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The Scottish Information Literacy Project:working with partners to create an information literate Scotland
Skills for everyoneSCURL 24 August 07
Information literacy: definition
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.
The skills (or competencies) that are required to be information literate requirean understanding of:
• a need for information • the resources available • how to find information • the need to evaluate results • how to work with or exploit results • ethics and responsibility of use • how to communicate or share your findings • how to manage your findings.
www.cilip.org.uk/professionalguidance/informationliteracy/definition/
The Drumchapel Project 2003
An exploratory project – initially ICT skills orientated Community ICT facilities little used - Library and
Cybercafés School and School Library are main focus for IT use in
deprived areas Little integration of information literacy into the
curriculum Levels of ICT ‘deprivation’ did not seem to be high Basic IT skills exist- WP, email, Internet Pupil evaluation of websites poor School disproportionately important in deprived areas
LIRG/SCONUL Value and Impact Project 2
• Questionnaires to students (electronically) and alumni – (administered by post, Spring 2004)
• Respondents included middle/senior management • Considerable change in attitude/usage between university
and work • Strong link between IL and employability • Scholarly methods spreading in the workplace• Work greatly sharpens perceptions about value of IL• Good match between databases introduced at University
and used at work • Information literacy linked with the exercise of initiative in
the workplace and ‘getting on’• Varied attitude to IL among employers• Sparse replies from the unemployed
Issues identified
• There should be a seamless progression from school to work (via HE or directly into work)
• The employability agenda is a key issue which we must focus on
• We need to know more about how the skills we impart extend to the workplace
• We need to know more about the workplace and attitudes of employers
• Making the case - Advocacy
Project objectives 2007
• To develop an information literacy framework, linking secondary and tertiary education
• Advocacy on behalf of information literacy for education and wider community
• Working with information literacy champions both UK and worldwide
• Researching and promoting information literacy in the workplace
• Identifying and working with partners, both in education and the wider community
• Researching the role of information literacy in continuing professional development
Activities undertaken • Comprehensive desk research exercise• Partners recruited, initially from secondary and HE• Advisory Group formed• Contact with relevant organisations – e.g. LTS, SCQF, SQA, learndirect
Scotland.• Focus groups with school pupils, students, subject librarians and employees• Regular reporting of activities • Website• Conference presentations • Petition to the Scottish Parliament• Scottish ‘Node' of International Alliance for Information Literacy • National Information Literacy Framework• Recruitment of workplace, adult literacies partners• Project rebranded as the Scottish Information Literacy Project
Research findings
• Schools - information literacy skills were generally taught in first and second year (aged 12 / 13) but not subsequently reinforced within the curriculum resulting in fragmented levels of knowledge and usage for their remaining years at school.
• HE - students arriving at university have generally either poor or limited information literacy skills, for some these skills will be enhanced but many will leave as they arrived.
• The workplace - indication that although employers do not explicitly ask for information literacy it is implicitly expected, seen as important at work but not included in workplace training.
Developing the framework
• Lots of thinking, agonising, reflecting• Looked at other frameworks – at home
and abroad• Discussions with relevant bodies and
individuals• Not reinventing the wheel
– incorporate what is being used– look for common themes from existing models
and definitions
CommonThemes
planning
locating
organising
representing
evaluating
EXPLORE
a) A topic is selected and a range oftechniques is used to define it clearly.
b) A suitable strategy is adopted toidentify appropriate keywords.
c) The different stages of the planningprocess are identified correctly.d) An appropriate action plan is
prepared.
planning and organising
a) The broad categories/formats ofinformation sources are identified
correctly, together with one advantageand one disadvantage of each.
b) A range of suitable informationsources is identified.
c) The selected information sourcesare searched effectively to find
relevant information on the chosentopic.
identification of suitableinformation sources
a) The criteria used to evaluateinformation are identified correctly.b) The criteria are used correctly toevaluate the relevant information.
evaluating information
a) The action plan, selectedkeywords, information sources and
search strategy used are reviewed inlight of the results produced.
b) Appropriate changes for a similarfuture search are identified.
