The Development and Implementation of an Information Literacy Policy at Cardiff University

1. The Development and Implementation of an Information Literacy Policy at Cardiff University Stephen Iwan Griffiths and Cathie Jackson

2. 22 academic departments 15,000 students 3000 staff £140 million budget 7th in RAE 21 departments rated ‘excellent’ for teaching ‘World-class’ Research-led teaching and learning Vocational disciplines Highly employable graduates ‘Converged’ Information Services model Cardiff University

3. Why a Policy? Agendas: • Welsh Higher Education • Cardiff University • Information Services

4. Development • Information Services’ Learning & Training Group • Met during 2000/01 • Reported to Information Services’ Management Team • Membership included the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, Director of Information Services and representatives from other divisions • New policy went to Teaching & Learning Committee and Senate in May/ June 2001

5. Development Scenarios: • Undergraduate Student • PhD Student • Administrative Staff

6. Information Literacy Policy • Link C&IT skills and information skills • Student learning (UG and PG) in the first instance, but also staff development • Impressed by US and Australian developments • Rather less impressed by UK developments • Adopted and adapted the ‘Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education’ produced by the Association of College and Research Libraries in the USA

7. Information Literacy Policy Research-led Teaching and Learning Information Literacy Information Skills C&IT Skills Employability Skills

8. Determine the extent of information needed Access the neededinformation effectively Evaluate information and its sources critically Incorporate selected information into one’s own knowledge base Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose Information Literacy Policy • An information literate individual would be able to:

9. Implementation Macro Level • University Strategic Plan • Partnership: Integration: People (PiP) • Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy • Work Experience and Employability Plan

10. Implementation Macro Level • Information Services’ Strategy • University Guidance Note (May 2002) • Built into QA processes • New Staff Development Policy

11. Implementation Micro Level • Dissemination of Vision • Resource Centre Model • Departmental discussions • Marketing of courses and materials

12. Implementation Micro Level Legal Foundations Course in Cardiff Law School

13. What does it take? “The real challenge of the 1990s is for instructional librarians to develop the necessary political skills to convince faculty colleagues and administrators that there is a coherent set of intellectual skills in information-seeking that can be taught, evaluated, and dove-tailed with the large goals of the institution” Craig Gibson, ‘Accountability for BI Programs in Academic Libraries: Key issues for the 1990s’, Reference Librarian 38 (1992): 103

14. The Development and Implementation of an Information Literacy Policy at Cardiff University Stephen Iwan Griffiths and Cathie Jackson