Information literacy beyond the academy
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Best practice paper given at ECIL 2015 by Jane Secker and Geoff Walton from the CILIP Information Literacy Group.
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Information literacy beyond the academy
- 1. UK Information Literacy Advocacy: Reaching out beyond the Tower Dr Jane Secker and Dr Geoff Walton London School of Economics and Political Science and Northumbria University Third European Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL) Tallinn, Estonia: 19-23 October 2015 Tallinn City Wall by Stephen Colebourne: https://flic.kr/p/az3uni
- 2. The CILIP Information Literacy Group • Special Interest Group of Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals set up in 2003 • Founded LILAC in 2004 • Run the the open access, peer-reviewed Journal of Information Literacy • Run informationliteracy.org.uk • Fund training events, sponsorship and offer research bursaries for members • Community of over 1100 members, 3300 followers on Twitter @infolitgroup • Network for sharing good practice: research and advocacy https://www.flickr.com/photos/criminalintent/38 34911120
- 3. Our aims…. • Share good practice in information literacy teaching and research • Provide a network and a voice for information literacy work in the library profession • Undertake research and innovation initiatives • Work across the library sectors • Reach out beyond the library sector…….
- 7. Information literacy in the UK • In the UK, there is a strong government focus on digital literacy & skills (opportunity & threat) – Task Force on Digital Skills Digital Skills for Tomorrow’s World (July 2014) – House of Lords Report on Digital Skills (June 2015) – Focus on digital literacy in schools = coding – Identified by Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) as a focus for the 2015-16 reviews of universities • Attempts to address this through the research bursaries scheme: focusing outside HE • ILG are developing links with: schools (EPQ), workplaces, trade unions, other professional groups and organisations • Recently recruited an Advocacy and Outreach Officer
- 8. IL in the HE Sector • IL highly developed and widely recognised in university libraries • Increasing focus on – Finding, evaluating and managing information (plagiarism) – transition from school and graduates going into the workplace – digital and using social media tools • Expertise on supporting research students and students undertaking dissertations • Many successes to embed IL in curriculum
- 9. Our challenge….. • To get IL recognised outside higher education • To harness IL to break down the digital divide • To connect with other interested stakeholders and challenge the traditional view of what librarians do and information literacy Shattered iPhone by Jennifer Morrow licensed under Creative Commons: https://flic.kr/p/7Cquzt
- 10. • First project funded by ILG based in Newcastle public library • Support for residents to go online • Establish a network of digital champions • Training for front line Newcastle council staff
- 11. DeVIL Project (Determining the value of information literacy for employers) • How does Information Literacy add real value to businesses? • Developing a tool to determine how information competences underpin the performance and effectiveness of enterprises • Research led by Stephane Goldstein and Drew Whitworth Call Centre by Vitor Lima licensed under Creative Commons: https://flic.kr/p/5yCK2X
- 12. Learning, lending, liberty? • Can school libraries be engines for youth citizenship? • What is the role of public libraries in citizenship education and political participation? • How does IL help young people become informed and meaningful participants in politics? • Led by Lauren Smith Europejski Tydzień Młodzieży Katowice 2011 / European Youth Week Katowice 2011 by Kris Duda licensed under Creative Commons: https://flic.kr/p/9LTNXn
- 13. TeenTech • Initiative launched following a meeting with TeenTech CEO Maggie Philbin & ILG Chair Jane Secker • A initiative in UK schools for 13-16 year olds to foster an interest in science, technology and innovation • Run events around the Uk and a national competition for science projects • Sponsors include: Google, Airbus, nationalgrid, Network Rail, Maplin and ILG • Prestigious awards ceremony at Royal Society • From 2014 ILG and TeenTech launched a Research and Information Literacy Award
- 14. Awards 2015
- 15. Advocacy: our tips • Be clear on why IL matters • Get out your comfort zone (the library bubble) • Understand that language and terminology matter • Make explicit the links between IL and stakeholders’ priorities https://www.flickr.com/photos/toasty/1540997910
- 16. Advocacy: our tips • Networking, networking, networking • Underpin your arguments with practical research • Always think about how you demonstrate impact • Use engaging examples that illustrate the value of IL • Explore options that on the face of it seem irrelevant and never give up! https://www.flickr.com/photos/toasty/1540997910
