Policy Brief on libraries and literacy; Soutenir les efforts nationaux d'alphabétisation: le rôle des bibliothèques; Aportes de las bibliotecas para contribuir a las iniciativas nacionales de alfabetización

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning's Libraries and literacy: Using libraries to support national literacy efforts - UIL Policy Brief 6 (December 2016) has been published in French, Spanish and Arabic. The brief is a 4 page document which "examines the role of libraries in supporting lifelong literacy. The policy brief looks at how libraries nurture early literacy skills up to advanced levels of literacy proficiency, and the need for libraries to be involved in policy dialogue connected to literacy. The publication goes further to highlight the fact that libraries at every level, local and national, should be well-resourced to serve their surrounding communities and users in order to create a successful learning environment."
Thanks to Lisa Krolak for guiding me to the two ways in which you can access the non-English versions
1) There is a catalogue entry that has links to all four documents (English, French, Spanish, Arabic) at http://www.unesco.org/ulis/cgi-bin/ulis.pl?catno=246778
2) There is a news page with information about the document. You can see this page in English, French or German (but not Arabic!), and each version just contains a link to the briefing in that language. The English version is at http://www.uil.unesco.org/literacy-and-basic-skills/libraries-and-literacy-using-libraries-support-national-literacy-efforts. If you want the Spanish or French versions, look to the top left of the home page, where it says "English Français Español" and click for the appropriate language.
Photo by Sheila webber: fountain, Sheffield Botanic Gardens, March 2017

Registration open: From Teaching to Learning: Context and Collaboration

Registration is open for the 16th Annual Information Literacy Summit, From Teaching to Learning: Context and Collaboration, taking place May 5, 2017, at DePaul University Library and Moraine Valley Community College Library, USA. The keynote speaker is Wendy Holliday, Head of Teaching, Learning, and Research Services at Cline Library, talking about Boundaries and sovereignties: Placing students at the center of information literacy. Information about Breakout Sessions is at http://informationliteracysummit.org/breakout-sessions/ Cost is $45 for attendees or $25 for presenters. The website is at http://informationliteracysummit.org/ Registration is here https://goo.gl/forms/narAg1zh0IV6hkDi1
Photo by Sheila Webber: spring in Sheffield Botanic Gardens, March 2017

Online Learning journal

Online Learning is a long established open access jornal. It is not specific to information literacy or librarians, but it is worth monitoring if you are engaged with online or blended learning. For example, the latest issue includes:
- Smith, S.U., Hayes, S. & Shea, P. (2017). A Critical Review of the Use of Wenger's Community of Practice (CoP) Theoretical Framework in Online and Blended Learning Research, 2000-2014. Online Learning, 21(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.24059/olj.v21i1.963
- Wingo, N.P., Ivankova, N. & Moss, J. (2017). Faculty Perceptions about Teaching Online: Exploring the Literature Using the Technology Acceptance Model as an Organizing Framework. Online Learning, 21(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.24059/olj.v21i1.761

Reecent papers: training in teaching; IL concepts; kindergarten children

Gammons, R., Inge, L. & Carroll, A. (2017). Sharing Our Success: Using a Teacher Training Program to Improve Information Literacy Instruction and Support MLIS Students. (full text paper, presented at the 2017 ACRL conference). http://hdl.handle.net/1903/19171 "A research library and an MLIS program have created a fellowship to develop future leaders in information literacy instruction. This conference paper presented at the Association of College and Research Librarians 2017 conference provides an overview of the fellowship’s curriculum and a discussion of the challenges and opportunities of working with an MLIS program. The paper concludes with results from the program’s first cohorts, including job placement rates for alumni, reflections from student participants, feedback from participating librarians, and lessons learned from fellowship directors."

Murphy, D. (2016) Dream of a common language: Developing a shared understanding of Information Literacy concepts. (full text of the paper presented at the ARL Assessment Conference). http://escholarship.org/uc/item/8fd4662m#page-1 "Librarians are an essential part of the diverse community of campus stakeholders focused on student success. Establishing a mutually understood and shared foundation of concepts is critical if we wish to collaborate successfully with these stakeholders on assessment projects and ultimately integrating information Literacy into campus learning outcomes and student success goals. The process of developing and normalizing a collectively accepted understanding of Information Literacy between librarians, faculty and institutional research partners was more of a challenge than anticipated and required research, discussion, documentation, and patience to achieve."


