Student perceptions of information literacy instruction: The importance of active learning

This study investigates the merits of employing active learning strategies in the delivery of information literacy instruction (ILI). Traditional approaches to the teaching of information literacy skills – where students are passive recipients of the information they receive – are challenged. Rather, methods that encourage students to actively engage themselves in the learning process are posited to yield heightened student learning outcomes. To test this assumption, a survey was administered to 372 undergraduate students who experienced both passive and active learning ILI opportunities. Results indicate that passive instruction is not an effective style of teaching in yielding positive student psychological, behavioural or benefit outcomes. Rather active instruction yields more positive effects. Importantly, the amount of active ILI received does not matter; a single active learning instructional session may be sufficient to yield significant and sustaining student learning outcomes. This is particularly good news for ILI practitioners working in resource-constrained higher educational environments.