Updated February 2007

• Introduction
• Background and Policy Context
• Information Literacy and the Curriculum
• Information Literacy: University Support
• Sources of Additional Information
• Appendix 1: Example of the Integration of Information Literacy into the Curriculum
• Appendix 2: Views of Academic Staff

1. Introduction

.1 Defining Information Literacy

Information literacy is defined as a set of abilities requiring individuals to "recognise when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information" (ACRL 2000).

In essence, information literacy is a framework for finding, evaluating and using information.  The concept:

• is applicable to all disciplines, learning environments and all levels of education;
• ensures that learners become more independent, enabling them to assume greater control over their own learning and research;
• forms the basis for lifelong learning.

Information literacy is internationally recognised.  National policies have been developed in Australia and New Zealand, the USA and the UK (Bundy 2004; ACRL 2000; SCONUL 1999).   

To clarify the concept, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL 2000) identifies five standards which support the development of learning outcomes for information literacy:

The information literate individual:

1)     determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

2)     accesses the needed information effectively and efficiently.

3)     evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.

4)     uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.

5)     understands many of the economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.

.2 Why is information literacy vital?

Information Literacy:

• is an essential component of critical thinking and research-led learning and teaching.
• enables us to meet the challenges arising from the proliferation of information. 

The amount of new information stored electronically doubled between 1999 and 2002.  This is equivalent each year to 37,000 new libraries with collections the size of the Library of Congress or, put another way, 30 feet of books for every person in the world (Lyman and Varian 2003).

• will help us reap the benefits of the Modern Working Environment in our everyday working life.
• can play a key role in promoting an understanding of what constitutes plagiarism and in deterring its practice by promoting integrity and accountability in the use and presentation of information.
• is a key to lifelong learning in our knowledge society.

2. Background and Policy Context

This guidance note has been developed to further the central aims of the University’s Strategic Plan and in particular, key aspects of the Assessment, Learning Environment, and Learning and Teaching strategies:   

• The second of the four aims of the Learning Environment Strategy is to enable users to make the most of the learning environment.
• One of the key objectives (2.3 Learning) of the Learning and Teaching Strategy is to ensure that the learning opportunities made available to students allow them to develop appropriate research and academic-related skills, and to become independent and lifelong learners.
• Tenet 2.5 of the Assessment Strategy states the need for students to understand the concept of academic integrity and act accordingly. 

3. Information Literacy and the Curriculum

 .1 Information literacy is important in all disciplines and at all levels of study.  It is best developed within the context of the academic curriculum, rather than as a separate add-on removed from the subject content.  It is suggested that students are more likely to recognise the relevance and importance of information literacy if teaching is delivered at the point of need, affiliated with their own subject, and included in assessment (Godwin 2003; Hine et al. 2002). 

.2 The embedding of information literacy into curricula facilitates student-centred teaching methods including problem-based, inquiry-based or evidence-based learning together with opportunities for self-directed learning and reflection (ACRL 2000).

.3 Evidence suggests that success in embedding information literacy into the curriculum depends on the establishment of collaborative working partnerships with all those involved in the learning and teaching process (see for example Davies and Jackson 2005; Grafstein 2002; Hine et al. 2002; Thornton 2007). 

An example of how information literacy has been embedded into a year one CLAWS module is provided in Appendix One.  Views of academic staff on the success of embedding information literacy into other modules are quoted in Appendix Two.

4.  Information Literacy: University Support

Information Services (INSRV) has developed a national reputation for its support of information literacy in the University.  In 2004 Cathie Jackson (jacksoncm@cardiff.ac.uk) was appointed to take the lead in implementing INSRV’s information literacy strategy and to advise on approaches to embedding and assessing information literacy across INSRV and the Schools.

Subject librarians collaborate with academic colleagues in the Schools to integrate information literacy into programmes of study and tailor methods of delivery to suit the requirements of each discipline.  They provide instruction embedded within courses such as hands-on workshops for large and small groups, demonstrations, lectures and tutorials. 

In 2005/6, subject librarians provided 76% of students on taught courses at Cardiff University with database and web searching training; 61% received in-depth information literacy training involving identifying and locating good quality information, from a range of sources, for their research.  For 39% of students, information literacy training was fully integrated into a module or course of study.

In addition to this training, subject librarians compile a range of electronic and print instructional resources.  For a list of the subject librarians for each School visit the INSRV Information Literacy web pages at www.cardiff.ac.uk/schoolsanddivisions/divisions/insrv/training/infolit/

With funding from the University’s Innovative Learning and Teaching fund, INSRV has developed the Information Literacy Resource Bank (http://ilrb.cardiff.ac.uk).  This is a collection of ‘bite-size’ online interactive tasks, diagrams, cartoons and short tutorials which focus on aspects of information literacy.  They are available for staff to download and incorporate into their own online or printed teaching materials.

Additional support is provided by insrvEducation which offers training and certification to enable staff and students to make the best use of centrally provided IT facilities and software applications.

.2 Registry

 Registry is able to offer support and advice to academic staff regarding information literacy and the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategies, the enhancement of learning and teaching (including the financial support of innovative projects), and quality processes (including the programme approval process).

If you would like to discuss any aspect of Registry’s work in this area, please contact Stephen Iwan Griffiths (telephone: 74456 or email: griffithss4@cardiff.ac.uk).

