Preparing Tomorrow's Decision Makers: Learning Environments and Outcomes of Information Literacy Instruction in Business Schools

This study examined information literacy instruction in Canadian business schools, conducted to identify successful outcomes, as well as opportunities to increase the scope and magnitude of instructional outcomes. Three business schools and their supporting libraries participated in the study, which included analysis of policy documents and interviews with students, librarians, teaching faculty, and administrators. In addition, the SAILS test was administered to business students at all 3 institutions. Critical factors in the learning environments at each school were analyzed, and instructional outcomes were identified. One striking finding was the lack of coherence between the perspectives of students about their information literacy skills and learning, and the perspectives of the librarians and faculty members who teach them.