The latest issue of the Journal of Academic Librarianship (Volume 41, Issue 1, 2015 - priced publication) includes the following:
Student Confidence/Overconfidence in the Research Process by Valeria E. Molteni, Emily K. Chan
Promoting Academic Library Research Through the “Faculty-Member-In-Residence” Program by Brian Detlor, Vivian Lewis
Library Instruction and Themed Composition Courses: An Investigation of Factors that Impact Student Learning by Erin E. Rinto, Elisa I. Cogbill-Seiders
Applications of Mobile Social Media: WeChat Among Academic Libraries in China by Jianhua Xu, Qi Kang, Zhiqiang Song, Christopher Peter Clarke
Relationship of Library Assessment to Student Retention by Elizabeth M. Mezick
Finding the Right Notes: An Observational Study of Score and Recording Seeking Behaviors of Music Students by Kirstin Dougan
The Shift of Information Literacy Towards Research 2.0 by Tibor Koltay, Sonja Špiranec, László Z. Karvalics
Interactive Training Materials Developed by Spanish University Libraries by Marta Somoza-Fernández
Go to http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00991333
Photo by Sheila Webber: Stone stairs, Walton Hall, December 2014
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Merry Christmas 2014!
A merry and information literate Christmas to all readers!
Photo by Sheila Webber: my Christmas wreath 2014
Photo by Sheila Webber: my Christmas wreath 2014
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Open letter to ACRL task force
Members of New Jersey's Information Literacy committees have produced an Open Letter Regarding the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education expressing their concerns about the proposed new ACRL Information Literacy Framework. The letter includes the assertions that "The current standards should not be discarded; they should be revised to be used in tandem with the Framework." "It is not counterproductive to map the IL Standards to the IL Framework." "The Framework is a theoretical document which makes it difficult to assess outcomes." "The entire framework is filled with jargon, especially the new definition of information literacy" and "The lack of parallel structure of the frames is grammatically jarring". It is available on a Google Doc at
http://bit.ly/1CpyyjT This is a rather more vehement opposition than anything I saw during the actual consultation period, though obviously I wasn't in touch with everything written about it.
Photo by Sheila Webber: All Saints Church, Sherbourne, December 2014
http://bit.ly/1CpyyjT This is a rather more vehement opposition than anything I saw during the actual consultation period, though obviously I wasn't in touch with everything written about it.
Photo by Sheila Webber: All Saints Church, Sherbourne, December 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
3000th post! Foro de Alfabetizacion Mediatica e Informacional en Latino America y El Caribe
This is my 3000th blog post here, and it celebrates the Latin American and Caribbean Media and Information Literacy (MIL) forum that was just held (10-11 December) in Mexico (Foro de Alfabetizacion Mediatica e Informacional en Latino America y El Caribe). The Forum establshed a Latin American and Caribbean chapter of the Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL) and also made a Declaración de México on MIL (I think the final text has not yet been published).
Additionally, the Doha Centre for Media Freedom signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico’s television directorate (TV Unam) for cooperation on training and initiatives to do with MIL and media freeedom.
The (Spanish-language) website is at http://www.foroamilac.org/
There is a short video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y07oWoiZV1A and the forum has a channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt2blip020_D3EylacECRJQ though at the moment the main thing on it is a series of 3 videos with European media literacy experts saying why media literacy is important.
Photo by Sheila Webber: geese rising, December 2014
Additionally, the Doha Centre for Media Freedom signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico’s television directorate (TV Unam) for cooperation on training and initiatives to do with MIL and media freeedom.
The (Spanish-language) website is at http://www.foroamilac.org/
There is a short video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y07oWoiZV1A and the forum has a channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt2blip020_D3EylacECRJQ though at the moment the main thing on it is a series of 3 videos with European media literacy experts saying why media literacy is important.
Photo by Sheila Webber: geese rising, December 2014
Friday, December 19, 2014
Sponsored place at i3 conference
The i3 conference is sponsoring a place at their 2015 conference (which will be 23-26 June 2015 at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland). "Applications for this award are welcome from early career researchers and those in their first professional post. This award is to support someone who otherwise would not be able to attend the i3 Conference. The funded place includes all conference fees, university accommodation, reasonable travel costs to Aberdeen (up to a maximum of £600 for travel) and access to the social programme. If you are successful, you will be asked to write a short report for the conference website on your reasons for attending, experiences at the conference and the benefits you have taken back to your user community." The deadline is 2 February 2015. Go to the i3 website for further information http://www.rgu.ac.uk/research/conferences/i-2015
Photo by Sheila Webber: part of the breakfast spread at the Royal Ricc Hotel, Brno, November 2014
Photo by Sheila Webber: part of the breakfast spread at the Royal Ricc Hotel, Brno, November 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Teachmeet: 6th Feburary, Sheffield
There will be a Teachmeet on 6 Feburary 2015 in Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK, 1.45-4.15 PM. "A chance for librarians from the region to meet up, share their experiences of teaching information skills and help each other out. Please bring along a success you would like to share, a resource to talk about, or an issue or problem you have encountered in your teaching with which you would like help. We will also have a short session on Flipping the Classroom in library teaching, led by Nicola Sayles." Book for this free event at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/teachmeet-free-event-tickets-14975060810. The event is organised by CILIP Academic and Research Libraries Group (ARLG) Yorkshire and Humberside division. The teachmeet will be preceded by the ARLG: Yorkshire & Humberside committee AGM at 1.15-1.30 pm: email Jennifer Rowland (J.Rowland2@bradford.ac.uk) if you wish to attend that.
Photo by Sheila Webber: winter trees, Sheffield, 2012
Photo by Sheila Webber: winter trees, Sheffield, 2012
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Information Research: bumper issue!
The new issue (vol. 19 no. 4) of open-access journal Information research consists of a normal issue plus a conference supplement, so lots of information behaviour research and some information literacy research too.
For the regular issue, go to http://www.informationr.net/ir/19-4/infres194.html where articles include:
- Arthur Taylor and Heather A. Dalal: Information literacy standards and the World Wide Web: results from a student survey on evaluation of Internet information sources
- Ágústa Pálsdóttir: Preferences in the use of social media for seeking and communicating health and lifestyle information
- Sanghee Oh and Soojung Kim: College students' use of social media for health in the USA and Korea.
- Remigiusz Sapa, Monika Krakowska and Małgorzata Janiak: Information seeking behaviour of mathematicians: scientists and students
- Miamaria Saastamoinen and Sanna Kumpulainen: Expected and materialised information source use by municipal officials: intertwining with task complexity
- Paul Margree, Andrew MacFarlane, Ludovica Price and Lyn Robinson: Information behaviour of music record collectors
Plus, in the special issue Proceedings of ISIC: the information behaviour conference, Leeds, 2-5 September, 2014 at http://www.informationr.net/ir/19-4/isic/isic.html papers include:
- Fatmah Almehmadi, Mark Hepworth and Sally Maynard, A framework for understanding information sharing: an exploration of the information sharing experiences of female academics in Saudi Arabia
- Gunilla Widén, Jela Steinerová and Peter Voisey, Conceptual modelling of workplace information practices: a literature review
- Ina Fourie and Heidi Julien, Ending the dance: a research agenda for affect and emotion in studies of information behaviour
- Jenna Hartel, Information behaviour illustrated
- J. Tuomas Harviainen and Reijo Savolainen, Information as capability for action and capital in synthetic worlds
- Elke Greifeneder, Trends in information behaviour research.
- Natalie Pang, Crisis-based information seeking: monitoring versus blunting in the information seeking behaviour of working students during the Southeast Asian Haze Crisis
- Ariadne Chloe Furnival and Nelson Sebastian Silva Jerez, The general public's access and use of health information: a case study from Brazil
- Lilach Manheim, Information non-seeking behaviour
Short papers
- Melanie Benson and Andrew Cox, Visual and creative methods and quality in information behaviour research
- Geoff Walton and Jamie Cleland, Information literacy in higher education - empowerment or reproduction? A discourse analysis approach
- Leslie Thomson and Mohammad Jarrahi, Contextualising information practices and personal information management in mobile work
- Graeme Baxter and Rita Marcella, The 2014 Scottish independence referendum: a study of voters' online information behaviour.
- Emma Dunkerley, David Allen, Alan Pearman, Stan Karanasios and Jeremy Crump, The influence of social media on information sharing and decision making in policing: research in progress.
- Chandramohan Ramaswami, Murugiah Murugathasan, Puvandren Narayanasamy, and Christopher S.G. Khoo, A survey of information sharing on Facebook
Photo by Sheila Webber: chalkboard at cafe Soul, Brno, November 2014
For the regular issue, go to http://www.informationr.net/ir/19-4/infres194.html where articles include:
- Arthur Taylor and Heather A. Dalal: Information literacy standards and the World Wide Web: results from a student survey on evaluation of Internet information sources
- Ágústa Pálsdóttir: Preferences in the use of social media for seeking and communicating health and lifestyle information
- Sanghee Oh and Soojung Kim: College students' use of social media for health in the USA and Korea.
- Remigiusz Sapa, Monika Krakowska and Małgorzata Janiak: Information seeking behaviour of mathematicians: scientists and students
- Miamaria Saastamoinen and Sanna Kumpulainen: Expected and materialised information source use by municipal officials: intertwining with task complexity
- Paul Margree, Andrew MacFarlane, Ludovica Price and Lyn Robinson: Information behaviour of music record collectors
Plus, in the special issue Proceedings of ISIC: the information behaviour conference, Leeds, 2-5 September, 2014 at http://www.informationr.net/ir/19-4/isic/isic.html papers include:
- Fatmah Almehmadi, Mark Hepworth and Sally Maynard, A framework for understanding information sharing: an exploration of the information sharing experiences of female academics in Saudi Arabia
- Gunilla Widén, Jela Steinerová and Peter Voisey, Conceptual modelling of workplace information practices: a literature review
- Ina Fourie and Heidi Julien, Ending the dance: a research agenda for affect and emotion in studies of information behaviour
- Jenna Hartel, Information behaviour illustrated
- J. Tuomas Harviainen and Reijo Savolainen, Information as capability for action and capital in synthetic worlds
- Elke Greifeneder, Trends in information behaviour research.
