INFORMATION LITERACY What is it ? How can we teach it ?

INFORMATION LITERACY

INFORMATION LITERACYWhat is it ? How can we teach it ?Al Najaf Conference7 May 2009 Fujairah HCTPamella Asquith, Librarian FMC

Thought-Provoking QuotationsDefinition and History of Information Literacy as a conceptTeaching Options for Info LitWho, What, When, HowFWCs Old ModelFCs New ModelSuggestions for Improvement & Development

INFORMATION LITERACY

Education... has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading.

G.M. Trevelyan, British Historian (1876-1962)

http://www.quotationspage.com/

Food for thought . . .

In your thirst for knowledge, be sure not to drown in all the information.

Anthony J. D'AngeloThe College Blue Book



Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense. Gertrude Stein (1874 - 1946)



I'm not dumb. I just have a command of thoroughly useless information.

Bill Watterson (1958 - ) Calvin", It's a Magical World



The multitude of books is making us ignorant. Voltaire (1694 - 1778)



Literacy- Ability to read

Computer Literacy- Ability to use computers

Information Literacy- Ability to think critically about and use informationInformation Literacy?

To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.

American Library Association, 1989Presidential Committee establishing the National Forum on Information Literacy

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/whitepapers/presidential.cfm1989 Information Literacy ALA White Paper

[Information literacy is] a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure and its social, cultural, and philosophical context and impact.

Jeremy Shapiro & Shelley HughesEducause Review 31:2 March/April 1996

http://net.educause.edu/apps/er/review/reviewarticles/31231.html1996 A New Liberal Art

Sponsored by UNESCO, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and the National Forum on Information Literacy

The creation of an Information Society is key to social, cultural and economic development of nations and communities, institutions and individuals in the 21st century and beyond.

Information Literacy encompasses knowledge of ones information concerns and needs, and the ability to identify, locate, evaluate, organize and effectively create, use and communicate information to address issues or problems at hand; it is a prerequisite for participating effectively in the Information Society, and is part of the basic human right of lifelong learning.

http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/files/19636/11228863531PragueDeclaration.pdf/PragueDeclaration.pdf

2003 Prague Declaration

Information Literacy lies at the core of lifelong learning. It empowers people in all walks of life to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively to achieve their personal, social, occupational and educational goals. It is a basic human right in a digital world and promotes social inclusion of all nations.http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=20891&URL_DO=DO_PRINTPAGE&URL_SECTION=201.html

2005 Alexandria Proclamation on Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning

2007 UNESCO Understanding Information Literacy: A PrimerEleven stages of the Information Literacy Life Cycle1. Realize need 2. Identify & define info needed 3. Determine if info exists 4. Find info 5. Create unavailable info 6. Read and understand info 7. Organize, analyze, interpret & evaluate 8. Communicate info to others9. Solve the info problem 10. Preserve & archive info for future use 11. Dispose of obsolete info http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001570/157020e.pdf

Librarians and Library StaffEnglish FacultyContent FacultyParaprofessional TutorsPeer Student TutorsCombination of above rolesTeaching Info Lit : WHO ?

Tier 1: How to use the library, check out books, find books etc

Tier 2: How to use specific kinds of resources : dictionaries, encyclopedias, e-books, magazines, newspapers, etc

Tier 3: How to use databases, general and subject specific

Tier 4: Evaluation of information resources especially websites

Tier 5: Academic honesty and citing sources, writing reference lists or bibliographies

Tier 6 : Academic Research Process (Big6)

Teaching Info Lit : WHAT ?

During pre-semester orientationDuring first semester or first year onlyOngoing at every level

All of the aboveTeaching Info Lit : WHEN ?

Part of library orientationWorkshops or non-credit classes (PPDV)Ad hoc requests from facultyWithin language and content coursesSeparate credit classFace-to-faceOnline

All of the aboveTeaching Info Lit : HOW ?

In past years, foundation students had 6, 1-hour class sessions in their first semester taught by the librarian; non-credit, part of Personal and Professional Development.

About 300 students (in 14 separate sections) with coursework that had to be assessed as well as an accessed project (total 7 assessments per student) all by only one librarian who had many other duties. This proved unmanageable.

FWCs old model

Clearly face-to-face instruction by one librarian was not feasible and could never work unless a fulltime teaching librarian was hired. Even then, repeating a 1-hour lesson 14+ times in one week is boring for the instructor.

Needed to be some kind of online instruction.

Needed to be time-share of instruction duties.

FWCs old model

Topics, although useful for courses, were not coordinated in such a way as to deliver instruction at the optimal time.

For example, how to write citations was not taught when students were doing research and needed to be writing citations.

Topics did not take into account the low level of English and general lack of interest in reading. Unrealistic expectations of what students could achieve.

FWCs old model

About 1 year ago, in collaboration with faculty and supervisors, modules were conceived and designed by librarians.

Integral was the notion of time-share presentation among library staff, SSC tutors, language and content faculty at whatever point within a course deemed most useful.

New Model

Tier 1: How to use the library (Taught by library staff)

Tier 2 : How to use specific kinds of resources Taught by library staff or Foundations English faculty)

Tier 3 & 4: How to use databases and evaluation of resources (Taught by librarians)

Tier 5: Citing sources, writing reference lists or bibliographies(Taught by librarians and faculty)

Tier 6: Academic Research Process (Taught by content faculty and librarians)

New Model : Content Tiers

New Model : Description A module is only 3-10 minutes but exercises and supplements can extend the lesson time, be used as reinforcement, follow up or assessment at faculty discretion.

Modules are designed like an infomercial and branded with a custom look but each has different colors and avatars. Language is in a conversational style & as simple as possible.

Printable worksheets and other materials such as flash cards are included for many modules and can be used at the faculty discretion.

Narration can be imbedded (headphone quality). High-quality narration for classroom acoustics also possible but needs a separate linked file.New Model : Features

Absent students can access the materials for makeup.

Modules can be replayed at different points in a semester or academic year if students have forgotten the skill or content.

Modules can be made into visual displays or posters, screen savers for library PCs and played on plasma monitors around campus.

New Model : Advantages

Tier 1: Call Numbers (PlugIn 8)

Tier 2: Newspapers (PlugIn 14)

Tier 3: Business Databases (PlugIn 21)

Tier 4: Questions about Websites (PlugIn 38)

Tier 5: MLA Intext Citations for Direct Quotes (PlugIn 28)

Tier 6: The Academic Research Process (PlugIn 40)Examples of Modules

Unfortunately at the beginning of the AY, not all content was finished. But, now after first year, most of the content has been developed.

Problems with technical aspects of narration and playback.

Lots of revision necessary because of library website interface changes. Major revisions necessary in all presentations on citations and referencing because MLA has changed the rules.

Due to time loss from breaks in the semester, faculty could not spare time for 100% coverage of all topics.

WORK IN PROGRESS

Ongoing issue of so many sections needing coverage, too many for the same person.

Classroom teachers dont want extra lessons added to their curriculum, so coverage of library lessons has been & will always be spotty if faculty are responsible for delivery.

Looking for an alternative less labor-intensive (BlackBoard Vista).

WORK IN PROGRESSSee Handout for list of all topics

Access from S drive/General/Library PlugIn Lessons

Next step : BlackBoard Vista version, 15 lessonsConclusion

Questions?Comments?Suggestions?

Thank you for listening.

[email protected]

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INFORMATION LITERACY What is it ? How can we teach it ?