il frames webinar2015
TRANSCRIPT
Embedding Information Literacy in Teaching and Learning at the University of the Western Cape (UWC)
1. Resources
2. Changing programmes of IL
3. Learning Outcomes
4. Your role as Librarian in embedding IL in
teaching and learning
5. Additional load?
6. Collaboration?
Guidelines
For
Embedding information literacy in Teaching and Learning at UWC
information literacy: a learning literacy
IL framework: 6 frames drafted by ACRL (Association
of College and Research Libraries) 2014
http://www.ala.org/acrl/ invite understanding of
what it means to use information to think, read and
write in a discipline (context)
Lloyd (2010): information literacy is a situated socio-
cultural practice
Literacies are social and situated
•Reading: comprehension, analysis, evaluation
•Thinking: visualising, synthesis, problem
solving
•Writing: articulation, shaping argument,
structure
Digital applications: searching, reading,
interacting, visualising, recording, writing –
multimodal communication
…IL as Socio-material
As textual practices are transformed by emerging
technologies and the Web 2.0 ecology, these practices
are reinterpreted by new understandings of literacy.
Bhatt and de Roock’s study (2013) on the socio-
materiality of digital literacy events and Bhatt’s doctoral
thesis, (2014) A socio-material account of assignment
writing in Further Education classrooms
The literacy practices that occur during research and
writing therefore also includes interaction with material
objects.
Research is undertaken alongside a host of interrelated
behaviours
Interconnected elements of an IL Frame
Threshold Concept
Knowledge Practices
Dispositions
Core
understandings
about
information
Abilities and
Proficiencies
Ways of
thinking and
behaviour
THE SIX FRAMES OF THE
INFORMATION LITERACY
FRAMEWORK
1. Scholarship is a Conversation
no single, easy answer in scholarly research
discursive practice where ideas are formulated, debated and weighed against each other
competing ideas give rise to fresh insights and new discoveries – contesting and reframing perspectives within a field
students given opportunities to become conversant with the discipline
Knowledge is contested and uncertain
Scholarship is a
Conversation
The fact that the Universe is an orderly, harmonious system has been debated over centuries ….
Galileo
Galilei
Isaac Newton
Ralph
Alpher
Edward
Kolb
Phillipe
Pinel
The arrival at the answer of institutionalisation as the correct solution to the problem of mental illness
Al Walid Ibn
Abdul Malik
William Tuke
Economic equality and the role of the government in the capitalism v socialism debate has been on-going for many years.
Scholarship is an ongoing
conversation
Capitalism
2. Research as Inquiry
Open-ended exploration and engagement with
information
Iterative process – student has to rethink, rework, explore, test concepts of their discipline
Students need to be taught how to identify unresolved issues and frame questions
Students will uncover more complex questions as they deepen their knowledge within a field
Process includes various research methodologies and different lines of inquiry
Data collection and management requires students to communicate with role players and practitioners in the community, where they will learn how issues affect these individuals.
Example of an assignment
Is the “passion” gap (removal of the top four
incisor teeth) that is so prevalent on the
Cape Flats, a cultural phenomenon, fashion
statement or a result of poor dental
hygiene? Discuss your position and give
possible strategies to combat it.
It involves doing interviews, with open –
ended questions, surveys and observations.
(They will get a better picture of cultural
beliefs, personal perspectives and can follow
up on questions and have conversations.)
Example of an assignment
Ask students to conduct original research based on qualitative interviews, a form of research where people are permitted to answer questions for themselves and in their own terms.
The interview-based assessment that is set requires students to interview someone who was or who had been involved in crime or the criminal justice system.
Students will be taught to learn new ways of investigating an issue
They will value the possibility of discovering social worlds about which they knew little
May also use the opportunity to explore their own social milieu.
3. Authority of texts is
Contextual and Constructed
Authority may be seen as the degree of
trust that is assigned to the source of
information
Depends on the origin, information need
and context within which information will
be used
Markers of Authority ….
external indicators such as peer reviewed
articles and credentials of the author
origin, context and suitability for the
information need of the moment
Authority is contextual in that the
information need may help determine the
level of authority required.
