University of Tartu Library Launched Its First MOOC "Information Literacy"

The University of Tartu Library launched the Estonian-language MOOC titled “Information Literacy”.  This is the first open online course fully developed and managed by the library staff.

The main aim of the course is to introduce different information sources available on the Internet and provide knowledge and practical information search skills.

According to Martin Hallik, the director of UT Library, the staff in the library is very competent in information literacy and the team members are ready to share their skills and knowledge. “If a person is proficient in finding quickly necessary and quality information, he or she will save dozens or even hundreds of hours per year, depending on the field of activity or interest of a person,” Hallik described the necessity to organise the new MOOC. 

UT Library has held information literacy courses for the University of Tartu students already for 10 years, but the need for information skills has been constantly growing. To meet this need, the library decided to create an online Estonian-language course open to everyone. Anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can pass the course.

“One of our target groups most certainly includes teachers and high school students in their last year,” said Kadi Kass, the project manager of the MOOC. “The students must write various research works and their teachers have to supervise them. Thus, both the students and their supervisors should be able to find quickly the needed and reliable information”.

In addition to learning how to find information, participants of the course will also learn how to assess critically the information sources and how to avoid plagiarism.

The new MOOC “Information Literacy” should not attract only the students planning to do research as a school assignment. “Lifelong learning is getting more and more popular among our people,” said Kass. “Information literacy is definitely one of the most topical issues – people need to develop this skill as well. For example, the trend that people want to learn about the local history of their home region or write the genealogy of their ancestors is rising all the time. With good information literacy skills you can dig deep into history and gain valuable knowledge.”

The online course “Information Literacy” includes several learning videos, reading materials and self-tests which can be taken at any convenient time. The registered participants who want to receive the certificate of participation have to pass all compulsory tests.

The full course materials are accessible on the web page: http://www.ut.ee/et/mooc/infopadevus

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are online courses aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web.