Researching information literacy: from theory to practice

Researching information literacy: from theory to practice

Dr Jane SeckerLSE Centre for Learning Technology

Department of Information Studies, Aberystwyth University 25th November 2013

Dr Jane SeckerLSE Centre for Learning Technology

Department of Information Studies, Aberystwyth University 25th November 2013

OverviewOverview

• Introduction and my background• Definitions of information and digital literacy

and useful models• Researching information literacy: developing a

new curriculum (ANCIL)• Information & digital literacy in practice• Researching information literacy: open

educational resources• Tips for success as a research practitioner

• Introduction and my background• Definitions of information and digital literacy

and useful models• Researching information literacy: developing a

new curriculum (ANCIL)• Information & digital literacy in practice• Researching information literacy: open

educational resources• Tips for success as a research practitioner

The practitioners perspectiveThe practitioners perspective

Copyright and Digital Literacy Advisor at LSE Primarily supporting staff in their use of technologies

for teaching Also teach on PG Cert (HE teaching qualification +

research skills for PhD students) How can librarians and other academic support

staff best help students, research students, academic staff and other staff in higher education?

Why research in information literacy is important

Copyright and Digital Literacy Advisor at LSE Primarily supporting staff in their use of technologies

for teaching Also teach on PG Cert (HE teaching qualification +

research skills for PhD students) How can librarians and other academic support

staff best help students, research students, academic staff and other staff in higher education?

Why research in information literacy is important

More about meMore about me

My background: librarian and e-learning specialist, PhD in information science / history

Publications and web presence Find me on LinkedIn,

twitter, keen blogger Editor: Journal of

Information Literacy Module tutor in DIS

My background: librarian and e-learning specialist, PhD in information science / history

Publications and web presence Find me on LinkedIn,

twitter, keen blogger Editor: Journal of

Information Literacy Module tutor in DIS

Definitions of information literacyDefinitions of information literacy

…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.

CILIP (2004) Information literacy definition

Information literacy 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 in all nations.

UNESCO (2005) Alexandria Proclamation

…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.

CILIP (2004) Information literacy definition

Information literacy 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 in all nations.

UNESCO (2005) Alexandria Proclamation

"the ‘savvyness’ that allows young people to participate meaningfully and safely as digital technology becomes ever more pervasive in society."

FutureLab 2010 Digital Literacy Across the Curriculum

"the ‘savvyness’ that allows young people to participate meaningfully and safely as digital technology becomes ever more pervasive in society."

FutureLab 2010 Digital Literacy Across the Curriculum

What are the issues?What are the issues?

Jones et al (2010) highlights the generational debate ‘ Google generation’

If you were born after 1982 = Generation Y In pairs - reflect on:

What is digital and information literacy to you? How did you become information literate as a students

in school and in university? What skills do you need to succeed in higher

education?

Jones et al (2010) highlights the generational debate ‘ Google generation’

If you were born after 1982 = Generation Y In pairs - reflect on:

What is digital and information literacy to you? How did you become information literate as a students

in school and in university? What skills do you need to succeed in higher

education?

What is the role for librarians in teaching in higher education?

What is the role for librarians in teaching in higher education?

Digital fluency

The ‘Literacies’ LandscapeThe ‘Literacies’ Landscape

Information literacy is a continuum of skills, behaviours, approaches and values that is so deeply entwined with the uses of information as to be a fundamental element of learning,

scholarship and research.

It is the defining characteristic of the discerning scholar, the informed and judicious

citizen, and the autonomous learner.

ANCIL definition of information literacy (2011)

Coonan and Secker (2011)

A New Curriculum for Information Literacy (ANCIL)

A New Curriculum for Information Literacy (ANCIL)

Research based approach Arcadia Fellowship with Emma Coonan at Cambridge

from May to July 2011 Academic advisor: Prof. John Naughton

Research remit: Develop a new, revolutionary curriculum for information literacy in a digital age Understand the needs of undergraduates entering higher

education over the coming 5 years Map the current landscape of information literacy Develop a practical curriculum and supporting resources

