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This article was downloaded by: [McGill University Library] On: 28 October 2014, At: 11:41 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Australian Academic & Research Libraries Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/uarl20 Understandings of Information Literacy: The Perceptions of First Year Undergraduate Students at the University of Ballarat Elizabeth Hartmann a a Elizabeth Hartmann, Information Librarian, University of Ballarat, PO Box 663, Ballarat Vic 3353. Email: Published online: 28 Oct 2013. To cite this article: Elizabeth Hartmann (2001) Understandings of Information Literacy: The Perceptions of First Year Undergraduate Students at the University of Ballarat, Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 32:2, 110-122, DOI: 10.1080/00048623.2001.10755150 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2001.10755150 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms- and-conditions

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This article was downloaded by: [McGill University Library]On: 28 October 2014, At: 11:41Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Australian Academic & ResearchLibrariesPublication details, including instructions for authors andsubscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/uarl20

Understandings of InformationLiteracy: The Perceptions of FirstYear Undergraduate Students at theUniversity of BallaratElizabeth Hartmanna

a Elizabeth Hartmann, Information Librarian, University of Ballarat,PO Box 663, Ballarat Vic 3353. Email:Published online: 28 Oct 2013.

To cite this article: Elizabeth Hartmann (2001) Understandings of Information Literacy: ThePerceptions of First Year Undergraduate Students at the University of Ballarat, Australian Academic &Research Libraries, 32:2, 110-122, DOI: 10.1080/00048623.2001.10755150

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2001.10755150

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the“Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as tothe accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Contentshould not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sourcesof information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever orhowsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arisingout of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Anysubstantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Understandings of Information Literacy: The Perceptions of First Year Undergraduate Students at the University of Ballarat

ELIZABETH HARTMANN

ABSTRACT This paper reports on the findings of focus groups conducted with first year undergraduate students at the University of Ballarat. The questions developed for the focus groups were designed to gain an insight into how first year undergraduate students perceive both the information resources they require and the skills necessary to access those resources.

In summary, the focus groups revealed much about student perceptions of the information skills that they will require, the experiences that form the basis for these and continuing influences that may lead them to change their perceptions.

I nformation literacy has become a major focus of academic libraries in recent times. Much of the discussion around this issue has arisen in recognition that we have entered an age where 'The quality and quantity of information

needed to function effectively in society and the workplace continues to increase. Individuals ... must be able to master rapidly changing information technology and possess the information literacy skills to act independently in this information rich environment' .1 Information literacy is further defined as the ability to recognise when information is needed and possessing the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively use the needed information.2

Much energy has been devoted to developing information literacy programs that work towards ensuring this key graduate characteristic. At the University of Ballarat we have developed and trialed a number of programs, one of which has been the Information Skills Program offered to first year undergraduate students. This program was designed to introduce students to the range of resources available to them on campus and to familiarise them with strategies to exploit these resources to their full potential. The Information Literacy and Research team was primarily involved in this process as were some academic staff. A notable gap in this process has been the input of the students themselves, thus allowing the proliferation of assumptions concerning their existing abilities and subsequent requirements.

Radomski raised this issue in her work, recognising the gap in student and teaching staff expectations, '[She] also raises several questions for further research. These include the issue of how much we currently know about how students are understanding and experiencing information use ... and how we can

Elizabeth Hartmann, Information Librarian, University of Ballarat, PO Box 663, Ballarat Vic 3353. Email: [email protected]

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best proceed if we view information as a relationship between people rather than a matter of property'. 3

Further, Julien4 states that 'although students may receive user education at the beginning of the academic year, very often they are not aware of their information needs.' I would further contend that students have a perception of their information needs that does not necessarily match the new academic environment they have entered.

The need for research into student perceptions was also suggested by a quantitative analysis of the attendances during the information skills program. Only 25% of first year students took advantage of this program, suggesting a number of possible flaws in its design, implementation and delivery such as timing, relevancy and confusion between computer literacy and information literacy. Anecdotal evidence suggests that students assume that because they can use programs such as Word competently, then they can transfer these skills to searching databases. Questions received at the Information Desk and from academic staff indicate that this assumption is misguided.

