Information literacy of students at Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study and to compare the information literacy level of Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon undergraduate students by dividing into faculties and experiences of studying concerning information literacy subjects. The samples were undergraduate students in 9 faculties who were studying in second semester of academic year 2009. The 460 samples were taken a random sample by faculties’ stratification. The data were collected by information literacy test and mark record form which were four - level rating scale questions. The results were analyzed by percentage, average value, standard deviation, F-test, and t-test The results were as follows: 1. Most of all students had medium information literacy level. For consideration of each aspect, students had ability in every aspect at medium level. The highest ability of students was to access the needed information effectively and efficiently, the next were the ability to determine the extent of information needed ; to evaluate information and its sources critically, and to incorporate selected information into their knowledge bases. 2. Students that learnt in different faculties had different information literacy with statistically significant level at .01. Faculty of Business Administration’s students had higher information literacy level than Faculty of Mass Communication Technology’s students, Faculty of Architecture and Design’s students, Faculty of Home Economics Technology’s students, Faculty of Engineering’s students, Faculty of Science and Technology’s students, Faculty of Liberal Arts’ students, and Faculty of Industrial Education’s students. For consideration of each aspect, it showed that every aspect was different with statistically significant level at .01.2.1 For the ability of determining the extent of information needed, it showed that Faculty of Business Administration’s students had higher ability of determining the extent of information needed than Faculty of Architecture and Design’s students, Faculty of Mass Communication Technology’s students, Faculty of Engineering’s students, Faculty of Home Economics Technology’s students, and Faculty of Industrial Education’s students. 2.2 For the ability of accessing the needed information effectively and efficiently, it showed that Faculty of Business Administration’s students had higher ability of accessing the needed information effectively and efficiently than Faculty of Mass Communication Technology’s students, Faculty of Architecture and Design’s students, Faculty of Home Economics Technology’s students, Faculty of Engineering’s students, Faculty of Liberal Arts’ students, and Faculty of Industrial Education’s students. 2.3 For the ability of evaluating information and its sources critically and incorporating selected information into one’s knowledge base, it showed that Faculty of Business Administration’s students had higher ability of evaluating information and its sources critically and incorporating selected information into one’s knowledge base than Faculty of Mass Communication Technology’s students, Faculty of Engineering’s students, and Faculty of Home Economics Technology’s students. 2.4 For the ability of using information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose, It showed that Faculty of Business Administration’s students had higher ability of using information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose than Faculty of Mass Communication Technology’s students, Faculty of Engineering’s students, Faculty of Architecture and Design’s students, Faculty of Home Economics Technology’s students and Faculty of Liberal Arts’ students. 2.5 For the ability of understanding the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally, it showed that Faculty of Business Administration’s students had higher ability of understanding the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally than Faculty of Mass Communication Technology’s students, Faculty of Liberal Arts’ students, Faculty of Home Economics Technology’s students and Faculty of Engineering’s students.3. The students who had different experiences of studying concerning information literacy subjects, they had different information literacy with statistically significant level at .01. The students who had experiences of studying concerning information literacy subjects had higher information literacy than the students who had no experiences of studying concerning information literacy subjects. For consideration of each aspect, it showed that the students who had experiences of studying concerning information literacy subjects had different the ability of determining the extent of information needed; the ability of accessing the needed information effectively and efficiently; the ability of evaluating information and its sources critically and incorporating selected information into one’s knowledge base; the ability of understanding the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally with statistically significant level at .01. For the ability of using information efficiently in order to reach the objective was different with statistically significant level at .05, by means of the students who had experiences of studying concerning information literacy subjects had higher information literacy than the students who had no experiences of studying concerning information literacy subjects in every aspect.