Loughborough University Library: Open Journals
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Sharing and reuse of information literacy resources across higher education libraries in the United Kingdom: a student’s view.
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Poster presentations as an assessment tool in a third/college-level Information Literacy course: an effective method of measuring student understanding of library research skills
Get PDFThis paper examines the impact that poster presentations have had in increasing student knowledge, engagement and interest in learning and understanding library research skills in a college-level, general education information literacy class. Many general education library classes use an annotated bibliography as a summative assessment of students’ learning in the course; however, this type of assessment does not provide a good method to evaluate students’ knowledge of research skills. In place of this bibliography a poster session was used to evaluate and assess student understanding of library research skills. The poster presentations allow the instructor to evaluate how the students applied their library research skills to locate information to answer research questions. Additionally, the presentations provide the students with the opportunity to share what they have learned with their classmates and invited guests and to learn more about each other’s topics.More than 100 students have had the opportunity to present a poster and to share what they have learned. The poster consists of a summary of what was learned about the research question, reasons why the question was chosen and three citations. Students have commented that they have enjoyed the experience of learning more about their selected research topics and sharing what they have learned with their classmates. Researching a topic of interest to the student results in greater understanding and more interest in learning and using library research skills. The poster presentation helps students make a stronger connection between the skills required to find the information and their ability to communicate what they have learned about their research question. When designing information literacy programs, poster presentations showcasing the students’ research process should be considered as an alternative form of assessment that can be used to evaluate student learning in a general education library skills class. Additionally, a poster presentation assessment addresses Standards 1 through 5 of the ACRL (Association of College & Research Libraries) Information literacy competency standards for higher education and demonstrates the students’ ability to meet the course learning objectives.This article is based on a paper presented at LILAC 2012
Authentic Learning: The gift project
Get PDFHigher Education is experiencing an increasingly diverse
student population. Students bring a range of skills
and experiences to their courses; they have different
backgrounds and different needs. This fluidity requires
an approach to teaching that encompasses the social
aspects of learning. It has been suggested that authentic
approaches to teaching and learning can assist in
offering a perspective on learning which views learning as
‘enabling participation in knowing’. We propose that the
authentic learning practices developed in The Gift design
project, discussed in this paper, constituted approaches
which acknowledged that students’ interests and
experience are intrinsically bound up with motivation and
engagement and, as such, have a major influence on
the ways in which learning is constituted and developed.
The Gift project has developed a range of innovative
formative strategies which have provided both students
and tutors with opportunities to become involved in peer
assessment and review, peer feedback and reflection
on learning outcomes. This re-conceptualisation of the
assessment process has provided valuable insights into
the development of learning skills such as problem
solving, critical analysis, and the development of creativity
and learner autonomy
Designing Relations in the Studio: Ambiguity and uncertainty in one to one exchanges
Get PDFAt the heart of learning and teaching in studio based
design subjects lies the engagement by students and
tutors in activities which are based on practical work
simulating design professionals’ work. We report here on a
research project which explored the student/tutor
relationship in design pedagogies across a range of
academic levels and subjects in one institution. Although a
small sample of interviews was obtained, severn students
and severn academics, the data is a rich account of
relationships which support or restrict student learning. We
consider that the relationships, which are mutable, often
ambiguous and uncertain in character, are part of enacted
roles structured by the university, the design practice and
individual dispositions. These are further complicated by
socio-cultural, political and spatial factors. In the most
positive learning engagements students and tutors are
working towards a two-way exchange on an equal level,
which enables students to achieve their best and to
become independent practitioners in their own right
Book Review of Godwin, P. and Parker, J. (eds.) (2012). Information literacy beyond library 2.0. London: Facet Publishing.
Get PDFBook Review of Walsh, J. (2011). Information literacy instruction: selecting an effective model. Oxford: Chandos
Get PDFInformation literacy challenges for Chinese PhD students in Australia: A biographical study
Get PDFThis study explored the information literacy (IL) development of international higher degree research (HDR) students from China as they undertook their research studies in an Australian university.
International HDR students need advanced IL skills to complete their research degree. However, IL research and training in western countries has tended to regard international HDR students no differently from their undergraduate counterparts. That is, there has been a focus on basic information skills rather than considering the more complicated and advanced IL needs within a research context. The project presented in this paper aimed to explore this gap.
Three international PhD students from China participated in this research. A biographical approach was used to collect the data, and a total of 222 reflective accounts were collected from the participants over a period of fifteen months. In these reflections, they recorded significant life and study experiences at the University of Western Sydney. This approach allowed the participants freedom to express their thoughts and feelings without interruption and enabled them to speak frankly and freely without prejudice. The approach to data analysis underpinning this study was based on Bruce’s (1997) relational model of IL.
The findings indicate that these international HDR students experience significant difficulties in developing their IL skills during their research studies in their western university. The complex nature of research study, which demands high levels of IL, significantly contributes to these difficulties, as do the different language and culture of international students which pose additional challenges to their information use. This article concludes with recommendations for research supervisors and librarians to consider in the provision of IL education for international students
Looking to the future: Developing an academic skills strategy to ensure information literacy survives in a changing higher education world
Get PDFThis paper looks at factors influencing the development of information literacy (IL) teaching within UK Higher Education (HE). It includes a review of recent literature on the current HE climate, curricula developments and the scope and breadth of IL. Using the experience at Leeds University Library as a case study, the paper outlines the development of a new strategy to deliver IL teaching and support to students. It describes the process of developing an academic skills strategy, which places IL within a broader range of academic skills, with the aim of contributing to the overall learning development of students. The case study describes the implementation of the strategy and the key stakeholders involved in this, including faculty team librarians , academic skills development officers and academic staff. The paper concludes that there were significant external and internal developments which had an impact on the direction taken by the strategy, specifically in embedding IL within an academic skills framework. In looking at the broad picture and by providing a case study from one of the few UK HE libraries to have progressed the academic skills agenda, it is hoped that the issues raised in the paper allow for reflection of the position of IL at the current time by all those involved in ensuring the acquisition of these skills by students.