information literacy: the case for strategic engagement

Information Literacy: the Case for Strategic Engagement

Professor Sheila Corrall Centre for Information Literacy Research

© The University of Sheffield / Department of Information Studies

Presentation outline •  The concept and context of information literacy •  Developments in the higher education sector •  Case study – the University of Sheffield and its

Centre for Inquiry-based Learning (CILASS) − strategic engagement – tactical deployment − operational achievements – success factors

•  Institutional benefits of strategic engagement

Information Literacy

Definitions – Origins – Dimensions Social, Technological, Educational, Professional

Information Literacy

A Plain English 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.’ Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals

(CILIP, 2004)


Information Literacy The Original American Definition (1979) ‘People trained in the application of information resources to their work can be called information literates. They have learned techniques and skills for utilising the wide range of information tools as well as primary sources in molding information-solutions to their problems.’

Paul Zurkowski, President, Information Industry Association (in Eisenberg et al., 2004: 3)


Why Information Literacy matters IL is an essential pre-requisite for achievement of important personal, social, educational, cultural and economic goals •  to bridge the digital divide that cuts off people with poor

IT skills and hinders the free flow of information and ideas •  to facilitate independent lifelong learning in a fast-moving

environment, including access to e-learning resources •  to strengthen employability in an economy where work is

characterised by information dependence and intensity •  to solve the problem of information overload arising from

the proliferation of communication, especially email


Why Information Literacy matters IL gives people the key, generic, transferable skills needed to fulfil their potential in education, work and society, e.g. •  to retrieve information from the ‘deep’ or ‘invisible’ web

which is hidden from people with limited searching skills •  to apply evidence-based policy and practice in research,

government and the professions, such as medicine •  to access and manage intangible assets in organisations

represented by their knowledge or intellectual capital •  to engage with e-government processes and participate

actively as informed citizens in their local communities


The Information Problem •  Easy access to vast quantities of information via

search engines, Internet directories, portals, etc •  False confidence of many Internet users about

their ability to find the information that they need •  Information behaviour often characterised by

shallow searches and poor selection of sources •  High incidence of information misuse and abuse,

including copyright infringement and plagiarism


8/1/09 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Information Studies

An Essential Competency for… •  Individual and organisational learning •  Employability and workforce performance •  Democratic participation and global citizenship

Information Literacy has a vital role in: − Information and knowledge management − Continuing professional development − Evidence-based policy and practice


An Educational Imperative (1975) ‘Dealing efficiently with information must now be recognised as one of the major problems of modern society…[a learner] must be able to identify his own information needs…know the sources…judge the value…select the limited amount which will serve him best’

A Language for Life Committee of Inquiry into Reading and the Use of English

London: HMSO, 1975 [Bullock Report]


International Recognition – OECD ‘As access to information becomes easier and less expensive, the skills and competencies relating to selection and efficient use of information become more crucial.’ The Knowledge-based Economy OECD/GD(96)102

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/51/8/1913021.pdf


International Recognition – UNESCO ‘Governments should develop strong interdisciplinary programs to promote Information Literacy nationwide as a necessary step in closing the digital divide through the creation of an information literate citizenry, an effective civil society and a competitive workforce.’

Towards an Information Literate Society UNESCO Prague Declaration (20-23 September, 2003)

http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en


International Recognition – UNESCO ‘we urge governments and intergovernmental organizations to pursue policies and programs to promote information literacy and lifelong learning. In particular… •  recognition of lifelong learning and information literacy

as key elements for the development of generic capabilities which must be required for the accreditation of all education and training programs

Beacons of the Information Society UNESCO Alexandria Proclamation (6-9 November, 2005)

http://www.ifla.org.sg/III/wsis/BeaconInfSoc.html


An Educational Imperative (2009) ‘We recommend that… •  HEIs, colleges and schools treat information literacies

as a priority area and support all students so that they are able, amongst other things, to identify, search, locate, retrieve and, especially, critically evaluate information from the range of appropriate sources – web-based and other – and organise and use it effectively, attributed as necessary, in an appropriate medium’

Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World Committee of Inquiry (Bristol: March 2009)



Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World Report of independent Committee of Inquiry into the impact on higher education of students’ widespread use of Web 2.0 technologies Bristol, March 2009 http://www.clex.org.uk/


www.jisc.ac.uk/edge09

‘The skills that students lack when they arrive at university are much the same as those students have always needed to develop: the capacity to filter and analyse sources and to assess the validity and authority of material.’ Demos, June 2009 (p.55)

Teachers in the Edgeless University ‘University teaching long ago stopped being about mere transmission. When not only source materials are readily available, but also recordings of lectures and seminars, the ‘value added’ of a teacher needs reassessing. There are more important skills that academics and teachers need to pass on. They can help students develop their ability to analyse and use information creatively, and to engage and work with networks of other people. These will be increasingly important skills for students and researchers, a transition that has been described as “from the sage on the stage to guide on the side”.’ (Bradwell, 2009: 42)


Developments in Higher Education Spectrum of interventions – Professional standards – Institution-wide information literacy strategies – Library and information professionals as educators

How practitioners are developing IL •  Delivering planned group training interventions, ranging

from standard generic courses to specific tailored classes •  Integrating and embedding in their educational curricula,

as explicit element of teaching, learning and assessment •  Designing self-paced (online) tutorials/learning resources •  Providing one-to-one instruction and individual guidance •  Develop user capability when giving point-of-need help •  Incorporating into meeting people’s information requests •  Including hints and tips in information resource guides A spectrum of interventions, formal and informal

How practitioners are developing IL Collaborative partnerships: strategic alliances •  Library and information professionals are working

alongside academic/teaching staff and also with −  basic skills and study skills tutors −  staff and organisational developers −  key skills trainers and careers advisers −  learning technologists and instructional designers −  data, information and knowledge users/specialists

Cross-functional, multi-professional, team-working

How practitioners are developing IL Creative partnering: boundary-spanning alliances •  Not only within our own institutions, but also − working collectively with practitioners in other HEIs − working across different educational sectors, e.g.

higher + further + secondary + primary education − working across different professional sectors, e.g.

academic + public + workplace information services − working across different professional specialisms…

Cross-institution, multi-sectoral, strategic networks


‘In response to the needs of employers, Government is striving to develop a national curriculum that offers seamless opportunities in digital competencies from entry-level school age through to Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE), to equip the future workforce with relevant digital skills to succeed.’

June 2009 www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/broadcasting/

Recent developments in the HE sector •  Substantial growth in level of Library IL activity −  from standalone training to curriculum integration

•  Shift from operational to strategic initiatives •  Rich array of models, tools and other resources −  informing and supporting good professional practice

•  Vibrant community of practitioners engaged in knowledge exchange + pedagogical scholarship −  conferences, e-journals, listservs, portals, workshops


Key features of university IL strategies •  Separate documents taking many different forms and/or

strategies incorporated in other institutional statements •  Extensive contextualisation (both internal and external) •  Use of formal definitions, standards and/or frameworks •  End-to-end involvement of key stakeholders in the

development, implementation and delivery of strategies •  Focus on advocacy, awareness-raising and marketing •  Recognition of the need for library staff development •  Provision of illustrative examples and/or case studies



Formal Information Literacy Strategies •  Cardiff

University •  Open

University

The SCONUL Seven Pillars Model for IL

• most widely used model in the UK

• can be used as − a diagnostic tool − a process model

www.sconul.ac.uk

The SCONUL Seven Headline Skills 1.  Recognise a need for information 2.  Distinguish ways of addressing the information gap 3.  Construct strategies for locating information 4.  Locate and access information 5.  Compare and evaluate information obtained from

different sources 6.  Organise, apply and communicate information to others 7.  Synthesise and build on existing information,

contributing to the creation of new knowledge


www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/seven_pillars.html

Case Study – The University of Sheffield Background – CILASS – Strategic engagement – Tactics – Achievements – Critical success factors

Background •  University commitment to research-led teaching •  Library development of Information Skills tutorial •  Some coverage of skills in Information Strategy •  Low level of awareness of the concept of

