Embedding Information Literacy in Teaching and Learning at the University of the Western Cape (UWC)

1. Resources

2. Changing programmes of IL

3. Learning Outcomes

4. Your role as Librarian in embedding IL in

teaching and learning

5. Additional load?

6. Collaboration?

Guidelines

For

Embedding information literacy in Teaching and Learning at UWC

information literacy: a learning literacy

IL framework: 6 frames drafted by ACRL

(Association of College and Research Libraries)

2014 http://www.ala.org/acrl/ invite

understanding of what it means to use information

to think, read and write in a discipline (context)

Lloyd (2010): information literacy is a situated

socio-cultural practice

Literacies are social and

situated•Reading: comprehension, analysis,

evaluation

•Thinking: visualising, synthesis, problem

solving

•Writing: articulation, shaping argument,

structure

Digital applications: searching, reading,

interacting, visualising, recording, writing

– multimodal communication

…IL as Socio-material

As textual practices are transformed by emerging

technologies and the Web 2.0 ecology, these

practices are reinterpreted by new understandings

of literacy.

Bhatt and de Roock’s study (2013) on the socio-

materiality of digital literacy events and Bhatt’s

doctoral thesis, (2014) A socio-material account of

assignment writing in Further Education

classrooms

The literacy practices that occur during research

and writing therefore also includes interaction with

material objects.

Research is undertaken alongside a host of

interrelated behaviours

Interconnected elements of an IL Frame

Threshold Concept

Knowledge Practices

Dispositions

Core

understandings

about

information

Abilities and

Proficiencies

Ways of

thinking and

behaviour

THE SIX FRAMES OF THE

INFORMATION LITERACY

FRAMEWORK

1. Scholarship is a

Conversation no single, easy answer in scholarly

research

discursive practice where ideas are formulated, debated and weighed against each other

competing ideas give rise to fresh insights and new discoveries –contesting and reframing perspectives within a field

students given opportunities to become conversant with the discipline

Knowledge is contested and uncertain

Scholarship is a

Conversation

The fact that the Universe is an orderly, harmonious system has been debated over centuries ….

Galileo

Galilei

Isaac Newton

Ralph

Alpher

Edward

Kolb

Phillipe

Pinel

The arrival at the answer of institutionalisation as the correct solution to the problem of mental illness

Al Walid Ibn

Abdul Malik

William Tuke

Economic equality and the role of the government in the capitalism v socialism debate has been on-going for many years.

Scholarship is an ongoing

conversation

Capitalism

2. Research as Inquiry

Open-ended exploration and engagement with information

Iterative process – student has to rethink, rework, explore, test concepts of their discipline

Students need to be taught how to identify unresolved issues and frame questions

Students will uncover more complex questions as they deepen their knowledge within a field

Process includes various research methodologies and different lines of inquiry

Data collection and management requires students to communicate with role players and practitioners in the community, where they will learn how issues affect these individuals.

Example of an assignment

Is the “passion” gap (removal of the top

four incisor teeth) that is so prevalent on

the Cape Flats, a cultural phenomenon,

fashion statement or a result of poor

dental hygiene? Discuss your position

and give possible strategies to combat it.

It involves doing interviews, with open –

ended questions, surveys and

observations.

(They will get a better picture of cultural

beliefs, personal perspectives and can

follow up on questions and have

conversations.)

Example of an assignment

Ask students to conduct original research based on qualitative interviews, a form of research where people are permitted to answer questions for themselves and in their own terms.

The interview-based assessment that is set requires students to interview someone who was or who had been involved in crime or the criminal justice system.

Students will be taught to learn new ways of investigating an issue

They will value the possibility of discovering social worlds about which they knew little

May also use the opportunity to explore their own social milieu.

3. Authority of texts is

Contextual and Constructed

Authority may be seen as the degree

of trust that is assigned to the source

of information

Depends on the origin, information

need and context within which

information will be used

Markers of Authority ….

external indicators such as peer

reviewed articles and credentials of

the author

origin, context and suitability for the

information need of the moment

Authority is contextual in that the

information need may help determine

the level of authority required.

