The ability to manage information from the Internet with learning purposes represents a hard task to most of the students, even in higher education, in which this ability acquires the hue of performing an academic text. The Information Problem Solving (IPS) model unpacks this ability into five different skills: defining research questions, planning search activities, processing the information found, and organize and presenting information. In this study, an IPS instruction was designed, implemented, and evaluated in order to train master students to accomplish a literature review task and write their final thesis. Since the university were this instruction took place was completely virtual, the instruction was also online. In addition, this pilot course was based in the Four-Component Instructional Design (4C/ID) model, which consider essential the following components: learning tasks, supportive information, procedural information, and task practice. Twenty-five master students participated in the whole two-month course and fifty-five ones acted as a control group. The findings of this quasi-experimental study indicate that, after the instruction, trained students group obtained statistically better results in activities involving the following skills: defining initial questions, planning and searching in the Internet or other sources, and processing sources and material found. Regarding the skill to organize and present information, no differences were obtained between the two groups, which led us to a deep analysis to unravel the points that might be enhanced during the design and implementation of this instruction. Nevertheless, the online course showed to be an excellent tool to improve students’ IPS skills.

Authors:
Esther Argelagós, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Spain
Consuelo García, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Spain
Jesús Privado, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Spain

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Esther Argelagós, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja & University of Girona, Spain.
Research: information problem solving, digital education, informational compentence, 4C/ID model, collaborative learning

Additional website of interest
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6425-1499

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