Information Literacy Competency International Standards of the Students of Al- Quds Open University at the Tulkarm Educational Region

Abstract

This study aimed to detect the level of efficiency of information awareness

among the students of Al- Quds Open University in the Tulkarem Education

Region. For this purpose, the list of criteria for Information Literacy

Competency Standards for Higher Education (Association of College,

Research Libraries- ACRL 2000) was applied. The list consists of five criteria

including (22) indicators for information awareness. The sample of the study

consisted of (464) university students. After the necessary data analysis, the

study showed the following results:

1. The level of efficiency of information awareness among the students of

Al- Quds Open University in Tulkarem Education Region according to

international standards for this competency was very high for the standard

“understanding of the issues surrounding the use of information in a legal

and ethical way,” while the level was high for the standards: “how to use

information effectively to accomplish a particular goal, “determining the

need for IT and nature, and “accessing to required information efficiently

and effectively” respectively, while the level was average for the standard

“evaluation of information critically. ” On the whole, the level of efficiency

of information awareness was high also.

2. The five most important indicators of efficiency of information awareness

among students according to international standards for these competencies

were in descending order as follows: “understand the many issues of

social, legal and economic surrounding information by technology,”

apply new information and pre- planning and the creation of a product

or specific performance,” knows and identifies the need for information,

“take into account the costs and benefits of access to information” and the

use of information sources in the delivery of information obtained.

3. The five least important indicators of efficiency in information awareness

of the students in ascending order were as follows: “determines if the

initial questions need to be reviewed,” “uses the initial criteria to

evaluate the information and sources,” “summarizes the key ideas drawn

from information gathered,” selects the search strategy if necessary”

and “draws and employs the information obtained and records their

sources.”

4. There are significant differences in the level of efficiency of information

awareness among the students of Al- Quds Open University in international

standards depending on the variables of grade point average and the level

of the school year in favor of category outstanding students in the grade

point average and students from the level of the fourth and the third year,

while the results showed there are no statistically significant differences in

the level of efficiency of information awareness among students depending

on the gender and specialization variables.