Delivering information literacy:

Getting closer to the academic community

Chris GibsonAcademic Liaison Librarian

Agenda

• Information literacy (IL)

• Challenges of delivering IL

• Who delivers IL?

• Planning for IL delivery

• Delivering IL

• Facilitating success

What is Information Literacy (IL)?• Concise definition for engaging with academics

‘Information literacy is knowing when and why you need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner’ (CILIP, 2008)

• IL standards– Developed by professional, international bodies (ACRL, 2000; ANZIIL, 2004; SCONUL, 1999)

– Outline skills and competencies

– Provide reference points for designing training programs

Why does IL matter?• To cope with the increasing volume, variety and quality of information (Lyman and Varian, 2003)

• ‘Information Literacy…is a prerequisite for participating effectively in the Information Society, and is part of the basic human right of lifelong learning’ (UNESCO, NCLIS and NFIL, 2003)

• Information behaviour of the Google generation (UCL

CIBER group, 2008) :

– Low level of IL

– High level of library anxiety

What are the challenges?

• Organisational culture– Acceptance by academic community– Institutional commitment (policy and strategy)

• Control over the curriculum– Content determined by academics (not libraries)– Time available

• Staff skills required to deliver IL– e.g. IL, IT, pedagogy, classroom management, presentational

• Resources– Staff time, facilities, budget

Who delivers IL?

• Subject librarians (SL) are well placed

• Extend SL traditional training role from library and bibliographic skills to information literacy

• SL are involved with and informed of:

– Schools’ activities and information needs

– Information resources relevant to schools, and their context within the information landscape

– Schools’ communication mechanisms, structures, and key role holders

A practitioner’s view• Enable hands-on experience

– IL is a practical based subject

– ‘Tell me, I will forget

Show me, I may remember   

Involve me, and I will understand’ (Chinese proverb)

• Effective support is:

– Timely (e.g. synchronised with coursework)

– Relevant (subject focused; addresses current need)

– Applied immediately (practice reinforces skills)

• Begin IL early and build progressively

Integrating IL into the curriculum• IL Toolkit for securing change (CILIPS, 2008)

– Planning for change

– Advocacy for change

– Implementing change

– Evaluate the impact of change

• Seize additional opportunities– Periods of curriculum change

– Smaller pilot studies e.g. project or tutor groups

• Also applies to research training and staff development programs!

Planning for teaching• Lesson planning

– Identify learning outcomes

– Plan learning activities

– Prepare teaching materials

– Prepare instructor’s notes

• Consider learning theories

and styles– e.g. Learning cycle (Honey and Mumford, 2000)

Example: training eventDelivery method

Activity focus

Lesson content Timing (mins)

Presentation Instructor Introduction, learning outcomes, benefits of information skills, scientific communication process, selecting appropriate search tools

15

Guided demonstration

Instructor and student

Developing search strategies, generic database features, accessing full text

30

Practical Student Database search exercises, and referencing exercises

30

Demonstration Instructor Citation searching, subject specific resources (print and electronic), Internet resources (contrast Intute and Google)

20

Group discussion

Instructor and student

Evaluating quality of information (case study of web site)

15

Review and reflect

Instructor and student

Relate learning outcomes and activities, discuss any outstanding issues, complete evaluation sheets, reinforce contact details for further support

10

Delivering IL

Teaching support• Induction• Workbook (practical based)• Training event (practical based)• Contextual showcasing

Research support• One-to-one• Research profiles• Current awareness• Subject-focused presentation e.g. research group seminar

Online support• Web site• Informs (interactive tutorials)• Virtual Learning Environment (interactive online courses)

Generic support• Training program (resource or activity specific)• Drop-in event (often subject specific)

• Match delivery options with customer segments• Blended approach is effective• The following categories are notional and flexible!

Virtual Learning Environment (1)• ‘Market penetration’

• Accessible 24/7

• Complements face-to-face teaching– Replace some ‘lower level’ events e.g. induction?

• Helpful for:– Large student numbers

– Timetabling problems

– Outreach e.g. distance learners, part-time learners, atypical starters

– Supports mixed abilities via self-paced learning

Virtual Learning Environment (2)

• Appeals to different learning styles

– Text and image based guides and presentations, interactive tutorials (e.g. Informs), sound, video, screen capture demonstrations, and assessments

• Issues:

– Time, expertise and resources to create pedagogically sound content

– Collaboration between librarians, academics, learning technologists

Informs• Tool for creating interactive online learning materials (Brook et al., 2003; Intute, 2008)

• Shared community resource for UK HE and FE

Guide at the side (instructions)

Main window (live resource)

Evaluate teaching

• Feedback from students

– e.g. evaluation forms, verbal comments, performance, behaviour

• Feedback from academics

– Quality of coursework, impressions from students

• Personal reflection by instructor

• Peer review by colleague

Facilitate success

• Establish an institutional IL policy

• Develop co-operation between stakeholders

• Enable staff development

• Establish support for online delivery of IL

• Co-ordinate IL activities across the organisation

• Evaluate the impact of delivering IL

References (1)Association of College and Research Libraries. (2000). "Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education." Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm.

Brook, J., Franklin, G., et al. (2003). "INFORMS: The Information Skills Project: Final Report." Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://informs.hud.ac.uk/f/INFORMS%20Final%20Report.pdf.

Bundy, A. (2004). "Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Framework principles, standards and practice." 2nd. Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www.anziil.org/resources/Info%20lit%202nd%20edition.pdf.

Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. (2008). "Information Literacy: Definition." 29 May 2008, from http://www.cilip.org.uk/policyadvocacy/informationliteracy/definition/default.htm.

Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland. (2008). "Information Literacy: Securing Change: Toolkit." Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www.slainte.org.uk/cilips/infoliteracy/iltoolkit/index.htm.

References (2)Honey, P. and Mumford, A. (2000). The Learning Styles Helper's Guide. Maidenhead, Peter Honey Publications Ltd.

Intute. (2008). "Informs." Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www.informs.intute.ac.uk/.

Lyman, P. and Varian, H.R. (2003). "How Much Information?" Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www2.sims.berkeley.edu/research/projects/how-much-info-2003/.

Mackenzie, A., Howard, H., et al. (2002). "The Big Blue: Final Report." Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www.library.mmu.ac.uk/bigblue/pdf/finalreportful.pdf.

Morgan, N. and Davies, L. (2004). "Innovative library induction - introducing the 'Cephalonian Method'." SCONUL Focus 32: 4-8.

Pinfield, S. (2001). "The changing role of subject librarians in academic libraries." Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 33(1): 32-38.

References (3)Society of College, National and University Libraries. (1999). "Information Skills in Higher Education: A SCONUL Position Paper." Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/papers/papers/Seven_pillars2.pdf.

The Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University. (1998). "Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America’s Research Universities." Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/Pres/boyer.nsf/.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and National Forum on Information Literacy. (2003). "The Prague Declaration: Towards an Information Literate Society." Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/post-infolitconf&meet/PragueDeclaration.pdf.

References (4)United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, National Forum on Information Literacy, and International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (2005). "Beacons of the Information Society, The Alexandria Proclamation on Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning." Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www.ifla.org/III/wsis/BeaconInfSoc.html.

University College London, CIBER Group. (2008). "Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future." CIBER Briefing Paper Retrieved 29 May 2008, from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/slais/research/ciber/downloads/ggexecutive.pdf.