Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World

This is clearly an extremely helpful piece of work and will attract much interest and many citations.  We particularly like it because it highlights issues about which we have been campaigning for some time. It also draws attention to action needs and points which again reflect our experience.

There are useful references to staff training:  initial staff training and CPD programmes – p. 10 there is an equal imperative for employers to use and develop the skills of the people they already employ – p. 18 and. Web 2.0 as a communication medium is also discussed. …’it appears that lecturers and teachers are not generally disposed to interactive communication online’ – p. 24 (this is similar to Learning and Teaching Scotland's finding re teachers lack of ICT skills.  

There are useful references to the potential role of web 2.0 and student interaction and activities like induction e.g. students interacting face to face - acquires added importance and significance. Face to face contact with staff is shown to matter to students. – p. 28. There are some reference to pedagogies and the use of web 2.0 technologies in assessment (tracking individual contributions in blogs, wikis  ) but they also talk about the students becoming part of the assessment - essays (from the web) found and critiqued..

The use of social networking software, usually Facebook, as a means of helping students establish contact with each other is discussed e.g. - make friends - prior to enrolment. – p. 31 also gain an understanding of the prior experience and expectations of their new entrants so that they are able to respond appropriately and effectively to them – p. 34

The report notes that Web 2.0 technologies fit perfectly with.... - the constructivist approach although this type of learning does not sit comfortably with all present day students who expect the tutor to function as a an authoritative transmitter of information. – p. 36 (Relates back to independent learning and information literacy).

A key finding on p.6: Information literacies.... - represent a significant and growing deficit area. – p. 6 (also p. 24). Also ‘Present day students are heavily influenced by school methods and delivery so that shifts in educational practice there can be expected to impact on expectations of approaches in higher education’. This is very useful but we are less happy about p.8, Practice in schools ‘Practice is variable, but the type of approach to learning outlined above – project and group-based supported by technology – appears to be in the ascendant and so likely to condition expectation in higher education’.

This seems to be linked to para 83 (p.37) which makes a number of optimistic statements, supported by only one reference and does not cite expertise in the specialist area, the School Library Association, for example. It is noteworthy that there has been no attempt to distinguish between key stages/levels/primary and secondary. Our experience on the Scottish Information Literacy Project is that while there are excellent areas of independent learning practice (See our Information literacy case studies/exemplars of good practice in schools http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/informationliteracyt) traditional methods of teaching and learning are widespread. In Scotland we now have a VLE for schools (Glow http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/glowscotland/) to promote innovative methods of learning and teaching but take-up is variable and some local authorities have refused to join it. Interestingly school librarians are among its most active champions.  The outcome is that the generality of students come to HEIs with no information literacy skills and a process of what is effectively remedial education is necessary. The experience of Glow has also shown that both copyright awareness and compliance is at a low level among both teachers and pupils and this skill deficiency must transfer to the HEI sector when school pupils become students.

Para 73 (information literacies in a digital age) refers to the CIBER report and the need for information literacy training at a young age, a point echoed by the Digital Britain report (p.64) http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/digital_britain_interimreportjan09.pdf. It is simply too late to leave this training until University. The HEI sector must actively engage with the schools sector from early years onwards to ensure a seamless skills progression from school to HEIS so that new students can immediately apply and develop further the independent learning skills they have learned at school.  This principle is enshrined in our draft National Information Literacy Framework Scotland. URL http://www.gcal.ac.uk/ils/framework.html

In September 2009 at the Scottish Learning Festival, Professor Richard Teese, the Australian authority on Scottish education, (see http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/slf/previousconferences/2008/video/index.asp for video of keynote) criticised Scottish universities for failing to engage with and influence the Scottish school curriculum (Curriculum for Excellence). HEIs should be directly influencing the school curriculum from early years onwards in the direction of independent learning and information literacy outcomes. School teachers must also be trained in information literacy skills, a point made in the Digital Britain report (p.64).  We believe we are showing the way as we now have a contract with Learning and Teaching Scotland to develop information literacy training materials for early years, accompanied by CPD materials for teachers. 

