| Instruction librarians are frequently granted only one session in which to teach college students information management skills and the library research process. Librarians wonder if their teaching techniques are effective. The impact of a selected method of one-time, hands-on, course-integrated, and cooperative information literacy instruction with follow-up support on lower division (100 and 200 level) college student learning/knowledge of information literacy concepts and mastery of the research process was investigated at a land grant institution. A Solomon four-group design controlled for testing plus the interaction of testing and instruction for 820 students.; The instructional method accounted for a significant (p = .0001) 8% of the variance in scores on a 21-question, objective measure of learning/knowledge of information literacy concepts called the New Mexico State University Information Literacy Instrument [NMSUILI] taken on the web as both a pretest and posttest. The instructional method accounted for a significant (p = .0001) 2% of the variance in scores on a second posttest, the Research Project Reference Rating [RPRR] rubric. Instruction librarians evaluated bibliographies submitted with a course-integrated research project for quality, currency, authority, objectivity, accuracy, variety, balance, relevancy, coverage scope depth, format, and number with this 42-point measure of mastery of the research process.; Learning/knowledge of information literacy concepts correlated significantly with mastery of the research process (.70 pretest and .57 posttest). Personal and background characteristics identified in the literature (whether or not the student was a freshman and had previously received instruction in library research and Internet searching; level of library and Internet use and comfort; level of enjoyment of reading; and level of academic commitment to grades and higher education) accounted for and predicted learning/knowledge of information literacy concepts and mastery of the research process significantly.; The instruments developed here could be used to identify students deficient in information literacy skills who need instruction to become more efficient information managers. Instruction that encourages students to develop reading, academic, and critical thinking skills, along with maturity, are likely to help them develop information literacy. Additional complementary instructional methods are needed. |