Chlapana, E. (2016). An intervention programme for enhancing kindergarteners' cognitive engagement and comprehension skills through reading informational texts. Literacy, 50, 125–132. doi: 10.1111/lit.12085. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/lit.12085/full (Priced)
"The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether systematic instruction of informational texts can enhance kindergarteners' cognitive involvement in text discussion and comprehension skills. The sample consisted of 15 children aged 5–6 years old in a kindergarten classroom located in a rural area in Rethymno, Crete. A four-phase intervention programme was implemented within a 2-month period. During the first phase, activities were carried out in order to familiarise children with the features of informational texts. During the subsequent phases, reciprocal teaching, What I know - What I want to learn - What I learned (KWL) practice and dialogic reading were used to help children comprehend text information, enhance their cognitive involvement in text discussion and train them in asking literal and inferential questions. The teacher's reading-aloud sessions were recorded and transcribed. Data showed that the intervention programme helped children recognise the features of informational texts, enhanced their cognitive involvement in text discussion and motivated them to demonstrate comprehension skills that are related to information processing."
Photo by Sheila Webber: spring, March 2017

Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies #critlib

Apologies for not blogging the very first issue of the  open access Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies more promptly! It came out last month, and this issue includes articles of particular relevance to information literacy:
- Contextualizing Information Behavior: A Methodological Approach by Nicole Marie Gaston
- Critical Pedagogy In Libraries: A Unified Approach by Melissa M. Gustafson
along with other articles such as:
- On “Diversity” as Anti-Racism in Library and Information Studies: A Critique by David James Hudson
- Mind the Gap: Towards the Integration of Critical Gerontology in Public Library Praxis by Nicole K. Dalmer
- Classification Along the Color Line: Excavating Racism in the Stacks by Melissa Adler
This first issue is at http://libraryjuicepress.com/journals/index.php/jclis/issue/view/1
Photo by Sheila Webber: magnolia stellata, Sheffield Botanic Gardens, March 2017

Global perspectives on Information Literacy

ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) Student Learning and Information Literacy Committee commissioned a report with perspectives from some non-USA countries on information literacy in those countries/regions: "We asked fifteen authors to reflect on research trends, models of information literacy,
theory and practice, the role of librarians, and envisioning the future of information literacy" (p. 145). There are contributions from authors based in Canada, Israel, New Zealand, México, the UK, Uganda, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Croatia and Norway; and also a summary, foreward and reflection. Some of the authors also presented at the ACRL conference last week.
ACRL Student Learning and Information Literacy Committee. (2017). Global perspectives on Information Literacy: Fostering a dialogue for international understanding. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/files/publications/whitepapers/GlobalPerspectives_InfoLit.pdf
Photo by Sheila Webber: Camellia, March 2017

Access and inclusion: Outcomes for consumers in vulnerable circumstances

There is a research report from Ofcom on issues for vulnerable people in the UK (for example those with learning difficulties abd those with other disabilities) in terms of access to communication technologies (the internet, mobile phones and tablet computers etc.)
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-sector-research/access-and-inclusion
"In this report, we present a range of data on the availability, take-up, use and affordability of communications services. This helps us understand how well the communications sector is meeting the needs of consumers whose circumstances make them vulnerable"

Blog-post journal club: Flipping the classroom in business and education one-shot sessions #ILread

The next blog-post journal club takes place on 30 March 2017 at 8pm UK time (3pm US Eastern time, 12 noon Pacific time). The article is:
Cohen, M.E., Poggiali, J., Lehner-Quam, A., Wright, R. & West, R. (2016). Flipping the classroom in business and education one-shot sessions: a research study. Journal of Information Literacy, 10(2), 40-63. http://dx.doi.org/10.11645/10.2.2127
The authors have written an introduction and posed some questions for the blog-post discussion.
Anyone can join this discussion. Participants aim to read at least some of the article in advance, then come along at 8pm BST and join in the discussion by adding comments to the lead blog post (which has the authors' introduction), which is here: http://infolitjournalclub.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/flipping-classroom-in-business-and.html
You can see how this works by looking at previous discussions on the blog at http://infolitjournalclub.blogspot.co.uk/

