Want your learners to be more independent? – Information Literacy Doing Overtime

At the RSC North West ‘Want your learners to be more independent?’ event I felt I had my eyes well and truly opened to the benefits of, and dare I say it, the necessity of embedding information literacy skills into learning provision – whatever form that provision that may take.

Anthony Beal and Hilary Thomas (RSC) asked us to start thinking about what our definition of  ‘Critical Thinking’ and ‘Independent Learner’ might actually be. Cue much head scratching and pen waving, but ultimately many similar ideas from a mixed group of tutors/librarians/learning support officers. Critical thinking suggestions included the ability to analyse, compare, contrast and assess information in a more in-depth way. An independent learner has a myriad of traits – motivated, self directed, responsible, reflective, engaged and (crucially) intrinsically motivated by making progress.

The term Information Literacy itself was queried – are teachers/tutors familiar with this term too – does it have meaning outside of the research or information professional’s toolkit? If you walked into a classroom and asked “hands up anyone who’s information literate”, would you be met with blank stares? And not only because you’re a raving stranger that’s just walked into their classroom……..

Deborah Millar and Joanna Neil from Blackburn College gave great insight into the uses and benefits of social media tools including Pintrest, Tumblr and Scoopit and how these sites help to support their learners to study, expore, research and reflect on the regular feedback they can offer as tutors. But their talk also gave us more to think about regarding the role of a tutor/teacher as ‘expert’ and the understanding of true collaboration within a students learning journey. It set us on the path to question our role titles and how that might affect provision (division of support) and also who ‘owns’ knowledge or information within an institution.

This insight paved the way for a talk by  Jane Secker and Emma Coonan, which was a quickfire but insightful overview of ‘A New Curriculum for Information Literacy ‘ (ANCIL) project, which they had both developed during their secondment to the Arcadia Project  -exploring the role of academic libraries in a digital age. While the main focus of the project was Higher Education, there were significant, transferable conclusions and new ways of thinking about Information Literacy that relate to the Public Library and Schools stream of the Welsh Information Literacy project. The Institution Audit Worksheet especially enabled the group to start discussing and investiagting who currently has responsibility for supporting students develop their IL skills in our organisations, broken down by strands including becoming an independent learner or resource discovery. When you really look at learner support provision in this way, it becomes clear quickly that in many cases several departments/staff groups are involved and not everyone collaborates to make it a seamless experience for learners.

I think this training day was the first opportunity I’ve had to really THINK about Information Literacy and make meaningful connections to help categorise or attempt to lasso all the different approaches in order to spread the word and support our advocacy activities. I feel it’s important to re-visit this question with a new WILP project team and also as we are approaching lots of new stakeholders who are encountering this for the first time.

Is it a concept, an ethos, a skillset, a scheme of learning, a framework? Well, yes to all – but also a pathway, a continuum, a cyclical process of learning, exploring and reflecting to enable people to cope with the demands of whatever information context they find themselves in.  Before we get too metaphysical here, I think the point I’m trying to make is that the question should really be “Am I information literate right now?” – do I have the information skills necessary to help me to be insightful and successful for my challenges today? And to make sure we ask ourselves and ask this question of our learners regularly. There are a set of identifiable skills, yes but potentially infinite levels of skill development – there is no ‘end point’.

We need to move away from thinking about Information Literacy as a set of finite, tick box competancies – definable, yes, measurable, yes but continually evolving. However, when we start talking about accreditation, impact and measurement there is a danger of falling into the trap of “right, you’ve done the test. You’re information literate now, put that in your PDP and off you go”. Embedding information literacy into our services and user/learner support should be about enabling a generation of life long learners – is that happening in your organisation?

You can contact the Welsh Information Literacy Project Team at wilp@llandrillo.ac.uk or on Twitter @welsh_info_lit

STEM elibrary

The elibrary of the UK National STEM Centre offers support for teachers of science, technology, engineering and medicine.

The elibrary holds an invaluable collection of online resources on STEM subjects and a community area where teachers can make their own resource lists and review material.

Living Books About Life

Living Books About Life is a collection of open access, curated books connecting the humanities and the sciences; funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), and published by Open Humanities Press (OHP)

This series is an ongoing collaboration process of writing, editing, updating, remixing and commenting by readers.

Living Books About Life includes interactive maps, visualisations, podcasts and audio visual material.

The History of the Crusades

The following online resource was collected by Manchester University and lists a number of links covering all four crusades! Some of the links are dead but, there are still some very good free resources produced or hosted by universities and colleges.

Read extracts from historical documents written during the period of the crusades and accounts of the capture of Jerusalem by Saladin. 

Also, the library subscribes to the BBC History Magazine that this month contains an article by Thomas Asbridge who’s three-part series The Crusades is now on BBC 2. Back issues of magazines and journals can be taken out on loan; just ask at the library counter.

We also have the following books in stock! Click on the icons for readers reviews.  

