what’s in a name? defining and developing information and digital literacies through enquiry-based...
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What’s in a name? Defining and developing information and digital literacies through EBL We will focus on digital literacies from a curriculum development point of view, reporting on our experiences with a new, enquiry-based learning module for second year undergraduate students at the University of Liverpool. The enquiry-based learning model was developed by the academic lead in collaboration with learning technology and library staff. This partnership allowed us to research the extent to which enquiry-based learning a good vehicle to develop students’ digital and information literacies, but also to consider the overlaps and distinctions between these literacies, and how these could be developed in tandem. Could partnerships or communities of practice enable digital and information literacies to be embedded into your curricula? How can definitions and distinctions help, or hinder student, and staff engagement and understanding? Come to the session to hear about our research, experiences and reflections and consider how they may apply to your own institution Emma Thompson, academic liaison librarian, and Tünde Varga-Atkins, learning technologist, University of Liverpool Theme is: Do names (definitions) really matter? Just a literary addition for those interested - from Shakespeare (Wikipedia) In Act II, Scene I of the play, the line is said by Juliet in reference to Romeo's house, Montague which would imply that his name means nothing and they should be together. Juliet: O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet. Romeo: [Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? Juliet: 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself. Romeo: I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.TRANSCRIPT
What’s in a name?
Defining and developing information and digital literacies through Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL)
Simon Snowden, Emma Thompson, Tünde Varga-AtkinsUniversity of Liverpool
17th October 2013, JISC Learning and Teaching Experts
OutlinePartnership approach – for developing
digital/info literacies
What’s in a name – definitions of information/digital literacies
What we did Our findings
Definitions – help or hinder?Partnerships as enablers
Partnership
Emma Thompson
The librarian
The academic
The learning technologist
Tünde Varga-Atkins
Simon Snowden
Definitions (whose?)
information literacy
digital literacies
Students : explicitly needed to reflect on these
Partnership approach – for developing digital/info literacies
What’s in a name – definitions of information/digital literacies
What we did Our findings
Definitions – help or hinder?Partnerships as enablers
What we didWhat we did
Searching for resources
Student-led research with guidance
Digital Den?
Digital literacies: towards a Wikipedia article
Information literacyCurrency.. Reliability... Authority... Purpose/Point of View
CRAP
Your experience of definitions
What is your elevator pitch about information literacy / digital literacies? What has worked? Interested others?
Partnership approach – for developing digital/info literacies
What’s in a name – definitions of information/digital literacies
What we did Our findings
Definitions – help or hinder?Partnerships as enablers
Our Data
• Focus group• Reflective journal entries• Reflective assignment• Module marks• Observation
Feedback used for future development
Definitions – help or hinder?
• Student learning
• Librarian/Learning Technologist
Viewpoints:
Definitions – help or hinder?• Student learning
The first thing I learned in this module about digital literacy’s was that it was different from
computer skills. Digital literacy is about evolving your skills and managing your online
identity.
There is however a bond between IL [information literacy] and DL [digital literacy] which must be acknowledged; DL is an aspect
of IL. DL has helped me improve my online research skills to find relevant and reliable
sources, whilst the content analysis aspect of IL has helped me critically analyse the sources
quickly and efficiently.
I also found it very interesting that there are digital literacies available to us like MarketLine and Hoovers that the university has paid for that I have not been informed of before maybe implying that we are not digital natives
after all.
This module has allowed me to explore the world of digital literacies to highlight the different forms of information
that is out there for the use of research.
Definitions – help or hinder?
Definitions – way forward …
Which aspects define digital literacies (from info literacy)?
• Set apart and bring together (IL/DL)
Ref: Adapting JISC model in Powell and Varga-Atkins (2013)
Definitions – way forward …
• Use scenarios• Extend to attributes• ‘Critical reflection’ Adapted from Beetham
and Sharpe (2010) : Powell and
Varga-Atkins (2013)
Definitions – help or hinder?
• Student learning
• Librarian/l.technologist
• Make definitions clearer?• Use them consistently• Get over our problem of
defining
• Irrespective of definitions – evidence of student learning
• Making own definitions – more engagement?
Balance between free (student-created) vs ready-made (staff) definitions
Could partnerships …enable embedding IL/DL?
• Success: – Academic champion– EBL model (not a
stand alone skills model) = REAL tasks
• Value of collaboration: skill – expertise model
• (Careers could have been a useful addition)
How do partnerships develop?
• Dis/encouraged by structures?• What other structures help or
hinder this kind of development?
Conclusion
• Fruitful partnership model
• Definitions can help & hinder
• More important is: working out discipline-specific information and digital literacies
• The ‘naming of the rose’: defining is understanding?
• Next: scaling up and extending partnership?
“I am using the digital skills you have taught us last year” (student
on corridor)
[email protected] @CreaticDestruct
[email protected] @LibraryEmma
Tünde Varga-Atkins [email protected] @tundeva
Developing Digital Literacies Programmehttp://digilearn.liv.ac.uk
Reference: Powell, S. S.; Varga-Atkins, T. (2013) ‘Digital
Literacies: A Study of Perspectives and Practices of Academic Staff’: a
project report. Written for the SEDA Small Grants Scheme. Liverpool:
University of Liverpool. July. Version 1. Available from academia.edu