- Natalie Pang, Crisis-based information seeking: monitoring versus blunting in the information seeking behaviour of working students during the Southeast Asian Haze Crisis
- Ariadne Chloe Furnival and Nelson Sebastian Silva Jerez, The general public's access and use of health information: a case study from Brazil
- Lilach Manheim, Information non-seeking behaviour
Short papers
- Melanie Benson and Andrew Cox, Visual and creative methods and quality in information behaviour research
- Geoff Walton and Jamie Cleland, Information literacy in higher education - empowerment or reproduction? A discourse analysis approach
- Leslie Thomson and Mohammad Jarrahi, Contextualising information practices and personal information management in mobile work
- Graeme Baxter and Rita Marcella, The 2014 Scottish independence referendum: a study of voters' online information behaviour.
- Emma Dunkerley, David Allen, Alan Pearman, Stan Karanasios and Jeremy Crump, The influence of social media on information sharing and decision making in policing: research in progress.
- Chandramohan Ramaswami, Murugiah Murugathasan, Puvandren Narayanasamy, and Christopher S.G. Khoo, A survey of information sharing on Facebook
Photo by Sheila Webber: chalkboard at cafe Soul, Brno, November 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Web IQ test
The Pew Internet project released results of a "Web IQ test" adminstered to a representative (of the US population) sample of 1,066 internet users. It includes 17 questions, some relating to the origins of the internet and some slightly random (that's random in the non-statistical sense) questions about some people and things seen as important to the internet. They present the results overall, and also by age (younger people did better on the social media questions) and educational level (graduates did better generally) http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/11/25/web-iq/
As the above page gives the answers you might want to try the quiz yourself before looking at Pew's results: you can take the quiz here: http://www.pewinternet.org/quiz/web-iq-quiz/
Snowflake created from words on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_Web using Tagxedo
As the above page gives the answers you might want to try the quiz yourself before looking at Pew's results: you can take the quiz here: http://www.pewinternet.org/quiz/web-iq-quiz/
Snowflake created from words on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_Web using Tagxedo
Friday, December 12, 2014
MOOC Completion and Retention in the Context of Student Intent
Interesting article based on analysis of "nine HarvardX courses, which had a total of 290,606 registrants and 79,525 survey responses". They use quantitative course data, plus responses from introductory course questionnaires in which MOOC learners were asked whether their intention was to complete the MOOC, to audit the MOOC, to browse it (plus there was an answer "unsure"). Although a larger proportion of people who said they were aiming at completion, did complete (22% of them), there were also people who said that they aimed just to browse or audit, but in fact completed (e.g. 6% who said they intended to browse). Another "takeaway" is that "Attrition happens early; course beginnings are important. Regardless of a student's stated intentions, attrition rates are highest in the early part of a course. Course developers should recognize that, for many students, a course's first unit is the only part some students will see. Course teams should consider allocating resources to making that beginning unit inviting and compelling."
Reich, J. (2014, December 8) MOOC Completion and Retention in the Context of Student Intent. Educause review.
http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/mooc-completion-and-retention-context-student-intent
Photo by Sheila Webber: December trees, December sky.
Reich, J. (2014, December 8) MOOC Completion and Retention in the Context of Student Intent. Educause review.
http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/mooc-completion-and-retention-context-student-intent
Photo by Sheila Webber: December trees, December sky.
Preview of the Horizon Project 2015 #NMChz
There's a preview of the New Media Consortium's The Horizon Project 2015 "a high-level summary of an upcoming edition’s findings ... to provide a snapshot of the topics that will be explored in the final edition." The full report will be published in the new year. The Horizon report use panels of "experts" to identify what they think are trends in technology affecting education. It started with one report and now has a lot of different ones focusing on educational level and region (see http://redarchive.nmc.org/publications) e.g. most recently a European Schools edition.
Personally, I have got increasingly frustrated with the way in which the reports ignore the huge raft of research into learning, teaching and indeed the use of technology in learning and teaching, to focus on recent reports and news. Although there are new things to learn all the time, there are also always things to learn from the accumulated evidence base. Anyway, here are their headline trends:
"I. Key Trends Accelerating Ed Tech Adoption in Higher Education
"Fast Trends: Driving Ed Tech adoption in Higher Ed for the next one to two years: Evolution of Online Learning; rethinking Learning Spaces
"Mid-Range Trends: Driving Ed Tech adoption in Higher Ed for the next three to five years: Increasing Focus on Open Educational Resources; Rise of Data-Driven Learning and Assessment
"Long-Range Trends: Driving Ed Tech adoption in Higher Ed for five or more years: Agile Approaches to Change; Growing Importance of Open Communities and University Consortia
"II. Significant Challenges Impeding Ed Tech Adoption in Higher Education
"Solvable Challenges: Those which we both understand and know how to solve: Adequately Defining and Supporting Digital Literacy; Blending Formal and Informal Learning
"Difficult Challenges: Those we understand but for which solutions are elusive: Complex Thinking and Communication; Integrating Personalized Learning
"Wicked Challenges: Those that are complex to even define, much less address: Competition from New Models of Education; Relative Lack of Rewards for Teaching
"III. Important Developments in Educational Technology for Higher Education
"Time-to-Adoption Horizon: One Year or Less: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD); Flipped Classroom
"Time-to-Adoption Horizon: Two to Three Years: Makerspaces; Wearable Technology
"Time-to-Adoption Horizon: Four to Five Years: Adaptive Learning Technologies; The Internet of Things"
You can download a document with a paragraph on each of these from http://information-studies.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/successful-event-on-research-in-virtual.html From the short paragraphs that are there at the moment, I find some of section II rather confused, but it isn't fair to judge from a preview, so I will reserve critique until I see the whole thing ;-)
Photo by Sheila Webber: I ponder how adequately defining and supporting digital literacy is a solvable challenge which we understand and know how to solve, in the virtual world Second Life. Anything seems more solvable with a couple of animated virtual bunnies in your hair.
Personally, I have got increasingly frustrated with the way in which the reports ignore the huge raft of research into learning, teaching and indeed the use of technology in learning and teaching, to focus on recent reports and news. Although there are new things to learn all the time, there are also always things to learn from the accumulated evidence base. Anyway, here are their headline trends:
"I. Key Trends Accelerating Ed Tech Adoption in Higher Education
"Fast Trends: Driving Ed Tech adoption in Higher Ed for the next one to two years: Evolution of Online Learning; rethinking Learning Spaces
"Mid-Range Trends: Driving Ed Tech adoption in Higher Ed for the next three to five years: Increasing Focus on Open Educational Resources; Rise of Data-Driven Learning and Assessment
"Long-Range Trends: Driving Ed Tech adoption in Higher Ed for five or more years: Agile Approaches to Change; Growing Importance of Open Communities and University Consortia
"II. Significant Challenges Impeding Ed Tech Adoption in Higher Education
"Solvable Challenges: Those which we both understand and know how to solve: Adequately Defining and Supporting Digital Literacy; Blending Formal and Informal Learning
"Difficult Challenges: Those we understand but for which solutions are elusive: Complex Thinking and Communication; Integrating Personalized Learning
"Wicked Challenges: Those that are complex to even define, much less address: Competition from New Models of Education; Relative Lack of Rewards for Teaching
"III. Important Developments in Educational Technology for Higher Education
"Time-to-Adoption Horizon: One Year or Less: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD); Flipped Classroom
"Time-to-Adoption Horizon: Two to Three Years: Makerspaces; Wearable Technology
"Time-to-Adoption Horizon: Four to Five Years: Adaptive Learning Technologies; The Internet of Things"
You can download a document with a paragraph on each of these from http://information-studies.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/successful-event-on-research-in-virtual.html From the short paragraphs that are there at the moment, I find some of section II rather confused, but it isn't fair to judge from a preview, so I will reserve critique until I see the whole thing ;-)
Photo by Sheila Webber: I ponder how adequately defining and supporting digital literacy is a solvable challenge which we understand and know how to solve, in the virtual world Second Life. Anything seems more solvable with a couple of animated virtual bunnies in your hair.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
The association between exaggeration in health related science news and academic press releases
Through a Guardian article I found out about a study which could provide useful evidence when looking at the issue of news credibility. The structured abstract of the BMJ article puts it succinctly and I copy it below (the article is open access, with a creative commons license). Briefly, the researchers compared original research papers, press releases and resultant news stories and found that in fact a lot of the hype was coming from the universities' press releases, rather than (as is e.g. assumed here) being added on by journalists. They have now been funded by the ESRC to do further research.
"Objective To identify the source (press releases or news) of distortions, exaggerations, or changes to the main conclusions drawn from research that could potentially influence a reader’s health related behaviour.
"Design Retrospective quantitative content analysis.
"Setting Journal articles, press releases, and related news, with accompanying simulations.
"Sample Press releases (n=462) on biomedical and health related science issued by 20 leading UK universities in 2011, alongside their associated peer reviewed research papers and news stories (n=668).
"Main outcome measures Advice to readers to change behaviour, causal statements drawn from correlational research, and inference to humans from animal research that went beyond those in the associated peer reviewed papers.
