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The Scottish Information Literacy Project: working with partners to create an information literate Scotland

The Scottish Information Literacy Project: working with partners to create an information literate Scotland. Integrating Information and Critical Literacy across the curriculum Christine Irving Researcher / Project Officer, Scottish Information Literacy Project.

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The Scottish Information Literacy Project: working with partners to create an information literate Scotland

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  1. The Scottish Information Literacy Project:working with partners to create an information literate Scotland Integrating Information and Critical Literacy across the curriculum Christine Irving Researcher / Project Officer, Scottish Information Literacy Project 17th March 2010 Information and Critical Literacy Joint development event for Aberdeenshire Network Librarians and Literacy Co-ordinators

  2. Outline Definitions: • Information Literacy • Critical Literacy • Real and Relevant Information and Critical Literacy Framework Curriculum for Excellence: • Information and critical literacy - Literacy across learning experiences and outcomes • Definition of texts • Information and critical literacy - other experiences and outcomes • Thinking Skills Survey of Scottish school librarians and their knowledge and use of Curriculum for Excellence: • Some results Current work: • Information and Critical Literacy – Early and First Levels Workshop Activity

  3. Information Literacy is for everyone “In an era of lifelong learning, this effectively means that information literacy has relevance for all ages from primary school to senior citizens. Information literate people understand more than how to find information, they understand its limitations and the need to examine how they use information, and they understand how to manage and communicate information. Information literacy is an essential and discrete dexterity – everyone relies on information everyday.” CILIP www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/learning/information-literacy/pages/introduction.aspx

  4. Information Literacy CILIP's definition of 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." CILIP (2004) www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/learning/information-literacy/pages/definition.aspx

  5. Information Literacy skills and competencies This definition implies several skills … (or competencies) that are required to be information literate … an understanding of: • 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 your findings • How to manage your findings Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/learning/information-literacy/pages/definition.aspx

  6. Critical Literacy definition Like information literacy there are several definitions of critical literacy. Critical Literacy can be seen as: "the way that we interact with and make meaning from different texts" "involves the reader analysing and engaging with a text". Text being defined as anything which communicates meaning   Critical questions to ask of texts include: • construction of characters • gaps and silences • power and interest • whose view: whose reality? • questioning the composer. Department of Education, Tasmania, School Education Division (2207) http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/English/critlit.htm

  7. Real and Relevant Information and Critical Literacy • Louise Ballantyne, Primary School Teacher on secondment to Curriculum for Excellence Literacy Team as Development Officer • In looking at the importance of information / critical literacy skills for today’s learners she identified the answer to the question Why? as: • Vast array of information in a variety of forms – information rich society • Not the same as IT skills – crucial for lifelong learning and responsible citizenship • Promotes problems solving approach and thinking skills – ask questions – seek answers • Effective contributors and confident individuals form opinions, evaluate sources, make decisions • Learn to read – read to learn. Skills for life, learning and work. • Work on information literacy for Second and Third level learners Real and Relevant - literacy for 21st century learners suggested a basic framework and material based around: Planning; Locating; Gathering and Evaluating ;Creating and Sharing . • Real and Relevant - Information Literacy Skills for the 21st century Learner - 2008 Scottish Learning Festival 2009 National Literacy Conference • Real and Relevant: Information and Critical Literacy Training – a guide to Information and critical Literacy skills for second – third level learners

  8. Real and Relevant Information and Critical Literacy Framework “takes cognizance of established frameworks; however it, it adapts them to fit more closely with Curriculum for Excellence and to strike a chord with the target learners and practitioners.” Real and Relevant: Information and Critical Literacy Training – a guide to Information and critical Literacy skills for second – third level learners.” Planning: Think about what you / they want to know prior to looking for information - what do I want to know (identify key words); what do I know already (activate prior knowledge) and where can I find information (appropriate source of information). Planning tools – mind maps (spider / skeleton diagrams) Locating Look for possible sources of information – search strategies (different words / synonyms; narrowing or broadening the term); search terms use quotation marks “ ”, plus + or minus – (Boolean terms) Gathering and Evaluating Organise information found and assess how useful it is (skimming and scanning; making notes; evaluating information (alarm bells) – credible, bias, origins of text, authority) Creating and Sharing Information is transformed into an appropriate form and shared with an appropriate audience (acknowledging / citing sources; plagiarism