5. Sources of additional information

1. Information Services Information Literacy web pages. www.cardiff.ac.uk/schoolsanddivisions/divisions/insrv/training/infolit/
2. The Information Literacy Resource Bank.  A collection of learning objects on information literacy developed by Information Services. http://ilrb.cardiff.ac.uk
3. Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy web site.  http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/informationliteracy.htm
4. Information Literacy web site.  A web site on information literacy for the UK created by Eduserv and CILIP.  It includes a list of tutorials and resources on information literacy in higher education.  http://www.informationliteracy.org.uk
5. insrvEducation web site.  For information about the programme of IT training courses provided by Information Services. http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/schoolsanddivisions/divisions/insrv/training/ittraining/

References

ACRL. 2000. Information literacy competency standards for higher education [online]. Chicago: ACRL. Available at: <URL: http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.htm> [Accessed: 18 January 2007].

Bundy, A. 2004. Australia and New Zealand information literacy framework: principles, standards and practice [online]. 2^nd ed. Adelaide: Australian and New Zealand Institute for Information Literacy.  Available at: <URL: http://www.anziil.org/resources/Info%20lit%202nd%20edition.pdf> [Accessed: 18 January 2007].

Davies, J. and Jackson, C. 2005. Information literacy in the Law curriculum: experiences from Cardiff. Law Teacher, vol. 39 (2), pp. 150-160. Available at <URL: http://eprints.cardiff.ac.uk/31> [Accessed: 18 January 2007].

Godwin, P. 2003. Information literacy, but at what level?In:Martin, A. and Rader, H. eds. Information and IT literacy: enabling learning in the 21st century. London: Facet, pp.88-98.

Grafstein, A. 2002. A discipline-based approach to information literacy. Journal of Academic Librarianship, vol. 28 (4), pp. 197-2004.

Hine, A. et al. 2002. Embedding information literacy in a university subject through collaborative partnerships. Psychology Learning and Teaching, vol. 2 (2), pp. 102-107.

Lyman, P. and Varian, H. 2003. How Much Information? 2003 [online]. University of California. Available at: <URL: http://www2.sims.berkeley.edu/research/projects/how-much-info-2003/printable_report.pdf> [Accessed: 13 February 2007].

SCONUL Advisory Committee on Information Literacy. 1999. Information skills for higher education: a SCONUL position paper [online]. London: SCONUL. Available at: <URL: http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/papers/Seven_pillars2.pdf> [Accessed: 18 January 2007].

Thornton, S. 2007. Information literacy and the teaching of politics. LATISS, vol. 3 (1), pp. 29-45.

Appendix One – Example of the integration of information literacy into a curriculum

Legal Foundations[1]is a core, year one, 30 credit CLAWS module which is planned and delivered collaboratively by the module leader, Jackie Davies, the subject librarians for law and the CLAWS Computing Officer.

The aim of the module is to introduce students to the main features of the legal system in England and Wales and develop the legal skills needed to study law.  The coursework element of the assessment is through an essay, accompanied by a reflective “research trail”.  Information literacy provides a framework through which skills are presented in a relevant and easily applicable way to students.

Course structure

The course consists of four units: the legal system of England and Wales; legal analysis and reasoning skills; legal research skills; and legal presentation skills.  The latter two incorporate information literacy and are delivered through five two-hour seminars and two lectures during the latter half of the module.   These sessions build on earlier IT skills workshops and an introductory lecture and exercises which outline how legal information is structured.  

The information literacy seminars are planned around a hypothetical case study on the English legal system which aims to build on the legal knowledge gained earlier in the module.  The first seminar is based on Information Literacy Standards 1 and 2 (determining a need for information and accessing information) and is led by a subject librarian from the Law Library.  This highly participative workshop, delivered in a computer room, builds on students’ previous experiences of finding information to explore the breadth of information needed for the case study.

In preparation for their next seminar, students read the material they have identified.  The second session is back with the law tutor and introduces techniques for critically evaluating the information sources they found for relevance and quality(Information Literacy Standard 3).  As a first step to Standard 4 (using information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose) students are then asked to draft an oral report and a short piece of legislation using an appropriate selection of the information they have identified. 

In preparation for the third seminar, students are required to plan and write a 1250 word essay accompanied by a reflective research trail.  The research trail asks students to reflect upon the reliability, objectivity, authority and relevance of each of the sources they used in the essay.  This third seminar is based on Standard 5(using information ethically and legally) and covers writing skills, including correct citation and avoidance of plagiarism.  At the start of the seminar, students work as a group to identify the characteristics of good writing.  These are compared with the criteria actually employed by the Law School.  Each student then peer reviews another student’s essay anonymously and comments on it using the criteria identified earlier.  Meanwhile, the tutor reviews the adequacy of the research process as demonstrated in the research trail.  Each student is given the opportunity to re-draft their own essay in response to this feedback before submitting it, together with the research trail, as an assessed piece of coursework.

The final two seminars consolidate and reinforce students’ information literacy in a fresh context.  The module culminates with a mooting exercise and the information literacy element is emphasised in the penultimate seminar as teams pool and discuss their research and plan their submissions.

Outcomes 

• Adopting a structure developed around the concept of information literacy has facilitated a skills-based approach to student learning without sacrificing substantive content and started the process whereby students are enabled to meet the QAA benchmarks for law. 
• Working together, law tutor and librarian can focus on skills of evaluation and use (Information Literacy Standards 3 and 4) to address the challenge presented to this generation of students by information which increasingly comes in unfiltered formats. 
• Peer and tutor review of essays in a workshop format has enhanced key skills of communication and literacy.
• The introduction of a research trail in the coursework assessment has both reduced the incidence of plagiarism, whilst also making it easier to detect, and has encouraged students to reflect upon their learning.