INFORMING SCIENCE-BASED MODEL FOR THE FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS AND COMPETENCES IN THE USE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES

The current paper presents a contemporary research on the various ways used by the university students, from the target group of University of library studies and information technologies (ULSIT) to search for information resources.

The results from ULSIT’s implementation of the project "Informing science based Models for the formation and development of skills and competences in the use of information resources" have been carefully analyzed and presented within the scope of this paper. The project is implemented in partnership with the National science fund and funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Republic of Bulgaria and focuses on the providing students from the target group with the possibility to recognize assess and choose the right electronic sources of information.

An interesting and important aspect of the study is to understand and analyse the viewpoint of the university students, as a target group, on how to search for sources of information that are considered useful, being relevant and authentic at the same time.

A milestone in the process of education and training of ULSIT’s students is the right choice of electronic sources of information, suitable for their lecture courses. This is considered as an important moment in the learning process.

The relevance of this study is determined by the fact that the implementation of an Informing science-based model for the formation and development of skills and competences in the use of information resources is a key element in the process of acquiring new knowledge, skills and competences by the students, necessary for protection from the influence of the social engineering techniques used by electronic resources.

The increasing role of electronic media in the search for information resources used by the students in the education and training process, is a prerequisite for them to fall under the so-called "information flood" effect, where their skills and competences for selecting adequate, credible and relevant information sources are of utmost importance. Therefore, the application of the Informing science-based model for the formation and development of skills and competences in the use of information resources will lead to enhancement and development of corresponding information skills and competences in the representatives of the target groups, i.e. the university students.

In the contemporary information society the easy creation, finding and use of unreliable information sources, as well as the information modification and manipulation is one of the current issues affecting not only the society as a whole, but the students at the ULSIT in particular.

Reviewing and analyzing the most common impact techniques used for building and maintaining influence through electronic resources will facilitate the process of shaping a suitable model and development of a sustainable strategy for further improvement in the education and training of university students in order to assist them when shaping their own authentic idea of reality.

As a result the necessity for an in-depth study considering this issue, is undoubtedly one of the contemporary challenges faced by the modern university education and training.

The main outcomes of the project implementation are focused on achieving a higher level of students' knowledge, skills and competences applicable in their work with information resources.