5.4 Data Analysis Based on Themes from Research Questions
5.4.1 Gains obtained from learning information literacy
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With respect to years of working experience of the librarians, the results illustrated in Table 5:6 show that the majority of librarians, 5 (44%), had worked for over 21 years. With the exception of 1 (8%) of the librarians, who had a working experience of between 1 and 5 years, 2(16%) had worked for between 6 and 10 years. Another 2(16%) had been working for between 11 and 15 years. Finally, 2(16%) of the librarians had been working for between 16 and 20 years. On average, librarians were relatively well trained and experienced to deliver IL programmes to psychology students.
Table 5.6: Years of Experience of Librarians (N=12)
Work Experience Frequency Percentage
0-5 1 8
6-10 2 16
11-15 2 16
16-20 2 16
Above 21 5 44
Total 12 100
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Table 5.7: Gains from Studying IL: Descriptive Statistics (N=130)
Majority of the students 113 (87%) also indicated that IL learning had enabled them gain good written communication skills. A factor analysis was carried out with the Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin (KMO) test of specificity on students’ gain from learning IL. The KMO test of measure of sampling accuracy value of 0.874 suggested that the matrix was statistically significant, with a p-value of 0.000, and 45 degrees of freedom. P is less than 0.05. The KMO test is a measure of validity which tests the relationship between items in a Likert scale. The result must produce alpha of over 0.5 in order to be considered adequate for inference (Dziuban & Shirkey, 1974).
In this study, a result of 0.874 alpha was therefore an adequate indicator that relations between the items were well measured. The results are given in Table 5.8.
Table 5.8 Gains from Studying IL: KMO and Bartlett's Test Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy. 0.874 Bartlett's Test of
Sphericity
Approx. Chi-Square 551.180
Df 45
Sig. 0.000
Stro ngly Disa gree
Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree
Mean S/D
Analysis N
As an individual, I am able to define my information needs 3 5 30 55 37 3.82 0.919 130 I can integrate new information into an existing body of
knowledge
1 3 17 70 41 4.02 0.787 130
I can use information for critical thinking and problem–
solving
0 2 9 66 53 4.26 0.688 130
I can organize and be responsible for my own learning 1 2 14 49 64 4.28 0.845 130 I can communicate knowledge and ideas effectively 1 4 17 60 48 4.13 0.820 130 I feel confident about tackling unfamiliar problems 5 3 32 47 43 3.83 0.949 130 I can track down and use information in different formats 0 6 25 68 31 3.89 0.809 130 I have information technology /computer skills 0 3 12 56 59 4.18 0.785 130 IL has stimulated my enthusiasm for further learning 3 2 36 50 39 3.89 0.909 130 I have good written communication skills 1 0 16 25 88 4.25 0.740 130
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Table 5.8 Gains from Studying IL: KMO and Bartlett's Test Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy. 0.874 Bartlett's Test of
Sphericity
Approx. Chi-Square 551.180
Df 45
Sig. 0.000
a. Based on correlations
Using the Principal Component Analysis, two principal components on
gains from studying IL were extracted with the Varimax with Kaiser Normalization rotation method, as illustrated in Table 5.9.
Table 5.9: Gains from Studying IL: Rotated Component Matrix (N=130)
Raw Rescaled
Component Component
1 2 1 2
As an individual, I am able to define my information needs 0.054 0.828 0.059 0.901 I can integrate new information into an existing body of knowledge 0.395 0.445 0.502 0.566
I can use information for critical thinking and problem–solving 0.469 0.212 0.682 0.308 I can organize and be responsible for my own learning 0.467 0.458 0.553 0.542 I can communicate knowledge and ideas effectively 0.628 0.197 0.765 0.241 I feel confident about tackling unfamiliar problems 0.814 0.049 0.858 0.051 I can track down and use information in different formats 0.538 0.246 0.665 0.304
I have information technology /computer skills 0.495 0.269 0.630 0.342
IL has stimulated my enthusiasm for further learning 0.363 0.455 0.399 0.501
I have good written communication skills 0.403 0.284 0.545 0.384
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 3 iterations.
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Results in Table 5.9illustrate that in component one the most important gain was confidence in dealing with unfamiliar problems (0.858), which led to the ability to
communicate knowledge and ideas effectively (0.765) and used information for critical thinking and problem-solving (0.682) and could track down and use information in different formats (0.665). In component two the students could do well if they defined information needs (0.901), because they could integrate new information into an existing body of knowledge.
The scree plot (Figure 5.4) revealed the presence of two principal components, with eigenvalues exceeding 1, explaining 33 per cent of the variance and 2 explaining 10 per cent of the variance. An inspection of the scree plot revealed a clear break after the second principal component.
Figure 5.4: Gains from Studying IL Scree Plot
Respondents were required to state additional gains they had obtained from learning information literacy in an open-ended question that collected quantitative data. The aim of the question was to establish further tangible benefits respondents associated with learning IL. This question gave them an opportunity to freely express their feelings. Some of the students 35 (26.9%) did not respond to the question. Table 5.10 provides a summary of the findings from 95 (73.1%) of the responses.
147 Table 5.10: Further Gains from Learning IL (N=95)
IL Learning Gains Frequency Percentage
Critical thinking skills 20 21.1
Exposure to sources of information 13 13.7
Socialization and effective communication skills 12 12.6 Confident to handle information-related issues 10 10.5
Competence in information access 10 10.5
Enhanced knowledge in information handling 7 7.4
Doing research 6 4.6
Problem-solving skills 4 6.3
Computer skills for accessing and gathering information
4 6.3
Desire to learn/know more 3 4.7
Information sources and referencing 2 3.2
Employment 1 0.8
Ability to integrate it with one’s career 1 0.8
According to the results presented in Table 5.10, the common gains students said they obtained from learning information literacy were mostly linked to research. Most of the students indicated that IL had impacted their research ability by empowering them with critical thinking skills that enabled them use the various information sources they came across in order to realize credible term papers and research reports. The gains from IL were ranked as follows in decreasing order of frequency: critical thinking skills was the highest with a frequency count of 20 (21.1%), followed by exposure to information resources 13(13.7%) and socialization and effective communication skills 12 (12.6%). Critical thinking skills are important if students are to achieve high academic levels and personal success, where they look beyond the face value of words to establish meaning, connections and finally come up with conclusions that help solve a problem. The lowest ranked gains were ability to integrate IL with one’s career, understanding of different cultures and employment.
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