Literature Review A review of the literature revealed a wealth of information about the theory of information literacy and many of the assumptions made in evaluating and developing programs. It is evident that there is a lack of research investigating reasons for lack of engagement with information literacy programs from the student perspective.

In order to communicate effectively with both students and academic staff when delivering information literacy programs, Bruce5 suggests that an understanding of the underpinning perceptions about information literacy would enhance our ability to communicate effectively to both students and academic staff when delivering information literacy programs. Bruce also suggests that interpretations of information literacy are strongly influenced by previous experience and perceptions of the world. Bruce's paper investigates the perceptions held by university educators 'with some interest in information literacy'.

Perceptions of students concerning levels of information skills, required in a tertiary setting, are also investigated in Coombs and Houghton. This paper highlights the transition in universities 'from a stress on teaching to an emphasis on learning and with this change, has come a concern with information literacy ... '6 Coombs and Houghton also recognise that 'the ability of students to identify what is required of them and how they should go about it is a cognitive skill'. 7 They state that ' ... much of the literature in the area of information skills uses terminology that deals with the mechanical rather than cognitive aspects'.8

Whilst these aspects of this report help to situate information literacy in the

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sphere of learning, other aspects provide useful information to assist in formulating a focus group approach to understanding student perceptions.

The gap in expectations between students and academic staff is also explored by Dow and Geer.9 Much of the information presented relates to a unit incorporated into the Bachelor of Education units at the University of South Australia. Dow and Geer identify the main strategies employed by students in seeking and locating relevant information. These point to an overall lack of computer literacy as well a lack of independent research skills. Observations (by library staff) of student behaviour in seeking information are discussed. It will be interesting to compare these to student perceptions.

A report by Julien10 compares user education surveys conducted in New Zealand and Canada. Although the report refers to 'user education' the relationship to information literacy programs is explored. Useful information regarding student attitudes towards developing information literacy skills and just where responsibility for developing these skills lies is presented. In the concluding statements of this article Julien points to a lack of structure in both countries in their approach to information literacy programs, with the result that assumptions form the basis of much of the analysis regarding their effectiveness. The aim of this project is to gather information that will help the library answer the questions posed by Julien: ' ... librarians will need to examine closely their own opinions about what students need to be taught, how librarians can contribute effectively to that teaching, and whether librarians have the ability to do so.'11

Wright and McGurk12 specifically address 'learner's needs' and acknowledge that few assumptions can be made about information literacy skills of students entering university, given the range of backgrounds that these students come from. An attempt to structure information literacy programs for first year students by developing a skills inventory is discussed. This is based largely on what faculty librarians believe students need. While the inventory will provide useful guidelines there is an apparent absence of consultation with academic staff and students. Despite identifying key stakeholders little appears to have been done to gain input from these key people. As admitted by Wright and McGurk they have taken a 'bottom up' approach in developing a program and gaining recognition of the important role that information literacy programs play. As stated in the literature, referred to above, students need to perceive information literacy programs as valuable to their studies in order to be able, or motivated, to take this 'extra' learning on board.

The assumptions made about the information literacy skills of students enrolled in open learning and distance education are also explored by Cheek, Doskatch et al. 13 The discussion of student collaboration and evaluation as a

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parallel process in developing an information literacy program provides valuable information about ways to elicit student perceptions of their information needs.

An understanding of how students engage with tertiary education is presented by Ramsden. 14 In considering the aims and objectives of an information literacy program it is imperative to understand educational theory and the practical aspects of applying this knowledge. Ramsden also emphasises the need to listen to students if teaching in this environment is to be effective, and this point is critical in relation to the development of information literacy programs. As much of the literature has revealed, many of these programs are developed with the best of intentions, however, they all too frequently fail to consider how students will perceive their importance if they do not meet or challenge the student's own perceptions of their information needs.

The information gathered from this project will be used to inform the review and development of the Information Literacy Program as it is currently offered at the University of Ballarat. The program has now been delivered over a two-year period and many changes have taken place both in the area of information sources and technology and, perhaps even more crucially, the level of staffing now available to support such a program. Areas of commonality between our experience and that of other institutions, as identified in the literature review, will contribute to the overall national experience of information literacy.

