The International Information & Library Review (2009) 41, 268e272

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Southeast Asia regional workshop:Training-the-trainers in information literacy(‘‘TTT’’) e Malaysia, 11e14 August 2008

Mohd Sharif Mohd Saad

Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia

Introduction

The Southeast Asia Regional workshop, Training-the-Trainersin Information Literacy (TTT) was held at PNB Ilham Resort,Port Dickson, Malaysia between 11 and 14 August 2008. It wasorganized by the Faculty of Information Management Uni-versiti Teknologi MARA with the collaboration of UNESCO. Itwas officially opened byTan Sri Dato Arsyad Ayub, ProChancellor, Universiti Teknologi MARA. Thirty-six partici-pants attended from seven different countries in South-eastern Asia (see Fig. 1 below).

The host institution

Host: Faculty of Information Management, UniversitiTeknologi MARA, Puncak Perdana (UiTM), No. 1 Jalan PulauAngsa AU10/A, Seksyen U10, Puncak Perdana, 40150 ShahAlam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Tel.: þ603 79622020/2021/2022; fax: þ603 79622007.

The Faculty of Information Management has been widelyrecognized as a pioneer not only in Malaysia but in South-east Asia in providing education and research spanning thefields of Information, Library, and Records Management,since its inception in 1968. During its formative years, theDepartment of Library Science conducted a full time pro-gramme to prepare post-high school students for theprofessional qualification e Associate of the Library Asso-ciation (ALA_UK). It embarked on designing its ownMalaysian curriculum, Diploma in Library Science, forholders of Higher School Certificates, and Postgraduate

E-mail address: mohd.sharif@gmail.com

1057-2317/$ - see front matter ª 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserveddoi:10.1016/j.iilr.2009.09.011

Diploma in Library Science for university graduates, whichwas launched in 1972.

In keeping up with national and international develop-ments, the School has been conducting regular curriculumreviews resulting in the integration of information sciencecomponents into the curriculum. Hence the change of theschool’s name to ‘‘School of Library and InformationScience’’ in 1979. With the addition of Archival and RecordsManagement under the umbrella of ‘‘Information.’’ Theschool’s name was changed again to ‘‘Faculty of Informa-tion Studies’’ in 1997. The current name, ‘‘Faculty ofInformation Management’’ has been in use since 2005 asa result of UiTM’s regrouping of various closely relatedacademic programmes and disciplines campus-wide.

UiTM is Malaysia’s premier institution of higher learningand hasexperienced a phenomenal growth since its inceptionin 1956. The university has expanded nationwide with 3satellite campuses, 12 branch campuses, 8 city campuses, 19affiliated colleges and a ‘‘Smart Campus’’ for the future. Itsformation is based on a vision of outstanding scholarship andacademic excellence that is capable of providing leadershipin all fields of internationally recognized professional study.This serves as a catalyst for greater strides in the develop-ment of the university and the nation.

During these years of growth, UiTM has built on theeducational infrastructure put in place by its founders toa level that is very comparable to many prestigious inter-national universities. Today, it draws strength from theinitiatives of these leaders, past and present, and aspires tobecome world-class in all its endeavors d especially inexploring the frontiers of knowledge, mastering new tech-nologies and harvesting the abundant riches of diversecultures, new and global markets, and new multi-nationalindustries.

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1030e1130 Opening Ceremony

1130e1300 Plenary 3:Developing modules in information Literacy:

Plan, Strategy and Advocacy

1300e1400 Lunch

1430e1700 Plenary 4:Evaluating Information Literacy programs e

principles and methods

1700 Refreshment

1900 Dinner

2015e2215 Workshop 2:Developing an instrument for evaluating

Information Literacy effectiveness

Day 3 (Wednesday, 3/08/08)0830e1030 Workshop 3:

Integrating Syllabus, Teaching Approachesand Assessment

1030e1100 Refreshment

1100e1300 Workshop 4:Developing Implementation Plan, Strategy,

and Advocacy

1300e1400 Lunch

1415e1700 Workshop 5:Finalizing the Plan, Preparing the

Presentation

1545e1600 Refreshment

Southeast Asia regional workshop 269

Duration and date

11e14 August 2008.

