Information Literacy and IT Skills Delivery at the University of Birmingham

Vicky Pownall and Rachel Wood

27th March 2006

Background to the ICT Skills project Resources developed Making the resources available: downloading

learning objects from Vista Sharable Resources

Hands-on – your opportunity to view the resources

Group activity and discussion – Issues and Barriers to disseminating skills resources

Workshop structure

ICT Skills Project: Aims

To develop a web based central resource for supporting and developing undergraduate ICT Skills for level 2 and level 3 undergraduates

For schools to use, adapt and integrate these web based resources into their students programmes of study

To build upon and disseminate project to develop ICTskills materials for level 1

Background to Phase 2 of the ICT Skills Project

Learning Development Unit Funded project, September 03 – August 05

Developed suite of reusable Learning Objects addressing Information Literacy and IT Skills training needs of 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates

Built upon Phase 1 of the project – this developed resources for 1st year undergraduates

Background to Phase 2 of the ICT Skills Project (contd)

Marketed to academics as an option for them to:– Embed within existing subject-focussed

WebCT courses as they are– Embed within existing subject-focussed

WebCT courses after adaptation– Make available to students as standalone

resources

Phase 2 Learning Objects

Information Literacy– Advanced Internet Searching– Database Worksheets– EndNote– European Law– Information Skills for New Searchers– Literature Searching for Dissertations and Projects– Reference Manager– Referencing– Using eJournals

Phase 2 Learning Objects

IT– Advanced PowerPoint– Advanced Word

Other Resources– Oral Presentation Skills

Project also promoted:– Netskills www.netskills.ac.uk – Impetus www.ants.com.au/impetus

Advantages and Issues

Reduction in School/Departmental workload due to centrally available resources – eliminates duplication of effort

Efficient delivery of learning to increased student numbers

Will assist in implementing Information Literacy strategy (currently under discussion)

Issues:– Keeping resources up to date, and notifying

content authors– Provide students with what they want or what they

need?

Project outcomes

Suite of reusable learning objects Designated process for making learning objects

reusable via Sharable Resources area Key personnel in Schools awareness of the learning

objects and the issues involved Take up of resources by a range of schools Tutor support site Developing working relationships between

Information Services and the Schools

Tutor Support Site

Descriptions of Learning Objects Case Studies Instructions for Content Designers Discussion Board News

http://www.ictskills.bham.ac.uk

Downloading Learning Objects from Vista Sharable Resources (demo)

Hands-on

Go to Weblearn http://www.weblearn.bham.ac.uk

Click on Login to Weblearn Type in your username and password (see

sheet) Go to ‘Information Services – LILAC

conference 2006’