               

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peer e-guide (Digital Literacy) Project

 

 

Coleg Llandrillo Library and Learning Technology Service are looking for students who will be offered training and support in the use of the college ICT network, Moodle, e-safety, Web 2.0 tools and searching the internet effectively.

Role of Peer e-guide

Peer e-guides will be offered a range of training and support to raise their awareness and knowledge of Digital Literacy eg accessing e-resources, use of the College ICT network, e-safety, Web 2.0 tools and searching the internet.

• Peer e-guides will act as a point of contact for other learners on the same course for informal advice on ICT/information skills.

• Peer e-guides will primarily promote the support available within the College in relation to ICT/information skills eg support and training sessions offered by the Library & Learning Technology Service and learning materials on Moodle.

• Peer e-guides will NOT be expected to train other students

Training and support will be provided in the following areas:

• Using the College ICT network
• Effective use of Moodle
• Finding and using information
• Safe use of the internet
• Educational use of Web 2.0 tools eg blogs, wikis, etc

Peer e-guides will be required to:

• Attend an introductory briefing session
• Complete a short ICT skills questionnaire
• Attend one or more of the core training sessions offered

What’s in it for the e-guides?

• Looks good on CV
• Improved ICT skills
• Possibility of gaining extra qualifications

Call in to the library for further details or email library1@llandrillo.ac.uk

Autology – Student Prize!

Autology Award

 Jenna Jefferson a BTEC Science student has received a merit award for her effective use of the Autology online resource, for the month of November 2010. 

She has made excellent use of the over £3000 worth of resources that are available to each student who has access to Autology.

Jenna said ‘She has found the Autology resource very useful for her course work”. Jenna is pictured below receiving her certificate and prize from Library Manager Dr Andrew Eynon.

  Autology is the world’s first ‘Sat Nav for Study, created for students aged 11-18. It is used by students in College and at home, at their own pace, to improve their results – helping with coursework and revision.

Autology combines a unique Online Library, filled with thousands of high-quality resources for students with intelligent, pro-active Research Assistant Tools that help students instantly access all the relevant information they need

Fact from fiction online – aliens, time travel and pasta

But I saw it on the [insert media channel here] so it must be true!

How to engage with students when sneakily trying to teach them a bit more about information literacy and challenging perceptions? No easy task, but we thought we’d take a different slant so they didn’t just switch off when shown examples of webpages – it’s hard when you’re 16 to not think you know if all and that the oldie (even when they’re not that old!) at the top of the classroom hasn’t a clue.

So – if the Web is their mass media of today, what about before all that technology was developed? Re-discovering old hoaxes and looking at new ones can be a great way to start students thinking about trust, perception and how the technology of the time can affect the masses. It helps to increase their sceptical superpowers and to highlight things to help them decide if a source is reliable, current and relevant.

So we’ve used Three wise monkeys exercise, aliens, pasta and even time travel to get the message across! Any other ideas for hoaxes to use?

Climate Change Champions – Could it be YOU?

Are you concerned about climate change?

Why not become an International Climate Champion and do something about it?

 

Cyfanfyd in partnership with the British Council is looking for outstanding people aged 18-35, living and working in Wales to become International Climate Change Champions for the year 2010/11.

 As an International Climate Change Champion you will have the opportunity to:

•  Carry out a climate change project locally or nationally
• Network with other Champions from around the world, sharing ideas and good practice
• Represent the UK in your region on climate change issues

 Further details and an application form are attached – applications should be sent to climatechampions@cyfanfyd.org.uk by the closing time and date of 5.00 pm on 30th November  2010.

 This is a great opportunity to make a difference – they look forward to hearing from you!

Application Form November 2010 - Word Doc

18 – 35 ICC 2010_Welsh - Role Description (in Welsh) PDF

18 – 35 ICC 2010 - Role Description (in English) PDF

 

Anti-Bullying Week at Coleg Llandrillo

 

This week is Anti-Bullying Week nationwide – how are you involved?

Coleg Llandrillo ILS and IT@B students will be selling BeatBullying wristbands in the heartspace today – get yours to support the cause. You can also get them at the Student Union shop on campus.

 Beat BullyingUK has started their Big March campaign – join up to spead the word and get access to some great resources

 Cybermentors is a online support forum when young people can support others who are the victims of bullying

 

 Don’t forget – the College Student Welfare team have specially trained mentors to help you if you are being bullied and also with any other concerns and challenges you might face during your time here.

**You can get more information on E-Safety and Fighting Cyberbullying on the College Moodle pages**

New UK Equality Law Act 2010

A recent blog post by RSC Wales reporting on the new Equality Act has excellent links to guidance notes and JISC TechDis information on equality in teaching resources.

Related articles we have come across which highlight other far reaching consequences of the Act include those from Emplyment Law Watch on the implications for Compromise Agreements and articles highlighted by BBC Ouch discussing how the act could effect jobseekers with a disability or medical condition.

You can also find more guidance details here through the Government Equalities Office – including interim arrangements.