Information Literacy in higher education

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Information Literacy in higher education

• Natalie Picken
• University of Reading
• n.picken_at_reading.ac.uk

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My experience

• Currently trainee liaison librarian at University
  of Reading library
• Liaise with Institute of Education
• Graduated from Sheffield University in 2005
  dissertation on postgraduate student experiences
  and conceptions of information literacy

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What is information literacy?
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Defining information literacy

• CILIP definition
• 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
• Information Literacy Executive,(chaired by Sheila
  Corrall) (2004) Information literacy definition.
  Online www.cilip.org.uk/policyadvocacy/informati
  onliteracy/definition/default.htm Accessed on 5
  Nov 2007

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Models of information literacy the Sconul 7
pillars
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Models of information literacy Bruce and the
Seven Faces

• The information technology conception
• The information sources conception
• The information process conception
• The information control conception
• The knowledge construction conception
• The knowledge extension conception
• The wisdom conception
• Bruce (1997) The seven faces of information
  literacy. Adelaide Auslib Press. p110.

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Conceptions of information literacy

• Looking at how people experience information
  literacy in their lives allows us to see how it
  relates to their lives and how they use the
  skills and knowledge associated with it
• How we perceive information literacy effects
  students perceptions
• How students perceive information literacy
  effects their learning and development in this
  area
• Limberg, L. In Lupton (2004) The learning
  connection information literacy and the student
  experience. Adelaide Auslib press.

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Post-graduate students conceptions of
information literacy

• Small scale research study into post graduate
  students experiences of information literacy
  teaching and how their university work had
  influenced their conceptions of information
  literacy.
• Conclusions
• Participants experiences of information literacy
  teaching had focused on the surface skills,
  searching techniques for catalogues and databases
• Even with an understanding of searching
  techniques, they were often left with information
  overload and didnt have the critical thinking
  and evaluation abilities to deal with this
  situation.
• Undertaking university level work, and the need
  to cite sources of a scholarly nature in their
  own work, had affected their conceptions of
  information literacy by making them think
  evaluation skills were increasingly significant.

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Meanwhile, back in the real world

• Having some confidence in our students, get them
  to consider the higher critical information
  skills and knowledge as important, as well as the
  basic day to day library and IT skills which they
  need they might surprise you!
• By considering information skills and attributes
  in a more holistic way we can make our
  information literacy training make sense and be
  useful for study, research and life after
  education.

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Any Questions
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Links

• Information literacy weblog http//information-li
  teracy.blogspot.com/
• Information literacy website www.informationliter
  acy.org.uk/
• Journal of information literacy
  www.informationliteracy.org.uk/JIL.aspx
• Bill and Sheilas Information Literacy place
  http//dis.shef.ac.uk/literacy/
• ALA Information literacy site http//www.ala.o
  rg/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/in formationlit
  eracy.cfm
• SCONUL Information Literacy site
  http//www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_litera
  cy/