19-26The Library of the University of Colombo
offers an Information Literacy (IL) course module for the first year science
undergraduates as a credit based optional course. This study was done among the
seventy five students who followed the IL course module in 2011. Actual IL
skills acquired by students from the course, students’ perceptions towards IL
awareness levels and their readiness to apply IL skills during the next
academic period were assessed. Actual IL skills acquired by the students were
measured by their assignment marks and a user survey was conducted to assess
the students’ perceptions towards IL awareness levels. All the students
completed the course successfully and earned one credit by exceeding the pass
mark level while 23 students passed with honours and 46 passed with
satisfactory grades. Students’ perceptions towards the IL awareness show a
significant improvement for the majority of the IL attributes at the end of the
course. The highest awareness level shown for the attribute “library skills”
followed by “mind mapping technique” and “internet searching techniques”.
Students identified this IL course module as the best place to acquire IL
skills and they ensured that they apply IL skills during their next academic
period. The faculty identified this as a very useful and important module for
science undergraduates and suggestions were made to make this compulsory for
all undergraduates of the faculty of science. An advanced IL module for the
third and fourth year students was also recommended