A better understanding of student perceptions will expose assumptions made by both library and academic staff about their abilities and will tell us whether or not we are working from a common platform.

Methodology A quantitative analysis has been undertaken examining attendance rates at the Information Skills Program as it is currently offered. As stated above, this program has been poorly utilised by first year students, indicating that a review is necessary to determine the reasons for this.

As a result of the preceding analyses already undertaken and in the light of issues raised by Radomski a need for further qualitative research is indicated. The method employed to gather information for this project was the focus group. Widdows states that 'Focus groups can be designed to obtain and compare expectations and evaluations of different users.' 15 This will allow in depth questioning and cross fertilisation of ideas through group interaction. Widdows also states that this is 'something that cannot happen in individual surveys or interviews'. 16

Two focus groups with first year students were organised. One group was organised with the co-operation of a lecturer, and a second group was organised with students who had been regular users of the library throughout the year. A

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group of third year students also expressed a wish to contribute when they heard of the project. Their offer was accepted as it was considered that their input would provide a point of comparison in how perceptions of information literacy change through the course of a university degree.

Group interviews were recorded using a micro cassette recorder and were conducted in a library meeting room that provided a whiteboard and a quiet environment for recording. A suitable time was arranged in consultation with the students.

The interview questions were designed to encourage contributions and emphasis was placed on the fact that there were no right or wrong answers; it was the opinions and experiences of the students that were being sought. In order to collect consistent information a script was written for the focus group questions defining, the point of the investigation, what information literacy is and some open ended questions designed to elicit discussion amongst the group (Appendix 1).

Prior to questioning the groups the purpose of the project was outlined as well as its place within the context of university philosophy and our team's role in providing programs. Time did not permit a full scripting of the interviews; rather key points were recorded from the tapes and comparisons drawn between the groups.

Student Responses The results as they are presented here represent the responses of the first year students. Data gathered from the third year students are drawn upon as a point of comparison where relevant; this is made clear where it occurs.

The first questions asked were open-ended and were intended to gauge student perceptions of the resources with which they thought they would have to engage. The responses to the first question offered some surprises and highlighted some of the assumptions that we, as staff working in the information field, make.

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Table 1 What resources did they expect to use at university?

Resources Expected Not Expected Internet ./

Text books ./

Email ./

Encyclopedias ./

Computers ./ ./

Journals ./

On-line databases ./

CD-ROMs ./

As these students were near completing their first year, they were able to provide reflective comments on what they expected at the start of the year compared with what they now know to be the case.

It is interesting to note that while they expected to use the Internet they had no clear concept of what aspects of it they were going to use. There is a tick in both columns next to 'computers', again because they expected to use computers, but had no clear concept of what they were going to use them for.

The ticks in the not expected columns indicate that the heavy emphasis placed on the use of journal articles came as a surprise to them, as did the means of accessing them, both groups indicating that they had no experience with this information source before they started university. The perception that journals were an important source of information had come from lecturers both in assessment criteria and through what they had been told in lectures and tutorials as well as in comments received on assessable tasks.

Table 2 What skills did they think were needed to use these resources?

Skills Group 1 Group2 Computer skills ./ ./

Library skills ./ ./

Reading ./

Understanding of topic ./

Time management ./

Analytical skills ./ ./

This was obviously not something the students had considered before but after a little thought they offered the following ideas. Both groups expressed an

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initial feeling of alarm on first entering the library. This was due to a number of factors among which were the number of computers (no distinction made between the different functions of these), the sheer size of the library and its collection.

When questioned about the orientation day tours, both groups agreed that these were good but also said they would have liked a subject specific tour to show them which parts of the collection were relevant to them. Almost as though in order to cope with the size, they needed to be able to focus on a small section of the library to break it up into manageable components.

In discussing the concept of an understanding of the topic and analytical skills both groups used the terminology 'knowing which words to use'. They also suggested that classes in how to identify 'the words' would have been helpful.

Once the discussion around these two questions was exhausted, the ALA definition of information literacy was presented. The four key elements of this definition were identified and each student was asked to rank them in order of importance on a pre-prepared paper. The results were quickly analysed and students were then asked to outline how they interpreted these skills and whether or not they were something that could be learned. In discussing these students were asked to consider the library's role in developing these skills.