  9. Curriculum for Excellence Literacy across learning experiences and outcomes Information literacy and critical literacy • finding and using information - includes, reading, critical literacy skills within the Listening and Talking, Reading and Writing sections • understanding analysing and evaluation - within the Listening and Talking, Reading and Writing sections “encourage progression in understanding of texts developing not only literal understanding but also higher order skills” • Organising and using information – within the writing section. Curriculum for Excellence Literacy across learning experiences and outcomes http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/literacy_experiences_outcomes_tcm4-539998.pdf

  10. Definition of Texts “the medium through which ideas, experiences, opinions and information can be communicated’ which covers all different formats as the table below demonstrates”. Examples of texts: • novels, short stories, plays, poems • reference texts • the spoken word • charts, maps, graphs and timetables • advertisements, promotional leaflets • comics, newspapers and magazines • CVs, letters and emails • films, games and TV programmes • labels, signs and posters • recipes, manuals and instructions • reports and reviews • text messages, blogs and social networking sitesweb pages, catalogues and directories

  11. Information and critical literacy in other experiences and outcomes Activities such as: • Investigating / research • Acknowledge sources • Making notes • Reliability of information • Planning • Select, organise and represent information and ideas • Find, sort, summarise • Communicate information • Consider, reflect, evaluate • Differences between fact and fiction • Explain, debate, discuss, analyse • Assess

  12. Linked to information and critical literacy is Thinking Skills Thinking allows learners to explore text and information of all kinds critically and to use them purposefully. In Improving Scottish Education 2005-2008, HMIE states: “Curriculum for Excellence sets high expectations of rigour. This means that teachers should plan consistently for appropriate pace, challenge, depth and progression, and consciously promote the development of high order thinking skills.” It is important that all learners are given appropriate opportunities to develop their thinking skills. These skills can be developed across a range of contexts including through more practical or applied learning opportunities: Curriculum for Excellence (2009) Building the Curriculum 4 , http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/BtC4_Skills_tcm4-569141.pdf

  13. Thinking Skills • Remembering involves such activities as recall, recognition or locating information • Understanding might involve activities such as describing, explaining, summarising and translating • Applying requires the learner to use or apply their knowledge and understanding in different contexts • Analysing requires learners to break down information into component parts and search for relationships • Evaluating involves making an informed judgement about something, for example an issue or method. • Activities such as comparing, appraising, prioritising, rating or selecting, could involve learners in evaluating • Creating happens when learners are required to generate new ideas and products through activities such as designing, creative writing, planning, reconstructing, inventing, formulating, producing and composing. Curriculum for Excellence (2009) Building the Curriculum 4 , http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/BtC4_Skills_tcm4-569141.pdf

  14. Survey of Scottish school librarians and their knowledge and use of Curriculum for Excellence • Questionnaire was run between 16/07/09 and 04/09/09 • 74 responses - 72 secondary sector (375 Scottish secondary schools) = 20% • 64 (86% ) read Curriculum for Excellence (CfE): Learning Experiences and Outcomes, Principles and Practice papers - reasons for doing so included: • “I am a member of the Curriculum for Excellence Working Group in my school” • “I will be part of the school’s literacy team and will be using them in my information skills course…” • “…take advantage of the cross-curriculum opportunities this offers.”