"Results 40% (95% confidence interval 33% to 46%) of the press releases contained exaggerated advice, 33% (26% to 40%) contained exaggerated causal claims, and 36% (28% to 46%) contained exaggerated inference to humans from animal research. When press releases contained such exaggeration, 58% (95% confidence interval 48% to 68%), 81% (70% to 93%), and 86% (77% to 95%) of news stories, respectively, contained similar exaggeration, compared with exaggeration rates of 17% (10% to 24%), 18% (9% to 27%), and 10% (0% to 19%) in news when the press releases were not exaggerated. Odds ratios for each category of analysis were 6.5 (95% confidence interval 3.5 to 12), 20 (7.6 to 51), and 56 (15 to 211). At the same time, there was little evidence that exaggeration in press releases increased the uptake of news.
"Conclusions Exaggeration in news is strongly associated with exaggeration in press releases. Improving the accuracy of academic press releases could represent a key opportunity for reducing misleading health related news."
Chambers, C. et al. (2014) The association between exaggeration in health related science news and academic press releases: retrospective observational study. BMJ, 349. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g7015
Chambers, C. et al. (2014, 10 December) Science and health news hype: where does it come from? http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/dec/10/science-health-news-hype-press-releases-universities
Photo by Sheila Webber: tiny bit of snow this morning.
"Objective To identify the source (press releases or news) of distortions, exaggerations, or changes to the main conclusions drawn from research that could potentially influence a reader’s health related behaviour.
"Design Retrospective quantitative content analysis.
"Setting Journal articles, press releases, and related news, with accompanying simulations.
"Sample Press releases (n=462) on biomedical and health related science issued by 20 leading UK universities in 2011, alongside their associated peer reviewed research papers and news stories (n=668).
"Main outcome measures Advice to readers to change behaviour, causal statements drawn from correlational research, and inference to humans from animal research that went beyond those in the associated peer reviewed papers.
"Results 40% (95% confidence interval 33% to 46%) of the press releases contained exaggerated advice, 33% (26% to 40%) contained exaggerated causal claims, and 36% (28% to 46%) contained exaggerated inference to humans from animal research. When press releases contained such exaggeration, 58% (95% confidence interval 48% to 68%), 81% (70% to 93%), and 86% (77% to 95%) of news stories, respectively, contained similar exaggeration, compared with exaggeration rates of 17% (10% to 24%), 18% (9% to 27%), and 10% (0% to 19%) in news when the press releases were not exaggerated. Odds ratios for each category of analysis were 6.5 (95% confidence interval 3.5 to 12), 20 (7.6 to 51), and 56 (15 to 211). At the same time, there was little evidence that exaggeration in press releases increased the uptake of news.
"Conclusions Exaggeration in news is strongly associated with exaggeration in press releases. Improving the accuracy of academic press releases could represent a key opportunity for reducing misleading health related news."
Chambers, C. et al. (2014) The association between exaggeration in health related science news and academic press releases: retrospective observational study. BMJ, 349. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g7015
Chambers, C. et al. (2014, 10 December) Science and health news hype: where does it come from? http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/dec/10/science-health-news-hype-press-releases-universities
Photo by Sheila Webber: tiny bit of snow this morning.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Making information accessible: an essential precondition for effective refugee protection?
CILIP asked Maurice Wren, Chief Executive at The Refugee Council, to blog about the importance of information literacy to refugees, as it is Human Rights Day today (10 December). He says "Denying refugees the opportunity to transcend their ‘victim’ status, to be their own best advocates, and to rebuild active and engaged lives, is to limit our humanitarian response to their plight to meeting only their most basic physical needs. We must humanise the way we provide refugee protection and one vital way of doing that is to give refugees access to the tools that will enable them to live a full life of the mind."
Although it may seem churlish, he does only talk about access to online information; I'm not sure that he is talking about information literacy in the fuller sense (e.g. using all kinds of information sources effectively, including people sources; being able to evaluate and create information collaboratively: this are also vital aspects in crisis situations and for empowerment).
There is an interesting link to the "Technology" issue of Forced Migration Review (2011) http://www.fmreview.org/technology which has articles about the use and impact of technology, including the impact on access to information.
Wren, M. (2014, 10 December) Making information accessible: an essential precondition for effective refugee protection? http://www.cilip.org.uk/cilip/blog/making-information-accessible-essential-precondition-effective-refugee-protection
Photo by Sheila Webber: fallen leaves, November 2014
Although it may seem churlish, he does only talk about access to online information; I'm not sure that he is talking about information literacy in the fuller sense (e.g. using all kinds of information sources effectively, including people sources; being able to evaluate and create information collaboratively: this are also vital aspects in crisis situations and for empowerment).
There is an interesting link to the "Technology" issue of Forced Migration Review (2011) http://www.fmreview.org/technology which has articles about the use and impact of technology, including the impact on access to information.
Wren, M. (2014, 10 December) Making information accessible: an essential precondition for effective refugee protection? http://www.cilip.org.uk/cilip/blog/making-information-accessible-essential-precondition-effective-refugee-protection
Photo by Sheila Webber: fallen leaves, November 2014
cfp NAMLE conference
There is a call for papers for the NAMLE (National Association for Media Literacy Education) 2015 conference (which takes place June 26-7 2015 in Philadelphia, USA. The conference includes the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) Annual Conference, and the theme is Celebrating Connectivity Across Cultures. Although they mention Media and Information Literacy in places, mostly they forget and revert to just mentioning media literacy (unsurprisingly, since that is after all the focus of this association). Unfortunately this clashes with the i3 conference (which I intend to go to) and the ALA conference (which some North American infolit colleagues will be going to), but it would be good (because of the MILID connection) to have some interest in the conference from experts in information literacy....
More information at http://namle.net/conference/2015-conference/
Photo by Sheila Webber: a corner of old Brno, November 2014
More information at http://namle.net/conference/2015-conference/
Photo by Sheila Webber: a corner of old Brno, November 2014
Event: Research relevance: K12 library instruction for the 21st Century
There is an event at Castilleja School (California, USA) Research relevance: K12 library instruction for the 21st Century. It will be held and there are a few days left (December 15th) before the call for contributions closes. Already, speakers/facilitators will include the schools' librarians Jole Seroff and Tasha Bergson-Michelson, and Debbie Abilock and Kristin Fontichiaro. http://www.castilleja.org/page.cfm?p=942570
Sunday, December 07, 2014
Journal if Information Literacy: new issue
Volume 8, issue 2 of the open access Journal of Information Literacy has been published.
It includes:
- Fostering the integration of information literacy and journalism practice: a long-term study of journalism students by Margy Elizabeth MacMillan
- Developing a new approach to information literacy learning design by Sarah McNicol, Emily Shields
- Faculty-library collaboration: two pedagogical approaches by Karen Marie Øvern
- The value of collaboration: raising confidence and skills in information literacy with first year Initial Teacher Education students by Sarah Purcell, Rachel Barrell
- Teaching information literacy - the role of the university libraries in Germany by Fabian Franke, Wilfried Suhl-Strohmenger
- Welsh Information Literacy Project: Phase 4 2013/14 by Andrew Eynon
- InformAll - information literacy for all by Stephane Goldstein
Special Section: Information Literacy in Schools with an introduction from Ross Todd
- An examination of information literacy instruction on the information seeking skills of primary school children in Jamaica: an experiment using grade six students by Kerry-Ann Rodney-Wellington
- Practices of ambiguity: becoming "information literate" in two Norwegian schools by Margrethe B. Søvik
- Professional self-efficacy and role perception of school librarians and their impact on the development of students' information literacy: an evidence-based study by Ruth Ash-Argyle, Snunith Shoham
Go to http://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/JIL
Photo by Sheila Webber: Advent zoo, Freedom Square, Brno, Czech Republic, December 2014
It includes:
- Fostering the integration of information literacy and journalism practice: a long-term study of journalism students by Margy Elizabeth MacMillan
- Developing a new approach to information literacy learning design by Sarah McNicol, Emily Shields
- Faculty-library collaboration: two pedagogical approaches by Karen Marie Øvern
- The value of collaboration: raising confidence and skills in information literacy with first year Initial Teacher Education students by Sarah Purcell, Rachel Barrell
- Teaching information literacy - the role of the university libraries in Germany by Fabian Franke, Wilfried Suhl-Strohmenger
- Welsh Information Literacy Project: Phase 4 2013/14 by Andrew Eynon
- InformAll - information literacy for all by Stephane Goldstein
Special Section: Information Literacy in Schools with an introduction from Ross Todd
- An examination of information literacy instruction on the information seeking skills of primary school children in Jamaica: an experiment using grade six students by Kerry-Ann Rodney-Wellington
- Practices of ambiguity: becoming "information literate" in two Norwegian schools by Margrethe B. Søvik
- Professional self-efficacy and role perception of school librarians and their impact on the development of students' information literacy: an evidence-based study by Ruth Ash-Argyle, Snunith Shoham
Go to http://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/JIL
Photo by Sheila Webber: Advent zoo, Freedom Square, Brno, Czech Republic, December 2014
Saturday, December 06, 2014
Digital Inclusion survey
The (US) Digital Inclusion survey is a project carried out by American Library Association, Information Policy & Access Center & International City/County Management Association. The 2013 reports were published in July 2014, and include a report on Digital Literacy. It has useful statistics on US public libraries, infographics, an interactive map.
University of Maryland and College Park. (2014). 2013 digital inclusion survey results published. http://digitalinclusion.umd.edu/content/2013-digital-inclusion-survey-results-published
Photo by Sheila Webber: Blacksmith, Brno, December 2014
University of Maryland and College Park. (2014). 2013 digital inclusion survey results published. http://digitalinclusion.umd.edu/content/2013-digital-inclusion-survey-results-published
Photo by Sheila Webber: Blacksmith, Brno, December 2014
Thursday, December 04, 2014
Virtual worlds research: methodological issues: 9 December
Two research presentations and a discussion, taking place in Second Life. Date: 9 December 2014, Time: 12 noon Second Life time, (8pm UK time) see http://tinyurl.com/muua96f for times elsewhere (duration - 90 minutes)
Place: Infolit iSchool, Second Life http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Infolit%20iSchool/165/195/463
Sheila Webber (University of Sheffield Information School, Sheila Yoshikawa in Second Life) and Marshall Dozier (University of Edinburgh, Pancha Enzyme in Second Life) will present on Social, ethical, digital: issues in 3D worlds research
Evelyn McElhinney (Glasgow Caledonian University, Kali Pizarro in SL) will present on Qualitative research in Social virtual worlds.
