information skills at lse
DESCRIPTION
Oxford/BL/LSE Study DayTRANSCRIPT
Information skills at LSE
LSE / Oxford / BL study day30th June 2008
Rowena Macrae-Gibson, Liaison Librarian
Overview of session• Brief introduction to information skills• LSE’s approach to information skills• Face to face teaching and online support• Discussion based around three keys areas:
• Different institutional approaches to information skills
• Best practice in the library sector• Support for librarians
What’s in a name?
Information skills Training
User education
Information Literacy
Digital LiteracyLibrary
Training
Information Fluency
Research skills
Reader instruction
Library orientation
Information skills: recognising the need
• Recognised as being a fundamental part of lifelong learning by UNESCO, SCONUL
• Linked to social inclusion agenda• Knowledge Economy-what do employers need?• Recent JISC Google generation report from
SLAIS highlighted lack of information skills in younger students
• Problem has got worse not better as information proliferates - declining critical evaluation skills
• Google means everyone can find something, but is it the right information?
Activity 1• In groups
• Discuss your institution’s approach to information skills training
– Do your users have problems using information?
• How do they differ in terms of:– Priority / recognition of value by those inside – Recognition outside the library – support by
departments– Approach – face to face vs online– Training of staff – do you offer this?
Information skills at LSE• LSE’s approach to information skills
• Undergraduates / Masters students• PhD students• Staff• International Students
• Face to face and online support• Inductions • Sessions for departments by liaison librarians• Termly Training programme for students • Courses for staff & Researchers• Information Desk• Online Subject guides• External trainers?
• Moodle: MILO / Supermilo / MI512
Undergraduate/Masters students• Offered training through the Library website• A wide range of classes on offer including: using electronic
journals, going beyond Google, EndNote• New programme each term agreed by User Education team
with bookable classes• Sessions in MSC Week• Feedback excellent• MILO course launched this year available in Moodle –
accessed by almost 500 students
Support for PhD students• Currently developing Supermilo in Moodle
for researchers and PhD students• MI512 Course taught by Library and being
redeveloped over the summer with Moodle presence for more blended learning
• Programme of face to face classes • Liaison librarians also offer support and
training on a one to one and small group basis
Support for staff• Wide range of classes offered each term in conjunction
with the Centre for Learning Technology• Topics include: finding and using images for teaching,
Blogging for Beginners, introduction to e-journals and e-sources
• One to one support and training from Liaison Librarians & by Learning Technology Librarian
• Staff attending sessions run for their own student groups
Support for visitors• How to support first time/one time visitors?• Not able to join classes at LSE, or to use
Moodle• Wide range of backgrounds• General Print & Online guides• One to one quick help at the Information Desk• Referring to home institutions
• Shows importance of IL as a whole
Activity 2-Best practice
• Can you think of examples of institutions who have developed ‘best practice’ in terms of information skills training
• What can you learn from them?• What is the key to their success?• Would their approach work at your institution?
Imperial College London• Has an IL strategy and committed to tackling plagiarism• Library offer drop in courses on a range of topics• Where possible IL face to face sessions embedded into
taught courses• Developed OLIVIA an online IL tutorial available to all
students in the VLE – customised for different departments and also used in teaching sessions
• Has modules on a range of subjects but plagiarism module is the main motivation for staff wanting to use it
• Extensive staff development programme for library staff who teach
• http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/library
University of Worcester• Aim to embedded sessions in courses wherever possible. • Validated module open to first year students studying any subject - 2
versions: mainly face-to-face or via blended learning. • Run inductions/information literacy sessions to students at partner
institutions. • Run drop-in sessions for third year students preparing for
independent studies - ask academic staff to help us advertise.• Currently developing online courses and tutorials.• Offer one to one and small group sessions for students, by
appointment.• Staff are supported by one to one appointments, input into the staff
induction and offering sign up sessions through Personnel.• Research students have an information literacy session in a
mandatory module and they are developing an online tutorial for researchers.
• http://www.worc.ac.uk/ils/
University of Bedfordshire• Information literacy services are embedded into the University
education strategy following a Curriculum Review this year• The review identified five inter-related strands designed to engage and
motivate students, and prepare them for further study and life beyond the University including: Personalised learning, Curriculum, Realistic Learning, Employability and Assessment
• Learning Resources available to offer guidance and develop materials to support IL in the curriculum
• Library staff co-teach modules and offer teaching session within modules
• Offer extra curricular ICT support modules and opt in study support services including tutorials on writing for academic purposes
• Provide independent support materials on the Web and from the VLE• Provide subject based evaluative guides on the web
• http://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/invisiblelibrary
Support for librarians• Do you feel qualified to teach information skills?• Do you have a formal teaching qualification or have
you taken any courses in this area? Do you think this would be helpful?
• In which areas are you less confident when teaching?• What (if anything) could be done to improve support for
librarians who teach information skills?
Thank you and questions
• Presentation prepared by:• Jane Secker• Rowena Macrae-Gibson