Integrating Information Literacy Subject into Universities’ Curricular towards Achieving Life Long Learning Habit among Students

Abstract

Information literacy (IL) subject plays a significant role in imparting life-long reading habit among University students which also enables students to become skillful information users in problem solving. The current number of Universities in Tanzania is 68, where 25 are public universities and 43 private universities. Moshi district is among the areas in Tanzania where some of these Universities are located. Since information is an essential commodity in academic and socio-economic development, integrating information literacy subject in the Universities curricular becomes of great important. The main objective was to assess if Universities in Kilimanjaro region have integrated information literacy subject in their curricular. Specifically, the study intended; to examine how information literacy have been integrated at Moshi Co-operative University (MoCU), Mwenge Catholic University (MWECAU) and Stefano Moshi Memorial University College (SMMUCo), to identify the role that has been played by Universities librarians in imparting information literacy skills to students and to assess challenges facing the integration of information literacy subject in the Universities curricular. The design of the study is multiple-case study which MoCU, MWECAU and SMMUCo were used. The study found out that all three Universities have not integrated IL subject in their curricular. With regard to the challenges towards integrating IL subject, study found that, the current Tanzania Education Policy has not stated whether or not it is mandatory for all Universities in Tanzania to integrate IL subject in their curricular. There are no institutional policies which provide guidelines of integrating IL subject in their curricular and lack of librarian’s involvement in curriculum development creates more difficulties. The study has also recommended that, Tanzania Education Policy of 1995 has to be revised to accommodate this important aspect, there should be involvement of librarians in curriculum development and institutional top management should support the efforts of integrating IL in their curricular.