There will then be a roundtable discussion with the speakers and Clara O'Shea (University of Edinburgh, Klara Otsuka in SL).
Infolit iSchool is in the virtual world Second Life. You need a SL avatar and the Second Life browser installed on your computer. Go to http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Infolit%20iSchool/134/47/22
Event is free, no registration required. Presentations will be in voice, discussion in text chat.
A Sheffield iSchool Centre for Information Literacy Research event
All welcome!
Place: Infolit iSchool, Second Life http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Infolit%20iSchool/165/195/463
Sheila Webber (University of Sheffield Information School, Sheila Yoshikawa in Second Life) and Marshall Dozier (University of Edinburgh, Pancha Enzyme in Second Life) will present on Social, ethical, digital: issues in 3D worlds research
Evelyn McElhinney (Glasgow Caledonian University, Kali Pizarro in SL) will present on Qualitative research in Social virtual worlds.
There will then be a roundtable discussion with the speakers and Clara O'Shea (University of Edinburgh, Klara Otsuka in SL).
Infolit iSchool is in the virtual world Second Life. You need a SL avatar and the Second Life browser installed on your computer. Go to http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Infolit%20iSchool/134/47/22
Event is free, no registration required. Presentations will be in voice, discussion in text chat.
A Sheffield iSchool Centre for Information Literacy Research event
All welcome!
Wednesday, December 03, 2014
Health Information and Libraries Journal: HIV/AIDS; health info kiosks; information behaviour, literacy and needs.
One of my current PhD students has just had an article published about his PhD research. This journal is a priced publication:
Wella, K. (2014) The information experience and learning needs of couples living with HIV in Malawi. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (4), 325–329 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/enhanced/doi/10.1111/hir.12086/
Other articles in this issue include:
- Lê, M. (2014) Information needs of public health students. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (4), 274–292.
- Joshi, A. and Trout, K. (2014) The role of health information kiosks in diverse settings: a systematic review. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (4), 254–273.
Contents page at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hir.2014.31.issue-4/issuetoc
In the previous issue of the journal, articles included:
- Kelham, C. (2014) Health care librarians and information literacy: an investigation. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (3), 235–238. This is based on her dissertation, which she did here at the iSchool and the full text of the dissertation is at: http://dagda.shef.ac.uk/dispub/dissertations/2012-13/External/Kelham_C_Y67.pdf
- Spring, H. (2014) Health information, what happens when there isn't any? Information literacy and the challenges for rare and orphan diseases. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (3), 243–246.
- Brennan, N. et al (204) Qualified doctor and medical students' use of resources for accessing information: what is used and why? Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (3), 204–214
The contents page of this issue is at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hir.2014.31.issue-3/issuetoc
Photo by Sheila Webber: old town hall in Brno (view from hotel window)
Wella, K. (2014) The information experience and learning needs of couples living with HIV in Malawi. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (4), 325–329 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/enhanced/doi/10.1111/hir.12086/
Other articles in this issue include:
- Lê, M. (2014) Information needs of public health students. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (4), 274–292.
- Joshi, A. and Trout, K. (2014) The role of health information kiosks in diverse settings: a systematic review. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (4), 254–273.
Contents page at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hir.2014.31.issue-4/issuetoc
In the previous issue of the journal, articles included:
- Kelham, C. (2014) Health care librarians and information literacy: an investigation. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (3), 235–238. This is based on her dissertation, which she did here at the iSchool and the full text of the dissertation is at: http://dagda.shef.ac.uk/dispub/dissertations/2012-13/External/Kelham_C_Y67.pdf
- Spring, H. (2014) Health information, what happens when there isn't any? Information literacy and the challenges for rare and orphan diseases. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (3), 243–246.
- Brennan, N. et al (204) Qualified doctor and medical students' use of resources for accessing information: what is used and why? Health Information and Libraries Journal, 31 (3), 204–214
The contents page of this issue is at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hir.2014.31.issue-3/issuetoc
Photo by Sheila Webber: old town hall in Brno (view from hotel window)
Information Literacy Assessment & Advocacy Project (ILAAP)
Librarians at Red Deer College, MacEwan University and the University of Alberta Augustana Campus collaborate on a project, the Information Literacy Assessment and Advocacy Project (ILAAP) in order "to build a robust model for promoting and assessing information literacy skills required for student success." ILAAP is "an assessment tool designed to investigate the information literacy (IL) skills of first and second-year post-secondary students. They are making the ILAAP assessment tool available to other institutions to use with first and second year undergraduate courses. Go to http://tinyurl.com/nmk35tk to express interest and go to http://ilaap.ca/invitation-to-use-the-ilaap-assessment-tool/ for more information. "Please note that depending on the level of interest, we may limit participation based on capacity, and so the tool may not be made available to all interested libraries at this time."
Monday, December 01, 2014
MOOCs and Information Literacy
Last week I was invited to deliver an expert talk on information literacy(as blogged already http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/webber-brno-2014) and to provide a workshop for Masters students taking an information literacy option at the information and library school, KISK, at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. It was a very enjoyable visit meeting the lively students, and staff, and also getting to know the city (which I would recommend visiting!).
This is the presentation part of the workshop I carried out with the students. In fact there is really more emphasis on thinking about library and information professionals roles in MOOCs than specifically "information literacy", but obviously developing or supporting information literacy in MOOCs are key activities for librarians. I start by talking about types of MOOC, and discuss pedagogy a little, and then provide some examples of possible LIS roles.
This is the presentation part of the workshop I carried out with the students. In fact there is really more emphasis on thinking about library and information professionals roles in MOOCs than specifically "information literacy", but obviously developing or supporting information literacy in MOOCs are key activities for librarians. I start by talking about types of MOOC, and discuss pedagogy a little, and then provide some examples of possible LIS roles.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Blended information behaviour and information literacy for 21st Century life
I was invited by KISK, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic, to give a workshop to Masters students and a presentation as part of their Expert series. This is the presentation I gave on 27 November 2014. I will post my presentation for the Masters students on Monday. My abstract for my Expert talk was that I "argue that there is no need to invent a new literacy, just because people are making increasing use of digital media. Sheila outlines her perspective of a holistic information literacy that takes account of the blended information behaviour of today's citizens, sourcing information digitally, in print and through people and the environment. She draws on research in information literacy and information behaviour, including her own work."
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Library and Information Research : new articles
The latest issue of open access journal Library and Information Research (Vol 38, No 118, 2014) includes:
Reading lists – time for a reality check? An investigation into the use of reading lists as a pedagogical tool to support the development of information skills amongst Foundation Degree students by Gillian Siddall, Hannah Rose. "This article presents the results of an action research project exploring the use and value of reading lists for Foundation Degree students. ... It was found that reading lists were being used by students to identify and find resources for their academic studies. Qualitative data from students and staff illustrate how reading lists are being used and the gaps between student and staff expectations of them. The article provides recommendations on how reading lists can be utilised to help students to develop their information skills."
The Researcher Librarian Partnership: building a culture of research by Helen Partridge, Insa Haidn, Terry Weech, Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Michael Seadle. "This paper reports on the Researcher-Librarian Partnership, a research-mentoring programme that was initiated by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Six new LIS practitioners within their first seven years of professional practice took part in the programme. Each was partnered with an experienced LIS researcher who provided mentoring and support."
http://www.lirgjournal.org.uk/lir/ojs/index.php/lir/issue/view/69
Photo by Sheila Webber: Masaryk University, Brno, Library Faculty of Arts, November 2014
Reading lists – time for a reality check? An investigation into the use of reading lists as a pedagogical tool to support the development of information skills amongst Foundation Degree students by Gillian Siddall, Hannah Rose. "This article presents the results of an action research project exploring the use and value of reading lists for Foundation Degree students. ... It was found that reading lists were being used by students to identify and find resources for their academic studies. Qualitative data from students and staff illustrate how reading lists are being used and the gaps between student and staff expectations of them. The article provides recommendations on how reading lists can be utilised to help students to develop their information skills."
The Researcher Librarian Partnership: building a culture of research by Helen Partridge, Insa Haidn, Terry Weech, Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Michael Seadle. "This paper reports on the Researcher-Librarian Partnership, a research-mentoring programme that was initiated by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Six new LIS practitioners within their first seven years of professional practice took part in the programme. Each was partnered with an experienced LIS researcher who provided mentoring and support."
http://www.lirgjournal.org.uk/lir/ojs/index.php/lir/issue/view/69
Photo by Sheila Webber: Masaryk University, Brno, Library Faculty of Arts, November 2014
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Older Americans unversed in the Internet 'know less about health'
A newsy article reports that: "... among elderly Americans, those with low health literacy were the least likely to use the Internet. And when they did use the Internet, it was not usually to search for health information."
Paddock, C. (2014, 14 November) Older Americans unversed in the Internet 'know less about health'. Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285421.php
This was based on an article in Journal of General Internal Medicine currently in the "online" first category (i.e. not allocated to an issue):
Levey, H. et al. (2014). Health Literacy and the Digital Divide Among Older Americans. Journal of General Internal Medicine. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-014-3069-5/fulltext.html
I found this through Trove http://trove.com/ a free service for setting current awareness from internet sources.
Photo by Sheila Webber: St Georges church and trees reflected in a puddle, Sheffield, November 2014
Paddock, C. (2014, 14 November) Older Americans unversed in the Internet 'know less about health'. Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285421.php
This was based on an article in Journal of General Internal Medicine currently in the "online" first category (i.e. not allocated to an issue):
Levey, H. et al. (2014). Health Literacy and the Digital Divide Among Older Americans. Journal of General Internal Medicine. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-014-3069-5/fulltext.html
I found this through Trove http://trove.com/ a free service for setting current awareness from internet sources.