Venue

PNB Ilham Resort, Port Dickson, Malaysia.

Aim

The aim of the workshop is to provide participantetrainersand potential trainers of information literacy withcomprehensive and up to date knowledge regarding infor-mation literacy. The workshop provides opportunities toparticipants to discuss and share experiences on informa-tion literacy learning and teaching strategies, evaluation,implementation and current issues.

Objectives of the workshop

Upon completion of the workshop participants are expec-ted to be able to:

a. Design an appropriate IL program to be implemented attheir own organization;

b. Apply IL concepts in daily practice among students orcommunities whom they serve; and

c. Conduct IL courses with better understanding of itspedagogy and effectiveness

Program

Day 1 (Monday, 11/08/08)1230e1330 Participants check in (refreshments

provided)

1415e1445 ‘‘Ice Breaker;’’ Informal get-together

1445e1700 Plenary 1:Overview of concepts, relevance and

significance of Information Literacy andLifelong Learning. Information Literacymodels, programs, and standards

1545e1600 Refreshment

1930 Dinner

2015e2215 Plenary 2:Learners’ information needs analysis,

different styles of learning: Developing anInformation Literacy syllabus to suitlearners, methods, techniques andresources in teaching InformationLiteracy.

Day 2 (Tuesday, 12/08/08)0830e1030 Workshop 1:

Developing an Information LiteracySyllabus: Assessing information needs oflearners

1900 Dinner

Day 4 (Thursday, 14/08/08)0830e1000 Plenary 5:

Presentation of each group’sImplementation Plan

1000e1030 Refreshment

1030e1230 Plenary 6:Presentation of each group’s

Implementation Plan

1230e1300 Conclusion and Certificate Presentation

1300 Participants check out

1300 Lunch & Good Bye

Participants

The Workshop was attended by 36 participants drawninternationally and including local participants. See List ofParticipants in Fig. 1.

Figure 1 List of participants, MALAYSIA TTT workshop, 11e14 August 2008.

270 M.S. Mohd Saad

Southeast Asia regional workshop 271

Workshop committee members

Workshop Chairman: Mohd Sharif Mohd Saad

Members: Prof. Dr. Szarina Abdullah,Assoc. Prof. Fuziah Mohd Nadzar,Mdm. Che Zainab Abdullah,Dr. Dang Merduwati Hashim,Mdm. Norhayati Baba,Mdm. Wan Satirah Wan Mohd Saman,Ms. Eza Rafizawati Kamal Rafedzi,Mr. Yamin Khamis,Mr. Mohd Kamil Mohamad Nor,

Facilitators and expert presenters

� Mdm. Kiran Kaur e Department of Library and Infor-mation Science, University of Malaya.� Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Sharif Mohd Saad e Faculty of

Information Management, UiTM.� Assoc. Prof. Norma Abu Seman e Faculty of Information

Management, UiTM.� Mdm. Sharifah Hanon Bidin e Head Librarian, Open

University Malaysia.� Prof. Dr. Szarina Abdullah e Faculty of Information

Management, UiTM.� Dato Dr. Zaiton Osman e Former Head Librarian of the

University of Malaya, currently free lance consultant.

Administrative staff of the Facultyof Information Management.

Sample group presentation

There were simply too many group presentations that weremade to the plenary workshop body during the days of theworkshop to cover them all in this brief article. Therefore,the author has chosen to ‘‘sample’’ one of the most signifi-cant of the presentations made, in large part because theultimate beneficiaries and audiences for this presentationwere primary and secondary school students living in Asiancountries. Hopefully, therefore, the following material willgive the reader a ‘‘flavor’’ of how the participants structuredtheir presentations, and reveal the contents of how theyunderstood and interpreted the information literacyconcept. This group presentation was made by Group 5.

