CHANGING INFORMATION LITERACY TRAINING OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN EUROPE THROUGH THE GAME-BASED LEARNING APPROACH

The study presents the European project NAVIGATE aiming to develop a game-based model for Information literacy (IL) training in Bulgarian, Italian and Swedish universities. The model consists of a syllabus based on a competency tree; games included in the syllabus; working modules with specific game tasks; game-based learning activities, etc. The other main objectives of the project are: to elaborate a competency tree (a student-centred strategy for blended learning in IL) comprising various dimensions that represent the core IL skills obligatory for students in a digital age; to design a model of scenarios for the IL games; to develop IL games and implement an online platform to integrate the game-based learning model; to elaborate a handbook summarising the project’s results to support the future users (students and tutors) of the developed methodology for a game-based learning approach to IL. The focus groups are Bachelor's students in Humanities. The digital games used for IL training in university environments will provoke students’ active involvement through research, experimentation, competition and cooperation. The understanding of traditional IL (capacity to determine the need to access, evaluate critically, understand information) will be extended, as the training based on games adds the ability to collaborate (to use, incorporate, produce new information, share) in participatory digital environment, similar to those that currently prevail. NAVIGATE aims to apply different methods according to the planned activities: analysis and synthesis of information flows; survey on the best practices related to the project's topic, etc. To achieve the objectives of the project, quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis will be applied in standardised questionnaires and focus groups. The students’ level of IL will be monitored through the method of modelling (simulation of a real-life environment/situation and a game-based learning). The expected results from implementing the project are: traditional models of teaching will be changed through the integration of interactive serious games in the training; IL trainers’ competences will be improved; students’ interest in learning in general will be stimulated; the developed product will be further improved and upgraded in the future by using students and tutors’ feedback; the NAVIGATE training model will be applied in other institutions (public and academic libraries); criteria for synchronised learning and assessment will be elaborated.