6º Coloquio ALCI

The 6th ALCI Colloquium Satisfacción de Usuarios: Evaluación Integral de Bibliotecas (User Satisfaction: Integral Evaluation of Libraries) takes place September 21-23, Boca del Río, Veracruz, México. See http://www.uv.mx/usbi_ver/alci08 for more information (mostly in Spanish)

Learning through inquiry

Just to say that I will be doing more reports from the Lifelong Learning conference, but doing these takes a bit of time and at the moment I'm concentrating mostly on preparing for an event in Second Life (see below) so the reports will come out over the next couple of weeks.

The event is a mini-conference; a Second Life (SL) based track to a real life conference taking place in Sheffield 25-27th June 2008: LTEA2008 (Learning Through Enquiry Alliance conference). Lyn Parker is presenting a talk coauthored with me on Second Life and inquiry based learning at the Real Life conference (I was in fact on the organising committee for the real life event).

The SL mini-conference focuses on Inquiry Based Learning, and takes place on 26th June from 0.00-05.00 Second Life Time (8am-1pm UK time, or 5pm-10pm Sydney time, which is where I am at the moment). It is a free event, taking place on Infolit iSchool (our island in SL). The focus is exploring the nature of Inquiry Based Learning (IBL), and its use in teaching in both RL and SL. The mini-conference is aimed at anyone who wants to discuss the potential of IBL, learn more about it and/ or exchange experience: you may be using IBL already (whether in RL teaching or SL teaching) or just be thinking about using it. Avatars can attend one or more of the sessions. Anyone who wants to attend in SL should email LTEA2008inSL@gmail.com including their real life and second life names

Full details of the SL event are at http://networked-inquiry.pbwiki.com/About-LTEA2008-in-Second-Life

UNESCO TTT Workshop Quebec, IFLA pre-conference Event.

A further UNESCO Training the Trainers in Information Literacy Two Day Workshop is taking place in Quebec, August 8-9, 2008
Place: Room 1415, La Laurentienne Premises, Universite de Laval, Quebec, Canada
Contact Persons: Albert Boekhorst, Professor, University of Amsterdam, Sylvie Chevillotte, Head, IFLA Information Literacy Section; Caroline Stern, Professor, Ferris State University,
Please visit the website site for further information on the activity, to download an application, and to review the application process.
Speakers at the session are: Sylvie Chevillotte, Sheila Webber (i.e. me), Caroline Ferris, Albert Boekhorst, Lesley Farmer, plus speakers from (world) regional perspectives and workshop sessions.
Audience: Library, information, communication, education, training and related disciplines professionals who wish to acquire the basic knowledge and skills necessary to function as qualified trainers in information literacy .
Attendance Limited: Participants for this workshop will be limited to 25; therefore, applicants should send in their applications as early as possible. Until notified that their application is approved, they should not make any travel plans or travel-related financial commitments.
The website is at http://www.albertkb.nl/pageID_5366125.html

Photo by Sheila Webber: Yeppoon, Australia, June 2008

Training the Trainers in Tallinn

A UNESCO Training the trainers in Information Literacy workshop takes place on 20-21 August 2008, in Tallinn, Estonia, hosted by the Institute of Information Studies of Tallinn University and National Library of Estonia
The aim of this Workshop is to provide facilitators of information literacy with up-to-date knowledge and skills, and bring them together to discuss and share knowledge on current issues, theories, teaching and learning approaches and methods, as well as best practices and lessons learned in facilitating the development of information-related competencies.
Main topics of the Workshop include: Explaining the concept, and importance of information literacy and lifelong learning; Presenting information literacy models, programs and standards; Sharing best practices and lessons learnt in facilitating information literacy; Analyzing the characteristics of learners, their needs and learning styles; Describing ways of embedding information literacy into curricula.
School and university librarians, academics, school managers and other administrators who are involved and/or in charge of facilitating the development of information-related competencies are invited to apply. A maximum of 50 participants will be accepted to the workshop mainly from the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, and Northern Europe.
Applicants must fill out the online application form on the Workshop website (http://www.lib.ttu.ee/ttwshop/appform.html) before the July 20th. Communications of all kinds should be directed to Sirje Virkus: sirvir@tlu.ee

Photo by Sheila Webber: Yeppoon, Australia, June 2008

SLAMIT Course 2008:

The SLAMIT Course 2008, which focuses on School Libraries as Learning centres, takes place in Druskininkai/Alytus, Lithuania on 19th October – 24th October 2008. Ross Todd keynotes with "School libraries and learning - what are the challenges? "
http://www.slamit.org/
course3/course3.htm

By the way, I am now in Australia, attending the Lifelong Learning conference. I will make some reports from that, particularly the Information Literacy symposium that starts tomorrow.

