A Departmental Information Literacy Strategy and Frameworks for Independent Learning Department of Town and Regional Planning and the University of Sheffield Library Lyn Parker [email_address] Aidan While [email_address]

Context What is a Departmental ‘Information Literacy Strategy’? How might it contribute to the development of Independent Learning? Why develop an IL strategy for TRP? What has IL contributed to TRP? What lessons can be drawn from the TRP experience?

What is a Departmental ‘Information Literacy Strategy’?

How might it contribute to the development of Independent Learning?

Why develop an IL strategy for TRP?

What has IL contributed to TRP?

What lessons can be drawn from the TRP experience?

IL & Independent Learning Growing interest in IL strategies Sconul’s 7 Pillars Mainly at University level Empowering the Learner Facilitating research-led teaching Enable IBL, Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), PBL Reflective practice

Growing interest in IL strategies

Sconul’s 7 Pillars

Mainly at University level

Empowering the Learner

Facilitating research-led teaching

Enable IBL, Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), PBL

Reflective practice

http://www.sconul.ac.uk/

Background Growing TRP concern about poor standards of referencing, information handling and writing skills “ Net-generation” – changing student expectations Recognising, codifying & communicating the work already done on IL Making effective use of existing library resources Meeting aspirations of DTLAS and end-users Creating a culture of independent learners IL and the Sheffield Graduate (Sheffield Planning Graduate) Research-led teaching

Growing TRP concern about poor standards of referencing, information handling and writing skills

“ Net-generation” – changing student expectations

Recognising, codifying & communicating the work already done on IL

Making effective use of existing library resources

Meeting aspirations of DTLAS and end-users

Creating a culture of independent learners

IL and the Sheffield Graduate (Sheffield Planning Graduate)

Research-led teaching

Information Literacy Strategy Going ‘back to basics’: Setting out expectations at each level based on the ‘7 pillars’ Analysing what is already being done Identifying gaps in provision Strengthening learning outcomes and assessment criteria Developing targeted activities (and related assessments) for learning and teaching around IL at each level – online and face-to-face

Going ‘back to basics’:

Setting out expectations at each level based on the ‘7 pillars’

Analysing what is already being done

Identifying gaps in provision

Strengthening learning outcomes and assessment criteria

Developing targeted activities (and related assessments) for learning and teaching around IL at each level – online and face-to-face

Benchmarking

Action: Identifying gaps

Action: being more explicit Producing a Strategy to ensure common ownership (and a shared language) Strengthening learning outcomes for all modules/assessments in line with the Information Literacy Strategy Making Information Literacy explicit in PADP IL as a partnership Targeted teaching and assessment activities

Producing a Strategy to ensure common ownership (and a shared language)

Strengthening learning outcomes for all modules/assessments in line with the Information Literacy Strategy

Making Information Literacy explicit in PADP

IL as a partnership

Targeted teaching and assessment activities

Action: targeted teaching and assessment Level One: Assessed Library Skills, plagiarism and annotated bibliography exercises across Level One Level Two: Information resources exercise within Social Research Methods Level Three: Enhanced support for Extended Essay

Level One:

Assessed Library Skills, plagiarism and annotated bibliography exercises across Level One

Level Two:

Information resources exercise within Social Research Methods

Level Three:

Enhanced support for Extended Essay

Information tutorials

Future Reinforcing the spine of existing support Measuring and benchmarking Going beyond standard support Breaking down barriers between the academic/vocational Feeding into course review Building on the partnership - improved library profile with students

Reinforcing the spine of existing support

Measuring and benchmarking

Going beyond standard support

Breaking down barriers between the academic/vocational

Feeding into course review

Building on the partnership - improved library profile with students

Conclusions Information Literacy – recognition for what we already do Information Literacy as a framework for independent learning Informational Literacy as empowerment for independent learning (in the University and beyond) Making it happen: The role of champions The need for a concerted, integrated approach Takes time … but not as much as expected … and brings substantial rewards

Information Literacy – recognition for what we already do

Information Literacy as a framework for independent learning

Informational Literacy as empowerment for independent learning (in the University and beyond)

Making it happen:

The role of champions

The need for a concerted, integrated approach

Takes time … but not as much as expected … and brings substantial rewards

Conclusions/Discussion How do we successfully embed IL into the curriculum? Customisation and tailoring Who teaches IL and where does it go? Balance between central services and academics The importance of close liaison (partnership) Balance between providing access and ensuring that students become information literate Are you doing enough for your students? What do you expect of your students? What support might you need to do more?

How do we successfully embed IL into the curriculum?

Customisation and tailoring

Who teaches IL and where does it go?

Balance between central services and academics

The importance of close liaison (partnership)

Balance between providing access and ensuring that students become information literate

Are you doing enough for your students?

What do you expect of your students?

What support might you need to do more?

References UNESCO (2006) Alexandria Proclamation on Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning. Available from: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=20891&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html Accessed 30 th October 2006. Godwin, Peter (2002) Information Skills Benchmarks . Available from: http://www.lisa.lsbu.ac.uk/006_services/staff/information_skills_benchmarks.pdf Accessed 30 th October 2006. Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2002) Subject benchmark statements - Academic standards - Town and country planning. Available from: http://www. qaa .ac. uk / academicinfrastructure /benchmark/honours/ tcp .asp Accessed 30th October 2006. SCONUL Advisory Committee on Information Literacy (1999) Information skills in higher education . SCONUL. Available from: http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/papers/Seven_pillars2.pdf Accessed 30 th October 2006.

UNESCO (2006) Alexandria Proclamation on Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning. Available from: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=20891&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html Accessed 30 th October 2006.

Godwin, Peter (2002) Information Skills Benchmarks . Available from: http://www.lisa.lsbu.ac.uk/006_services/staff/information_skills_benchmarks.pdf Accessed 30 th October 2006.

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2002) Subject benchmark statements - Academic standards - Town and country planning. Available from: http://www. qaa .ac. uk / academicinfrastructure /benchmark/honours/ tcp .asp Accessed 30th October 2006.

SCONUL Advisory Committee on Information Literacy (1999) Information skills in higher education . SCONUL. Available from: http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/papers/Seven_pillars2.pdf Accessed 30 th October 2006.