Webinar: Framework for Information Literacy: A Community College Showcase

The ACRL Student Learning & Information Literacy Committee is offering two free webinars

Framework for Information Literacy: A Community College Showcase. April 12 2017 12:00-1:00 pm US Central time, which is 6pm-7pm UK time. "This session will showcase the work of three community college librarians who have found recent success in using the Framework for Information Literacy in their practice." Speakers: Ellen Carey, Librarian & Assistant Professor, Santa Barbara City College; Carleen Huxley, Coordinator of Library Instruction, SUNY Jefferson Community College; Ann Roselle, Faculty Librarian at Phoenix College. Registration https://acrl.webex.com/acrl/onstage/g.php?MTID=ef836c92d1cd351f8e43679b6ce670cd0

Framework Freak-out: How to Stop Worrying and Learn to Live With the Framework. June 1 2017 12:00-1:00 pm US Central time, which is 6pm-7pm UK time.Speaker: Meredith Farkas, Faculty Librarian, Portland Community College (Sylvania Campus) "Librarians greeted the adoption of the Framework for Information Literacy with mixed emotions. Some discussions around the Framework make it seem like it has either doomed us all, requires a total reboot of our instruction programs, or that we need additional degrees in philosophy and instructional design to even understand it. The reality is not nearly so dire. In this presentation, Farkas, a pragmatist and long time instruction coordinator, will talk about how the Framework has enriched her work as one of many tools she relies on to inform her teaching, outreach, and assessment. She will also discuss approaches she and colleagues at Portland Community College have taken to embrace aspects of the Framework, particularly around outreach to disciplinary faculty." Registration https://acrl.webex.com/acrl/onstage/g.php?MTID=e642329730720e0ab7e7c13a00ae1d3dc
Photo by Sheila Webber: cherry blossom, March 2017

Teachmeet: Information Literacy and Making Judgements: from Brexit to The White House

There is a free Teachmeet at Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK, on 4 May 2017: Information Literacy and Making Judgements: from Brexit to The White House. It is sponsored by the CILIP Information Literacy Group. They are "looking for presenters and enthusiastic audience members": "We believe library and information professionals should make a significant contribution to addressing concerns about fake news, 'alternative facts' and echo chambers. We invite attendees to share their experiences of teaching, promoting and practicing Information Literacy at a challenging time for traditional media, reporting and information sharing." Register at http://bit.ly/2nivX9W
Photo by Sheila Webber: cherry blossom after rain (not fake, but photoshopped), March 2017

Information Literacy at #BOBCATSSS2017

BOBCATSSS is an annual library and information science conference, with particular involvement from LIS students. This year's BOBCATSSS took place in Tampere, Finland, 25-27 January, and the slides from conference presentations have been put online. It is an interesting collection, and includes some which are related to information literacy, including the one I've embedded below.

Susan Archambault - Virtually Together: Building an Online Information Literacy Community - BOBCATSSS 2017 from BOBCATSSS 2017

Webinar: Role of Information Scholars and Professionals in Responding to Fake News, Misinformation, and Propaganda

Heidi Julien (Professor and Chair of the Department of Library & Information Studies at the University at Buffalo) is presenting a webinar on 31 March 2017, at 1pm US Eastern time (which is 6pm UK time): The Role of Information Scholars and Professionals in Responding to Fake News, Misinformation, and Propaganda. It is free to members of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) and US $15 to others. It is sponsored by the ASIS&T Special Interest Group - Education. "In an era where fake news, misinformation, and propaganda are circulated rapidly via social media and destabilize traditional expertise and authority, information scholars and professionals are called upon to respond. We must engage in the public conversation about misinformation and its effects, and support those working to counteract it. Moreover, we need to educate future information professionals who can engage in these conversations and who can help others develop digital literacy skills. Perhaps now more than ever, digital literacy matters, not just as a skill set to enable citizens to analyze and evaluate the information they encounter; it is critical to many important social phenomena, including positive health outcomes (of particular importance when so much health information is now obtained online), workforce development, and participative governance. Increasingly, governments are delivering information and services only online, which requires citizens to be digitally literate in order to access that information. Digital literacy is also recognized as an essential competency for job performance, since information gathering, manipulation, and application are key work tasks. In light of the relevance and urgency of digital literacy, this webinar will explore ways we can educate information professionals to empower citizens to become discerning information consumers, and will explore the many challenges to the digital literacy agenda." Information is here and to register go to https://www.asist.org/product/webinar-the-role-of-information-scholars-and-professionals-in-responding-to-fake-news-information-and-propaganda/
Photo by sheila webber: cherry blossom, March 2017

