Viewpoints Project:Overview and progress to date

Dr Alan Masson, Karen Virapen, Catherine O’DonnellTechnology Facilitated Learning, University of Ulster

Librarian Subject Team Meeting – 5th March 2010

Presentation summary

1. Introduction to Viewpoints2. Info Skills strand – benefits for staff/students3. Information Skills workshop outline4. Interactive group activity5. Consulting with librarians (how you can help)6. Conclusion/ any questions

Viewpoints Overview Viewpoints is a JISC-funded curriculum design

project. Its remit is to create a series of user-friendly

reflective tools (in workshop and online format) to promote and enhance curriculum design.

The tools will help staff consider areas such as:- Information skills, assessment and feedback, creativity & innovation in teaching, and student interactions.

Information Skills strand:Benefits for staff and students Helps staff to be more prepared as regards resources

they might need when they come to meet library staff Viewpoints can point staff to useful existing resources Promote library and library website Helps staff think about students’ info skills needs Getting librarians more involved in course planning Fostering links between staff and librarians Chance to embed library information skill strategy Library have a chance to input into our workshop

process – help reinforce their own info skills work

Info Skills workshop: a summary We are currently working on an activity-based workshop

that aims to encourage reflection and creativity in information skills planning for courses, considering the student perspective.

We would welcome comments/suggestions from library on any aspect of the workshop to date

Online aspect – to be developed after the workshop Uses worksheets (with a student timeline) and SCONUL-

based information skills cards as prompts. Staff will work together in groups to plan how to address

students’ information skills needs. Produce visual output.

The workshop: step by step

Staff work around a blank A0 laminate

The workshop – step by step They are given sets of Information Skills cards,

which are based around the SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy (and align to Ulster library’s new information skills strategy.)

The workshop – step by step Staff choose their objective at this point They then put principle cards on the timeline, to

represent that info skill pillar needed at that point in a course

They may have the same card in a few different places

The workshop – step by step Staff turn cards over and tick the examples most

relevant (whichever examples do students have most

issues/problems with).

The workshop – step by step Step 4 – Staff think about how they might

address their students’ information skills needs. They write a brief plan in the area of timeline

marked ‘your plan’ They should also think about how the library can

help them achieve these principles – what sort of support they might need from the library.

Group Work Activity

• Break into seven groups. • Each group will look at one Sconul pillar.• Each group will use worksheets and cards.• Can groups organise themselves so that someone takes on

the role of the librarian, another the role of a module coordinator and the rest split into either course team or librarian team. Always try to consider student perspective also.

• There will 3 tasks to complete followed by some group feedback.

Task 1 – Consider objective (5 min)

• Read the objective on the worksheet.• Read the front of the card.• In your groups discuss if it clearly describes the pillar or suggest how

it might need adjusted. • Make some notes about your group’s views.

Task 2 - Consider ideas (20 mins)

• Read the ideas on the back of the card.• Consider the ideas for each part of the student timeline (while thinking about possible tasks that may be

required during induction, first few weeks, mid-semester and final phase.)

• In your groups discuss if these ideas represent clearly how the pillar may be achieved or if you think they may need adjusted.

• Make some notes and share any new ideas. We request any feedback, positive or negative.

Task 3 – Tailoring the cards (15 mins)

Consider/ discuss/ suggest any ways that librarians can contribute to the further development of the workshop / cards to help us help teaching staff implement ideas to help their students achieve the pillars across a student timeline (10 mins)

Group Brainstorm (5 mins)

Group feedback (10 mins)

One or two members from each group briefly feed back your thoughts about the front and back of the cards.

(Approx 1 or 2 min each)

How you can help (your input) Would like to consult with you on the following:

- Draft workshop- Card content (front and back)- Embedding the library’s info skills strategy- Supporting resources/documentation- Potential outputs

How would you prefer to communicate?- Dedicated WebCT area- Email contact- Other

Conclusions Any questions? Evaluation form Handouts