Photo by Sheila Webber: St Georges church and trees reflected in a puddle, Sheffield, November 2014
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2013 published #icils2013
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement published (last Thursday) the IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2013, which reports on results of an assessment that was carried out in 21 countries, surveying almost 60000 students and almost 35000 teachers. The research questions were concerned with "Variations in CIL within and across countries; Aspects of schools, education systems, and teaching associated with student achievement in CIL; The extent to which students’ access to, familiarity with, and self-reported proficiency in using computers is associated with student achievement in CIL; Aspects of students’ personal and social backgrounds associated with CIL."
Schoolchildren had to do things like respond to an email, cut and paste a URL, register someone at a website and create a poster with specified elements. I would therefore say it was more "computer literacy" than "information literacy" (and the emphasis is on the need for people to be able to use computers to do things). However, it it is an interesting report that I have only skimmed. As well as administering the assessment, questions about home and school use of computers were asked, and information on age, socio-economic class and gender was collected. There were variations between countries, but e.g. "Among the socioeconomic
indicators, parental occupational status and home literacy resources in particular were positively associated with CIL across the participating countries." Girls performed better than boys, particularly in some countries e.g. the Sydney Herald pointed out that Australian girls ahead of boys in computer literacy
Additionally, teachers were asked questions about availability, use of, experience with, and attitudes to use of computers. One set of question asked them the extent to which they used ICT with students "The capability most widely emphasized in their teaching was “accessing information efficiently.” Overall across countries, 63 percent (the ICILS 2013 average) of teachers said they emphasized this skill in their teaching. The highest national percentage was recorded in Australia (76%) and the lowest in Lithuania (40%)." (p.215).
International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2013: Preparing for Life in a Digital Age: http://www.iea.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Electronic_versions/ICILS_2013_International_Report.pdf
Additionally a press release gives these links:
The European Commission report on findings for the European countries participating in ICILS 2013, Main findings and implications for education policies in Europe http://ec.europa.eu/education/library/study/2014/ec-icils_en.pdf
A package of press materials, including the press release and infographic on the study highlights http://www.iea.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/Studies/ICILS_2013/IEA_ICILS_2013_Press_Release.zip
"View a video demonstration of an example student test module from ICILS 2013, After-school Exercise" http://www.iea.nl/index.php?id=475
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves, November 2014
Schoolchildren had to do things like respond to an email, cut and paste a URL, register someone at a website and create a poster with specified elements. I would therefore say it was more "computer literacy" than "information literacy" (and the emphasis is on the need for people to be able to use computers to do things). However, it it is an interesting report that I have only skimmed. As well as administering the assessment, questions about home and school use of computers were asked, and information on age, socio-economic class and gender was collected. There were variations between countries, but e.g. "Among the socioeconomic
indicators, parental occupational status and home literacy resources in particular were positively associated with CIL across the participating countries." Girls performed better than boys, particularly in some countries e.g. the Sydney Herald pointed out that Australian girls ahead of boys in computer literacy
Additionally, teachers were asked questions about availability, use of, experience with, and attitudes to use of computers. One set of question asked them the extent to which they used ICT with students "The capability most widely emphasized in their teaching was “accessing information efficiently.” Overall across countries, 63 percent (the ICILS 2013 average) of teachers said they emphasized this skill in their teaching. The highest national percentage was recorded in Australia (76%) and the lowest in Lithuania (40%)." (p.215).
International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2013: Preparing for Life in a Digital Age: http://www.iea.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Electronic_versions/ICILS_2013_International_Report.pdf
Additionally a press release gives these links:
The European Commission report on findings for the European countries participating in ICILS 2013, Main findings and implications for education policies in Europe http://ec.europa.eu/education/library/study/2014/ec-icils_en.pdf
A package of press materials, including the press release and infographic on the study highlights http://www.iea.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/Studies/ICILS_2013/IEA_ICILS_2013_Press_Release.zip
"View a video demonstration of an example student test module from ICILS 2013, After-school Exercise" http://www.iea.nl/index.php?id=475
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves, November 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014
#OER Evidence Report 2013-2014
A summary report of research on the impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) has been published (on open access, naturally). It is produced by the OER Research Hub.
Full details of the methods aren't given, but surveys were undertaken by project partners, and, aggregated, there were (in terms of number of respondents) "By role: informal learners (50.3%, n= 3212); formal learners (24.7%, n= 1578); educators (21.6%, n=1382); and librarians (3.4%, n=218)". They were aiming to test 11 hypotheses, namely: Use of OER leads to improvement in student performance and satisfaction; The Open Aspect of OER creates different usage and adoption patterns than other online resources; Open Education models lead to more equitable access to education, serving a broader base of learners than traditional education; etention: Use of OER is an effective method for improving retention for at-risk students; Reflection: Use of OER leads to critical reflection by educators, with evidence of improvement in their practice; Finance: OER adoption at an institutional level leads to financial benefits for students and/or institutions; Informal learners use a variety of indicators when selecting OER; Informal learners adopt a variety of techniques to compensate for the lack of formal support, which can be supported in open courses; Open education acts as a bridge to formal education, and is complementary, not competitive, with it; Participation in OER pilots and programs leads to policy change at an institutional level; Informal means of assessment are motivators to learning with OER.
A short section is devoted to presenting evidence relevant to each hypothesis.
de los Arcos, B., Farrow, R., Perryman, L.-A., Pitt, R. & Weller, M. (2014). OER Evidence Report 2013-2014: building understanding in open education. http://oerresearchhub.org/2014/11/19/oer-evidence-report-2013-2014/
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves, November 2014
Full details of the methods aren't given, but surveys were undertaken by project partners, and, aggregated, there were (in terms of number of respondents) "By role: informal learners (50.3%, n= 3212); formal learners (24.7%, n= 1578); educators (21.6%, n=1382); and librarians (3.4%, n=218)". They were aiming to test 11 hypotheses, namely: Use of OER leads to improvement in student performance and satisfaction; The Open Aspect of OER creates different usage and adoption patterns than other online resources; Open Education models lead to more equitable access to education, serving a broader base of learners than traditional education; etention: Use of OER is an effective method for improving retention for at-risk students; Reflection: Use of OER leads to critical reflection by educators, with evidence of improvement in their practice; Finance: OER adoption at an institutional level leads to financial benefits for students and/or institutions; Informal learners use a variety of indicators when selecting OER; Informal learners adopt a variety of techniques to compensate for the lack of formal support, which can be supported in open courses; Open education acts as a bridge to formal education, and is complementary, not competitive, with it; Participation in OER pilots and programs leads to policy change at an institutional level; Informal means of assessment are motivators to learning with OER.
A short section is devoted to presenting evidence relevant to each hypothesis.
de los Arcos, B., Farrow, R., Perryman, L.-A., Pitt, R. & Weller, M. (2014). OER Evidence Report 2013-2014: building understanding in open education. http://oerresearchhub.org/2014/11/19/oer-evidence-report-2013-2014/
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves, November 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Great internet age divide is a myth
News article highlighting the fact that younger people aren't necessarily good at searching. This was following a talk by Google's Dan Rusell given at Glasgow University. I assume the content was similar to what he said at an earlier talk.
Denholm, A. (2014, 23 October) Great internet age divide is a myth. Herald. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/education/great-internet-age-divide-is-a-myth.25672713
Photo by Sheila Webber: leaf on the step, November 2014
Denholm, A. (2014, 23 October) Great internet age divide is a myth. Herald. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/education/great-internet-age-divide-is-a-myth.25672713
Photo by Sheila Webber: leaf on the step, November 2014
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Gaiman on libraries
Lots of people have been mentioning Toby Litt's interview with Neil Gaiman, The keys to the Kingdom, in the new (UK) Arts Council online magazine, Create. Gaiman has very positive things to say about the continuing role of libraries (despite I would say, Litt's appearing to want him to say that libraries are outdated, aren't they, really, but perhaps I am over-interpreting the questions). http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/what-we-do/value-arts-and-culture/state-arts/create/society/
Thursday, November 20, 2014
The Health Literacy Place
The Health Literacy Place is a Scottish site that includes the Health Literacy Action Plan for Scotland, other resources relating to health literacy in Scotland, and numerous links and embedded resources (e.g. videos). The site is produced by NHS Education for Scotland Knowledge Services Group. http://www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/healthliteracy.aspx
Photo by Sheila Webber: leaves, photoshopped, November 2014
Photo by Sheila Webber: leaves, photoshopped, November 2014
Infodocket
When the internet was new, Gary Price was posting daily news about information and library things, and many years later he is still doing it - with multiple postings daily on Infodocket http://www.infodocket.com/. Not specifically about information literacy, but always useful snippets e.g. I just learnt that Twitter has made its archive searchable for everyone, and there's a link to information on "advanced" search features https://support.twitter.com/articles/71577-using-advanced-search#
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves, November 2014
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves, November 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Library Innovation: new articles
The latest issue of the open-access journal Library Innovation (volume 5 no. 2) includes the following:
- Learning Through Play, the Old School Way: Teaching Information Ethics to Millennials by Lucinda A Rush ("The author describes the process of creating an innovative game based on Candy Land to teach undergraduates about information ethics and makes recommendations for creating non-digital games for instructional purposes based on this experience."
