Information Literacy Education in the UK: Reflections on Perspectives and Practical Approaches of Curricular Integration

Abstract

This paper has two main aims: to present the current position of information literacy education (ILE) in UK-based academic institutions, and to propose a strategy that ensures the integration of ILE in learning and teaching practices. The first part of the paper offers an insight into the perceptions of information literacy by exploring four distinct perspectives: those of the institution, the faculty, the library staff, and the students. From an institutional perspective, information literacy is dominated by the need to measure information skills within the context of information as a discipline in its own right. Also, there is a great deal of misinformation regarding information literacy, and as a result, a clear marketing strategy must be adopted by information professionals to address the misconceptions held by faculty staff and students alike. This article aims to address these points by drawing on recent scholarship and research in the field, which demonstrates the validity of information literacy as a process for fostering independent learning. The second part of the paper explains how a fellowship project has placed information literacy on the pedagogical agenda of the University of Staffordshire in the UK by promoting information literacy education as an integrated element of the curriculum.

What academics really think about information literacy

“…Our interviewees referred to a desire for students to be aware of and use a greater selection of 'good' sources. This is supported in the literature, with a wider appreciation of the wealth of available sources for literature noted (Saunders, 2012), with Andretta et al, (2008) describing it as a knowledge of the information environment. How students learn about the resources for their discipline is sometimes unclear as both our academics and previous research suggests a belief that it just happens by 'osmosis' (Weetman, 2005;McGuinness, 2006;DaCosta, 2010;Badke, 2010b).This suggests there is a gap which librarians could address, by ensuring that students are exposed to using a greater range of sources relevant to their subject area in our IL teaching.…”

“…These authors recommended the need for greater liaison between academics and librarians to improve their professional position and gain greater traction for librarians to develop their role particularly in teaching IL. A recurring theme in the literature is librarians' concern with professional status, gaining recognition as equals to academics, and the subsequent impact on teaching delivery, which has been an impediment to greater progress being made (Andretta, Pope & Walton, 2008;Badke, 2008).…”

“…When researching academics' views two broad approaches have been adopted, using either a quantitative method drawing from sample groups taken across a number of institutions (Cope & Sanabria, 2014) or using a cross-section of disciplines, (DaCosta, 2010;Dubicki, 2013). Some researchers included a range of disciplines (Andretta et al, 2008;Bury, 2011) at one institution (McGuinness, 2006;Morrison, 2007;Saunders, 2012;Ganley, Gilbert & Rosario, 2013), or concentrated on a specific faculty's view (Leckie & Fullerton, 1999;Boon, Johnston & Webber, 2007). Academics were presented with lists of IL competencies skills which they selected and prioritised as important for students to possess.…”

Information discernment, mis-information and pro-active scepticism

“…There is an assumption in part that because they can use a computer, or, because they have no interest in computers, that digital literacy is not needed. In the case of the study conducted by Andretta et al (2008), some learners either perceived information literacy as merely an extension of ICT, or, because they believed themselves to be IT literate, a waste of time. This misunderstanding of what digital literacy is and what it has to offer has also been identified by Professor Martin Weller of The Open University: ‘If you ask people whether they need digital skills, they say, “Oh no, I don’t need that”, but actually they do’ (House of Lords, 2015b: 770).…”

“…Whilst there is recognition from students that information literacy is useful in specific contexts (e.g. to locate answers needed for a learner’s project), there is also a disparity in how learners perceive these skills (Andretta et al, 2008). There is an assumption in part that because they can use a computer, or, because they have no interest in computers, that digital literacy is not needed.…”