Integrating information literacy as a habit of learning -

Abstract

This paper describes integration of IL as a thread running through the environmental sciences curriculum at Newcastle University. A variety of IL activities, including skills development, reflection and assessment, were piloted within existing modules between 2005 and 2008. Discussion groups and learning logs were used to draw out student perceptions of their experiences and to investigate the students’ concept of IL as a graduate attribute for life. Student self assessments were considered in the light of independent analysis of their IL abilities. Students’ responses show that embedding the assessment of information literacy can play a crucial role in engaging students with the concepts involved, so that as well as learning specific skills, they have the opportunity to develop a wider awareness of the information environment. Continuing assessment of the value and effectiveness of these interventions has also supported the learning processes for staff involved in the implementation.

A longitudinal study of changes in learners' cognitive states during and following an information literacy teaching intervention

“…Finland in particular is regarded as world leader devising an IL policy, which has been implemented within its education system (UNESCO, 2005). It is also evident from recent Librarians Information Literacy Annual Conferences (LILAC) and the Umbrella Conference that practitioners continue to develop innovative context specific IL interventions (for example, Cousins & Perris, 2009;Bent & Stockdale, 2009;Stubbings, 2009 Hepworth & Walton (2009, p10) However, despite the many and varied definitions and models of IL, it would appear that IL models are insufficient in themselves in addressing the issues that contribute to effective information behaviour which enable people to become information literate (Markless & Streatfield, 2007;Walton, 2009) and do not recognise the importance of context. Lloyd's (2007) work is a notable exception.…”

Foregrounding the Research Log in Information Literacy Instruction

“…(Jefferson & Long, 2008, p. 140). Answering these questions effectively in the form of a research journal helps students to focus on and organize their search and research process and make sense of the information obtained (Detmering & Johnson, 2012, p. 7;Jefferson & Long, 2008, p. 140;Markless, 2009, p. 33); to become aware of information literacy concepts and issues (Bent & Stockdale, 2009); and to develop into lifelong learners (Kaplowitz, 2012, p. 31). Reflective research journals promote all of the skills in Bloom's taxonomy of learning objectives including the higher-order skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation which are not necessarily addressed by research logs informed by traditional learning theories (Hepworth & Walton, 2009, pp.…”

“…Kaplowitz (2012) uses the same expression-"double duty"-to discuss using instructional activities such as research logs for assessment of IL instruction (p. 119). Other examples of dual-use assignments include "research writer's journals," described by Belanger et al (2012); "learner logs" (Bent & Stockdale, 2009); brainstorming worksheets (Carter, 2013); "research process notes" (Corbett, 2010); and electronic portfolios (Jefferson & Long, 2008).…”

“…Fifteen out of 30 articles reviewed can be called serious advocates, including Bent andStockdale (2009), Bowler (2010), and Carey (2012); Carter (2013) who used worksheets on identifying and refining keywords for formative assessment; Corbett (2010), Detmering and Johnson (2012), and Diekema et al (2011);Henderson et al (2011) who recommend "a final narrative and research log" in a community college biology class-without, however giving a pedagogical rationale; Lacy and Chen (2013), in a rare example of research log use in one-shot instruction; Mulherrin andAbdul-Hamid (2009), Oakleaf (2012), Ovadia (2010), Radia and Stapleton (2008), Sellar et al (2012), andStapleton (2010).…”

“…(2013, p. ix) An important solution to the time-consuming nature of the research log assignment is to recognize that one-shot IL instruction lends itself poorly to such assignments. Various alternative models of IL instruction appear in the literature reviewed here: multiple sessions of courseintegrated instruction (Belanger et al, 2012;Carter, 2013;Gilbert et al, 2012;Hlavaty & Townsend, 2010); credit courses in IL (Wheeler, Vellardita, & Kindschi, 2010;Whitlock & Nanavati, 2013, p. 43); and instruction integrated across the curriculum (Bent & Stockdale, 2009;Manuel, 2009, p. 104). In each case, the more substantial time allotted to IL instruction offsets the admittedly time-consuming nature of the research log assignment.…”