This document discusses information literacy in Scotland. It defines information literacy as knowing when and how to find, evaluate, use, and communicate information ethically. The document outlines what information literacy involves, provides a brief history of the concept, and discusses how information literacy skills are important for participating in today's digital world. It recognizes the role of public libraries and teachers in developing these skills. The document advocates for embedding information literacy across the education system and ensuring all of Scotland has access to digital opportunities.

1. Information literacy in Scotland:
an opportunity for all
Dr John Crawford
Friday 13th February 2015
Atlantic Quay: Glasgow

2. Information literacy defined
"Information literacy is knowing when
and why you need information, where to
find it, and how to evaluate, use and
communicate it in an ethical manner."
Chartered Institute of Library and
Information Professionals (2004)

3. What information literacy involves
• A need for information
• The resources available
• How to find information
• The need to evaluate results
• How to work with or exploit results
• Ethics and responsibility of use
• How to communicate or share your findings
• How to manage your findings

4. A brief history
• Term coined in 1974 by Paul Zurkowski
• Originally made progress in higher and other
areas of education
• Closely linked with independent and lifelong
learning
• Other areas increasingly recognised –
workplace, health, informed political decision
making, digital participation, skills
development and much more

5. Information skills for a 21st century Scotland
An online information literacy community of practice
And he’s back!

6. Royal Society of Edinburgh report

7. Spreading the benefits: vision
• The report ‘vision’ states:
• ‘That everyone in Scotland has the information and
digital skills required to participate in the digital arena
and prosper from digital opportunities.
• That sustainable online and peer support for
continuing learning and development of information
and digital skills throughout all stages of life is in place.
• That information and digital skills are embedded across
the curriculum and from pre-school to tertiary.’

8. Spreading the benefits: public libraries
The role of public libraries in the digital
inclusion agenda is recognised:
‘As a valuable resource in the drive to full
digital inclusion, libraries must be
supported to maintain and increase their
capacity to provide public access to the
online world’

9. Spreading the benefits: training
teachers in information literacy
• All Education Faculties within Scottish
universities should include components of
information literacy, digital skills and
computing science in their programmes of
study for all primary and secondary teachers.’

10. Information literacy at school
Craigholme School Pupils, Glasgow 2008

11. The workplace

12. Health literacy

13. A world of political engagement

14. Information for an informed citizenry

15. And a new category of voters

16. The lessons of the Referendum
• A festival of information use – but old
problems resurfaced
• Information literacy no longer a specialist
topic
• The importance of 14-17 year olds. 89% of
those surveyed had consulted key sources of
information on the Referendum :
https://www.aqmen.ac.uk/youngscotsurveyre
sults

17. The challenge of digital participation
• 22% of the Scottish population are not Internet
users (about 1.3 million)
• UK‘Digital by default’ programme – key services
to be delivered online including social security
benefits
• Scottish Government ‘digital first’ and a devolved
training strategy
• A crisis requiring a response from the information
sector and a devolved training agenda

18. Information literacy is about...
• not only the evaluation and use of traditional ‘library’
sources but also social policy issues, relating to the
relief of inequality and disadvantage, skills
development for a post industrial society, critical
thinking and lifelong learning, an activity which
information literacy informs and supports, digital
literacy, school and higher education curricula, early
years learning, health issues, the dynamics of the
workplace, learning and teaching skills and strategies
with an increasing emphasis on teaching and learning
in informal situations
• Crawford and Irving pp. 250-251

19. Things we could do
• Understand better what we are all doing
• Identify areas of common interest
• Develop activities in co-operation with each
other, rather than separately
• Be aware of each others R&D activities and try
to work together
• Make information literacy a national activity

20. Questions? Contact details
John Crawford
johncrawford705@yahoo.co.uk
Chair, Information Skills for a 21st
Century Scotland,
Information skills for a 21st century
Scotland
http://scotinfolit.squarespace.co
m/