Authority as Contextual

Check currency rate of eg. UK and RSA

Quick currency convertor check – no need

to test the authority of the source

But a dissertation on the Economics of

Inflation – study of currency – investigate

the credibility of the source

Authority as

Contextual…

Scholarly Facebook page or

Scholarly peer - reviewed

publication?

Authority is Constructed… The “authority” of different information

sources tends to be determined by disciplinary communities

Acknowledges that certain voices are elevated through established rules and systems – social construction of knowledge

All sources are not created equal, authoritative voices exist in specific categories of knowledge and

Whereas the novice learner may rely on superficial indicators of authority, the expert recognises schools of thought or paradigms within the discipline

4. INFORMATION CREATION AS A PROCESS

Scholarly communication is evolving and knowledge is shared in different ways

Each source of information has constraints and capabilities. These characteristics as well as the particular information need will determine how the product is used

The novice learner should understand the importance of the creation process of each information source. This will enable them to make informed choices when matching the source with the information need

The expert researcher is able to recognise that information sources are valued differently in different contexts – academia or workplace

Format of Information How is it Created? How can I locate

information in this

format?

Newspapers

(online + print)

Interviews, reports,

investigations, research

Online via newspaper

websites.

Reading newspapers

Books Research, interviews Print copies( libraries,

bookshops)

Podcasts Audio recording Podcasting sites online

Journal Article Reading , research,

thought, debate, drafts,

formal peer review. May

have been shaped form a

conference presentation

Online or in print

Blog Online Blog websites

5. Searching as Exploration

Search strategy is not straight-forward and sequential

Involves inquiry, discovery and serendipity

Discovery of one source can lead to other sources or avenues of inquiry

Basic and advanced search strategies, interview techniques

Should be able to match information need and search strategy with appropriate search tool

DATE RESEARCH

RESULTS AND

FINDINGS

THOUGHTS ON MY

PROGRESS

08/18 I found a Web site about

asthma and downloaded

information about the

causes of the illness. I

also visited in a chat

room with another teen

who has asthma.

So far, so good.

Getting information

has

been easy. I’m finding

out a lot.

08/23 I wanted to interview Dr.

Anders, my asthma

specialist, but she is

going to be out of town

for a few days.

I think I waited too long to

call Dr. Anders. Now I’m

not sure if I will have

time to interview her and

still get the paper done.

Next time, I’ll start the

interviews early!

08/24 A packet of information

that I requested from one

of the online groups

came in today’s mail. It

has a lot of information

about athletes who have

asthma and still play

sports.

This is great information!

It answers some of my

research questions. Best

of all, I got some tips on

how to play sports and

not get too short of

breath.

6. Information has Value

“Information possesses several dimensions

of value – as a commodity, as a means of

education, as a means of influence, and as a

means of negotiating and understanding the

world” (ACRL,2014)

Students should understand their obligation

to cite and acknowledge the ideas of others

Understand the differences between

copyright, open access and public domain

Commerce acts as a barrier – students

should understand how their research

strategy may be affected by toll access.

Acknowledge the ideas of

others…

Roles

Library to work closely with relevant role-players

Teaching staff: application of 6 frames in their coursework

Framework offers a problem-based learning pedagogy with several sample assignments

Library to support lecturers by working with Teaching and Learning Specialists -designing learning outcomes and learning activities and assessments

Our story so far…

Faculty Librarians have been trained to understand

and apply the new IL Frames

Library drafted Guidelines for the Embedding of IL

in Teaching and Learning at UWC

Shared Guidelines and held presentations on the 6

IL Frames with all Faculties at Teaching and

Learning Committee meetings, Board meetings

and seminars

Positive feedback from Faculties - Invited to offer

workshops/consultations at departmental level to

discuss and design how IL may be embedded via

learning activities and assessments

Contact details

Shehaamah Mohamed

Senior Librarian: Information

Literacy

University of the Western Cape

shmohamed@uwc.ac.za

021-9592922