Scamspotting: choose online safety

A new video from my University (Student Communications, University of Sheffield) to alert people to online scams (to clear out people's bank accounts etc.) - in the style of the original Trainspotting trailer. 



Scamspotting from Student Comms - Uni of Sheffield on Vimeo.

Health Literacy Place #healthlitevent

Today there is a health literacy event in Glasgow (follow at https://twitter.com/hashtag/healthlitevent?src=hash) and one site that was tweeted was the National Health Service (Scotland)'s Health Literacy Place. One thing I'll highlight on the site is the 2 page flyer on Health Literacy and finding information that was produced in December 2016 - I have copied the 2nd page here (it's a 2 page pdf). Although it is customised to Scotland, I imagine they would be happy to let other people use its ideas/design, if you contacted them for permission. It's at http://www.healthliteracyplace.org.uk/resource-library/article/h/health-care-support-worker-resource-health-literacy-and-finding-information/

#Citation Compass

A rather nice citation tool that was mentioned today in the blog post journal club conversation with Torunn Skofsrud Boger and Hanne Dybvik just now: the Citation Compass. I like the fact that it is all in one page: when you click on type of material (e.g. online thesis, book with one author) it pops up with the format for in text citation, reference citation and also how you would add it in EndNote. It was created by Norwegan librarians, but is in English. http://kildekompasset.no/references/apa-6th.aspx
Photo by Sheila Webber: more posters from the student Union elections

Defining and supporting the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning #SoTL #librarianSOTL

Following on from yesterday's post, there are publications on the Higher Education Academy's website on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Defining and supporting the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL): A sector wide study. The (2016) pack includes an "audit tool", a literature review, examples from different disciplines, examples of student engagement in SoTL etc. https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resource/defining-and-supporting-scholarship-teaching-and-learning-sotl-sector-wide-study
Photo by Sheila Webber: banner for the Sheffield University SU elections March 2017, banner for Mayeda Tayyab

Online discussion of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), April 6 and May 31 2017 #librarianSOTL #SOTL

The ACRL Student Learning & Information Literacy Committee and the ACRL Instruction Section have organised a two-part discussion on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). "This free series will provide the opportunity to engage with leading SoTL scholars to learn more about this exciting area of scholarly inquiry." More information at http://acrl.libguides.com/slilc/sotl
Part 1: Introduction to SoTL: April 6, 2017 1pm US Central Time, which is 7pm UK time. https://acrl.webex.com/acrl/onstage/g.php?MTID=ecc72615ecc5f67923e1c9654c9a2dad2 "Three SoTL practitioners will discuss what this movement is and how it ties into educational theories, practices, and instructional design. Discussion leaders: Nancy Chick (University of Calgary), Margy MacMillan (Mount Royal University), and Cara Bradley (University of Regina)."
Part 2: Applying SoTL in Your Work. May 31, 2017 1pm US Central time, which is 7pm UK time. https://acrl.webex.com/acrl/onstage/g.php?MTID=ed285e8903f56eb78e19f545386cc942e "This discussion builds on the information shared in the first session. The presenters will share practical strategies and examples of SoTL work in academic libraries, including how librarians can integrate it into their own practice. Discussion leaders: Nancy Chick (University of Calgary), Margy MacMillan (Mount Royal University), and Cara Bradley (University of Regina)."
Photo by Sheila Webber: spring, the Royal Standard, March 2017

Information Literacy Journal Club: 16 March: An assessment of library instruction: #ILRead