- Using Blogs in the Library to Reach Diverse and Non-Traditional Student Groups by Amy Nelson Decker, Monya D. Tomlinson
- Channeling Passions: Developing a Successful Social Media Strategy by Elizabeth Ramsey, Amy Vecchione
Also one of the book reviews is of: Buchanan, H. and McDonough, B. (2014). The One-Shot Library Instruction Survival Guide. Chicago: ALA Editions. ISBN: 978-0-8389-1215-7.
http://www.libraryinnovation.org/issue/view/29
Photo by Sheila Webber: Gorgeous autumn beech leaves, November 2014
- Learning Through Play, the Old School Way: Teaching Information Ethics to Millennials by Lucinda A Rush ("The author describes the process of creating an innovative game based on Candy Land to teach undergraduates about information ethics and makes recommendations for creating non-digital games for instructional purposes based on this experience."
- Using Blogs in the Library to Reach Diverse and Non-Traditional Student Groups by Amy Nelson Decker, Monya D. Tomlinson
- Channeling Passions: Developing a Successful Social Media Strategy by Elizabeth Ramsey, Amy Vecchione
Also one of the book reviews is of: Buchanan, H. and McDonough, B. (2014). The One-Shot Library Instruction Survival Guide. Chicago: ALA Editions. ISBN: 978-0-8389-1215-7.
http://www.libraryinnovation.org/issue/view/29
Photo by Sheila Webber: Gorgeous autumn beech leaves, November 2014
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
E-Learning and Digital Media: new articles
The new issue of E-Learning and Digital Media (subscription journal) (volume 11 no 6) includes articles:
- Owen Barden. Winking at Facebook: capturing digitally mediated classroom learning
- Catherine Beavis et al. Teachers’ Beliefs about the Possibilities and Limitations of Digital Games in Classrooms
- Anne Cloonan, Kirsten Hutchison & Louise Paatsch. Innovating from the Inside: teacher influence and the ‘promisingness’ of digital learning environments
- Ksenia A. Korobkova & Rebecca W. Black. Contrasting Visions: identity, literacy, and boundary work in a fan community
- Abel Usoro, Razep Echeng & Grzegorz Majewski. A Model of Acceptance of Web 2.0 in Learning in Higher Education: a case study of two cultures
- Steven J. Zuiker. Visual Communication in Transition: designing for new media literacies and visual culture art education
Abstracts at http://www.wwwords.co.uk/elea/content/pdfs/11/issue11_6.asp
Photo by Sheila Webber: Weston Park, early November 2014
- Owen Barden. Winking at Facebook: capturing digitally mediated classroom learning
- Catherine Beavis et al. Teachers’ Beliefs about the Possibilities and Limitations of Digital Games in Classrooms
- Anne Cloonan, Kirsten Hutchison & Louise Paatsch. Innovating from the Inside: teacher influence and the ‘promisingness’ of digital learning environments
- Ksenia A. Korobkova & Rebecca W. Black. Contrasting Visions: identity, literacy, and boundary work in a fan community
- Abel Usoro, Razep Echeng & Grzegorz Majewski. A Model of Acceptance of Web 2.0 in Learning in Higher Education: a case study of two cultures
- Steven J. Zuiker. Visual Communication in Transition: designing for new media literacies and visual culture art education
Abstracts at http://www.wwwords.co.uk/elea/content/pdfs/11/issue11_6.asp
Photo by Sheila Webber: Weston Park, early November 2014
cfp CAPAL Conference 2015: Academic Librarianship and Critical Practice
There is a call for papers for the annual conference of the the Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians (CAPAL), to be held May 31-June 2, 2015in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Deadline for proposals is December 8, 2014. Sub-themes are:
● Critical approaches to core practices: information literacy, collections, description, archives, scholarly communication, UX, copyright, metrics, technology, etc.
● Critical reflections on core values: intellectual freedom, (open) access, privacy, preservation, professionalism, etc.
● Critical reflections on professional issues: LIS education, deprofessionalization, governance, advocacy, etc.
● Intersections of librarianship with social and global justice, equity, decolonization
● Librarianship and higher education in relation to neoliberalism, austerity, and other socioeconomic phenomena
● Critical library research practice and/or methodologies
● Critical approaches to librarianship and culture
● Critical reflections on working in and across different disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and beyond
● Critical theory and philosophy in librarianship
More info at http://capalibrarians.org/capal-conference-2015/
Photo by Sheila Webber: late autumn flower, 2014
● Critical approaches to core practices: information literacy, collections, description, archives, scholarly communication, UX, copyright, metrics, technology, etc.
● Critical reflections on core values: intellectual freedom, (open) access, privacy, preservation, professionalism, etc.
● Critical reflections on professional issues: LIS education, deprofessionalization, governance, advocacy, etc.
● Intersections of librarianship with social and global justice, equity, decolonization
● Librarianship and higher education in relation to neoliberalism, austerity, and other socioeconomic phenomena
● Critical library research practice and/or methodologies
● Critical approaches to librarianship and culture
● Critical reflections on working in and across different disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and beyond
● Critical theory and philosophy in librarianship
More info at http://capalibrarians.org/capal-conference-2015/
Photo by Sheila Webber: late autumn flower, 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
Library A-Z launches #libraryatoz
Library A-Z launches today. The aim was " to produce a series of illustrations reflecting the wide range of positive services and experiences provided by libraries. These illustrations then formed the basis of advocacy and promotional materials including a book, greetings cards and posters." There is an illustration for each letter of the alphabet, with words and phrases starting with that letter, each relating to an aspect of library service. "Information Literacy" is included under "I". The illustrations and other materials are free to use under a Creative Commons licence. http://www.libraryatoz.org/index.php/list-z-words/
Illustrations on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/21622267@N03/sets/72157647550942568/
"I" from https://flic.kr/p/pnbVgz An illustration created for the Library A to Z project by Josh Filhol. Images released under a CC by 4.0 licence.
Illustrations on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/21622267@N03/sets/72157647550942568/
"I" from https://flic.kr/p/pnbVgz An illustration created for the Library A to Z project by Josh Filhol. Images released under a CC by 4.0 licence.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
International Games Day @ Your Library #igd14
Today is International Games Day @ Your Library There is information about it at http://igd.ala.org/
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Feedback on latest draft of ACRL Information Literacy framework wanted #acrlrevisions
ACRL is asking for feedback on the third draft of their proposed Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The deadline for comments is December 12th, 5pm Central time (which is 11pm UK time). You are asked in particular to consider the questions:
- How satisfied are you with the new definition of information literacy?
- How satisfied are you with each of the six frames?
- How satisfied are you with the opportunities to provide feedback to the task force on drafts of the Framework?
- How satisfied are you that the task force has been responsive to feedback provided on previous drafts of the Framework?
- OVERALL, how satisfied are you with the third draft of the proposed Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education?
- What one thing do you most want the Task Force members to know about the draft Framework?
You should comment via the online form at: http://www.acrl.ala.org/acrlinsider/archives/9460
Photo by Sheila Webber: brilliant autumn leaf, November 2014
- How satisfied are you with the new definition of information literacy?
- How satisfied are you with each of the six frames?
- How satisfied are you with the opportunities to provide feedback to the task force on drafts of the Framework?
- How satisfied are you that the task force has been responsive to feedback provided on previous drafts of the Framework?
- OVERALL, how satisfied are you with the third draft of the proposed Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education?
- What one thing do you most want the Task Force members to know about the draft Framework?
You should comment via the online form at: http://www.acrl.ala.org/acrlinsider/archives/9460
Photo by Sheila Webber: brilliant autumn leaf, November 2014
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
cfp CILIP Conference 2015
There is a call for papers for the The CILIP Conference 2015 taking place 2-3 July 2015 in Liverpool, UK. The theme is Connect, debate, innovate. The four themes are: Information Management: building success; Information literacy and digital inclusion; Demonstrating value: what’s your impact?; Digital Futures and Technology.
Of the one most obviously relating to infolit it says "'People need the right skills, access, motivation and trust to get online and enjoy the benefits of digital inclusion. As more of our lives take place online those who are on the wrong side of the digital divide will be increasingly disadvantaged.’ (CILIP Statement on Digital Inclusion, September 2014). We are looking for papers that show how these challenges are bring overcome and innovative practice in all sectors that address the digital divide. Issues about learning and online learning (MOOCs and other matters) should be part of this strand."
Deadline for proposals is 5 January 2015. http://www.cilip.org.uk/cilip/events/cilip-conference-2015
Photo by Sheila Webber: giant remembrance poppy at Kings Cross Station on Sunday.
Of the one most obviously relating to infolit it says "'People need the right skills, access, motivation and trust to get online and enjoy the benefits of digital inclusion. As more of our lives take place online those who are on the wrong side of the digital divide will be increasingly disadvantaged.’ (CILIP Statement on Digital Inclusion, September 2014). We are looking for papers that show how these challenges are bring overcome and innovative practice in all sectors that address the digital divide. Issues about learning and online learning (MOOCs and other matters) should be part of this strand."
Deadline for proposals is 5 January 2015. http://www.cilip.org.uk/cilip/events/cilip-conference-2015
Photo by Sheila Webber: giant remembrance poppy at Kings Cross Station on Sunday.
Journal Club in Second Life: Information-seeking behaviour of prospective geography teachers
Join us in the virtual world Second Life for a one-hour discussion of an open-access article. Marshall Dozier (Edinburgh University, Pancha Enzyme in Second Life) leads a discussion on:
Bitso, C. & Fourie, I. (2014). Information-seeking behaviour of prospective geography teachers at the National University of Lesotho. Information Research, 19(3), paper 637. Available from http://InformationR.net/ir/19-3/paper637.html
When: Today! 12 November 2014 at 12 noon SL time, that's 8pm UK time.
Where: Infolit iSchool, in the virtual world Second Life. You need a SL avatar and the Second Life browser installed on your computer. Go to http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Infolit%20iSchool/134/47/22
Everyone is welcome to join the one-hour discussion.
A Sheffield iSchool Centre for Information Literacy Research event.
