Teaching Information Literacy Courses in Southern Africa: Lessons Learned in Training on Constructing Personal Bibliographic Databases

摘要

The organization and management of references in a bibliographic database is an essential component of information literacy. The use of word processing software, rather than commercial reference management packages, presents a practical solution for remote or disadvantaged students in Southern Africa. Training in the creation of a personal bibliographic database is presented at a workshop attended by masters students registered for a module in research information skills at the University of South Africa, a distance learning institution. Many of the students are teachers in Environmental Education and come from rural communities. The method used in creating the database and the benefits gained in using word processing software are described. The bibliographic database compares favorably with reference management software packages.