Teaching and Training Tips for Librarians

One day workshop: Teaching and Training Tips for Librarians will be held on 23 July 2008, at the University of Huddersfield.It is organised by CILIP Yorkshire & Humberside Branch and Career Development Group Yorkshire & Humberside. Sessions include: Crosswords, library bingo and quizzes: getting more active learning into our teaching; Creativity in Teaching; Enquiry Based Learning; Lesson Planning.
For a booking form contact Andrew Walsh, a.p.walsh@hud.ac.uk University of Huddersfield, Computing & Library Services, CSB, Queensgate, Huddersfield, HD1 3DH.
Photo by Sheila Webber: Kristianstad, Sweden, May 2008.

Libraries and e-learning

This one day master class takes place 11th June in Canberra, Australia, led by Robyn Tweedale, Principal Manager, Information Services Library, Division of Academic Information Services, University of Southern Queensland. For more information go to http://www.keyforums.com.au/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Church, Kristianstad, Sweden, May 2008.

Expanding Information Literacy Using In-World Tools

The next discussion in the virtual world Second Life on Infolit iSchool is on Thurs 29th May. You need a Second Life avatar to participate.

12 noon SL time (which is *8pm UK time*), Thurs 29th May Expanding Information Literacy Using In-World Tools [inworld = in Second Life], venue is: Infolit iSchool (45, 202,22), SLURL (web address to jump straight to the venue, only works if you have the Second Life viewer installed)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Infolit%20iSchool/45/202/22/

Robin Mochi (a librarian from the USA) leads this discussion. "Free in-world tools, such as Sloog and the Salamander HUD, can be used to take information literacy to the next level. Librarians often supply links to quality websites, with these tools we can share the best in-world resources. We will discuss other possibilities for expanding information literacy in-world, and a tool will be available for all to add to your inventory."

Libraries make a difference: building a learning culture

The CILIP CoFHE/UC&R Joint Conference Libraries make a difference: building a learning culture is in Liverpool, UK, 23-26 June 2008. Details here Some interesting workshop sessions:
Andy Jackson: Information Literacy
Bridget Badger and Will Reid: Designing social learning spaces
Dave Pattern: How students learn: the millennial generation unscrambled
Di and Kevin Broughton: Moodling your learning environment

Photo by Sheila Webber: new nettles, even weeds look pretty in Spring. May 2008

Netskills workshops

These are at the Institute of Education, University of London, UK.
- Developing Problem Based e-Learning, 9th July
- Assessment for Learning: Harnessing Technologies, 10th July
For further information about these and all of Netskills workshops, go to http://www.netskills.ac.uk/workshops
Photo by Sheila Webber: Sheffield, May 2008.

CILIPS conference

The CILIP Scotland Centenary conference in Peebles, Scotland, 3-5 June 2008, includes in its Group and Branch day (June 5) a session with Dave Pattern, University of Huddersfield on Web 2.0 and Hela Oiasaar, National Library of Estonia on Teaching Information Literacy to the Net Generation Go to http://www.slainte.org.uk/cilips/
conference/conferenceindex.htm
Photo by Sheila Webber: Weston Park, May 2008.

Role of evidence based research in medical libraries

There is an IFLA satellite conference in Quebec City, Canada: Role of evidence based research in medical libraries. This one day session will have two sub-themes:
1. Library efforts in support of evidence-based research.
2. Research conducted by health science libraries and librarians.
Full info and registration at: http://www.library.uq.edu.au/ocs/index.php/ebr/
Photo by Sheila Webber: White cherry blossom, early May 2008, Sheffield

Skills for supporting learners

There is a one-day course Skills for supporting learners, on 26th June 2008 held at Glasgow Metropolitan College, Scotland. The course is being led by Derek Goldman and will cover topics such as: how individuals learn; Motivating learners and understanding their needs; Exploring methods for supporting learners; Planning and organizing a learning episode; How to provide feedback. Cost is £65 to CILIP Scotland members; £100 to non-members. More info on the events section on http://www.slainte.org.uk/

Photo by Sheila Webber: Glasgow University, May 2008

Sofia 2008

The Sofia 2008: Globalization and the Management of Information Resources conference takes place 12-14 November 2008, in Sofia, Bulgaria. The conference themes this year include: Information industry and knowledge management; Information literacy and lifelong learning; Education and training in a Web 2.0 environment; Ethics and the right to access to information.
Submission of contact information, title and abstract of no more than 500 words is to be sent by 9 June to sofia2008@emporia.edu Participation is also available for students in a special concurrent poster session. Interested students should submit contact information, poster title and a brief summary (150 words) to Ms. Perri Parise at pparise@emporia.edu by 3 June. More info at http://slim.emporia.edu/globenet/
Sofia2008/index.htm