Research based approach Arcadia Fellowship with Emma Coonan at Cambridge

from May to July 2011 Academic advisor: Prof. John Naughton

Research remit: Develop a new, revolutionary curriculum for information literacy in a digital age Understand the needs of undergraduates entering higher

education over the coming 5 years Map the current landscape of information literacy Develop a practical curriculum and supporting resources

The expert consultationThe expert consultation

Consulted librarians, researchers, educators, trainee teachers, school librarians

How you teach at least as important as what you teach

Must be embedded into the academic curriculum and disciplines will vary

Must be based on real needs: students are not homogeneous

Must be opportunities for reflection

Consulted librarians, researchers, educators, trainee teachers, school librarians

How you teach at least as important as what you teach

Must be embedded into the academic curriculum and disciplines will vary

Must be based on real needs: students are not homogeneous

Must be opportunities for reflection

Curriculum strandsCurriculum strands1. Transition from school to higher education2. Becoming an independent learner3. Developing academic literacies4. Mapping and evaluating the information landscape 5. Resource discovery in your discipline 6. Managing information7. Ethical dimension of information 8. Presenting and communicating knowledge 9. Synthesising information and creating new knowledge10. Social dimension of information literacy

1. Transition from school to higher education2. Becoming an independent learner3. Developing academic literacies4. Mapping and evaluating the information landscape 5. Resource discovery in your discipline 6. Managing information7. Ethical dimension of information 8. Presenting and communicating knowledge 9. Synthesising information and creating new knowledge10. Social dimension of information literacy

Implementing ANCIL – Webster & Wrathall’s work

Lessons Learnt

Reviewed current practice at LSE To inform Library / CLT teaching provision To highlight good practice and any gaps in

provision Put information literacy on the agenda at LSE Produced a report presented at the February

2013 Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee

Reviewed current practice at LSE To inform Library / CLT teaching provision To highlight good practice and any gaps in

provision Put information literacy on the agenda at LSE Produced a report presented at the February

2013 Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee

ANCIL at LSEANCIL at LSE

Results of the auditResults of the audit IL not embedded Belief that IL is important: find,

evaluate and manage Some good practice but

inconsistent Time main barrier Students ‘should’ have IL skills Information use largely driven by

reading lists and resources in Moodle

IL not embedded Belief that IL is important: find,

evaluate and manage Some good practice but

inconsistent Time main barrier Students ‘should’ have IL skills Information use largely driven by

reading lists and resources in Moodle

Photo by starmanseries licensed under Creative Commons

Careers Language Centre

Teaching & Learning CentreDepartments

Language Centre

Teaching & Learning CentreLanguage Centre

LSE100Departments

Library

Library

LibraryLibrary

LibraryCentre for Learning

Technology

Language CentreTeaching & Learning Centre

CareersDepartments

LSE100

DepartmentsLSE100

Teaching & Learning Centre

DepartmentsLanguage Centre

Library

Developing an LSE FrameworkDeveloping an LSE Framework Covers digital and

information literacy Based on ANCIL and other

frameworks Purpose to inform academics

and provide examples Enable mapping of existing

provision Tool can be used by teaching

librarians and learning technologists

Covers digital and information literacy

Based on ANCIL and other frameworks

Purpose to inform academics and provide examples

Enable mapping of existing provision

Tool can be used by teaching librarians and learning technologists

Image cc from http://www.flickr.com/photos/markhillary/302630220/in/set-72157594327649691 /

Embedding Digital and information literacy

Embedding Digital and information literacy

Running pilots with two academic departments to embed in UG courses

Working in partnership with academic staff and academic support colleagues

Scheduling additional face to face sessions

Embedding support in the virtual learning environment

Running pilots with two academic departments to embed in UG courses

Working in partnership with academic staff and academic support colleagues

Scheduling additional face to face sessions

Embedding support in the virtual learning environment

Student ambassadors for digital literacyStudent ambassadors for digital literacy

Used in several JISC Digital Literacy projects

Will be piloting this as part of 1 year SADL project

Recruiting 20 undergraduates from Statistics and Social Policy

Planning workshops, reflection, peer support and more…

Used in several JISC Digital Literacy projects

Will be piloting this as part of 1 year SADL project

Recruiting 20 undergraduates from Statistics and Social Policy

Planning workshops, reflection, peer support and more…

http://lsesadl.wordpress.com

Photo by Flickingerbrad licensed under Creative Commons

Further reading and resourcesFurther reading and resourcesLSE Digital and Information Literacy Framework (2013) Available at: http://bit.ly/1gq63IO