Bitso, C. & Fourie, I. (2014). Information-seeking behaviour of prospective geography teachers at the National University of Lesotho. Information Research, 19(3), paper 637. Available from http://InformationR.net/ir/19-3/paper637.html
When: Today! 12 November 2014 at 12 noon SL time, that's 8pm UK time.
Where: Infolit iSchool, in the virtual world Second Life. You need a SL avatar and the Second Life browser installed on your computer. Go to http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Infolit%20iSchool/134/47/22
Everyone is welcome to join the one-hour discussion.
A Sheffield iSchool Centre for Information Literacy Research event.
Seminar: critical literacy for school librarians
Sarah McNicol is running a free half day workshop in Manchester, UK, on 25 November 2014, on critical literacy for school librarians. "Critical literacy has been described as a 'new basic'. It is a set of skills, dispositions and strategies intended to enable students “to challenge text and life as we know it” (McLaughlin & DeVoogd). This half day session will outline the ideas underpinning critical literacy, focusing on what it means for school librarians and they ways in which they support students in the evaluation of texts. It will also give you an opportunity to try out different ways of teaching critical literacy through the analysis of a variety of texts."
Places are limited, and can be booked at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/critical-literacy-for-school-librarians-tickets-13749393807
Photo by Sheila Webber: Poppy wreath, war memorial, Sheffield, November 2014
Places are limited, and can be booked at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/critical-literacy-for-school-librarians-tickets-13749393807
Photo by Sheila Webber: Poppy wreath, war memorial, Sheffield, November 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Perspectives on Student Research Skills in K-12 and Academic Communities
Easybib have released further results from their questionnaire survey of 1,182 school and academic librarians: Perspectives on Student Research Skills in K-12 and Academic Communities. A copy of the questionnaire isn't given, but the main results reported relate to librarians perceptions of learners' skills in evaluating websites (they mostly rate them as rudimentary or average) and the type of IL education given (i.e. is it: Combination (in class, in library), One-shot Only, In Development or non-existent). There were more "one shot" answers from academic librarians and more "none" answers from school librarians (e.g. 26% of "high school" librarians gave the response "no instruction"). The page where you can download the report is at http://info.easybib.com/perspectives-on-student-research-skills-ink-12-and-academic-communities (you have to give them your name and email address before you can download). They quote statistics of a survey of students too, but I can't see any results from that in this report. However, there are some results in the report released earlier in the year here http://info.easybib.com/trends-in-information-literacy-comparative-view e.g. comparing students' perceptions of whether they are good at evaluating websites with librarians' perceptions (though obviously the students don't necessarily some from the same institutions as the librarians, so there have to be caveats about the comparison).
Photo by Sheila Webber: Today is Remembrance Day in the UK. New wreaths and crosses were placed on the Sheffield Weston Park war memorial in the ceremony on Sunday.
Photo by Sheila Webber: Today is Remembrance Day in the UK. New wreaths and crosses were placed on the Sheffield Weston Park war memorial in the ceremony on Sunday.
Sunday, November 09, 2014
New articles: Researchers, Assessment; LibGuides; Copyright
The latest issue of the The Journal of Academic Librarianship (priced publication) includes the following:
- Exner, N. (2014). Research Information Literacy: Addressing Original Researchers' Needs. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 460-466.
- Turcios, M. et al (2014). How Much of Library and Information Science Literature Qualifies as Research? The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 473-479.
- Drabinski, E. (2014). Toward a Kairos of Library Instruction. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 480-485.
- Rodriguez, J. et al (2014). Copyright and You: Copyright Instruction for College Students in the Digital Age. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 486-491.
- Al-Shboul, M. and Abrizah, A. (2014). Information Needs: Developing Personas of Humanities Scholars. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 500-509.
- Oakleaf, M. (2014) A Roadmap for Assessing Student Learning Using the New Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 510-514.
- Dalton, M. and Pan, R. (2014). Snakes or Ladders? Evaluating a LibGuides Pilot at UCD Library. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 515-520.
- Brown, R. (2014). A Literature Review of How Videogames Are Assessed in Library and Information Science and Beyond. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 447-451.
The journal home page is here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00991333
Photo by Sheila Webber: beech leaves, November 2014
- Exner, N. (2014). Research Information Literacy: Addressing Original Researchers' Needs. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 460-466.
- Turcios, M. et al (2014). How Much of Library and Information Science Literature Qualifies as Research? The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 473-479.
- Drabinski, E. (2014). Toward a Kairos of Library Instruction. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 480-485.
- Rodriguez, J. et al (2014). Copyright and You: Copyright Instruction for College Students in the Digital Age. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 486-491.
- Al-Shboul, M. and Abrizah, A. (2014). Information Needs: Developing Personas of Humanities Scholars. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 500-509.
- Oakleaf, M. (2014) A Roadmap for Assessing Student Learning Using the New Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 510-514.
- Dalton, M. and Pan, R. (2014). Snakes or Ladders? Evaluating a LibGuides Pilot at UCD Library. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 515-520.
- Brown, R. (2014). A Literature Review of How Videogames Are Assessed in Library and Information Science and Beyond. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40 (5), 447-451.
The journal home page is here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00991333
Photo by Sheila Webber: beech leaves, November 2014
Friday, November 07, 2014
Science & Technology Section's Information Literacy chat, November 17th
The next Science & Technology Section's Information Literacy chat will be on November 17, 3pm-4pm US Eastern time, which is 8-9pm UK time. It will be held on Adobe Connect, and the chat room link is http://ala.adobeconnect.com/r3hvy6eliba/ Laksamee Putnam (Towson University) will be leading a chat on iPads: Enhancing library instruction or merely a computer substitute? "Interactive technology has found a place in the classroom. But is it making any difference in the way you teach? Come chat with STS, hear about a few ways other libraries are using iPads in information literacy instruction, and decide whether or not you view this technology as merely a computer substitute or an educational enhancement. Librarians with or without iPads are welcome to share their thoughts and ideas." The recommended reading is:
Cavanaugh, C., Hargis, J., Kamali, T., & Soto, M. (2013). Substitution to augmentation: faculty adoption of iPad mobile learning in higher education. Interactive Technology & Smart Education, 10(4), 270. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/ITSE-01-2013-0001
The organisers gave some useful tips for using AdobeConnect:
"If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before: Test your connection: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm and get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html
"Here are a few tips for using AdobeConnect:
- Adobe Connect has recently updated their software. When you log-in, you may notice a screen asking you to install the add-in. If you click “yes,” the update will install in about 20-30 seconds. You may need to complete the audio setup wizard after installing the add-in.
- Use Firefox, if possible -- Internet Explorer and Chrome seem to have some issues.
- Make certain you have an updated version of Flash.
- Only use PDF or PPT files.
- You will need a headset for VoIP. If you are using a machine with a built-in microphone, you will need to disable the built-in microphone and enable the microphone on your headset (a USB headset is best).
- Once you enter Adobe Connect (you will sign in as a guest -- so no log-in is needed), you will need to click on the speaker and microphone icons to activate -- both need to be GREEN.
- Please allow a few minutes to get in and test your audio, etc. before the start time.
- To test audio, click on ‘Meeting’ in upper left corner. Choose the audio set-up wizard. Click through every step, making sure the dropdown is set to your USB headset, and click through to the very last screen. IMPORTANT: You must click all the way through the audio wizard in order to save your selections."
Photo by Sheila Webber: last year's poppy wreaths on the Sheffield war memorial in Weston Park, November 2014.
Cavanaugh, C., Hargis, J., Kamali, T., & Soto, M. (2013). Substitution to augmentation: faculty adoption of iPad mobile learning in higher education. Interactive Technology & Smart Education, 10(4), 270. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/ITSE-01-2013-0001
The organisers gave some useful tips for using AdobeConnect:
"If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before: Test your connection: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm and get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html
"Here are a few tips for using AdobeConnect:
- Adobe Connect has recently updated their software. When you log-in, you may notice a screen asking you to install the add-in. If you click “yes,” the update will install in about 20-30 seconds. You may need to complete the audio setup wizard after installing the add-in.
- Use Firefox, if possible -- Internet Explorer and Chrome seem to have some issues.
- Make certain you have an updated version of Flash.
- Only use PDF or PPT files.
- You will need a headset for VoIP. If you are using a machine with a built-in microphone, you will need to disable the built-in microphone and enable the microphone on your headset (a USB headset is best).
- Once you enter Adobe Connect (you will sign in as a guest -- so no log-in is needed), you will need to click on the speaker and microphone icons to activate -- both need to be GREEN.
- Please allow a few minutes to get in and test your audio, etc. before the start time.
- To test audio, click on ‘Meeting’ in upper left corner. Choose the audio set-up wizard. Click through every step, making sure the dropdown is set to your USB headset, and click through to the very last screen. IMPORTANT: You must click all the way through the audio wizard in order to save your selections."
Photo by Sheila Webber: last year's poppy wreaths on the Sheffield war memorial in Weston Park, November 2014.