reviewing
IHS
recognise a need for information
knowledge of appropriate kinds ofresources, both print and non-print
the selection of resources with 'bestfit' for task at hand
the ability to understand the issuesaffecting accessibility of sources
distinguish ways in which theinformation 'gap' may be
addressed
to articulate information need tomatch against resources
to develope a systematic methodappropriate for the need
to understand the principles ofconstruction and generation of
databses
construct strategies for locatinginformation
to develop appropriate searchingtechniques (e.g. use of Boolean)
to use communication and informationtechnologies, including terms
international academic networks
to use appropriate indexing andabstracting services, citation indexes
and databases
to use current awareness methods tokeep up to date
locate and access information
awareness of bias and authorityissues
awareness of the peer review processof scholarly publishing
appropriate extraction of informationmatching the information need
compare and evaluate informationobtained from different sources
to cite bibliographic references inproject reports and theses
to construct a personal bibliographicsystem
to apply information to the problem athand
to communicate effectively usingappropriate medium
to understand issues of copyright andplagiarism
organise, apply and communicateinformation to others in waysappropriate to the situation
synthesise and build uponexisting information, contributingto the creation of new knowledge
SCONAL
Recognising that information isneeded; understanding why
information is needed, what (and howmuch; what kind of) information is
required, as well as any associatedconstraints (e.g. time, format,
currency, access); recognising thatinformation is available in a wide
range of formats in variousgeographical and virtual locations. Theability to articulate a question and sodevelop a focus for the research is an
important skill.
understanding a need
Be able to identify what resources areavailable for exploitation, where theyare available, how to access them,
the merits of individual resourcetypes, and when it is appropriate to
use them.
understanding availability
An ability to search appropriateresources effectively and identify
relevant information.
understanding how to findinformation
Be able to evaluate information for itsauthenticity, accuracy, currency,value and bias. Also, be able to
evaluate the means by which theresults were obtained in order to
ensure that your approach did notproduce misleading or incomplete
results.
understanding the need toevaluate results
Analyse and work with the informationto provide accurate, presentable
research results, or to develop newknowledge and understanding.
understanding how to work withor exploit results
Know why information should be usedin a responsible, culturally sensitiveand ethical (professional, business,personal ethics) manner. Respect
confidentiality and always give creditto other people’s work. Understandthe nature and uses of bias, in order
to report appropriately. Whereappropriate, provide a balanced
(unbiased) report.
understanding ethics andresponsibility of use
The ability to communicate/shareinformation in a manner or format thatis appropriate to the information, the
intended audience and situation.
understanding how tocommunicate or share your
findings
Know how to store and manage theinformation you have acquired usingthe most effective methods available.Reflect critically on the process and
achievement as well as on thesources found in order to learn fromthe experience of finding and using
information.
understand how to manage yourfindings
CILIP IL DefinitionInformation Literacy
Contents
• Back ground information and provenance • Acknowledgements • Information literacy – what it is• Information literacy and lifelong learning• Information literacy education• Use of the Information Literacy framework • The framework levels• Information literacy and assessment• Appendices
Appendices
• Examples of information literacy material • Existing skills definitions, frameworks and models used
to inform the development of this national framework • SQA National Unit Qualification - Information Handling
Skills DF9J 11 (Intermediate level 2) • Mind map of models, qualification and skills definition
used in draft national framework • University of Abertay Dundee: Information Literacy
Framework • Loughborough University Library Information Literacy: IL
competencies
Sectors
• Schools
• Schools / Further Education
• Further / Higher Education
• Higher Education
• lifelong learning including all information-using communities e.g. community learning and in the workplace
Draft Framework
planning
locating
organising
representing
evaluating
EXPLORE
Schools (P3 - P7)
defining the topic
identification of key words
planning and organising
identification of suitable informationsources
effective searching
evaluating information
understanding ethics andresponsibility of use
understanding how to communicate orshare your findings
CILIP Information LiteracyDefinition
reviewing
Information Handling Skills
SCQF Levels 1 - 7
Secondary Schools & FurtherEducation
recognise a need for information
distinguish ways in which theinformation 'gap' may be addressed
construct strategies for locatinginformation
locate and access information
compare and evaluate informationobtained from different sources
synthesise and build upon existinginformation, contributing to the
creation of new knowledge
SCONUL
SCQF Level 8 - 12
Further Education & HigherEducation
understanding a need
understanding availability
understanding how to find information
understanding the need to evaluateresults
understanding how to work with orexploit results
understanding ethics andresponsibility of use
understanding how to communicate orshare your findings
understand how to manage yourfindings
CILIP Information LiteracyDefinition
Lifelong learning including allinformation using communitities e.g.
