Peer-led information literacy training: a qualitative study of students' experiences of the NICE Evidence search Student Champion Scheme.

BACKGROUND: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Evidence search Student Champion Scheme aims to enable undergraduate health and social care students to teach their peers skills for information literacy (IL), thereby encouraging future evidence-based practice. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the Student Champions' teaching methods; discover what effects the Scheme had on their IL; and uncover any differences between disciplines. METHODS: Fifty-one reflective reports, written by Student Champions and submitted to NICE, were thematically analysed using a non-linear six-stage model. Four health disciplines from academic year 2017/2018 were featured. RESULTS: (a) Students preferred active teaching methods; (b) reported benefits of participation included gaining/developing new skills and increased confidence; (c) students believed that participating improved their skills for IL; (d) multiple recommendations for improving the Scheme were given; and (e) students wanted the Scheme to be offered earlier in their degrees. DISCUSSION: Champions from all disciplines positively benefit from participating in the Scheme. However, they also have concerns which are not well-documented in the literature. CONCLUSION: Student Champions have overall positive experiences. There is demonstrated improvement in their IL, and they become familiar with a useful evidence-based practice resource. They also offer recommendations for future improvements to the Scheme.

Peer teaching and information retrieval: the role of the NICE Evidence search student champion scheme in enhancing students' confidence.

BACKGROUND: This research reports on the NICE Evidence search (ES) student champion scheme (SCS) first five years of activity (2011-2016) in terms of its impact on health care undergraduate students' information search skills and search confidence. OBJECTIVES: A review of students' evaluation of the scheme was carried out to chart the changes in attitude towards NICE Evidence search as an online health care information source and to monitor students' approach to information seeking. METHODS: This study is based on the results of questionnaires distributed to students before and after attending a training session on NICE Evidence search delivered by their own peers. The exercise was implemented in health related universities in England over a period of five consecutive academic years. RESULTS: (i) Students' search confidence improved considerably after the training; (ii) ES was perceived as being an increasingly useful resource of evidence based information for their studies; (iii) the training helped students develop discerning search skills and use evidence based information sources more consistently and critically. CONCLUSIONS: The NICE SCS improves confidence in approaching information tasks amongst health care undergraduate students. Future developments could involve offering the training at the onset of a course of study and adopting online delivery formats to expand its geographical reach.

Healthcare librarians and learner support: a review of competences and methods.

OBJECTIVES: London Health Libraries (LHL) are undertaking a project in order to develop the role of their library and knowledge services staff in supporting learners within the NHS in the London area (LHL Learner Support Project). This paper reports on the first phase of the project. METHODOLOGY: A literature analysis was carried out to provide guidance on the skills and competences needed for library and knowledge staff to perform this function. RESULTS: A variety of competences are identified, and structured in a model incorporating both training skills and general professional competencies. Library and knowledge staff will themselves need to have a high-level of information literacy and to be active lifelong learners. CONCLUSIONS: A 'blended learning' approach, involving e-learning together with other methods, is identified as the most appropriate way for skills to be acquired.