Assessing Change In High School Student Information Literacy Using The Tool For Real-Time Assessment Of Information Literacy Skills

Abstract

Change in high school student information literacy (IL) knowledge and skills, from freshman year to senior year in high school was the focus of this quasi-experimental research project. Researchers used a free information literacy skills assessment tool entitled TRAILS (Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) to measure student IL skills. A total of 201 high school students participated in the study. Paired samples t-test results were mixed for specific TRAILS sub-categories, however, the senior mean for the total TRAILS assessment was significantly higher than the mean the participants earned on the total TRAILS assessment when they were freshman. Cohen’s d effect size was 0.61. The significance of the information literacy curriculum is discussed in light of these findings.