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Background: The Internet is an important information source for health practitioners, yet little is known about how radiographers currently are using this vast information resource for professional development., Objective: To provide an initial data set on professional use of Internet tools and resources by Australian radiographers., Methods: In 2007, 1142 medical radiation science practitioners in Australia were mailed a survey about Internet access at work and their Internet use for updating professional knowledge. This article reports on and analyzes the survey responses from radiographers., Results: The vast majority of radiographer respondents (93.9%) reported having Internet access at work and many use Internet searches, Web pages, e-mail and listserves to update their professional knowledge. At the same time, large numbers were unaware of Internet-based resources. Also, Internet access and protected time for professional reading and study varied by practice location (metropolitan vs nonmetropolitan)., Conclusion: Knowledge gaps regarding the Internet and lack of uniform Internet access among Australian radiographers must be addressed so that all radiographers can benefit from the professional information available online.

Abstract: Undergraduate education is undergoing a shift away from the traditional transmission of a fixed body of knowledge to a learning approach where the emphasis is on supporting learners to learn. Central to this change is recognition that undergraduate education programmes should aim to develop independent learners who become effective lifelong learning practitioners. Successful independent learning as an undergraduate student or as a lifelong learner requires the learner to have well developed information literacy skills. An Online Electronic Information Skills (OEIS) intervention was designed to develop the information literacy skills in a cohort of second year undergraduate radiography students. An evaluation focused on learning outcomes was used to provide evidence of development of information literacy within the undergraduate course. The evaluation clearly demonstrated substantial skill development in students'' ability to access scholarly information in their discipline area. The reported continued use of database searching by this cohort of students seven months after the OEIS intervention provides evidence that they are continuing to access and use scholarly information, information literacy skills necessary for their future work context. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]