community learning and in theworkplace
Information Literacy Framework
Piloting
• Partners from different sectors working at different levels within different subjects to provide
• Examples of information tasks within different sectors at different levels and with different subjects and courses:– existing learning that is taking place – new activities that have been specifically created
• Exemplars of how the skills, knowledge and understanding at different levels can be mapped into specific subjects or course design.
Comments / discussion points from meeting with partners and advisory group
• Needs to be enriched with exemplars of good practice• Quite large so may need to be repurposed• Link to new 3 -18 curriculum (Curriculum for Excellence)• Link to higher level complex skills – problem solving,
innovation• Missing links
primary -> secondary and secondary -> tertiary Involvement of others pupil support, involving teachers, lecturers in the integration of learning
• the development of skills throughout a University career …, indicating in some way a progression from skills developed in first year to a deeper level of understanding by the time of postgraduate study
Comments / discussion points from meeting with partners and advisory group (cont.)
Advocacy issues• QAA enhancement, SQA, embedding IL in teaching
certificates, involve Learning and Teaching Scotland, target Learning and Teaching champions
• Advocacy needs to be bottom up as well as top down – all levels need to be involved
• Advocacy toolkit – CILIPS Information Literacy Task and Finish Group
• Need to create a vision as to how IL will look over the next couple of years
• Educational development strategies may be viewed as analogues to the framework
• Link to employability and transitions to work
Progress so far
• First draft of Framework achieved • Work with learndirect Scotland• Workplace pilot study - LTS funding (2006)• Advocacy focus – Petition to the Scottish Parliament and
digital inclusion consultation evidence• Promoting international contacts• Contacts developed with NGOs• Extensive communications programme• Website established• Workplace/Adult literacies partners recruited
And to the future
• A bigger issue than we thought• Lack of understanding of the concept of
information literacy still an issue• Funding – a cross sectoral issue• Piloting the Framework• Further workplace studies• Target decision makers in L&T• Expand national and international contacts• Review role of information literacy in CPD
A quotable quote
• ‘Disciplines which provide the sort of cognitive weaponry by which individuals can self reflect on their situation, challenge validity claims and, potentially, change their lives are often treated as suspect and denied institutional validity, funding, status and so on… Information literacy falls into this category’.
• Whitworth (2006)
Some references • McLelland, D. and Crawford, J. (2004) ‘The Drumchapel Project:
a study of ICT usage by school pupils and teachers in a secondary school in a deprived area of Glasgow’, Journal of librarianship and information science, Vol. 36, no.2, pp. 55-67
• Crawford, John (2006) ‘The use of electronic information services and information literacy: a Glasgow Caledonian University study’, Journal of librarianship and information science, Vol.38, no 1. pp. 33-44
• Crawford, John and Christine Irving (2007) Information literacy, the link between secondary and tertiary education project and its wider implications, Journal of librarianship and information science, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 21-30.
• Crawford, J. (2007). New partners for IL project , Information Scotland, 5(3) p6
• Irving, C. & Crawford, J., (2007) Information literacy: a framework for life, Library + information update, 6 (7-8) pp.52-53
Contact details Dr. John Crawford, Christine IrvingLibrary Research Officer, Research Assistant / Project OfficerRoom 302, (3rd floor) Room 302, (3rd floor)6 Rose Street, 6 Rose Street,Glasgow, G3 6RB Glasgow, G3 6RBTel: 0141-273 -1248 Tel: 0141-273 -1249
Email [email protected] Email [email protected]
Project websitewww.caledonian.ac.uk/ils/
Questions?