Table 3 Ranking of information literacy skills

Ranking Key element I Using information effectively 2 Evaluating information 3 Locating information 4 Recognising a need for information

Students indicated that they did not rank recognising a need for information as being important because this should be obvious to anyone at university (in their situation). 'You are not allowed to write off the top of your head'. Using information effectively was ranked highly as this was linked to knowing the 'right words' and being able to 'give lecturers what they wanted'.

Evaluating information was interpreted as 'finding the important bits'. One student said that she 'highlights stuff, but I end up highlighting the whole lot, and then halfthe time you don't use it anyway'.

Locating information was related to navigating a way around the library. Even though all students had used school libraries they said they needed to learn the system in this library and that their experiences at school had not helped them at all.

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In summing up, the students felt that the library should play a role in helping students develop these skills. However, the degree to which students could be expected to take responsibility for acquiring these skills was clearly tied in with their perceptions of lecturer and tutor expectations as well as advice from peers. Comments such as 'you should be brought to the library andmade to attend information literacy classes' and 'a friend in second year said I should go to library classes', indicate recognition that information literacy skills are important but this judgement is usually arrived at in hindsight.

Timing of programs was also discussed and once again students tied this in with assessable tasks: the best time for classes is from week three 'once you know what you have to do to pass' and 'once you have a topic to work on'.

Discussion This project has focussed on obtaining qualitative statements from the student body. It is hoped that, at a later date, a 'complete picture' will be developed by conducting focus groups with academic staff involved in teaching first year undergraduate students as well as the Information Literacy and Research Team. In this way a clear indication of expectations of major stakeholders will be developed.

The definitions of the American Library Association (ALA) regarding information literacy and the implications for higher education are shaping much of the current thinking and development of programs in this field. The ALA has released a document outlining standards, performance indicators and measurable outcomes. This document can be used as a yardstick for our own programs and provides a clear theoretical arena in which to develop a program that addresses the needs of all stakeholders. At the culmination of this project it will be imperative to draw together the perceptions of students and meld these with the key criteria presented by the ALA.

Analysis of the issues raised and discussed during the focus groups reflects much of what has already been written about information literacy, which is that information literacy cannot be taught in a decontextualised manner. As Ramsden17 suggests, students engage with subject matter only to the extent that they perceive lecturers and tutors require them to. Furthermore, their learning is influenced by their previous experiences. The students' responses clearly indicate that they regard skills in information literacy as important but only in so far as they meed these skills to produce what lecturers want.

The focus groups did however reveal that some of the assumptions that we (librarians and possibly academics) make are in fact far wide of the mark. We assume that students have basic research skills, having completed their Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), however, the transference of skills, if in fact they do exist, is negligible. In making the transition from secondary school,

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students expect university to be very different, and while they appear to be open to new experiences the elements of their previous education that could be transferred are not explicit. For example, libraries worldwide are essentially organised in the same manner. Using the catalogue is essentially a mechanical task and once this has been mastered previous experience should take over. However, students expressed confusion about how to locate items within the library collection and knowing which information to note down from the catalogue. Instead they would prefer to be shown which parts of the collection are relevant to their course of study.

It has also become apparent that we make assumptions about students' knowledge of information sources. The students interviewed expressed surprise at the emphasis placed on journal articles in the tertiary environment, while they listed textbooks and encyclopedias as resources they would have expected to use. The methods and tools used to retrieve journal articles were also foreign to them. It became apparent that lack of experience with relatively unstructured information sources, such as journal articles and databases, impacts on the degree to which students can engage with subject matter. An apparent reliance on traditional information sources such as books that structure information through tables of contents and indexes has not equipped them to move into the electronic nor academic information environment.

The statement concerning 'knowing which words to use' when searching for information indicates a lack of knowledge within their study disciplines and represents a barrier to being able to retrieve and engage effectively with information sources and content. This was one area where responses from the third year focus group provided a stark contrast. Third year students did not raise this as a concern and were evidently better acquainted with the discourse of their field of study.

