A multifaceted analysis of information literacy in undergraduate education on interior architecture and a course proposal

Developments in the information age bring the concept of lifelong learning to the forefront. The constant change and transformation in the information and the diversification of means and methods of accessing it have also influenced vocational education today. The skills for information literacy, which is the core of lifelong learning, have been increasingly considered in vocational education. In the process of solving a design problem, the student needs the awareness and skills of "determining the required knowledge, accessing it without any problem, critical evaluation of the knowledge, using and transferring it effectively, awareness of ethical/legal liabilities in this process". Gains related to these skills directly affect the success of the student both in undergraduate education and in the later period after graduation. Therefore, the students need to gain information literacy skills in interior architecture education. The aim of the study is to raise awareness for the information literacy and to determine its role in the education system for interior architecture profession. First of all, the learning outcomes of the undergraduate programs in Interior Architecture in Turkey were examined and their contribution to information literacy was determined. The opinions of the undergraduate students and the faculty members of the at the Department of Interior Architecture in KTU were received and the students' level of information literacy skills were determined by a survey. The obtained results point to shortcomings such as "awareness of ethical/legal issues" and "information access" which are common and overlapping with each other. Findings obtained in the study were also examined by using a solution-based approach and expert opinions were received. A course called "Information Literacy in the Design Process" was proposed for undergraduate education in Interior Architecture.