Wednesday, November 05, 2014
Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report 2014
A new Ofcom (the UK communications watchdog organisation) report was published in October, with a much statistical data about children's use of devices, the internet etc. Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report 2014. As usual, they are drawing on a relatively robust data set, including 1,660 interviews carried out with parents in May/June 2014. Just snatching some headlines from the executive summary "There has been a significant increase in access to, ownership of and use of tablet computers by children of all ages. In contrast, the incidence of TVs and games consoles in the bedroom is declining, while smartphone ownership remains steady. ... 12-15s are twice as likely to say they would miss their mobile phone than the TV, say they spend more time going online than watching television in a typical week, and say they prefer to socialise online rather than watch TV. In contrast, younger children still prefer TV to any other device, and spend more time in a typical week watching TV than doing any other media activity. ... Gender differences are evident from an early age. Differences include a preference for gaming among boys and for communicating online among girls. Parents also treat boys and girls differently, monitoring some aspects of girls’ online activity more closely than boys’" and particularly interesting for this blog "Older children are making judgements about the truthfulness of online content, including search engine results and how accurately people present themselves online." Extracting a paragraph from the section that goes into this in more detail "The number of 12-15s who believe that all of the information they see on websites used for school work or homework is true almost halved between 2013 and 2014: from 30% to 16%. Similarly, there was a two-fold increase in the number of children aged 12-15 who say that only some of the information is true (29% in 2014 vs. 12% in 2013). These findings indicate an increase in critical awareness for this age group." (p90)
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/other/research-publications/childrens/children-parents-oct-14/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Autumn park, November 2014
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/other/research-publications/childrens/children-parents-oct-14/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Autumn park, November 2014
Tuesday, November 04, 2014
Google hangout on Second Life, today
Later today I will be doing a Google hangout connected with Sheffield University's MOOC on Play. The hangout is here https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/109086094055155842002/events/ca6obdmjm677dt68lv9rd8sfso0 I'm an educator in the MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) and this week it focuses on Play in virtual worlds, specifically Second Life. The hangout is about helping people find their feet in Second Life.The time is 7pm UK time (which is 11am Second Life time, same as Pacific time in the USA, see http://tinyurl.com/qbu8onx for times elsewhere).
Sunday, November 02, 2014
PRIMO site of the month: Research Tracker
The latest PRIMO (Peer-Reviewed Instructional Materials Online) Site of the Month is Research Tracker produced by Jacalyn Kremer and Wit Messangnil (Fairfield University, USA). This site "gives students a framework by which to navigate the complex stages of research and writing and avoid last-minute research panic. This flexible tool can be used in conjunction with face-to-face instruction, in the online learning environment, or independently. Key features include: the calculation of steps with assigned due dates that can be migrated to a student's calendar; the ability to store documents and research in one place; customized content suggestions based on assignments; Creative Commons Licensing." The research tracker is at http://librarybestbets.fairfield.edu/researchtracker and an interview with the producers at http://www.ala.org/acrl/aboutacrl/directoryofleadership/sections/is/iswebsite/projpubs/primo/site
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves against the sky (photoshop effect: paint daubs)
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves against the sky (photoshop effect: paint daubs)
Saturday, November 01, 2014
IASL conference - CFP
There is a call for proposals for the 44th Annual International Conference and 17th International Forum on Research in School Librarianship (IASL conference), which will be held June 28- July 2, 2015, in Maastricht, The Netherlands. The title of the conference is: The school library rocks: living it, learning it, loving it. The main themes are:
- The school library as a space and place: meeting, sharing, discussing. Collaborative learning and growing.
- The school library as learning environment: 24/7 access to materials, resources, teachers, electronic learning environment and more.
- The school library as laboratory: experience and discovery in science, arts and media‐education.
- The school library as a window to the world: reading, writing and communication.
More info at http://iasl2015.org/call-for-papers/
Photo by Sheila Webber: remnants of Halloween at Sheffield University today (I hope....)
- The school library as a space and place: meeting, sharing, discussing. Collaborative learning and growing.
- The school library as learning environment: 24/7 access to materials, resources, teachers, electronic learning environment and more.
- The school library as laboratory: experience and discovery in science, arts and media‐education.
- The school library as a window to the world: reading, writing and communication.
More info at http://iasl2015.org/call-for-papers/
Photo by Sheila Webber: remnants of Halloween at Sheffield University today (I hope....)
Thursday, October 30, 2014
California Conference on Library Instruction - Call for Proposals
The California Conference on Library Instruction will be held on April 17 2015 at Sonoma State University Library, California, USA. It's theme is: Teaching and Reaching Your Students in Environments of Rapid Change. There is a call for proposals, with a deadline of November 26 2014. The conference "will explore new and practical ways to craft innovative experiences for learners. Think about the buzz words of today: maker, hack, design, engage, community, framework, scalable, ethical, sustainable, etc. These are some of the ways librarians are working with library instruction." Proposal form at http://bit.ly/presentCCLI
Photo by Sheila Webber: Day of the Dead installation by Latin American Society in the Students' Union, University of Sheffield, October 2014
Photo by Sheila Webber: Day of the Dead installation by Latin American Society in the Students' Union, University of Sheffield, October 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
An #ecil2014 roundup
Almost done with posts from the European Conference on Information Literacy held last week, but here are some useful links, including a few presentations.
- The conference website is at http://www.ecil2014.org/
- The official Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/ECIL2014
- The Twitter stream is https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23ecil2014
- I liveblogged the conference. You can find my posts at http://information-literacy.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/ecil2014
- Jane Secker did a blog post http://janesecker.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/ecil-2014-dubrovnik-sunshine-and-information-literacy/
- A couple of posts in Dutch from Monique Schoutsen http://theeheeftzoveelcharme.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/keynote-michael-eisenberg.html
Here are some links to presentations
- Kornelija Petr Balog and Ljiljana Siber University of Osijek, Croatia. Students of Law and E-Democracy: Are They Information Literate at All? http://www.slideshare.net/KornelijaPetr/ecil-14-petrsiber
- Marion Kelt, Senior Librarian, DDIL. SMIRK: the evolution of an IL training package http://www.slideshare.net/mke1/smirk-presentation-from-ecil2014 SMIRK itself is at http://www.gcu.ac.uk/library/SMIRK/Start.html
- Rebecca Kuglitsch, University of Colorado. More than a Citation Manager: Zotero for scalable embedded librarianship and instructional assessment http://www.slideshare.net/rkuglitsch/more-than-a-citation-manager-zotero-for-scalable-embedded-librarianship-and-instructional-assessment
- Lindsey McLean and Elisa Acosta, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, U.S.A. Taking Active Learning to the Next Level: Increasing Student Engagement by Blending Face-to-Face Instruction and Digital Learning Objects http://t.co/M8anG82QlK and here is the Radar Game http://electra.lmu.edu/TheRadarGame/story_html5.html?lms=1
- Ewa Rozkosz , Documentation and Information Specialist at University of Lower Silesia. Information and Media Literacy of Polish Children According to the Results of “Children of the Net” and “Children of the Net 2.0” Studies http://www.slideshare.net/EwaRozkosz/rozkosz-presentation-2
- Drew Whitworth , Senior Lecturer at University of Manchester Toward Radical Information Literacy http://www.slideshare.net/DrewWhitworth/toward-radical-information-literacy-invited-talk-at-ecil-2014-dubrovnik
My own presentations are on Slideshare:
- Information Literacy as a discipline: a contemporary perspective Sheila Webber and Bill Johnston http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/webber-johnston-ecil-2014-ss
- Digital Citizenship: Global Perspectives across age levels poster by Valerie Hill and Sheila Webber http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/final-ecil2014-revisedoct6
- Relating Research and Practice in Information Literacy Panel by Sheila Webber (University of Sheffield), Ola Pilerot (University of Borås), Louise Limberg (University of Borås), Bill Johnston (Strathclyde University) http://www.slideshare.net/SheilaWebber1/ecil-compilation
Photos by Sheila Webber: 1. cats in Dubrovnik; 2. a map showing where ECIL delegates came from
- The conference website is at http://www.ecil2014.org/
- The official Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/ECIL2014
- The Twitter stream is https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23ecil2014
- I liveblogged the conference. You can find my posts at http://information-literacy.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/ecil2014
- Jane Secker did a blog post http://janesecker.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/ecil-2014-dubrovnik-sunshine-and-information-literacy/
- A couple of posts in Dutch from Monique Schoutsen http://theeheeftzoveelcharme.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/keynote-michael-eisenberg.html
Here are some links to presentations
- Kornelija Petr Balog and Ljiljana Siber University of Osijek, Croatia. Students of Law and E-Democracy: Are They Information Literate at All? http://www.slideshare.net/KornelijaPetr/ecil-14-petrsiber
- Marion Kelt, Senior Librarian, DDIL. SMIRK: the evolution of an IL training package http://www.slideshare.net/mke1/smirk-presentation-from-ecil2014 SMIRK itself is at http://www.gcu.ac.uk/library/SMIRK/Start.html
- Rebecca Kuglitsch, University of Colorado. More than a Citation Manager: Zotero for scalable embedded librarianship and instructional assessment http://www.slideshare.net/rkuglitsch/more-than-a-citation-manager-zotero-for-scalable-embedded-librarianship-and-instructional-assessment
- Lindsey McLean and Elisa Acosta, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, U.S.A. Taking Active Learning to the Next Level: Increasing Student Engagement by Blending Face-to-Face Instruction and Digital Learning Objects http://t.co/M8anG82QlK and here is the Radar Game http://electra.lmu.edu/TheRadarGame/story_html5.html?lms=1
- Ewa Rozkosz , Documentation and Information Specialist at University of Lower Silesia. Information and Media Literacy of Polish Children According to the Results of “Children of the Net” and “Children of the Net 2.0” Studies http://www.slideshare.net/EwaRozkosz/rozkosz-presentation-2
- Drew Whitworth , Senior Lecturer at University of Manchester Toward Radical Information Literacy http://www.slideshare.net/DrewWhitworth/toward-radical-information-literacy-invited-talk-at-ecil-2014-dubrovnik
My own presentations are on Slideshare:
- Information Literacy as a discipline: a contemporary perspective Sheila Webber and Bill Johnston http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/webber-johnston-ecil-2014-ss
- Digital Citizenship: Global Perspectives across age levels poster by Valerie Hill and Sheila Webber http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/final-ecil2014-revisedoct6
- Relating Research and Practice in Information Literacy Panel by Sheila Webber (University of Sheffield), Ola Pilerot (University of Borås), Louise Limberg (University of Borås), Bill Johnston (Strathclyde University) http://www.slideshare.net/SheilaWebber1/ecil-compilation
Photos by Sheila Webber: 1. cats in Dubrovnik; 2. a map showing where ECIL delegates came from
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