Students' responses to the first two open ended questions indicate an expectation that the skills they have learned in secondary school will be adequate at university. It would appear that their first encounter with the library works towards eroding this confidence. Viewing 'all of those computers' and the sheer size of the library gives the impression that using the library could be difficult. It also became obvious that students confuse a lack of depth of knowledge in a subject field (knowing the words) with being able to use the library. The third year students identified that they were much more confident within their areas of study, and did not feel as inadequate.

Conclusion It is tempting to read more into the focus group responses than is in fact revealed. The issue that remains to be addressed is how much the Information Literacy and Research Services (IL&RS) team at the University of Ballarat can

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do to ensure that graduates of this university gain the key graduate characteristic of information literacy.

There appears to be little the IL&RS team can do to address students only engaging with subject matter to the extent that they perceive lecturers require. We could, however, devote more effort to making academics aware of the extent to which this occurs and encouraging the inclusion of information literacy skills in assessment criteria, as in the ALA definition and standards. At first year level, it is outside our staffing capabilities to provide subject specific classes that can be tied directly into assessment tasks. It becomes apparent that while students and the university culture is assessment-focussed, classes that teach information literacy skills as a separate component of university education will not achieve their objectives. Staff involved in the design and delivery of information literacy programs need to exploit this focus so that students perceive engaging with such programs as essential elements equipping them for life beyond their university education. The focus revealed by students on trying to ascertain what lecturers want them to say, rather than engaging with information and resources to extract or learn about subject matter, reveals a surface approach to learning.

It is also evident that students require assistance in establishing research processes and strategies. In the past our Information Skills program has used randomly chosen terms and demonstrated how to link and expand searches from these. The focus groups reveal that there is a case to be made for working from information problem scenarios. In this way time could be devoted to selecting appropriate search terms and then applying them to solve an information problem.

The problem of the lack of transference of skills from secondary school libraries to the tertiary library setting also needs addressing. Students identified orientation tours as being worthwhile, however, they seem to achieve little in terms of making students comfortable with the environment; instead they seem to come away fazed by the scale of the library and its computer equipment. A simple but effective answer may be in emphasising the similarities that exist between the ways that libraries are organised during these tours.

The IL&RS team is operating under minimal staffing levels and this limits the extent to which we can deal with some of the issues raised by the focus groups. However, it is apparent that we need to move out into the wider university community and engage academic staff in recognising that information literacy is an important element of university education. These efforts also need to be linked to other agencies within the university such as the Scholarship and Educational Development Services in terms of course and subject design as well as student representative bodies. The influence of peers in the extent to which students engage with information literacy programs needs further study.

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In addition to the above recommendations, additional focus groups could be conducted with academic staff to highlight areas of similarity and disparity in perceptions of information literacy skills. In this way a program could be developed that better serves the needs of the students undertaking university education.

Notes 1 Association of College and Research Libraries Information Literacy Competency

Standards/or Higher Education (draft) (1999) [Online] Available http://www.ala.org/acrVilintro.html [15 June 1999]

2 American Library Association Information Power: The Nine Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning [Online] Available http:/ /www.ala.org/aasVip _ nine.html [24 June 24 1999].

3 N Radomski Implementing Information Literacy: Themes, Issues & Future Directions. Ballarat Vic University of Ballarat 1999 p59

4 H Julien 'User Education in New Zealand Tertiary Libraries: An International Comparison' The Journal of Academic Librarianship July 1998 vol24 no 4 p309

5 C Bruce 'Information Literacy; How Do University Educators Understand this Phenomenon?' in Learning for Life: Information Literacy and the Autonomous Learner. Proceedings of the 2nd National Information Literacy Conference University of South Australia Library 30 November - 1 December 1995 pp78-86 Adelaide University of South Australia Library 1995

6 M Coombs J Houghton 'Information Skills for New Entry Tertiary Students: Perceptions and Practice' Australian Academic & Research Libraries vol 26 no 4 1995 pp260-270

7 Ibidp261 8 Ibid 9 J Dow R Geer 'Educating for Information Literacy' in Learning for Life: Information

Literacy and the Autonomous Learner' Proceedings of the 2nd National Information Literacy Conference University of South Australia Library 30 November- 1 December 1995 pp 120-131 Adelaide University of South Australia 1996

