Information Literacy Self-Efficacy of Open, Digital and Distance Education of New Learners

The study examines the information literacy self-efficacy of new learners in open, distance, and digital education environments. It focuses on their perceived ability to perform key information literacy skills by evaluating seven categories of information literacy based on the Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale. Assessing information literacy self-efficacy is crucial to understand learner’s persistence, resilience, and effort in defining information needs, developing and implementing search strategies, evaluating resources, interpreting and synthesising information, and communicating information, particularly when facing challenges. The study explores the level of perceived information literacy skills among open, distance, and digital education of new learners. Based on the research, the two (2) least information literacy competencies possessed by the new learners are: a) communicating the information, and b) locating and accessing the resources. It also identifies the differences of information literacy self-efficacy levels between new undergraduate and graduate learners. The research also highlights the critical role of perceived information and communication technology skills in determining the level of information literacy self-efficacy among open, distance, and digital education of new learners. Based on the findings, the study recommends increased efforts in teaching and guiding undergraduate and graduate learners in essential information skills, such as writing research papers, providing citations and references, and using effective information resource search techniques. The results show that new graduate learners demonstrate higher perceived information literacy skills than their undergraduate peers. The study also found that information literacy teachings and trainings should not be gender-specific, as both male and female new learners exhibit equivalent levels of information literacy self-efficacy.