Ellen Nierenberg

• Brox, Hans & Nierenberg, Ellen (2024). Refleksjoner ved inngangen til en KI-revolusjon i høyere utdanning. In Bjørgen, Anne Mette; Fritze, Yvonne & Haugsbakk, Geir Olav (Ed.), Mediepedagogikk Kritiske refleksjoner om medier i undervisning og samfunn. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 978-82-450-4633-5. p. 237–259. doi: https:/doi.org/10.55669/oa400411.
• Nierenberg, Ellen & Dahl, Tove I. (2021). Is information literacy ability, and metacognition of that ability, related to interest, gender or education level? A cross-sectional study of higher education students. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science. ISSN 0961-0006. p. 1–13. doi: 10.1177/09610006211058907. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  How information literate are students in higher education, and how accurate is their metacognition related to that ability? Are students’ perceived needs to learn more and their level of interest in becoming information literate related to their pursuit of information literacy (IL) skill development? First-year undergraduates, master’s, and PhD students (N = 760) took an objective IL test and estimated their scores both before and after the test. IL ability, as well as students’ estimation of their IL ability, increased with higher education experience and IL test experience, though also varied notably within groups. Low-performers tended to overestimate their abilities, while high-performers tended to underestimate them—both evidence of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Furthermore, gender comparisons revealed that men tended to estimate higher, and more accurate, scores than women. Finally, PhD students reported greater interest in becoming information literate than undergraduates. Although undergraduates felt a greater need to learn more, PhD students were more inclined to pursue IL growth. For both groups, interest in becoming information literate correlated far more with their likelihood to invest effort into developing IL competencies than their perceived need to know more. What implications might these findings have for how we conceptualize the teaching of IL?

• Dahl, Tove I. & Nierenberg, Ellen (2021). Here’s the TRIQ: The Tromsø Interest Development Questionnaire Based on the Four-Phase Model of Interest Development. Frontiers in Education. ISSN 2504-284X. 6. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2021.716543. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The Tromsø Interest Questionnaire (TRIQ) is the first suite of self-report subscales designed for focused investigations on how interest is experienced in relation to Hidi and Renninger’s four-phase model of interest development. In response to the plethora of varied interest measures that already exist in terms of theoretical grounding, form, and tested quality, the TRIQ subscales were designed with a consistent form to measure general interest, situation dependence, positive affect, competence level, competence aspirations, meaningfulness, and self-regulation answered in relation to some object of interest. Two studies testing the subscales’ performance using different objects of interest (self-chosen “object-general,” and prespecified “object-specific”) provide evidence of the subscales’ internal consistency, temporal reliability, and phase-distinguishing validity. Patterns across the two studies demonstrate that the TRIQ is a sufficiently reliable and valid domain-tailorable tool that is particularly effective at distinguishing phase 1 (triggered situational) from phase 4 (well-developed individual) interest. The findings raise interesting questions for further investigation about the distinction and distance between all interest phases, the push-pull factors that influence how interests evolve and additional subscales to add to the suite.

• Nierenberg, Ellen; Låg, Torstein & Dahl, Tove I. (2021). Knowing and doing: The development of information literacy measures to assess knowledge and practice. Journal of Information Literacy. ISSN 1750-5968. 15(2), p. 78–123. doi: 10.11645/15.2.2795. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study touches upon three major themes in the field of information literacy (IL): the assessment of IL, the association between IL knowledge and skills, and the dimensionality of the IL construct. Three quantitative measures were developed and tested with several samples of university students to assess knowledge and skills for core facets of IL. These measures are freely available, applicable across disciplines, and easy to administer. Results indicate they are likely to be reliable and support valid interpretations. By measuring both knowledge and practice, the tools indicated low to moderate correlations between what students know about IL, and what they actually do when evaluating and using sources in authentic, graded assignments. The study is unique in using actual coursework to compare knowing and doing regarding students’ evaluation and use of sources. It provides one of the most thorough documentations of the development and testing of IL assessment measures to date. Results also urge us to ask whether the source-focused components of IL – information seeking, source evaluation and source use – can be considered unidimensional constructs or sets of disparate and more loosely related components, and findings support their heterogeneity.

