Search

This paper reports the results of two empirical studies which explored the information seeking behaviour of engineering and law students in Ireland. Findings reveal similar patterns in the information seeking behaviour between students studying to become professionals and information seeking patterns of these groups identified in the Leckie et al. model. Students learned their information seeking strategies, including effective and less effective approaches, from educators. Mis-perceptions of the role and value of libraries and information professionals in their studies were common, and as a result, students often adopted information seeking strategies that excluded libraries and library staff. The two studies suggest that engineering and law students in Ireland could benefit from greater information literacy training and awareness, enabling them to acquire the information skills they need to function effectively and efficiently in their future professional work lives.

Aims: This study offers an empirical exploration of self‐assessed digital competencies of students, most of whom studied in nursing courses, using a discipline‐based self‐assessment survey tool. A range of digital competencies were explored: information and communication technology proficiency and productivity, information literacy, digital creation, digital research, digital communication, digital learning and development, digital innovation, digital identity management and digital well‐being. Design: A cross‐sectional empirical study. Methods: Quantitative data were collected from November to December 2021 via a questionnaire survey administered to students. Quantitative results were reported through descriptive statistical analysis. Mann–Whitney (U‐test) and Kruskal–Wallis non‐parametric statistical tests were used to identify statistically significant differences based on age demographics and pre‐ or post‐registration course. Thematic analysis was utilized for survey open‐ended questions data. Results: Students reported low competencies in the following digital literacy dimensions, all of which were imperative for their studies and for their future professional careers: information literacy, digital research, digital innovation. Significant statistical subgroup differences were found between age demographics and pre/post‐registration within most of the digital competence dimensions. The survey open‐ended comments revealed that students encountered challenges around digital skills they had mostly developed via everyday life experiences and trial‐and‐error approaches. Conclusion: Increasing awareness of existing digital gaps and offering tailored digital skills enhancement can empower students as future‐proof evidence‐based practitioners in an evolving digital healthcare landscape. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: Highlights the importance of embedding digital literacy within nursing study programmes, as preparation for comprehensive patient healthcare. Impact: Offers insights into digital competencies gaps of nursing students.Proposes targeted educational digital skills training interventions.Stresses the value of academic staff supporting nursing students to develop digital skills in important areas of professional practice. Reporting Method: JBI critical appraisal checklist. No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of digital competences incorporates the effective use of constantly-changing digital tools and media for learning and performing digital tasks, digital behaviours (such as online communication, teamwork, ethical sharing of information), as well as digital mindsets that value lifelong digital learning and development. The current pandemic crisis has accelerated the need to diagnose and understand more systematically Higher Education students' digital competences and the way in which they shape academic performance and outcomes. This empirical study explores the digital competences of students, studying in Law related courses, by means of a self-assessment survey tool, which has been previously tested with information and library science students, and was developed to study students' technology mastery (i.e. the abilities, competences, capabilities and skills required for using digital technology, media and tools) and their digital citizenship mindsets (consisting of attitudes and behaviours necessary to develop as a critical, reflective and lifelong learners). The study found age demographic differences, which presented significant correlations pointing to the presence of diverse levels of competences in the student group. Correlation statistics of the survey data demonstrated that students' prior everyday participation as a digital citizen was connected to a number of important academic skills, such as the ability to identify information in different contexts, students' digital learning and development, their digital abilities to complete academic work, their information literacy skills and their skills around managing their digital wellbeing and identity. Focus groups data with academics revealed that they valued the development of students' digital competences for the purposes of learning, while studying at university and placed less emphasis on digital citizenship skills. These academics also considered the value of digital platforms and tools (the focus on 'ICT Proficiency') to be more relevant for academic study than digital citizenship mindsets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alongside calls in the literature for research skills development for undergraduates, University College Dublin's College of Social Sciences and Law (CoSSL) has identified a need for research skills education for its new Bachelor of Social Sciences programme. In collaboration, academics and the library have created a new course, the Social Sciences Research Accelerator, designed to provide foundational learning of research skills for students transitioning to conduct research projects in their final year. Preliminary testing of the course, which included a small user-testing group of undergraduates who engaged with course activities and then completed a survey evaluation, has been positive. This paper details the partnership between academics and library staff towards a common scholarship goal, including the creation of learning materials, early testing of content, and future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]