Para 97 (p.40) which mentions employability skills is to be commended. These are also precisely the skills which can be introduced at school and further developed in HEIs. Govan High School in Glasgow has developed an elaborate ‘Future Skills Framework’ of 71 core transferable skills which is already attracting interest beyond the schools sector. (Summarised on our blog). /information-literacy/2009/05/08/govan-high-school-future-skills-symposium/

We welcome – ‘JISC develops ongoing research and support programs for institutions in best practice in developing information literacy and web awareness’  – p.10

On p.41 recommendation:

‘HEIs take steps to keep abreast of the prior experience and expectations of their student body’

Is to be commended by should be supported by another:

HEIs should actively work with the schools sector at all levels to develop independent learning skills which are relevant to the HEI sector and can be further developed there.

Most of the presenters of oral evidence are based in Scotland - University of Edinburgh, Napier, Strathclyde (CAPLE). – p. 49

The report can be found at: http://www.clex.org.uk/ourfindings.php

Digital Britain report

I have been reading the Digital Britain report www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/digital_britain_interimreportjan09.pdf

which is certainly to be welcomed. It takes a ‘whole population’ approach rather than specific sectors and has things to say about media literacy and also copyright which is not surprising as Andrew Gowers, the author of the Gowers report on copyright,  is a member of the Steering Board which produced it. Although an interim report it offers definite actions.

There are a number of welcome quotations:

p.5 ‘ The necessary education, skills and media literacy programmes to allow everyone in society to benefit will be from the digital revolution will be a central part of the Digital Britain work and will be a key to our success’

p.5 ‘Five objectives for a Digital Britain’ include:

• Fairness and access for all: universal availability coupled with the skills and digital literacy to enable near universal participation in the digital economy and digital society 


• Developing the infrastructure, skills and take-up to enable the widespread online delivery of public services and business interface with Government.

An encouraging emphasis on skills development there.

p.11 Actions 11-12 proposes a Rights Agency to bring industry together to agree how to provide incentives for legal use of copyright material. The need for copyright education for consumers is also advocated. I wonder how it can be done. Is there a role for public libraries here?

p.13 Action 22. ‘We will ask Ofcom to make an assessment of its current responsibilities in media literacy’. The need for a national Media Literacy plan is also mentioned.

p.16 calls for an ‘information rich interaction between the citizen and the provider – health and education are good examples’.

p.63 tackles the  education and skills agenda by identifying three categories of skill:

• Digital Life Skills – needed by all


• Digital work skills – needed by most


• Digital Economy Skills – needed by some

While on page 64 the need to start education and training for digital life skills at a young age is emphasised, together with appropriate teacher training which fits in rather well with the early years work which we will be doing with Learning and Teaching Scotland. The needs of socially disadvantaged young people need special attention. There is also a section on media literacy which draws heavily on the Byron report.

LILAC 2009: Information literacy and emerging technology (discussion in Second Life event)

Couple of blog postings that people might be interested in that relate to an Infolit iSchool Second Life event on 23rd April:

1. Information Literacy meets Library 2.0 Peter Godwin and Jo Parker

Impressions from the LILAC (information literacy) conference Vicki Cormie talking about Andrew Walsh's session on using mobiles, Marshall Dozier talking about Peter Godwin's, which also focused on mobiles.

2. Information Literacy Weblog Sheila Webber

Mobile Phones and a New Zealand study - Twiss, T. (2008) Ubiquitous information: An eFellow report on the use of mobile phones in classrooms to foster information literacy. http://www.scribd.com/doc/9507014/Toni-Twiss-Ubiquitous-Information

Some thoughts on LILAC 09

This year’s LILAC, held at Cardiff, was yet another administrative triumph for the organising committee with all the components of a successful international conference present including two superb evening events. I shall certainly be going back to Caerphilly Castle again. With the 5^th year completed a pattern is now established with the continuing predominance of HE, both in attendees and presentations. This is not surprising, given that HE is the library sector where there is most interest and activity in R&D and also funding to support it. There is interest, but less time, money and resources generally in schools but there were presentations about or relating to schools which is a welcome development. It is also good to see university libraries working with schools and this is clearly well established in a number of cities now as the discussion following Michelle Schneider’s presentation showed. There was a much less about the workplace and taking the IL message to supportive non ‘library’ client groups. There was nothing directly on media literacy and only one presentation on health literacy which attracted a disappointingly small audience for such an important subject. The range of sources people use to find information about weight issues was interesting as ‘librarianly’ type sources cam about two thirds way down the list. In view of our work I find this unsurprising and no doubt Christopher Walker would be of the same opinion, given that he has found that parents of young children’s principal source of information is the TV programme, 'Supernanny'.

