Adult learners information literacy and technological skills within university education

Abstract

Higher education is changing to serve the needs of the 21(st) century called the information age where the building of the knowledge society is the highest priority. Universities are becoming mass; therefore their readiness to train competent citizens goes in line with contemporary challenges caused by new technologies, abundance of information resources that adult learners face in learning process. These issues require investigating the level of students' competence with a special focus on their technological capacity necessary to cope with a great variety of information search locations, its resources and formats. The paper presents research findings on students' information literacy, ICT skills and their attitude towards the Internet as an information location. In pursuit of drawing a comprehensive picture of Lithuanian situation in the field of the researched issue a questionnaire survey was conducted which aimed at evaluating: a) Lithuanian students' self-perception of information literacy competency; b) experience in dealing with ICT in learning process; c) their attitude towards the Internet as information location and resource; d) students' skills to use multimedia technology for learning purposes. The comparative analysis of the situation within nine Lithuanian universities has disclosed insufficient level of information literacy, ICT skills for self-directed Studies among the surveyed students. The research findings indicate differences in students' performance compared by the mode of study evidencing much lower extramural study mode Students' skills which are below the high standards of modem higher education.