Appendix
A calendar giving brief details of all the Staffordshire University Information Literacy Community of Practice events from 2006 to 2010. For more detail and linked material see www.staffs.ac.uk/suilcop.
2006–7: Information Literacy: Collaboration, Curriculum and Courses
Evans Wema, PhD research student, Loughborough University
Geoff Walton, Learning & Teaching Fellow, Staffordshire University
Evans Wema gave a presentation on his IL training programme for librarians in Tanzania. Geoff Walton discussed his current research centred on information literacy, online collaborative learning and reflective learning.
Susie Andretta, Senior Lecturer, London Metropolitan University
Alison Pope, Learning and Teaching Fellow, Staffordshire University
Miceal Barden, Dean of Business School, Staffordshire University
Susie introduced the Six Frames of information literacy, a framework devised by Bruce, Edwards and Lupton (2006) and facilitated a discussion on the findings generated by the workshop run during the Information Literacy Conference, Staffordshire University, 17 May 2006. Alison Pope and Miceal Barden discussed the creation and implementation of an Information Literacy Policy at Staffordshire University.
Lucy discussed the work Netskills have undertaken on the JISC i-skills project. Julie discussed approaches to integrating IT training and support into information literacy.
Jo discussed the rationale behind the Open University’s module TU120 ‘Beyond Google’ and using the emerging tools which students are now encountering in their everyday lives to deliver the IL message. Andrea talked about how we learn about the learner and explored the ways in which we teach information literacy.
2007–8: Information literacy: Space, Strategy and Support
7 November 2007: Information literacy and the use of space
Bob Glass, LearnHigher Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
David Matthews, Business School Library, Manchester Metropolitan University
Julie Adams, Alison Pope and Geoff Walton, Information Services, Staffordshire University.
Bob described the work of the LearnHigher Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at MMU and discussed how the multi-activity learning space used within CETL was developed and their experiences to date in using this space. David Matthews talked about the use of alternative learning spaces in MMU Libraries. Julie, Alison and Geoff discussed the rationale behind the development of the Assignment Survival Kit (ASK) software.
12 March 2008: Information literacy and the strategic agenda
John Crawford, Scottish IL Project, Glasgow Caledonian University
Dave Parkes, Head of Learning Support, Staffordshire University
John Crawford discussed the important of advocacy in ‘selling’ information literacy to a variety of target groups. He described how this had been done in Finland and the progress made in Scotland with Health Literacy. Dave Parkes unpicked the connection between the Leitch Report and IL and then moved on to ask ‘What is information and what is literacy now?’
21 May 2008: Information literacy and the use of learning support materials
Cathie Jackson, Senior Consultant and Information Literacy/Subject Librarian: Law, Cardiff University
Paul Johnson, Learning Support, Information Services, Staffordshire University
Cathie talked about how information literacy is supported at Cardiff University and how it has evolved since 2001. She described how support materials have been developed, including the information literacy Resource Bank and gave details of the recent podcast series on ‘A Student Survival Guide to Writing a Good Essay’. Paul talked about selling information literacy to the Web 2.0 generation. In particular he looked at the role that podcasts can play in engaging students.
2008–9–Information literacy: Development, Dialogue and Design
5 November 2008: Information literacy: Development
Debbi Boden, Deputy Director of ILS, University of Worcester
Debbi discussed some of the challenges in explaining plagiarism to students and engaging their interest in its importance and relevance. She described how Imperial College collaborated with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA Enterprises Ltd) to create a number of online resources. Mark led an interactive session where delegates worked to produce a list of metaphors which could be used to help illustrate information literacy.
4 March: Information literacy: Dialogue
Gareth illustrated how carefully planned videos can play a role in helping educate and entertain students and also put over a serious message in a more digestible way. Chris set out a different approach to information literacy from his perspective as an education researcher. He examined how newer approaches to education, such as enquiry-based learning and social constructivism, might be seen to fit within, but also broaden, the traditional definition of information literacy.
29 April: Information literacy: Design
Nancy focused on aspects of designing re-usable learning objects (RLOs) to support information literacy (IL) training.
The Birmingham Re-Usable Materials (BRUM) Project had the aim of creating a suite of bite-size learning objects for academics to use with their students to support the teaching of information skills. Keith examined student research skills, and the IL element of student research tasks in the context of Staffordshire University’s Enquiring Minds RiT project.
2009–10: Information literacy: Obesity, Overload and Opportunity
4 November: Information literacy: Obesity and overload
Andrew Whitworth, University of Manchester
Ben Scoble, Learning Development and Innovation, Staffordshire University
Andrew’s talk explored definitions of information literacy focusing on the fact that much information is filtered out before we get the chance to go through the steps of IL – that is, selecting, evaluating and so on. It explored how this happens; the inbuilt ‘cognitive biases’ in our mental architecture; and how organisations affect the way we think. Ben looked at learning as a social practice, with an examination of the methods we have available to us to get information, learn and solve our problems.
3 February 2010: Joint workshop with the Staffordshire University RiT Project
Phil offered an introduction to Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) across the academic disciplines, and to research and evaluation which has investigated the impact of this approach to learning and teaching on students’ learning experiences. Case examples of IBL at the University of Sheffield were presented. This workshop presented a conceptual framework for an undergraduate ‘inquiry curriculum’, and explored principles and practical ideas for designing and assessing IBL.