Information literacy at the crossroads: Fake news influence and student behavior

Dunagan, James Alan

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/121983 Copy

Description

Title

Information literacy at the crossroads: Fake news influence and student behavior

Author(s)

Dunagan, James Alan

Issue Date

2023-11-17

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

• Cope, William
• Kalantzis, Mary

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

• Cope, William
• Kalantzis, Mary

Committee Member(s)

• Pak, Yoon
• Dhillon, Pradeep

Department of Study

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Discipline

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ed.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Information Literacy
• Fake News
• Libraries

Abstract

Determining the effect of fake news on college students and how to best overcome its influence on them rests squarely upon the success of how effective information literacy instruction has been for students. A review of literature revealed the great extent to which fake news has penetrated and influenced digital media in general and social media in particular. That review also suggests that existing information literacy instruction is not effective in overcoming fake news influence. To determine the significance of fake news and the effectiveness of information literacy to combat it, a selected group of college students at two institutions were studied using quantitative and qualitative research methods by way of a structured questionnaire. Higher education librarians were also studied using qualitative research methods by way of an open-ended questionnaire and follow-up interviews. The results found that students’ perceptions of their information literacy skills were overstated and that they were generally overconfident about their information literacy abilities, based on librarian 1-on-1 interviews. The results also found that librarians understand the need for better information literacy instruction, but those efforts were often rebuffed by institution leadership. Recommendations were made for better institutional support for information literacy instruction and areas for future study include testing the effect of an information literacy instruction program on college students.

Graduation Semester

2023-12

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2023 James Alan Dunagan

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