- 17. References and further reading Bell, Maria and Moon, Darren and Secker, Jane (2012) Undergraduate support at LSE: the ANCIL report. The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK. Available at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/48058/ de Moree, A. (2014). Outside the tower. A night at the museum. Science, 345 (6194), 279. doi: 10.1126/science.345.6194.279. Retrieved October, 2015. Hepworth, M and Walton, G. (2009) Teaching Information Literacy for Inquiry-based learning. Chandos Publishing: Oxford. House of Lords: Select Committee on Digital Skills. (February 2015). Make or break: the UK’s Digital Future. London: HMSO. http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/digital-skills- committee/news/report-published/ Retrieved 12 October 2015 Lau, Doriane, Secker, Jane and Bell, Maria (2015) Student ambassadors for digital literacy (SADL): evaluation & impact report. Learning Technology and Innovation (LTI), London, UK. Available at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/63357/ LSE SADL Project website and resources (2014) Available at: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsesadl/ Secker, J. & Walton, G. (2016). Information Literacy in the UK. In Sühl-Strohmenger, W (ed). Handbuch Informationskompetenz. Berlin: Walther De Gruyter. Secker, Jane and Coonan, Emma (2013) Rethinking Information Literacy: a practical framework for supporting learning. Facet Publishing: London UK Digital Task Force (2014). Digital Skills for Tomorrow’s World. Interim Report. http://policy.bcs.org/sites/policy.bcs.org/files/Interim%20report.pdf Retrieved 12 October 2015. http://www.informationliteracy.org.uk/ Vienna: Heldenplatz by Duroy.George licensed under Creative Commons https://flic.kr/p/d4ueMh
Editor's Notes
- Our paper provides an overview of recent UK information literacy (IL) initiatives from the CILIP Information Literacy Group (ILG). The UK higher education sector has an enthusiastic and highly skilled group of librarians helping to develop information literate graduates in universities. However, outside this sector, information literacy in schools, public libraries and in the workplace is less well recognized and supported. The UK government has increasingly recognized the importance of “digital skills” or “digital literacy” for the wider population as a whole, linking it to economic prosperity and engaged citizenship. Yet the failure of several recent government reports to define digital literacy (for example the House of Lords, 2015), equating it with computer literacy signals a lack of recognition for the valuable work that information professionals are doing in the information literacy field. In this paper we provide an overview of the advocacy work the ILG are doing to redress this problem and to ensure that information literacy expertise in the library profession is recognized by the wider community. ILG is emulating the principle of reaching out “outside the tower” (a term coined by de Moree in 2014 to describe how his team took science beyond higher education) to disseminate the value of information literacy outside both higher education and the library profession. We discuss three recent research projects funded through the ILG bursary scheme launched in April 2014. These projects have focused on “digital literacy” and the role of public libraries, information literacy in the workplace, and information literacy as part of citizenship and young people¹s political awareness. Each project has included stakeholders outside the library profession and projects were awarded their funding based on the likely impact of the projects and their relevance beyond the library community. In a related initiative, the ILG agreed to sponsor a high profile Research and IL Award for an initiative run in UK schools, called TeenTech (http://www.teentech.com/). This collaboration came about following ILG’s response to a UK government report, Digital Skills for Tomorrow’s World (UK Digital Task Force, 2014). TeenTech targets 13-16 year olds and aims to help young people realize the potential of careers in science, technology and engineering. It is an industry-led initiative, running events around the UK for schools and students work on innovative projects, with an annual award ceremony at the Royal Society. The inclusion of a Research and IL Award from 2015 demonstrates TeenTech’s recognition of ILG’s work and will prove to be a valuable stepping stone to ensuring that IL is more embedded in school’s curricula. It also signals that high quality science and technology projects need to be underpinned with the critical use of information and the development of research skills. Through this paper we will share the experiences of our work to disseminate knowledge, firstly, about IL and secondly, the expertise that librarians and information professionals can provide to those in other sectors. We will share our strategies for IL advocacy and inspire delegates to take action during the final discussion.
