Group members: Kay Oddone, Tabitha Merrell, and Lizzy Tait
This research project will examine the concept of information literacy through the perceptions of Library and Information Studies (LIS) students, and their experiences of learning about information literacy during their studies. It will also explore the perceived impact of Generative AI (GAI) on information literacy, and consider how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) could be implemented to support LIS students with a complex range of backgrounds and learning needs.
This research is being funded by the ALIA Research grant, which was awarded to our cross-institutional research team, which includes Kay Oddone (CSU), Dr. Lizzie Tait (University of South Australia), and Tabitha Merrell (CSU).
The aim of this project is to gather contemporary and nuanced understandings of LIS students’ information literacy capabilities and their perceived needs, particularly in light of the evolution of GAI.
The analysis will address four key research questions:
- How do LIS students conceptualize and develop their information literacy within the context of their academic and future professional lives in GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums)?
- How does this conceptualization change during the course? What has influenced this development/change?
- How do students perceive the impacts of Generative AI (GAI) on their own information literacy, including new skills they might need, and how do these perceptions influence their feelings of preparedness for the evolving information landscape?
- How effective are specific Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies in improving the engagement of Information Studies (IS) students from diverse backgrounds, particularly when Generative AI tools are integrated into their courses?
The findings will be used as the basis of case studies illustrating pedagogical strategies and curriculum design informed by UDL to cultivate information literacy, using GAI, both as a subject of study and as a tool for teaching. The potential outcomes will inform new ways in which Library and Information Studies educators and their academic librarian partners support LIS students to build their knowledge, recognising the implications of the influences of GAI.
This research will be significant as there is little current research that investigates LIS students’ unique needs as students and future practitioners, particularly in light of GAI. It will shed light on how information literacy is conceptualised by this particular group of students, who will play a leading role in fostering critical thinking and information literacy across society through their professional lives. It will reveal innovative pedagogical approaches which educators and librarians across all sectors will be able to adapt and enact within their contexts.
For more information, please contact: koddone@csu.edu.au