The next blog-post information literacy journal club discussion will be on 16 March at 8pm UK time (4pm US EST, 9pm Norwegian time). The article to be discussed is:
Torunn Skofsrud Boger, Hanne Dybvik, Anne-Lise Eng, Else Helene Norheim. (2016) An assessment of library instruction: its influence on search behaviour of first- and third-year students. Journal of Information Literacy, 10(2), 64-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.11645/10.2.2135
How does this discussion work?
Anyone can join this discussion! Participants aim to read at least some of the article in advance, then come along at 8pm BST and join in the discussion by adding comments to the starter blog post, where Torunn Skofsrud Boger has provide an introduction, at http://infolitjournalclub.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/an-assessment-of-library-instruction.html. You can see how this works by looking at previous discussions on the journal club blog
Photo by Sheila Webber: Birch leaves, Oslo, Norway, 2005

Online Roundtable Discussion: Outreach to International Students

The March 2017 Online Roundtable Discussions on Academic Outreach topics (organised by ULS Academic Outreach Committee) is on: Outreach to International Students and will take place on March 14, 15 and 16. "This month’s discussion will focus on how libraries approach outreach to international students. We will talk about reaching international students, customizing outreach based on the unique cultural and educational backgrounds of students, and how the library can help international students overcome challenges they face on campus. Come prepared to talk about what you’re doing, share ideas, successes, and lessons learned. Join us for a lively discussion and leave with great ideas to bring back to your library!"
Each discussion lasts 1 hour and be limited to 9 participants and 1 facilitator, hosted on Google Hangouts on Air/YouTube Live. The sessions will be recorded and posted to the ACRL ULS Academic Outreach Committee YouTube Channel.
You can sign up via ALA Connect http://connect.ala.org/node/264523
March 14 5pm UK time/ 10am US PST /12pm CST / 1pm EST
March 15 6pm/11am US PST /1pm CST / 2pm EST
March 16 7pm/ 12 noon US PST /2pm CST / 3pm EST
Note that the USA set clocks forward at the weekend, but many other countries did not, so the time difference is different from normal this week.
You need a gmail account to participate. Confirmation details and instructions for accessing the discussion will be sent to participants by email. Questions to ULS.AOC@gmail.com

#MILID yearbook: Opportunities for Media and Information Literacy in the Middle East and North Africa

The open access book has been published:
Abu-fadil, M., Torrent, J. and Grizzle, A. (Eds) (2016). Opportunities for Media and Information Literacy in the Middle East and North Africa. Gothenburg, Sweden: The International Clearinghouse on Children, Youth and Media. ISBN 978-91-87957-33-8
This is the latest MILID Yearbook (Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue). The chapters are:
- Magda Abu-Fadil: Introduction:
- Alton Grizzle: Preliminary Comparative Analysis of Media and Information Literacy in the MENA Region
- Jad Melki & Lubna Maaliki: Helping Arab Digital and Media Literacy Blossom. Three years of the Media and Digital Literacy Academy of Beirut (MDLAB)
- Jordi Torrent: Youth and Digital Media. Drafting a Landscape from Fez and Cairo
- Lucy Nuseibeh & Mohammed Abu Arqoub: An Overview from the Occupied Palestinian Territories
- Abdul Ameer Al-Faisal: An Iraqi Perspective
- Redouane Boujemaa: An Algerian Perspective
- Abdelhamid Nfissi & Drissia Chouit: A Moroccan Perspective
- Samy Tayie: An Egyptian Perspective
- Yasar Durra: A Jordanian Perspective
- Naifa Eid Saleem: An Omani Perspective
- Magda Abu-Fadil: A Lebanese Perspective
- Carmilla Floyd & Gabriella Thinz: Empowering Children and Youth in Tunisia
The page with links to all the MILID yearbooks is http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/media-development/media-literacy/global-alliance-for-partnerships-on-media-and-information-literacy/milid-network/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Seagulls over the Thames, December 2017

#iwd2017 #MIL for gender equality

UNESCO have a Women make the News initiative starting today (International Women's day). It includes emphasising that "Empowering citizens through media and information literacy (MIL), to advocate for gender equality is more important than ever" http://en.unesco.org/women-make-the-news-2017/get-involved They also promote the MIL CLICKS initiative at https://en.unesco.org/MILCLICKS
There's a live tour of the Open University Archives and Library at 12 noon UK time (which is 7am US Eastern time) for International Women's Day at http://minerva.open.ac.uk/georama/?video_play_id=Mzc0OA==&single_video=1

