Creating Information
Literacy Opportunities
in Your School
SLANZA Conference, Auckland
Senga White
James Hargest College
20th July 2011

Background
O Librarian for 11 years at James Hargest
College, a two-campus, two-library Year 7-13
school in Invercargill, roll of approx. 2000
students.
O Previous experience in office management
and communications
O Has been a member of SLANZA National
Executive since 2006 and is the out-going
president
O Passionate about school libraries and the
difference librarians can make in teaching and
learning outcomes.

The Hargest Timeline
O 2005-08 Teacher Designed Schools Project
O 2006 Curriculum Alignment Project
O 2006 Work began on Info Lit at Hargest
O 2007-08 Information Literacy Project
O 2007 Info Lit Y9 Module Trial – 3 depts.
O 2008 Info Lit Modules Y9 Eng., Y10 Social
St
O 2009 Tertiary Prep planning
O 2010 Tertiary Prep trial
O 2010 Online searching module Y8
O 2011 Work beginning on Y8 Info Lit Module

Teacher Designed Schools
O Educationalists John Edwards & Bill
Martin
O Five year programme
O Staff develop a shared vision and values
system
O Research – Seamless Transition group

Curriculum Alignment Project
O Information-seeking habits of more than
140 1st year polytechnic students
O Also surveyed Y12 & 13 teachers and
lecturers of 1st year tertiary students
O Results of the survey

First Steps
O Imagine … dream … brainstorm …
discuss …
O Think big – work small
O Identify your flock-mates
O Who are your potential collaborators?
O Test the waters
O Look at the

Literacy, Literacy everywhere!
O Information Literacy
O Digital Literacy
O Visual Literacy
O Critical Literacy
O Transliteracy
O It’s a moving feast! But they all link to
libraries

The Basics
O Research cycle process
O List of good examples
O Bibliographic style with examples

Trials
O Year 9 Information Literacy Module
O 3 depts. – English, Science & Social
Studies
Outcome: Embed skills into an assignment
that can be assessed
O Tertiary Prep
O Y13 students – voluntary in their own time
Outcome: Interest there but need to
investigate timing

Otago/Southland
Information Literacy Project
O 18 month project developed as result of
Curriculum Alignment Project
O Joint National Library, Otago University,
College of Education & Ministry of
Education
O 7 schools across Otago and Southland
participated
O Focus on Year 8 students
O Emphasis on collaborative work between
teachers and librarians

Year 9
O Info Lit Module
O Trial in 2007
O Module taught through English since 2008
O Print researching focus
O Databases
O Introductory session through Science classes
O Orientation
O Finding resources in library using call numbers
O Finding information in encyclopaedias using
quiz

Year 10
O Info Lit Module
O Taught through Social Studies since 2008
O On line researching focus
O Databases
O Specific work using Health and Wellness
Resource Centre in Science

Years 11-13
O Targeted teaching based on assignments
of:
O Citation
O Selecting resources
O Searching databases
O Using search engines
O Google Scholar
O Note taking

Year 8
O On line searching unit
O Evaluating websites
O Searching strategies
O Using Google
O Library Passport
O Working on series of library sessions
O Info Lit Module
O Work beginning on this in 2011

Tertiary Prep
O Tutorials offered to Y13 students in their study
periods on voluntary basis
O Trial in 2010
O Working with Otago University Library
O Topics covered:
O The Information Society
O Note taking
O Citations
O Advanced online searching
O Study skills and groups
O Mind Mapping
O How to get the best out of your academic library

Nuts and Bolts
O Whole school, department, year level,
class, teacher
O Planning
O Collaboration
O Evaluation