Lorna Clarke – NoWAL Operations OfficerSheila Murphy – Edge Hill University Academic Liaison Librarian

EDGE HILL SETTING• Small University approx 28,000 students• Nursing Cohort of approximately 150 intake 2 times a year –

Sept and April• Embedded Information skills session throughout the 3 year

degree programme• Curriculum time given to sessions• Joint working with faculty staff to develop scaffolded skills

sessions and greater employability.

The issue• Students can access the technology easier• Need to reflect on what we do that responds to this changing

nature of cohorts• Feedback from tutors/student module evaluations• Does this translate to increased digital literacy or just

familiarity with online environment

Background• Both studying for the PG Cert Teaching in Higher Education• Professional Interest in Information and Digital literacies• Result of real life issues with student sessions• Final project – decided to combine it all together and do a bit

of research

Current Literature• Digital Immigrants v Digital natives• Digital Visitor v Resident• SONUL 7 Pillars• Anytime learning Literacies Environment (ALLE) funded by Jisc

(London Met and Uni of West London)

• Jisc Wales Paddle Project - Dr Andrew Eynon, coleg Llandrillo

Project• Pilot project / Action Research approach• Timing – not start of academic year, so limited to student

groups• Looking at 1st yr skills due to:

• Feedback from them• Interested in what skills already had• Need to research before too much

intergration/learning

Aims• To examine the development of digital Literacy skills in first

year undergraduates• Looking at 3 key areas• Previous skills• Skills gain from Information Skills training• Skills still needed

Methodology

Results• Plan to collate results manually in the 1st instance due to small

numbers• Write up results for PG Cert and for submission to Information

literacy Journal• Hope to identify trends in skills

Future Plans• Plan to do again in September with bigger cohorts• Include different subject areas• As action research continue reflective cycle and possibly look

at different areas• Change and improve Info skills session to fit with student

needs!

QuestionsFrom us • Is anyone else doing any similar research?• Looking at changing sessions due to increased/changing skills

From You?