10 Julien 1998 op cit 11 Ibidp313 12 L Wright C McGurk 'Curriculum Based Information Literacy Skills for First Year

Undergraduate Students' in The Learning Link: Information Literacy in Practice Adelaide Auslib Press 1995 pp136-156

13 J Cheek I Doskatsch et a/ 'Meeting a Need: The Development of an Information Literacy Package' in The Learning Link: Information Literacy in Practice Adelaide Auslib Press 1995 pp157-161

14 P Ramsden Learning to Teach in Higher Education London Routledge 1992 15 R Widdows et a/ 'The Focus Group Interview: A Method for Assessing Users

Evaluation of Library Service' College & Research Libraries Vol 52 no 4 1996 pp352-359

16 Ibidp353 17 Ramsden op cit

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Appendix 1

Focus group script (Outline) Two focus groups comprising four first year students in each will be formed. Questions will be developed in order to gain an insight into how these students perceive the information literacy skills that are necessary in a university environment as well as the library's role in developing these.

Explanation of project This group has been formed in order to establish how you view information literacy as an element of your university education. In developing programs to assist you in accessing information on campus and by electronic means we make many assumptions about the skills you possess when you enter university and even about the importance that you place on being able to source information.

A definition of information literacy may help inform some of your comments. One definition of information literacy has been developed by the American Library Association (ALA) and it states: 'An information literate person is able to recognise when information is needed and has the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.' The ALA goes on to say how information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning.

In order to develop an effective program we need to have an understanding of where our students are starting from. The university has a clear statement of graduate characteristics among which is listed 'information literacy' enabling lifelong learning, as in the ALA statement. In order to help students develop this characteristic we need to have a starting point from which to work.

This session will be recorded so that information gathered can be evaluated at a later date. First names only will be used so that confidentiality can be maintained. If you would like a copy of the findings of this research you are welcome to leave your student details with me and I will forward a copy to you.

There are no right or wrong answers and if you feel we have left out any areas that will help inform our programs please contribute these as they occur to you. Also, if after this interview session you think of more points that need to be considered please contact me. I will distribute my email address.

To help focus discussion I would like you to think back to a recent experience you have had in gathering information, perhaps for an assessable task. However, if you think of any other experiences please contribute these as well.

At the end of this focus group I would like to have a clear picture of: 1. Your understanding of information literacy 2. The importance that you place on these skills and whether you think they are something

that you should acquire during the course of your degree 3. The role that you see the library playing in developing these skills. (Round table where each member introduces themselves by first name) Time: 10 minutes

Discussion Resources To start with I would like to get a picture of the types of information resources you consider vital in your quest for information.

(Note these on the whiteboard, make sure each student contributes)

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Time: I 0 minutes

Skills We have just listed the types of resources you think are necessary. I would now like to move on and outline the skills that you think are necessary to be able to utilise these resources.

(Try and relate these back to the resource list, and if any resources are left without relevant skills generate some discussion about these, for instance; if computers are listed as a resource are keyboard or program skills also mentioned in the skills list) Time: I 0 minutes

ALA definition I would now like to move on and gain your response to the definition of information literacy as mentioned in the ALA definition earlier. On the piece of paper in front of you I have listed the four key elements from this definition, in no particular order. Could you please rank these in order of importance with I being the most important.

(Gather ranked results and quickly scan) I would now like to discuss these four elements individually to see what you think they

mean. I Recognising a need for information.

What do you think this means? Do you think it is a skill in itself or is it something that everyone has?

2 Locating needed information. Meaning? Is this something that can be learned?

3 Evaluating information. Meaning? Is this something that can be learned?

4 Using information effectively. Meaning? Is this something that can be learned?

(Summarise discussion and note any feedback) Time: 15 minutes

The library's role What role do you think the library should play in helping you develop information literacy skills?

It may help to think back to the start of semester one and compare this to how you would go about gathering information now. What would have helped you most at the start of the year? Time: 10 minutes

Conclusion Thank participants and reiterate that report can be made available on request.

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