Bell, Maria and Moon, Darren and Secker, Jane (2012) Undergraduate support at LSE: the ANCIL report. The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK. Available at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/48058/

Secker, Jane and Coonan, Emma. (2012) Rethinking Information Literacy: a practical framework for support learning. Facet Publishing: London

Wrathall, Katy (2012) Strategies for Implementing ANCIL in Non-Cambridge HEIshttp://bit.ly/16kKb8b

Digital Literacy in practice at LSEDigital Literacy in practice at LSE Digital literacy classes Run each term Cover using new technologies to

support teaching and research social media (social networking,

social bookmarking, Twitter, blogging), advanced internet searching, keeping up to date, developing your web presence

Further information on CLT website

Digital literacy classes Run each term Cover using new technologies to

support teaching and research social media (social networking,

social bookmarking, Twitter, blogging), advanced internet searching, keeping up to date, developing your web presence

Further information on CLT website

Supporting PhD Students:The MY592 programme

Supporting PhD Students:The MY592 programme

Information and digital literacy course comprising of six 2 hour workshops

Aimed primarily at new PhD students Builds up skills over programme Specialist advice and support from academic

support librarians Taught by CLT / Library staff Supported online in Moodle Overview on LSE Library website

Information and digital literacy course comprising of six 2 hour workshops

Aimed primarily at new PhD students Builds up skills over programme Specialist advice and support from academic

support librarians Taught by CLT / Library staff Supported online in Moodle Overview on LSE Library website

IL research: the benefits of sharing teaching materialsIL research: the benefits of sharing teaching materials

In 2010/11 managed a 12 month JISC / HEA project in open educational resources programme

DELILA: Developing Educator Learning and Information Literacies for Accreditation

Converted LSE and Birmingham’s IL resources into Open Educational Resources (OERs) to share

Made the resources available in Jorum: UK teaching and learning respository

Several follow up projects since DELILA in this field to encourage librarians to share resources

In 2010/11 managed a 12 month JISC / HEA project in open educational resources programme

DELILA: Developing Educator Learning and Information Literacies for Accreditation

Converted LSE and Birmingham’s IL resources into Open Educational Resources (OERs) to share

Made the resources available in Jorum: UK teaching and learning respository

Several follow up projects since DELILA in this field to encourage librarians to share resources

From DELILA to CoPILOTFrom DELILA to CoPILOT

Following DELILA undertook a survey about OERs and information literacy launched at LILAC 2012

Additional funding obtained in October 2012 to explore benefits of sharing resources internationally

Created a UK ‘Community of Practice’ to share teaching materials as OERs

Also created an international platform for sharing teaching materials

Ongoing work with UNESCO and IFLA Information Literacy section

Following DELILA undertook a survey about OERs and information literacy launched at LILAC 2012

Additional funding obtained in October 2012 to explore benefits of sharing resources internationally

Created a UK ‘Community of Practice’ to share teaching materials as OERs

Also created an international platform for sharing teaching materials

Ongoing work with UNESCO and IFLA Information Literacy section

Benefits of sharing? Benefits of sharing?

As someone who might have to teach information literacy for the first time, do you create materials from scratch or find existing resources? Would you re-use materials from a colleague at

your institution? Would you re-use materials from a colleague

elsewhere? Would you know where to find materials?

As someone who might have to teach information literacy for the first time, do you create materials from scratch or find existing resources? Would you re-use materials from a colleague at

your institution? Would you re-use materials from a colleague

elsewhere? Would you know where to find materials?

Why share IL materials?Why share IL materials?