• Nierenberg, Ellen (2017). A comparison of nursing and teacher education students' information literacy learning: Results from Norway, 2016. College & Research Libraries. ISSN 0010-0870. 78(5), p. 628–651. doi: 10.5860/crl.78.5.628. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study measures first-year undergraduate students’ self-assessments and learning outcomes in information literacy skills in their first months of higher education in Norway. Comparisons are made between nursing students and teacher education students. Surveys were conducted before the library’s information literacy course and after both library instruction and the submission of an academic paper in which citations were required. Survey questions were specifically related to evaluating sources, avoiding plagiarism, and citing sources. Results show significant improvement, especially in students’ ability to cite sources. There were small differences between student groups.

• Nierenberg, Ellen & Fjeldbu, Øyvind Gjems (2015). How much do first-year undergraduate students in Norway know about information literacy? Journal of Information Literacy. ISSN 1750-5968. 9(1), p. 15–33. doi: 10.11645/9.1.1983. Show summary

  This study aims to document first-year undergraduate students’ information literacy (IL) skills at a typical university college in Norway. This research is the first of its kind in Norway as previous studies on new students have focused mainly on the literature search. Prior to library instruction a selection of these students completed a survey with questions on the critical evaluation of sources, on plagiarism and on citing sources. Survey questions were designed to reflect the content of the library course in IL. Although most students were confident that they could avoid plagiarism when writing, many had large gaps in their knowledge, and lacked essential skills. Results also show that new students are better at evaluating sources than they are at citing them. Ethical aspects of plagiarism are discussed and comparisons drawn between students coming directly from upper secondary school and those who have some previous higher education.

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• Nierenberg, Ellen (2008). Anti-terror legislation and public libraries : a comparison of librarians' concerns in the USA and Denmark. VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG. ISBN 9783639074048. 129 p. Show summary

  In the aftermath of the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, several countries adopted anti-terror legislation as part of a global War on Terror. The US set the stage with its Patriot Act, and Denmark, amongst others, followed suit with its Anti-terror Package. This book examines how these laws affect libraries. What are librarians¿ concerns? Does the legislation infringe upon library patrons¿ right to privacy? Does it restrict freedom of expression and access to information? Are the core values of public libraries sacrificed? Why do American librarians voice strong opposition, while Danish librarians are silent? This book provides insight into these issues, and is based on research performed by an American librarian living in Scandinavia. The anti-terror legislation is presented and various theories of professional ethics are discussed. Results from the two countries are compared and possible explanations analyzed.

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• Nierenberg, Ellen (2023). Opplæring i kildebruk: Hvem er den nye studenten?
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2023). Understanding the development of information literacy in higher education.
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2023). Informasjonskompetanse og interesse.
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2023). Utviklingen av informasjonskompetanse i høyere utdanning.
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2023). Keynote: Barriers and enablers to information literacy development: What practices are recommended for librarians and other instructors?
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2023). Information literacy development.
• Nierenberg, Ellen & Dahl, Tove I. (2022). The development of students as information literate individuals: Results from an 86% complete PhD in Information Literacy.
• Nierenberg, Ellen; Låg, Torstein & Dahl, Tove I. (2021). New tools for assessing information literacy: Knowing and doing.
• Dahl, Tove I. & Nierenberg, Ellen (2021). Interest: We know it when we feel it, but do we recognize it when we measure it? That’s a TRIQ question .
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2021). Kildebruk: Et blikk fra nord (keynote).
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2020). Does actual ability in information literacy, and metacomprehension of that ability, ​ improve with experience ​ in higher education?​.
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2019). Stipendiat i informasjonskompetanse.
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2019). PhD pitch: Information literacy.
• Dahl, Tove Irene; Lappegård, Ingvild; Nilsen, Karine Thorheim & Nierenberg, Ellen (2019). Developing a measure of interest: Where to next from this fork in the road?
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2018). En nasjonal standard for APA-stil er på vei! Bob : Bok og bibliotek. ISSN 0006-5811. 85(3), p. 72–73.
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2017). Informasjonskompetanse og førsteårs sykepleier- og lærerstudenter. Show summary