Authority as Contextual
Check currency rate of eg. UK and RSA
Quick currency convertor check – no need to
test the authority of the source
But a dissertation on the Economics of Inflation
– study of currency – investigate the credibility
of the source
Authority as Contextual…
Scholarly Facebook page or
Scholarly peer - reviewed
publication?
Authority is Constructed… The “authority” of different information
sources tends to be determined by disciplinary communities
Acknowledges that certain voices are elevated through established rules and systems – social construction of knowledge
All sources are not created equal, authoritative voices exist in specific categories of knowledge and
Whereas the novice learner may rely on superficial indicators of authority, the expert recognises schools of thought or paradigms within the discipline
4. INFORMATION CREATION AS A PROCESS
Scholarly communication is evolving and knowledge is shared in different ways
Each source of information has constraints and capabilities. These characteristics as well as the particular information need will determine how the product is used
The novice learner should understand the importance of the creation process of each information source. This will enable them to make informed choices when matching the source with the information need
The expert researcher is able to recognise that information sources are valued differently in different contexts – academia or workplace
Format of Information How is it Created? How can I locate
information in this
format?
Newspapers
(online + print)
Interviews, reports,
investigations, research
Online via newspaper
websites.
Reading newspapers
Books Research, interviews Print copies( libraries,
bookshops)
Podcasts Audio recording Podcasting sites online
Journal Article Reading , research, thought,
debate, drafts, formal peer
review. May have been shaped
form a conference
presentation
Online or in print
Blog Online Blog websites
5. Searching as Exploration
Search strategy is not straight-forward and
sequential
Involves inquiry, discovery and serendipity
Discovery of one source can lead to other sources or avenues of inquiry
Basic and advanced search strategies, interview techniques
Should be able to match information need and search strategy with appropriate search tool
DATE RESEARCH
RESULTS AND
FINDINGS
THOUGHTS ON MY
PROGRESS
08/18 I found a Web site about
asthma and downloaded
information about the
causes of the illness. I also
visited in a chat room with
another teen who has
asthma.
So far, so good. Getting
information has
been easy. I’m finding out
a lot.
08/23 I wanted to interview Dr.
Anders, my asthma
specialist, but she is going
to be out of town for a few
days.
I think I waited too long to
call Dr. Anders. Now I’m
not sure if I will have
time to interview her and
still get the paper done.
Next time, I’ll start the
interviews early!
08/24 A packet of information
that I requested from one
of the online groups came
in today’s mail. It has a lot
of information about
athletes who have asthma
and still play sports.
This is great information! It
answers some of my
research questions. Best
of all, I got some tips on
how to play sports and not
get too short of breath.
6. Information has Value
“Information possesses several dimensions of
value – as a commodity, as a means of education,
as a means of influence, and as a means of
negotiating and understanding the world”
(ACRL,2014)
Students should understand their obligation to
cite and acknowledge the ideas of others
Understand the differences between copyright,
open access and public domain
Commerce acts as a barrier – students should
understand how their research strategy may be
affected by toll access.
Acknowledge the ideas of others…
Roles
Library to work closely with relevant role-players
Teaching staff: application of 6 frames in their coursework
Framework offers a problem-based learning pedagogy with several sample assignments
Library to support lecturers by working with Teaching and Learning Specialists - designing learning outcomes and learning activities and assessments
Our story so far…
Faculty Librarians have been trained to understand and
apply the new IL Frames
Library drafted Guidelines for the Embedding of IL in
Teaching and Learning at UWC
Shared Guidelines and held presentations on the 6 IL
Frames with all Faculties at Teaching and Learning
Committee meetings, Board meetings and seminars
Positive feedback from Faculties - Invited to offer
workshops/consultations at departmental level to
discuss and design how IL may be embedded via
learning activities and assessments