Librarians and learning developers

There is a free event for librarians and learning developers at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK, on June 5 2008. It includes "Librarians and Learning Developers working together, a case study of collaborative services". For more info and to book contact Naeem Pathan (npathan@dmu.ac.uk) by 23rd May

Scottish Information Literacy Project - Open Meeting

Full details now available of the Scottish Information Literacy Project - Open Meeting: Recent developments and the piloting of the draft National Information Literacy Framework Scotland. Glasgow Caledonian University. 2 May 2008. Programme includes: Keynote introduction - Professor Jim Gallacher, Co-director, Scottish Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning; Project overview and update - John Crawford; Piloting the Framework - Christine Irving; Presentations from partners at Craigholme School, Scottish Government, Information Management Unit, Ardrossan Academy; Hilda McNae, University of Abertay "Breaking Barriers: Information Literacy skills to aid the transition between secondary and higher education"
Contact: Dr. John Crawford or Christine Irving, jcr@gcal.ac.uk or christine.irving@gcal.ac.uk Project website www.caledonian.ac.uk/ils/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Lane in Hillhead, Glasgow, May 2008

Discussions at the Centre for Information Literacy Research in SL

These will be held on the Infolit iSchool island in Second Life, devoted to information literacy, information management and inquiry-based learning. You need a SL avatar to participate.

Use of variation theory to design a curriculum 12 noon SL time (8pm UK time), Thurs 8th May, coordinates: Infolit iSchool (45, 202,22). Presentation by Sheila Yoshikawa (me), with discussion.

I will be previewing a talk I am giving at the Phenomenography Special Interest Group conference in Sweden at the end of May. I will be outlining how I aim to apply the findings of a previous phenomenographic enquiry into UK academics' pedagogy for information literacy, in designing an "Education for Information Literacy" module in a new MA Information Literacy programme. Variation theory is the term used to describe the educational approach of facilitating students' learning through helping them to experience variation in conceptions ofa phenomenon. I'm also giving this in real life at 10 am on 9th May in our Department in Sheffield (Regent Court building)

A first year undergraduate class in Second Life 08.30 SL time (16.30 UK time), Thurs 15h May, Infolit iSchool (45, 202,22). Sheila Yoshikawa (me), Ishbel Hartmann (Vicki Cormie) and Maggie Kohime (Lyn Parker) will outline their activities with 1st year undergraduate students taking the BSc Information Management course.

LTEA conference

Registration is open for the Learning Through Inquiry Alliance (LTEA) Conference 2008: Inquiry in a Networked World, taking place at the University of Sheffield, 25-27th June 2008. The conference focuses on Inquiry-based learning, practice and theory, and on the role of the inquiry approach to learning and teaching in HE in the UK and beyond. Conference highlights include 45 parallel sessions, ; Playback Theatre York, facilitating an exciting event designed to stimulate creativity and reflection around key conference themes; Inquiry networking activities including; Social events including optional Peak District discovery tour. There will also be a track in Second Life: details to be announced shortly. For more info go to: http://www.shef.ac.uk/cilass/ltea2008.html
Photo by Sheila Webber: Sheffield University campus, May 2008.

Information Literacy meets Library 2.0

This workshop supplements the recent book and new blog Information Literacy meets Library 2.0 / http://infolitlib20.blogspot.com/ It is a hands-on workshop for librarians organised by the SCONUL Working Group for Information Literacy in conjunction with CILIP CSG Information Literacy group and LSE Centre for Learning Technology. It takes place on 3 July 2008, at the London School of Economics, UK. There will be an overview covering recent practice using blogs, RSS feeds, podcasts and social networking, and a number of workshop sessions exploring RSS, blogs, wikipedia, bookmarking applications and visual Web 2.0 tools. To book a place contact Peter Godwin (peter.godwin@beds.ac.uk) for the booking form. Cost is £30 including lunch and refreshments.
Photo by Sheila Webber: Eltham Palace gardens, April 2008

World Book Day

Today is World Book and Copyright day everywhere except in the UK and Ireland (where perversely we celebrate it in March). The official UNESCO site is here, mentioning initiatives in various countries. According to the UNESCO website "Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died" on 23rd April 1616 (but Wikipedia says that the UK and Spain were using different calendars so it wasn't the same day, although the same date: and Wikipedia is never wrong, is it ;-)