  Informasjonskompetanse (IK) er en viktig del av akademisk dannelse og livslang læring. Ved tidligere Høgskolen i Hedmark undersøkte jeg bachelorstudenters IK-ferdigheter da de begynte i første semesteret, før undervisning fra biblioteket. En etterundersøkelse fokuserte på læringsutbyttet til sykepleie- og lærerstudenter senere i semesteret, etter bibliotekkursene og innlevering av en oppgave der de brukte kilder. Alle nye studenter deltar på to kurs fra biblioteket: et søkekurs og et kildekurs der studentene lærer å kritisk vurdere kilder, unngå plagiering og bruke kilder på korrekt måte. Forskningsspørsmålene reflekterte innholdet i kildekurset, og adresserte ikke søkeferdigheter. Resultater fra før- og etterundersøkelsene ble analysert for å se læringsutbyttet. Formålet var ikke å måle kortsiktig hukommelse fra kursene, men kunnskapen studentene beholdt etter å ha skrevet en oppgave som krevde at de evaluerte og brukte kilder, samt unngikk plagiat. Studentenes egenvurderinger og faktiske IK-ferdigheter ble sammenlignet for å avdekke eventuelle forskjeller mellom studenter i de to profesjonsutdanningene. Forundersøkelsen viser at nye studentene kunne en del om kildekritikk og plagiat, men lite om korrekt bruk av kilder. Etterundersøkelsen viser en betydelig økning i IK-ferdigheter i alle tre temaer. Selv om det kun var små forskjeller mellom de ulike studentgruppenes ferdigheter, hadde sykepleierstudentene større tillit til sine evner enn lærerstudentene. I tillegg trodde sykepleierstudenter oftere enn lærerstudenter at kildene til lettfunnet fakta måtte siteres i skriftlig arbeid, selv når dette ikke var nødvendig.

• Nierenberg, Ellen (2016). How much do nursing and teacher education students in Norway learn about information literacy in their first year of college? Show summary

  This paper presents the findings of recent research at Hedmark University of Applied Sciences (HUAS) in Norway. Information literacy (IL) skills of first-year nursing and teacher education students were documented twice during their first year: • early in the first semester, before the library’s IL-instruction • after both library instruction and the submission of a paper in which students had use for course material All new students at HUAS attend two IL-classes from the library. In the first class students learn to search for information. In the second, called “Sources of information and how to cite them,” students learn to: • critically evaluate sources • avoid plagiarism • cite sources Research questions in this study were designed to best reflect the content of the second library course, and did not address search skills. Questions in the original and follow-up surveys were nearly identical, making it possible to compare results and determine whether or not IL-skills had improved after the combination of library instruction and academic writing. The intention of the follow-up survey was not to measure short-term memory of library instruction, but rather to see what information students retained after writing a paper which required them to evaluate and cite sources and avoid plagiarism. The largest faculties at HUAS are nursing and teacher education, and this research focuses exclusively on students in these professional studies. Before-and-after results, measuring students’ self-assessments and their actual IL-skills, were analyzed for nursing students and teacher-education students to determine whether or not there are significant differences between student groups. Results show a substantial increase in IL-skills for both student groups in all three topics: evaluating sources, avoiding plagiarism, and citing sources. Although there were only small differences between nursing and teacher-education students’ skills, their self-assessments differed significantly, with nursing students showing more confidence in their abilities than teacher education students.

• Nierenberg, Ellen (2015). How much do first year undergraduate students in Norway know about information literacy? Show summary

  This PechaKucha will present the findings of our recent research which documents new students’ information literacy (IL) skills at a typical Norwegian university college. Before receiving the library's courses in IL, new bachelor students completed a survey which measured their levels of competence in three areas: citing sources; avoiding plagiarism; and critically evaluating sources. Our research questions were designed to best reflect the content of the library course "Sources of information and how to cite them". Respondents also assessed their own abilities in the three focus areas and we compared these self-assessments to their actual levels of knowledge. This study is the first of its kind in Norway, as previous research has mainly focused on how new students search for literature. Results provide an indication of the level of IL skills of new students not only at our institution, but perhaps also for other university colleges in Norway. We discuss the significance of the results, given the fact that Norwegian society in general, including its education system, is considered quite advanced. Our results document that new students are more skilled at evaluating information sources than at citing them correctly. Many lack essential skills and have little knowledge about plagiarism and how to avoid it, despite the fact that they assess their own abilities as quite good in this respect. We found, not surprisingly, that those students who have had some previous higher education have more knowledge and higher skill levels than those coming directly from upper secondary school, in all three focus areas.

• Nierenberg, Ellen (2010). En liten høyskole som tenker stort: Tiltak mot fusk og plagiat ved Høgskolen i Hedmark.
• Nierenberg, Ellen (2022). Understanding the development of information literacy in higher education: Knowing, doing, and feeling. UiT Norges arktiske universitet. ISSN 978-82-7589-881-2.

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