Webinar 14 March: Views on Information Literacy in Librarianship

This is a one hour webinar in which there are 3 presentations, which I think are all drawing on books published by the Chandos imprint of Elsevier (who are running the seminar). It is on March 14, 2017, at 3pm UK time, which is 7 am US Pacific time and 10am US Eastern time (not the usual time differences as it's the week when the US clocks have changed by other countries' haven't). The titles and speakers are as follows
Critical Thinking and Information Literacy
- Bill Johnston is an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Psychological Sciences and Health at the University of Strathclyde. Before retiring in 2010 he was Senior Lecturer and Assistant Director at Strathclyde’s Centre for Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement.
- Anthony Anderson is a Senior Teaching Fellow in Psychology at the University Strathclyde, where he is also Vice-Dean (Academic) of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. He lectures on selected topics in the Psychology of Thinking and in Artificial Intelligence.
This will be drawing on material from their book: Anderson, A. and Johnston, B. (2016). From Information Literacy to Social Epistemology: Insights from Psychology. Chandos.


Science Information Literacy and the Role of the Academic Librarian
- Svetla Baykoucheva is Chemistry and Life Sciences Librarian at the University of Maryland College Park. She holds a MS in Chemistry, a PhD in Microbiology, and a library degree. Her current research interests focus on information literacy, management of scientific information, and scientific communication. This may be drawing on this book


Information Literacy Skills in the Research Process
- Kari-Mette Walmann Hidle is associate professor at Faculty of Social Science at Agder University. She researches questions of plurality and unity and their ethical consequences in legislative processes and professional practices, and lectures in the vocational studies.
- Hilde Johannessen is the head of section for Teaching and Research services at Agder University Library. Her work is concentrated on library instruction, research support and knowledge management. I think that draws on this book
To register go here: https://elsevier.webex.com/elsevier/onstage/g.php?MTID=e89e4518dab995f6101162813c55bb3eb
Photo by Sheila Webber: Bill Johnston

New articles: ECIL; Scholarship as conversation; Proficiences for evaluation/ assessment; Digital scholarship

The latest issue of open-access journal College and Research Libraries News (volume 78 (3) March 2017) includes:
- Loriene Roy, Serap Kurbanoğlu, Diane Mizrachi, and Sonja Špiranec: The European Conference on Information Literacy: An international research-practice nexus
- Kathy Shields and Christine Cugliari: “Scholarship as Conversation”: Introducing students to research in nonprofit studies
- Merinda Kaye Hensley and Steven J. Bell: Digital scholarship as a learning center in the library: Building relationships and educational initiatives
- ACRL Proficiencies for Assessment Librarians and Coordinators: Approved by the ACRL Board of Directors at ALA Midwinter Meeting, January 2017 [assessment means "evaluation, not assessment of student learning, here]
Go to http://crln.acrl.org/content/78/3.toc

#WILU2017 registration open

Registration has just opened for the WILU 2017 conference Engage | Expand | Explore. WILU is the annual Canadian conference "related to information literacy and teaching and learning in library settings." It will take place May 23-May 25 2017, at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Keynote speakers are Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba and Jessie Loyer, Librarian at Mount Royal University in Calgary. There are lots of very interesting-looking sessions on the programme! Go to https://wilu2017.library.ualberta.ca/registration/ to register. Go to https://wilu2017.library.ualberta.ca/program/ for the conference programme and the main website is at https://wilu2017.library.ualberta.ca/
Illustration - photo of a poster created by Nancy Goebel (University of Alberta, Augustana Library) - a little more info here

Researching learners' experiences and uses of technology using action research #LERMOOC