Action plan for an information literacyprogramme for secondary and primarystudents

� GoalThe goal of the Information Literacy Program is tohelp students master information skills that will enrichtheir academic and personal lives and enable them tobecome independent lifelong learners.� Target group

Primary: Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils.Secondary: Form 1, 2 and 3 students.

� Needs assessment toolAssessing what students need using assessment tool,i.e. survey.� Objectives

To provide access to information through learningactivities that are integrated into the curriculum andthat help all students achieve information literacy.To provide learning experiences that encouragestudents to become critical consumer and skilledcreators of information.� Action plan

a) Meeting with the principal and SRC committee topresent concept and seek endorsement.b) Set up IL committee to fine tune paper.

i) Develop content of IL program.ii) Create IL skill activities for students.iii) Identify teaching and learning resources needed.iv) Identify IL instructors to carry out the program.

c) Briefing to all teachers and staff.d) Briefing to all students about IL program duringassembly / library hours.e) Conduct IL program as planned.f) Review the effectiveness of program.� Program content

a. Primary� Introduction to information Literacy.� Introduction to Library Materials e Printed and non-

printed materials, Electronic Materials.� Searching for Library Materials e Classification System

and Online catalog.� Searching Reference Sources e Reference sources and

strategies, encyclopedia and atlas, dictionary andthesaurus, book review almanac and year book.� Searching The Internet and The World Wide Web e The

Internet, Web Directories and Search Engines.� Material Selection and Evaluation e Material Selection

and Material Evaluation.� Presentation e Microsoft Office e MS word and Ms

PowerPoint and Presentation Tips e public speaking.b. Secondary

Lesson 1: Narrowing focus of research by determiningthe keywords.Lesson 2: Generate research questions by using thekeywords.Lesson 3: Searching in different types of resources(Printed materials).Lesson 4: Searching in different types of resources(Electronic resources).Lesson 5: Citing & note-taking methods.Lesson 6: Use trash and treasure methods.Lesson 7: Presentation outline.Lesson 8: Presentation technique.Lesson 9: Identifying areas needing improvement.

� Compliance with standards and modelsThe Big Six: Eisenberg and Berkowitz, 1988.� Task Definition.� Information Seeking Strategies.� Location and Access.� Use of Information.� Synthesis.� Evaluation.

272 M.S. Mohd Saad

� Collaboration� Subject Teacher.� Assessment

A. Primary60% course work (2 course works e 30% each)40% Quizzes (2 quizzes each carries 20%).

B. SecondaryRubric for assessmentSample of Rubric used for assessment.

� Measuring outcomesFeedback from students through Student Feedback Form.

General workshop conclusions

The 20 contact hour program was spread over 6 plenarysessions and 5 workshops. The participants listened anddeliberated to information literacy topics ranging frombasic information literacy concepts, to lifelong learning,and to learners’ information needs analysis, evaluation,implementation and advocacy. Participants were dividedinto 6 groups. Each group was given the task to develop aninformation literacy syllabus with an implementation plan.

On the final day each group presented their proposal. Thegroups were organized as follows:

Group 1: Information Literacy for Young Journalists.Group 2: Information Literacy for Undergraduates.Group 3: InformationLiteracy for Undergraduates (Medical).Group4: InformationLiteracyforFirstYearStudents(Medical).Group 5: Information Literacy for Secondary and Primary

School Students.Group 6: Introduction to Basic Information Literacy.

The presentation slides utilized by these groups are alsoavailable.

Each participant was asked to complete a workshopevaluation form. Overall, all of the participants weresatisfied with the content of the program. However, somefelt that more time should have been allocated for thepractical classroom exercises.

Reference

Eisenberg, Michael B.; Berkowitz, Robert E. (1988). CurriculumInitiative: An Agenda and Strategy for Library Media Programs.Available: Linworth Publishing, Inc. ED296731.