The Impact of information literacy skills on the performance of past students at their workplaces: The case of University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Abstract

Purpose: The study focused on the impact of information literacy studied at the University of Cape Coast on the work people do at their workplaces. Specifically it points out how lecturers may be involved in developing the skills of students to enable them maximise the use of informational resources to meet the requirements of the work they do. Methodology: The study embraced old students of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, and Head of ten Departments at where the majority of the respondents worked. Survey method was used for the study with questionnaires and interview as the instruments of data collection for the past students and Head of Departments of old students respectively. Findings The study revealed that the benefits of information literacy are enormous; thus information literacy is a contributory factor to performance of workers and employability of job seekers. Employers are now embanking on numerous trainings to make employees information literates. Implication: More need to be done by lecturers of the Information Literacy Skills Unit of the University of Cape Coast to make the course more transferrable Originality: UNESCO’s assertion that information literacy is a process for lifelong learning and an attribute of employability is a cause for concern, hence looking at how the transition from academic work to workplace calls for study.