Jonathan Smart,

University of Plymouth,

17.3.08

We’re in this together – getting involved through information

literacy strategies that encourage reflection through collaboration between faculty, student and

information professional

OutlineContext

Connecting with the curriculum

The nature of the assignment

Reflective approach

Collaborative teaching

IL & study skills

Student feedback

Concluding thoughts

‘...evidence suggests that IL is still treated as an elective skill set on the periphery of the core curriculum in most disciplines’

McGuinness (2007 p26)

Context PGCE / Cert Ed students, HE levels – 3 / 1.

NQF levels 6 / 4 F/t / p/t SWAST Diverse backgounds c. 50% SWAST cohort no education beyond

secondary school Demanding & challenging curriculum Strong need for effective IL skills

Connecting with the curriculum

Essential to connect IL with curriculum

(Bundy 2004, Johnston & Webber 2003, Grafstein 2002 etc.)

PBS students – relevance to business success

Reflective practice integral to curriculum + PDP

Dual function as diagnostic – mutual gain Study skills element

Schon’s reflective practitionerReflection-in-action: thinking on their feet – try apply

prior experience to new situations for new understanding

Reflection-on-action: later stage – write up account

of ‘journey’ , reflect in order to change / adapt. Action

following reflection - new theories & responses.

Constructivist.

Other Reflection models

Kolb: Concrete experience; Observation & reflection; Forming abstract concepts; Testing in new situations

Boud & Walker – 3 stages of reflection: R. in action; R. mid-experience & R. after an event

John: Situation relates to other experiences?

Could have handled differently? Consequences of alternative actions? Feelings now? Experience changed way I know?

The assignment Induction - orientation Hands-on ‘Facilitated Discovery’. Learn by

doing with help of coaching (Refl Practicum) ‘Safe’ environment First written assignment Importance of initial positive experience Diagnostic for PCET staff, students & me

The assignment

As a consequence of the session you have received and

the follow-up work you have done, consider the following

diagnostic checklist of information literacy skills and

identify both the ones in which you feel that you have

now accomplished a working level of competency (i.e.

you can use them as part of the process of researching

for your coursework) and those that you consider you

are still in need of developing.

You will then research around issues of diversity,

inclusion and equality of opportunity, producing a 500

word reflexive summary reflecting on your own personal

progress in acquiring and applying information literacy

skills, reflecting on both your successes and areas that

you are aware you still need to develop. You should

include the following:

1. Information strategies you have found most effective

2. How you assess and critically evaluate what you find

3. What you have learned from the process

4. What further actions you need to take to further

develop your information literacy skills

5. How you will use the knowledge you have gained to

instil information literacy skills in your students

Diagnostic checklist

Diagnostic checklist cont.

The reflective approach Get them thinking Cognitive, higher order skills Reflection key part of course and practice Raising levels of (self) awareness Reflexive for us too PDP key element of the course

Assignment: prior knowledge

‘I started with Diversity. I have quite a lot of

background knowledge in this area as I was the

lead person for the Ambulance service this year at

Plymouth’s Respect festival....As a ‘mature’ student

I will probably take longer than the ‘normal’ student

to grasp things although I bring life skills with me

and the experiences that I have had so far in life.’

Assignment: reflection

‘By using the basic reflective cycle of action;

reflection; revised action and reflection (Wallace,

2007) both myself and my students could analyse

information literacy. Therefore if I reflect by

exploring if I am acquiring the correct information, I

can revise my action by seeking another method to

get information, for example from another data base

or use a different key word and then reflect again.’

Assignment: cascading benefits

‘Once I have mastered the art of e-resources I feel

that it will benefit my research and ultimately my

skills as a teacher. In time I am certain that I will be

able to do this efficiently and with confidence in my

ability.’

Collaborative teaching Natural move to team teaching Learning from each other ‘Shared’ cognitive authority Reflexive process for us Mutual trust & confidence in each other

as professionals Expand horizons Part of tutorial programme Listed as ‘tutor’ in handbook

Study skills & scholarship Request from PCET while planning programme Study skills & IL have natural fit More ‘territories’ (LD & Academic Support) Scholarship – overlap. Boyer (1990) E-learning – shared & adapted slides Predicated around faculty’s needs Relevance of AS confirmed

Professionally stretched Directly addressed faculty need Information professional directly alongside

faculty – shared territory

Student collaboration Groups in refectory Wiki Joint tutorials with me ‘By spending more time accessing the resources by

trial and error, discussing best practice with colleagues and listening to there [sic] experiences, it will make me more efficient enabling me to spend time on relevant material’

‘Critical evaluation from these sources is

vital. Sharing findings and resources with

fellow students helps to expand resource

information’

Questionnaire

Students’ perceptions 100 % found FD either v.useful or useful 80% thought assignment useful for thinking

through IL issues 70% FD most useful 10% reflective assignment 20% both in conjunction 100% transferable to further coursework

‘Other comments’‘without the practical session...would have appeared

very daunting’

‘Having never attended university prior to this

course, I found this exercise very useful’

Concluding thoughts

Recipe for success(?): Think outside own territory Continuous communication Relate to curriculum – don’t be semi-detached Mutual understanding of drivers Comfort in shared professional spaces If in doubt - take it on Step outside comfort zone –

it’s good for us...

Question

Where would/do you as an information professional

draw the line in terms of what you are prepared to

teach in order to promote the integration of IL in the

curriculum?

References Bundy, A. (2004) Australian and New Zealand

information literacy framework: principles, standards and practice. 2nd ed. Adelaide: Australian and New Zealand Institute for Information Literacy

Grafstein, A. (2002) A discipline-based approach to information literacy. J of Academic Librarianship, 28 (4) pp197-204

Johnston, B., Webber, S. (2003) Information literacy in higher education: a review and case study. Studies in Higher Education, 28 (3) pp 335-352

References (cont.) McGuinness, C. (2007) Exploring strategies for integrated

information literacy. Communications in information literacy, 1 (1) pp 26-38 [Online] . Available at: http://www.comminfolit.org/index.php/cil/article/view/Spring2007AR3/14 (Accessed 3.3.2008)

Pilerot (2006) How do students develop information

literacy – through formal education or social participation? Paper presented at E-Lit conference.

Smart, J. (2005) Cabinet reshuffle: from the Business to

the education portfolio – a practitioner’s reflections, Education libraries J. 48 (3) pp 5-8

Bibliography

Boyer (1990) Scholarship reconsidered: priorities

of the professoriate. Carnegie Foundation for the

Advancement of Teaching.

McGuinness, C. (2003) Attitudes of academics tothe library’s role. In: Martin, A. Rader, H. Informationand IT literacy: enabling learning in the 21st century. Facet Publishing, 244-254.