  15. Survey of Scottish school librarians and their knowledge and use of Curriculum for Excellence Curriculum for Excellence (CfE): Learning Experiences and Outcomes, Principles and Practice papers – top ten read: Learning Experience and Outcomes Principles and Practice Papers • Literacy across learning 89% (56) 62% (39) • Literacy and English 57% (36) 36% (23) • Numeracy across learning 38% (24) 25% (16) • Health and wellbeing across learning 36% (23) 25% (16) • Expressive arts 22% (14) 13% (8) • Science 19% (12) 13% (8) • Religious and moral education 16% (10) 9% (6) • Language 16% (10) 8% (5) • Mathematics 13% (8) 6% (4) • Modern Languages 11% (7) 5% (3)

  16. Survey of Scottish school librarians and their knowledge and use of Curriculum for Excellence • 33 respondents (75%) indicated that they had identified ways in which information literacy can be used to achieve or assist achievement of the experiences and outcomes. • 26 respondents (53%) replied that they are or have been involved in any piloting activities, created any new activities or updated existing activities based upon the experiences and outcomes. Full results and findings are to be written up for publication: Crawford, John and Irving, Christine (2010) The Scottish Information Literacy Project and school libraries, Aslib proceedings, forthcoming Spring 2010 Irving, Christine (2010) The Curriculum for Excellence: knowledge, engagement and contribution by Scottish school librarians, The School Librarian, forthcoming Summer 2010

  17. Survey of Scottish school librarians and their knowledge and use of Curriculum for Excellence Ways in which information literacy can be used to achieve or assist achievement of the experiences and outcomes: “Due to undertaking an S1/S2 Library Audit I have identified a number of information literacy skills in the programme which can be directly related to the Literacy Outcomes” “I’ve found the Literacy Experience and Outcomes paper most useful because so much of it fits with library and information skills. I am line managed by the Head who has agreed to make me a key member of the Literacy Strategy working group and will support efforts to take library skills to even hard to reach departments”  “I am currently looking at courses I provide within the Library to determine where they fit into the experiences and outcomes” “Mapped library services to the four capacities for citizenship, as part of our information literacy strategy. Purpose is to inform various stakeholders - teachers, curriculum managers , CLD [Community Learning and Development], other learning partners - of how the library sits in relation to CfE”

  18. Survey of Scottish school librarians and their knowledge and use of Curriculum for Excellence Specific examples given of cross departmental work / projects: • Project about the local community - tied into the 40th anniversary of the housing estate in which the school is located. Project involved local history research; creation of a blog for the public to read and contribute to; visits to local gallery, museum and archives; presentation of work to local community. It is hoped the project will continue and include a community action element, giving pupils the opportunity to effect change in the community. • Interdisciplinary week - Rich Task. Working with Humanities and Languages departments on a 3 day task based on Lachlan Macquarie, Father of Australia. This was with S1/2. It involved planning the task, finding resources to be used, then working with students to look at primary and secondary sources of information; plan, carry out research and communicate results at the end of the week. • Piloting development of a cross departmental programme of research and investigation skills for all S1 pupils developed and taught by a range of subject teachers and the librarian. It is hoped that this will be made available through GLOW soon.

  19. Real and Relevant – Information and Critical Literacy Skills for the 21st Century Learner’ (Early and First Level) Kimacolm Nursery • Questioning – Kilmacolm’s innovative Blooming Blooms approach St Margaret’s School, Edinburgh • Information Literacy in Junior (Primary) 1 • Information Literacy in Junior (Primary) 2 Lasswade Primary School • Critical Literacy @ Lasswade Primary School Information Literacy skills and competences and opportunities highlighted within the Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes http://curriculumforexcellence.pbworks.com/

  20. Workshop activity – 40 mins Participants in mixed groups: • choose a Curriculum for Excellence Learning Experience and Outcome – Science or Health and Well Being • unpack it using CfE template created by Edinburgh Science QIO and used by Holy Rood High School, Edinburgh (link to case study and template) • unpacking is effectively a mapping exercise which allows the opportunities within the learning outcome to be explored. • link to Literacy across learning experiences and outcomes specifically ‘information and critical literacy’ activities • identify relevant ‘information and critical literacy’ resources

  21. Contact details & further information Email scotinfolit@googlemail.com Project website www.caledonian.ac.uk/ils/ Project blog http://caledonianblogs.net/information-literacy/ National Information Literacy Framework (Scotland) http://caledonianblogs.net/nilfs/

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