Information Literacy among staff and students •  High level of expertise within Information Studies •  Opportunity to bid for national funding as Centre

of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL)


Centre for Inquiry-based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences (CILASS)


CILASS Community

‘Modelling the process of research within the student learning experience’

Networked learning

Information literacy development

Collaborative inquiry

Learning space collaboratories

Information Commons

Seven Pillars IL Network

Partnership

Information Literacy Network

•  Led by the Department of Information Studies •  A cross-functional inter-disciplinary partnership −  library professionals, information science academics,

academics in other areas and educational developers

•  Discipline-sensitive focus on information literacy •  Programme of curriculum innovation placing

information literacy at heart of student learning


Strategic engagement IL now prominent in strategy and policy statements •  Specified as a formal objective of the University

Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy •  Listed in Characteristics of Sheffield Graduate •  Identified as key theme of Library Strategic Plan •  Incorporated in Departmental LTA Strategies − with some examples of Departmental IL Strategies

•  Included in undergraduate induction checklist


Tactical deployment •  Workshops offering help with LTA strategies

used to raise awareness and share experiences •  Fellowships and project funding to stimulate IL

initiatives and Library staff development program •  Presentations reporting progress on IL initiatives

delivered at internal and external conferences •  Series of events and blog postings organised as

Information Literacy Week to reach more people •  IL Network extended to bring in other key players © The University of Sheffield / Department of Information Studies

Fellowships, Projects, Awards

•  One-year part-time secondment (20%)

•  Pedagogical research and development

•  Financial reward for individual (£1,000)

•  Salary compensation for department/school

•  Series of calls for bids from departments (including the Library)

•  Funding for staff buy-out and other costs (maximum £10,000)

•  Formal reporting and evaluation required



Awareness-raising, sponsorship and dissemination

Operational achievement •  Widespread use of customised online IL tutorials •  Many examples of academic and library staff

working together on new IBL learning resources, workshops, assessments and IL presentations

•  Academics using Seven Pillars in their teaching •  Library staff more involved in IL teaching within

Information Studies (classroom and Second Life) •  Information literacy part of everyday vocabulary


Critical success factors @ Sheffield •  Explicit links to current institutional concerns •  Formal incorporation in core business strategy •  Financial incentives for staff to launch IL projects •  IL network group to focus and co-ordinate effort •  Stakeholder-based multi-professional partnership •  Dedicated specialist support to take work forward •  Senior people acting as institutional champions •  Departmental contacts acting as local advocates © The University of Sheffield / Department of Information Studies

Benefits of strategic engagement •  Ensures equal opportunity for all students to gain

skills needed for academic and career success •  Equips students and staff for international arena •  Competitive advantage in graduate employability •  Distinctive branding of ‘The Sheffield Graduate’ •  Promotes sharing and take-up of good practice,

while reducing risk of wasted or duplicated effort •  Enables coherent and holistic development of IL


Strategic questions for universities •  Situation analysis – what are the big issues (strategic

or operational) causing concern in the institution today? −  can IL enhance our performance and improve our position?

•  Stakeholder mapping – who are the key players with a potential interest or involvement in the areas identified? −  can they be recruited as partners in IL initiatives/pilot projects?

•  Portfolio development – where should we target effort and how should we design and deliver IL interventions?

•  Professional standards – adopt, adapt or develop?


Readings Corrall, S. (2007) ‘Benchmarking strategic engagement with

information literacy in higher education: towards a working model’, Information Research, 12 (4), paper 328. http://InformationR.net/ir/12-4/paper328.htm

Corrall, S. (2008) ‘Information literacy strategy development in higher education: an exploratory study’, International Journal of Information Management, 28 (1), 26-37.

Eisenberg, M.B. et al. (2004) Information Literacy: Essential Skills for the Information Age. Libraries Unlimited.

Johnston, B. & Webber, S. (2004) ‘The role of LIS faculty in the information literate university: taking over the academy?’ New Library World, 105 (1/2), 12-20.
