Presented at FestivIL

1. Using active learning and
playfulness to address
threshold concepts in online
and face to face information
literacy teaching
Sally Dalton
s.dalton@leeds.ac.uk
@SallyDalton18
Deirdre Andre
d.andre@leeds.ac.uk

2. Aims of
action
research
projecT
1. How effective is active learning and
playfulness in improving researchers’
understanding of key principles in literature
searching?
2. What are researchers’ perceptions of using
active learning and playfulness in
information literacy teaching?

3. Why?
•Existing method of delivery wasn’t effective
•Despite attending the workshops researchers were still struggling
•Problems understanding threshold concepts
•Focused on active and playful learning based on work by Walsh (2018)
Walsh, A. 2018. The librarians' book on teaching through games and play. Innovative Libraries.

4. What we did

5. Results
Confidence
and
understandi
ng
improved
Activities
helped with
understandi
ng key
concepts
Session was
interesting
and
engaging
Working in
small
groups &
sharing
ideas was
useful
Some
learners
didn’t like
the
activities

6. Implications for practice
1 2 3
Consider using
active learning
and playfulness
within researcher
information
literacy teaching
Consider using
more group
learning
activities as it
may encourage
researchers to
engage with
their peers
Not all learners
will engage
with it - be
open to using
a variety of
learning
methods to
ensure
teaching is
inclusive

7. Thank you!
Sally Dalton
s.dalton@leeds.ac.uk
@SallyDalton18
Deirdre Andre
d.andre@leeds.ac.uk