Introduction to information literacy for schools

1. Introduction to information literacy for schools Welsh Information Literacy Project www.welshinformationliteracy.org

2. What is information literacy? “Information literacy is knowing when and why you need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner” Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), Information literacy: definition, http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/information-literacy/pages/definition.aspx, 2004

3. Core information literacy skills An information literate person will understand: • A need for information • The resources available • How to find information • The need to evaluate results • How to work with or exploit results • Ethics and responsibility of use • How to communicate or share findings • How to manage findings CILIP, Information literacy: the skills, http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/information-literacy/pages/skills.aspx, 2010

4. Why do your pupils need information literacy? • Information (of varying quality) is increasingly abundant • New technologies have led to diverse ways of delivering information • Information literacy will empower your pupils to navigate this changing information landscape

5. Why do your pupils need information literacy? • Fundamental to educational attainment – information literacy will support pupils throughout their studies in school, FE and HE • Information literacy supports lifelong learning • Central to pupils’ future employment opportunities • A lack of information literacy skills can lead to social exclusion and disempowerment

6. Your pupils’ information literacy skills will vary significantly Misconception that “Google generation” familiarity with social technology = information literacy However…

7. What are the benefits for your pupils and your school? 1. Supporting independent learning • Information literacy encourages the research and critical evaluation skills central to independent learning 2. Skills Framework for 3 to 19-year-olds • Information literacy delivers areas of Skills Framework • For example, all of the “Delivering ICT” learning objectives are based on principles of information literacy

8. What are the benefits for your pupils and your school? 3. Literacy skills • Information literacy develops pupils’ literacy skills • Reading skills practised in task-orientated way when seeking information • Writing skills reinforced when recording and presenting information 4. Transition • Information literacy supports pupils’ transition between key stages and sectors

9. What are the benefits for your pupils and your school? 5. Digital inclusion • Pupils who can find and exchange information using digital means are digitally included. They are empowered to benefit from the financial, economic and social advantages that the internet can offer 6. E-safety • Pupils are better able to protect themselves online if they have the critical evaluation skills of information literacy

10. What are the benefits for your pupils and your school? 7. Avoiding plagiarism • Information literacy will enable pupils to use information responsibly and ethically 8. Social citizenship • Information literacy is essential to developing effective citizenship skills for education and for life • For effective democracy, your pupils must be able to seek and compare information and to evaluate its source and content

11. How will information literacy enhance your teaching?

12. Example information literacy topics Year 7-9 Year 10-13 • Introduction to the school library or local public library service • What is plagiarism and how to avoid it? • Searching the internet – importance of critically evaluating internet resources and e-safety • Welsh Baccalaureate – • Information literacy based independent project • Information literacy can be used to develop and illustrate WBQ key skills • Careers - pupils develop and use information literacy skills to research career opportunities

13. Year 8 lesson idea • Topic: Exploration • Task: Pupils complete an historical investigation into an individual explorer of their choice. They build a picture of his early life, his motivation for going exploring, and the consequences and impact of his exploration, identifying relevant print and online sources, presenting their information on a bio-cube for a classroom display, one side of which includes references for their sources. • Information literacy skills developed: • Pupils gain practice in developing and using mini research questions to direct and structure their research • Pupils develop skills in scanning sources for appropriate information (e.g. skim and scan activity) • Pupils understand the need to gather specific information systematically from a range of sources (e.g. through using notes grids) • Pupils learn how to evaluate websites and gain an awareness of the need to check the validity of their sources (e.g. starter activity - pupils evaluate 2 websites given to them, one of which is a spoof site with inaccurate information, followed by class discussion) [Lesson idea provided by Liz Smith, Librarian, Pembroke School ]

14. How to introduce information literacy into your classroom? Start by contacting your school librarian or school library service – experts in information literacy Work in partnership with your local public library, FE library or HE library to engage pupils’ interest Collaborate with other teachers from different subject areas to map information literacy across the school curriculum

15. Want to learn more? During your initial teacher training, contact your subject/ liaison librarian for further information Contact your school librarian or schools library service librarian when you start your first teaching post Find out more at the Welsh Information Literacy Project website: www.welshinformationliteracy.org (Photographs from Welsh Government, Libraries Inspire, 2011)