Providing research assistants with information literacy skills in the framework of information and communication technologies

Abstract

The constant development in information and communication technologies has had a direct impact on the environment of knowledge acquisition and learning besides reshaping the structure of this environment. As a result, the resources, tools, applications and services used in this environment have changed and been presented digitally. While these developments provide easy access to information by individuals, they bring a complex structure which makes people be equipped with "information literacy skills" including searching, accessing, evaluating, using and presenting/conveying information by using digital technologies. Comprehensive, systematic, planned and permanent information literacy programs prepared by librarians enables people to have these skills.This study aims to determine perceptions of the research assistants at Ankara University about their levels of information literacy skills based on their own statements, identify their educational expectations and evaluate the effects of an information literacy program developed accordingly on their skills. The hypotheses of the study are defined as "information literacy skills level of the research assistants at Ankara University is low.", "information literacy skills levels of the the research assitants are positively effected by the information literacy program based on their needs." and "educational activities prepared by Ankara University Libraries do not meet educational requirements of the research assistants.".The universe of the study is 1028 research assistants working in 14 faculties at Ankara University. The descriptive and experimental method is used in this study.The hypotheses were confirmed at the end of the study