Date of Award

January 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Foundations & Research

First Advisor

Robert Stupnisky

Abstract

Information literacy skills are a cornerstone of higher education as they allow students to effectively locate, evaluate, and utilize information from various sources. Evidence-Based Practice, a process commonly used in healthcare for decision making, incorporates using the best available research, one’s clinical expertise, and the patient’s values. Information literacy is foundational to developing evidence-based practice skills. Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLS) utilize evidence-based practice to assist in making decisions about clinical laboratory tests and processes to ensure quality in testing and the appropriate use of resources; therefore, it is important for MLS programs to include elements of evidence-based practice into their curriculum. However, it is unknown how incorporating information literacy assignments in MLS curriculum impacts students’ readiness to use information literacy and ultimately evidence-based practice in the workforce. Motivation is a critical factor for student success. This study investigated student motivation for using information literacy skills, their perception of their information literacy skills, their performance in information literacy assignments, and their perceived transfer of knowledge of information literacy skills to the workplace. Self-Determination Theory and Perceived Transfer of Knowledge were used as frameworks to guide this research. Sixty students enrolled in their final semester of an MLS professional program were sent surveys assessing their perception of their information literacy skills, their motivation towards information literacy, and their perceived transfer of knowledge of information literacy skills. Two separate surveys were conducted, one prior to completing a culminating information literacy assignment and one after completing the assignment. To assess student performance, a sampling of information literacy assignments was assessed using the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Information Literacy VALUE rubric. Results showed that students’ motivation towards using information literacy, and their perception of their information literacy skills were higher after writing a culminating information literacy assignment. In addition, the type of motivation was a better predictor of a student’s perceived transfer of knowledge than their confidence in their information literacy skills. This study provides evidence that information literacy assignments incorporated into the MLS curriculum support the development of information literacy skills, and thus evidence-based practice skills. Further, students with high levels of autonomous motivation feel more confident in their abilities to transfer information literacy skills into the workplace.

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