Image licensed under Creative commons from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_grey/4582294721/

Useful starting placesUseful starting places

Information Literacy website: http://www.informationliteracy.org.uk/

Jorum Information Literacy collection: http://find.jorum.ac.uk/

Cardiff University IL resource bank: https://ilrb.cf.ac.uk/

UNESCO Worldwide Information Literacy resources: http://bit.ly/Z3UquA

JISCmail lists - LIS-Infoliteracy and IL-OERS

Information Literacy website: http://www.informationliteracy.org.uk/

Jorum Information Literacy collection: http://find.jorum.ac.uk/

Cardiff University IL resource bank: https://ilrb.cf.ac.uk/

UNESCO Worldwide Information Literacy resources: http://bit.ly/Z3UquA

JISCmail lists - LIS-Infoliteracy and IL-OERS

Challenges of being a researcher / practitioner

Challenges of being a researcher / practitioner

Finding time - the day job gets in the way of research and writing!

Credibility as a researcher Confidence - but practice

makes perfect! Where to publish - the

librarian’s echo chamber

Finding time - the day job gets in the way of research and writing!

Credibility as a researcher Confidence - but practice

makes perfect! Where to publish - the

librarian’s echo chamber

Tips for successTips for success

Apply for external or internal project funds to facilitate research Can give you time and project staff

Build reflection and feedback into your regular processes - e.g. annual surveys

Get published - even if just internally Network, network, network -

conferences are great for this! Find a like-minded colleague!

Apply for external or internal project funds to facilitate research Can give you time and project staff

Build reflection and feedback into your regular processes - e.g. annual surveys

Get published - even if just internally Network, network, network -

conferences are great for this! Find a like-minded colleague!

Contact detailsContact details

Email j.secker@lse.ac.uk Twitter @jsecker Personal Blog http://janesecker.wordpress.com

Secker, J. and Coonan, E. (2012) Rethinking information literacy: a practical framework for teaching. Facet Publishing: London

Email j.secker@lse.ac.uk Twitter @jsecker Personal Blog http://janesecker.wordpress.com

Secker, J. and Coonan, E. (2012) Rethinking information literacy: a practical framework for teaching. Facet Publishing: London

Useful referencesUseful references Jones, C, Ramanau, R, Cross, S and Healing, G (2010) ‘Net generation or Digital Natives:

Is there a distinct new generation entering university?’, Computers & Education, 54, (3), 722-732.

Margaryan, A and Littlejohn, A. (2009). Are digital natives a myth or reality? Students use of technologies for learning. Available at: http://www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/anoush/documents/DigitalNativesMythOrReality-MargaryanAndLittlejohn-draft-111208.pdf (Accessed 2nd June 2010)

Rowlands, I. et al ‘The Google generation: the information behaviour of the researcher of the future’, Aslib Proceedings New Information Perspectives, 60, (4) 290-310.

SADL Project website (2013) http://lsesadl.wordpress.com SCONUL (2011) The SCONUL 7 Pillars Core model. Available at:

http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/seven_pillars.html Secker, Jane and Macrae-Gibson, Rowena. (2011) Evaluating MI512: an information

literacy course for PhD students. Library Review, 60 (2). pp. 96-107. ISSN 0024-2535. Available at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/32975/

Secker, Jane and Coonan, Emma (2011). A New Curriculum for Information Literacy. Available at: http://newcurriculum.wordpress.com

Jones, C, Ramanau, R, Cross, S and Healing, G (2010) ‘Net generation or Digital Natives: Is there a distinct new generation entering university?’, Computers & Education, 54, (3), 722-732.

Margaryan, A and Littlejohn, A. (2009). Are digital natives a myth or reality? Students use of technologies for learning. Available at: http://www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/anoush/documents/DigitalNativesMythOrReality-MargaryanAndLittlejohn-draft-111208.pdf (Accessed 2nd June 2010)

Rowlands, I. et al ‘The Google generation: the information behaviour of the researcher of the future’, Aslib Proceedings New Information Perspectives, 60, (4) 290-310.

SADL Project website (2013) http://lsesadl.wordpress.com SCONUL (2011) The SCONUL 7 Pillars Core model. Available at:

http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/seven_pillars.html Secker, Jane and Macrae-Gibson, Rowena. (2011) Evaluating MI512: an information

literacy course for PhD students. Library Review, 60 (2). pp. 96-107. ISSN 0024-2535. Available at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/32975/

Secker, Jane and Coonan, Emma (2011). A New Curriculum for Information Literacy. Available at: http://newcurriculum.wordpress.com