There is no doubt that the programme was extremely full, perhaps too full, although this may be unavoidable as the organisers would not want to disappoint any applicants unnecessarily.  However the conference has been running for five years now and perhaps it is time to stand back and take stock. As director of the Scottish Information Literacy Project I have tried to move away from a concentration on models based on traditional information sources and to some extent to move away from a culture of librarians talking to librarians in favour of making partnerships and contacts with supportive organisations outside the library world. This includes employers’ organisations, skills bodies and trade unions. In a real sense we should be talking to anyone but librarians and promoting IL as an essential career choice and management skill, a CPD skill, a workplace decision making and lifelong skill, a civil right and a skill to support leisure. Perhaps next year there should be some longer reflective sessions about what IL is really for and where it ought to go in the 21^st century. Speakers from outside the profession would be a good idea although such people are still not very common.  As usual it is easier to pose the questions than produce the answers.

Christine has reported on a number of specific sessions and like her I found Leslie Burger’s presentation inspiring because she is a public librarian with a cross sectoral, skills perspective which is just what we need.

Among the parallel sessions the one I will remember most is not a worthily scholarly presentation but Alison Beswick and Claire Taylor, two students at Sheffield University who spoke about ‘The reality of information literacy: Does Joe Student actually understand what’s going on’. Although I have sat through many presentations about what students need and what they should get this is the first time I have ever seen actual students giving their perspective on what IL is. It was a naïve piece of work in the very best sense of the word, consisting largely of a video of interviews with students, apparently selected at random, and asking them informally for their perspective on IL. Having in the past been involved in service evaluation work I am always struck how muted the voice of the learner/user is in information skills teaching and learning and more presentations along these lines would be welcome, especially supported by unequivocal evidence of value and impact. A theme for next year, perhaps? I also found Wendy Beautyman’s talk on children’s’ information seeking behaviour interesting. She is obviously very good with children and there should be interesting results but we will have to wait for another day to hear them.

As usual I missed some presentations which looked interesting such as Marsha Miller and Susan Frey on the techno senior.

Cutting the 5th anniversary cake

The 'Google generation', the young people who have become so hooked on the web and computer games that they are unable to think, study and concentrate!

Thanks to Ian McCracken and Philip Graham from Govan High School for alerting me to a Radio 4 interview about the Internet, the Google generation and the rewiring of brains - available until Thurday 19th March 2008 via BBC iPlayer Transcript also available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/analysis/7935725.stm  

 The interview is described on the BBC iPlayer as follows:

"Kenan explores the reality behind the stereotype of the 'Google generation', the young people who have become so hooked on the web and computer games that they are unable to think, study and concentrate.

This characterisation is motivated by genuine concerns that heavy use of the internet and computer games are actually rewiring the brains of young people. They are learning and thinking differently to their forebears in a massive technological and social experiment. Kenan investigates these concerns and asks Stephen Fry, among others, whether the rise of the digital generation should be a cause for celebration or concern.

Broadcast on: BBC Radio 4, 8:30pm Thursday 12th March 2009

Duration: 28 minutes

Available until: 9:02pm Thursday 19th March 2009"

 

In addition to Stephen Fry, there are other familiar names like Tara Brazabon interviewed.  

As Philip Graham says:"This i-player programme is fascinating. I would recommend that you make some time to listen to it.  It poses a very serious questions about the internet and its resources creating either a very smart generation, a very dumb generation or a generation with a whole new way of using their brains to which we cannot relate.

For my part, I found it quite challenging as I found value in all the arguments. "