This MOOC, which is about using action research to improve learning and teaching, has an excellent series of teams of educational developers and researchers facilitating it. It is a free MOOC. "We have chosen to focus on one research approach – action research – as a way of conducting research into learners' experiences of technologies. In this course, you will work on a plan for a small-scale action research project in preparation to write and publish about student learner experience. You will consider why we need learner experience research and follow a series of activities to guide you through the process." https://platform.europeanmoocs.eu/course_researching_learners_experienc
Photo by Sheila Webber: moon and tree, January 2017

cfp Learning Social Justice through Critical Information Literacy

There is a call for papers for the one-day conference (July 31 2017) Learning Social Justice through Critical Information Literacy which will take place at Glendale Community College, Glendale, CA, USA, as the 4th Annual Lifelong Information Literacy (LILi) conference. Proposals for either 20-minute presentations or 10-minute lightning talks are wanted. The deadline for abstracts is April 30 2017. "We are living in a time of alternative facts, fake news, and information poverty. The will address practical teaching strategies and tools for you. You will feel more confident about including social justice through the lens of critical information literacy in your teaching. "Critical information literacy differs from standard definitions of information literacy (ex: the ability to find, use, and analyze information) in that it takes into consideration the social, political, economic, and corporate systems that have power and influence over information production, dissemination, access, and consumption” (Gregory & Higgins, 2013). While the new ACRL Framework for academic libraries does not have a social justice frame, it provides structure to address many issues including authority, power structures, voices represented in scholarly conversation, as well as those that are not included. How can we create safe spaces for students and community members in all types of libraries, in order to learn about power structures influencing information, critically evaluating it, and advocating for information equality and fairness for all?" There is further information here http://campusguides.glendale.edu/lili and the proposal form is here: https://goo.gl/forms/l0r2WzBXqkFzMtRL2
Photo by Sheila Webber: small boats on the Thames, December 2016, I'm assuming that California in July will be blue and sunny

IFLA's How to Spot Fake news poster, in many languages

The poster that the International Federation Of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) produced on, How to spot fake news (shown here) is available in many languages, including Japanese, Latvian, Portuguese, Romanian, Swedish, Turkish and Ukrainian. In each case there is a jpg and a pdf, and IFLA are happy for people to use and share them. Go to http://www.ifla.org/publications/node/11174

This graphic is listed on the Ukrainian anti-fake-news website StopFake and was shown (yesterday) in a CNN feature on the Ukrainian site (though they didn't mention IFLA).

#ACRL Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy Webinars

The UK's CILIP Information Literacy Group (ILG) has scheduled the ACRL Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy Webcast Series. Each is one hour and includes time for questions and discussion. They are on: March 3 2017 (Crossing Paths: An Introduction to the Intersections); April 4 2017 (Creating Learning Experiences at the Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy) and May 5 2017 (Talking Points: Strategies for Building Collaborative Partnerships at the Intersections). They are all at 3pm UK time, 10am US Eastern time. They are free to ILG members, and to others cost £25 per webcast or £50 the 3. The speakers are Emma Molls, Publishing Services Librarian at University of Minnesota and Michelle Reed, Open Education Librarian at the University of Texas at Arlington. This is part of an ongoing initiative, for which the website is here: http://acrl.ala.org/intersections/
"In recent years the Information Literacy Group (ILG) has seen a rise in dedicated library support for researchers, as well as increasing support from other areas of universites, to support publication and Scholarly Communication. This overlap between general research support, library specific research support, and general academic liaison work has resulted in some interesting opportunities and duplications in work. The ILG sees Scholarly Communication as a key part of Information Literacy, so is pleased to explore these overlaps in these series of webinars, with the help of our presenters from the ACRL. This series of webinars will suit any higher education librarians particular those involved in teaching and learning, academic liaison, or research support."
Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/intersections-of-scholarly-communication-and-information-literacy-tickets-31316034101?aff=eac2
The blurb for the first one (March 3) says "Following the 2013 publication of ACRL’s white paper on the intersections of scholarly communication and information literacy, interest in the connection between these two critical areas of librarianship has grown tremendously. The first webcast in this three-part series explores common definitions of the two topics; analyzes the intersections and objectives presented in the white paper and in subsequent publications; offers practical examples of librarianship at the intersections; and discusses partnerships that advance outreach and education initiatives. This webcast provides participants with a shared theoretical foundation on which the rest of the series is built."
Photo by Sheila webber: Intersecting branches, January 2017