismenosti na ravni srednješolskega izobraževanja.Metodologija/pristop: V Sloveniji nimamo dokumenta, ki bi za srednje šole opredeljeval merila in kazalce informacijske pismenosti ter pričakovana znanja in veščine po zahtevnostnih stopnjah. Zato smo za identifikacijo primernih vsebin preučili mednarodna merila, standarde, okvire in teste informacijske in digitalne pismenosti na ravneh srednješolskega in univerzitetnega izobraževanja. Analizirali smo slovenske učne načrte za srednje šole in v njih evidentirali vsebine, ki se nanašajo na informacijsko pismenost. S primerjavo in analizo prekrivanja vsebin iz slovenskih učnih načrtov ter vsebin iz meril in testov iz tujine smo izdelali predlog izbranih meril in kazalcev informacijske pismenosti na ravni srednješolskega izobraževanja. Merila smo operacionalizirali z določitvijo pričakovanih učnih izidov (dosežkov) na treh ravneh težavnosti.Rezultati: Izoblikovali smo sedem meril s skupno 20 kazalci uspešnosti informacijske pismenosti srednješolcev. Za vsakega od kazalcev so podana pripadajoča znanja (pričakovani učni izidi) na treh zahtevnostnih ravneh.Omejitve raziskave: Predlog meril in kazalcev je izdelan z analizo, evalvacijo in sintezo informacij iz dostopne tuje in domače literature. V nadaljevanju bo potrebno testiranje, usklajevanje in optimizacija predloga v praksi slovenskega srednješolskega sistema.Izvirnost/uporabnost raziskave: Predlog meril in kazalcev informacijske pismenosti za srednje šole zapolnjuje vrzel ter prispeva k naporom za poenotenje in dvig ravni informacijske pismenosti srednješolske populacije.