Information Literacy Skills Needs of Senior Secondary School Students: Special Focus to Northern Sri Lanka

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Background Information literacy supports individuals’ academic abilities of critical thinking and reasoning which enable them to quickly grasp new ways of learning. It helps build long-term learning as it motivates and improves critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students mostly use applicable resources such as books and the internet to obtain high-quality information for assessments. Ultimately, this educates students to make decisions independently.Purpose The present study explored information literacy skill needs of senior secondary school students in Northern Sri Lanka by examining the role of information literacy in the education system and analyzing the challenges hindering its successful implementation among these students. The study also investigated strategies used to measure students’ information literacy skill levels.Methods The current study implemented a quantitative research methodology, and C448 senior secondary school students using a random sampling technique with the aid of a structured questionnaire. The collected quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, performing regression, ANOVA, frequency analysis, and correlation tests.Outcome The outcome of the study revealed the significant prevalence of information literacy in the school education system. Challenges such as untrained tutors, lack of resources, and insufficient information literacy instruction significantly impact student learning. The study also revealed a significant association between information literacy skill measurement and the ability levels of senior secondary students.Recommendations Overall, the study recommends that students receive guidance on using library resources and the internet to find reliable information. Information literacy training should be integrated into the curriculum, and teachers should be supported with relevant training. These steps will help students develop stronger information literacy skills.