A competência em informação de estudantes de graduação em Turismo: um estudo de caso no Brasil

Abstract

This research is about information literacy in higher education, taking Tourism as study field. In so doing it points out to the several interfaces that exist between Tourism and Information Science. The development of Tourism is associated with the increase in use of new information and communication technologies and with the corresponding need of information competent human resources. An analysis of the Brazilian Tourism sector and an overview of higher education in the field are presented in this study. The development of information literacy studies internationally, in Latin America and especially in Brazil is also considered here, with a thorough review of Brazilian studies from 2001, when the first articles are written in Information Science Journals. The empirical study involves an Information Literacy online test applied to the undergraduate students of Tourism of the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), in Rio de Janeiro. The Research Readiness Self- Assessment (RRSA), developed at the Central Michigan University, was translated and adapted to the Brazilian environment. Data analyses of the 48 questions included indicate, among other factors, that Brazilian students show a satisfactory comprehension of some dimensions of information literacy but also reveal that some specific aspects should be improved. Deficiencies in Information literacy can compromise the perspective of Brazilian professionals in the Information society and suggest that a special attention need to given to these needs by higher education professionals and institutions.