neil ford subject librarian – school of health and social care, bournemouth university

www.bournemouth.ac.uk

The Using Information Community (and beyond!): Exploring the potential of online communities in delivering information literacyNeil Ford

Subject Librarian – School of Health and Social Care, Bournemouth University

www.bournemouth.ac.uk 2

Bournemouth University context

Library and Learning Support

Student and Academic Services

Subject Librarian Team

School of Health and Social Care

Nursing Midwifery, Health and Rehab. Sciences

Social Work


Background

Context

• Why is Information Literacy important?

• Challenges to Information Literacy education

Online community for developing information literacy skills within our virtual learning environment


Information Literacy

“the skills that students lack when they arrive at university are much the same as those students have always needed to develop; the capacity to filter and analyse sources and to access the validity and authority of the material” (Bradwell, 2009, p. 55)Important to health students?

• Changes to health education (e.g. NHS Key Skills Framework, 2004)• Online learning and health education• Changes to health information professional role

(Bury et al, 2006)


IL - a core competency for health professionals

NMC Standards of Proficiency for Pre-Registration Nursing Education:

• “provide relevant and current health information to patients, clients and groups”

• “ensure that current research findings and other evidence are incorporated in practice”

• “identify, collect and evaluate information to justify the effective utilisation of resources”

• “interpret and present information in a comprehensible manner”

(NMC, 2004)

Translates to our curricula and ILO’s!


Challenges – Higher Education

• Changing demographic - “2/5 students part-time, 59% mature, 15% from overseas” (Bradwell, 2009)

• Funding constraints - “focus…resources where they can have the greatest return” (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, p. 4)


Health student demographic

We are already used to the changes to student demographics!

EmployedMature studentsDistance learners Care responsibilitiesTime poor

Need to support technology use Lack of contact timeNeed for remote support


Institutional challenges

• Shorter units – larger cohorts

• Closure of academic development unit

• Lean working


Information literacy has to happen…

• Outside of the classroom• At a distance• When the student needs it• In a graduated way depending on need


Using Information Community

Task oriented menu

Link from staff/ student homepage

Links to further support

Embedded user support

Trusted brand



In-house and external materials

Authority control

Communication tools

Community tools



Embedded in Blackboard (VLE)• Trusted brand• Allows authority control• Tools for publicity• Educational tools (assessments etc.)• Links to other communities & academic units• Further support embedded (workshops,

tutorials)


Beyond Using Information

"The only constant is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be."

Isaac Asimov


Academic Skills Community

Graphical interface

Task oriented navigation

Academic skills


Any questions?


Contact Information

Neil Ford - Subject LibrarianBournemouth House Library Bournemouth UniversityOld Christchurch RoadBournemouth, BH1 3LH

[email protected]

01202 967350


References

Bradwell, P. 2009. The edgeless university: Why higher education must embrace technology. London: Demos.Brettle, A., 2007. Evaluating information skills training in health libraries: A systematic review. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 24, 18-37.Bury, R., Martin, L., and Roberts, S., 2006. Achieving change through mutual development: Supported online learning and the evolving roles of

health and information professionals. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 23, 22-31.Cobus, L., 2008. Integrating information literacy into the education of public health professionals: Roles for librarians and the library. Journal of

the Medical Library Association, 96 (1), 28-33.Craig, A., and Corrall, S., 2007. Making a difference? Measuring the impact of an information literacy programme for pre-registration nursing

students in the UK. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 24 (2), 118-127.Department for Business Innovation & Skills. 2009. Higher ambitions: The future of universities in a knowledge economy. (09/1447). London:

Department for Business Innovation & Skills.Ford, P. J., Foxlee, N., and Green, W., 2009. Developing information literacy with first year oral health students. European Journal of Dental

Education, 13 (1), 46-51.Godwin, P., 2009. Information literacy and web 2.0: Is it just hype? Program-Electronic Library and Information Systems, 43 (3), 264-274.Grant, M. J., and Brettle, A. J., 2006. Developing and evaluating an interactive information skills tutorial. Health Information & Libraries Journal,

23 (2), 79-88.NHS. The NHS knowledge and skills framework (nhs ksf) and the development review process (october 2004). London: Department of Health.

Available from: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4090843 [Accessed: 19 July 2010].

Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2004. Standards of proficiency for pre-registration nursing education. London: Nursing and Midwifery Council. Available from: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/Standards/nmcStandardsofProficiencyForPre_RegistrationNursingEducation.pdf.

Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2010. The code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London: Nursing and Midwifery Council. Available from: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Nurses-and-midwives/The-code/The-code-in-full/ [Accessed: 16 July 2010].

Rethlefsen, M. L., Engard, N. C., Chang, D., and Haytko, C., 2006. Social software for libraries and librarians. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 6 (4), 29-45.

White, S., and Stone, G., 2010. Maximising use of library resources at the university of huddersfield. Serials, 23 (2), 83-90.Wilkinson, A., While, A. E., and Roberts, J., 2009. Measurement of information and communication technology experience and attitudes to e-

learning of students in the healthcare professions: Integrative review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65 (4), 755-772.