- Member benefits Fund and sponsor other groups event on IL Run our own events Sponsor individuals to attend events (forms on website) Take along: LILAC Screenwipes, ILG cards, small supply of pens
- Probably what the ILG group are most known for – the UK’s information literacy conference now attracts over 300 delegates. Worldclass keynotes, fabulous locations, excellent networking, IL research and practice. Join us in Dublin next spring
- Jane / Geoff Mention House of Lords Report on Digital Skills Mention UK Digital Skills Task Force – neither recognised the potential role for librarians so ILG becoming increasingly political and responding to these reports Explain what EPQ is - Austria
- But also IL for those outside the HE sector: digital inclusion agenda in public libraries, health sector Lots of work in schools working with students in Year 12 (age 16-17) on Extended Project Qualification (EPQs) – Geoff Walton, Alison Pickard and Mark Hepworth funded on a British Academic project. Active Skepticism and to encourage students to be more discerning about information.
- Terminology I will discuss at the end but problems getting wide recognition across universities (more difficult in research led) We see IL as something that everyone should be equipped with though – not just graduates, but those who don’t go to university – the unemployed, older people, apprentices etc Probably worth saying that IL is not about libraries – it is about librarians and their expertise and quoting R David Lankes – a library without a librarian is just a room full of books (like the Laurillard quote, that you don’t give people access to bricks and say it’s solving the housing crisis)
- Giving £6,000 to fund a pioneering scheme bringing together public and commercial organisations, local charities and community groups to create a digital support network for residents and businesses in Newcastle upon Tyne. As more services become predominantly or exclusively online, those without the means or information literacy skills to access the internet are at increasing risk of isolation. Newcastle – like many cities in the UK –has a vibrant third sector, active community groups and a wealth of education providers offering free or low cost internet access and training. Yet those who need this most either aren’t aware of the benefits (and increasing necessity) of being online, don’t know that help is available, aren’t comfortable in the environments where assistance is offered, or are unwilling to ask for help. All council start are front line – can you turn the highway maintenance staff into digital champions – well outside the HE and education sector
- Determining the value of information literacy for employers So the tool is being made available to businesses and other users, to help them reflect on the relationship between investments in information related-factors and a range of indicators of business value. Through its mapping, the tool gives an idea of organisational areas where information literacy investments might provide returns. The tool is reflects the findings of three case studies examined during the course of the project. Interviews were conducted with relevant managers from one enterprise in each of the commercial sector (an SME that develops a human resources information system), the public sector (a London local authority) and the voluntary sector (an organisation that acts as facilitator for voluntary organisations). Project lead Stephane Goldstein says the project aims to “to find out what information literacy is worth to employers and how it adds real value to businesses”. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate the benefits of developing information literacy in the workplace and assess the return on investment (ROI) of such initiatives. The research will investigate the value that is added by employing and training individuals that have appropriate and relevant know-how, competencies and skills in the use and handling of information and data in the digital economy, whatever form that takes. The value might be financial, but it might also relate to other factors that are important to enterprises, such as enhanced efficiency or competitive advantage.
- Learning, lending, liberty? Can school libraries be engines for youth citizenship? The first research project, “Learning, lending, liberty? Can school libraries be engines for youth citizenship?”, will explore the role of school libraries in the wider school environment, including citizenship education. The project will identify how Scottish school libraries support young people’s political participation in two major political events – the Scottish Independence Referendum 2014 and the UK General Election 2015. The project will also explore the information and information literacy (IL) needs of young people outside the school environment, and identify how IL provision is vital in helping them become informed and meaningful participants in politics. Principle Investigator Lauren Smith (the University of Strathclyde) will work in partnership with Young Scot, a young people’s information charity; the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC); The Right Information, Scotland’s information literacy community of practice; and CILIPS.
- JS Mention that TeenTech is coming to Europe Lobbying of the CEO of TeenTech by Chair of ILG to recognise the value of IL
- JS Mention the criteria we drew up to judge the project – we looks at the sources they used, critical evaluation of sources, referencing and bibliography, management of research process, analysis and sythesis of research. We judged over 40 projects across all the cateries. We now have a TeenTech sub group who are producing resources for schools on information literacy. We will attend the TeenTech London event for schools and run activities for schools. This is the largest event they do
- JS and GW
- JS and GW