Medium-term evaluation of information skills taught in IN101 at Christchurch College of Education

Abstract

The primary objective of this research is to add to the body of knowledge that exists on information skills assessment. The study's particular importance is to build upon the minimal research that has been done into whether students who complete information skills classes find the information skills taught in these classes useful in the medium-term. The research will use the course INI 011 as a case study for similar types of courses to give an indication of how useful, over time, students find basic information skills taught to them in these classes. The findings of the study will also be used for the planning offuture INI 01 courses The sample for this research is the entire population of INI 01 students, 314 students in 1997. An anonymous questionnaire with a mixture of open-ended questions and Likert-type scales was distributed to students in their Professional Studies tutor classes at College. The findings of this research indicate that respondents have generally found the information skills taught in INI 01 useful over time. However, further research is needed to assess relationships between their confidence in various information skills and variables such as frequency of library use and prior library instruction.