Webinar: Moodle for Education and Training

A webinar organised on 10 December 2020 at 5pm CET (which is, e.g., 4pm Uk time, 11am US Eastern time) by the IFLA SET (International Federation of Library and Information Associations: Education & Training Section)- Moodle for Education and Training. "Are you thinking about using or currently using Moodle for Education and Training? Join us as four speakers share their experiences about Moodle. Joanne Rodger will talk about using Moodle in public libraries and non profit sector. Dave Laurie will talk about supports for users (instructors and students/learners) to be successful in the Moodle environment. Kais Abid will talk about making Moodle work for you including sharing plug-ins that help specific organizations make the best use of Moodle. Jerine Pegg will talk about research with online instructors who use Moodle and share implications to support instructors as they teach and learn online." In English, with text translation into other IFLA Languages. Registration at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I47xEHslQ6-2zJrhiQC86Q

Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn tree, November 2020

Manifesto per l’Information Literacy

Published a few years ago, but I had only just come across it: the Italian Library Association's working group on information literacy (Associazione Italiana Biblioteche, Gruppo di studio nazionale AIB sulla Information Literacy (GLIT) produced a Manifesto per l’Information Literacy https://www.aib.it/struttura/commissioni-e-gruppi/gruppo-literacy/ilmanifesto/ (in Italian, obviously)

Survey: please complete and retweet TODAY! #MILCLICKS

Today (27th November) is the final day for the UNESCO Global Survey on Media and Information Literacy Developments. The more responses the better, so please take the time to fill this in and tell others! In particular it is important if you are connected to any kind of institution or association, and they need to collect information from as many countries as possible. Go to https://en.unesco.org/news/take-our-global-survey-media-and-information-literacy-developments (the link is halfway down the page)

New articles: historical perspecive on fact checking; transcendental information

The latest issue of open access journal Libres (volume 30, Issue 1) features: 

- Gaining Historical Perspective on Political Fact-Checking: The Experience of the United States by James W. Cortada and William Aspray 

- What is Transcendental Information? A Conceptual Paper by Yazdan Mansourian "The paper introduces transcendental information as a subjective and contextual concept to provide insights on lesser explored corners of the information behaviour scholarship. This concept is compared with existing theories and concepts in the information behaviour area. ... This conceptual paper is based on a critical literature review of human information behaviour, and reflects on some key concepts in the field, including the nature of information, information needs, information seeking and sharing. The paper also provides a selective literature review of the serious leisure perspective to contextualise the analysis. ... It is found that transcendental information usually has an aesthetic and intellectual essence. It may be expressed in various imaginative forms and can appear in different non-textual and embedded formats. Moreover, it can generate joyful and inspiring impacts. The paper refers to serious leisure as an exemplary setting to contextualise transcendental information within a relevant and well-established theoretical framework." 

 Go to https://www.libres-ejournal.info/all-issues/volume-30-issue-1/

Photo by Sheila Webber: apples and pears, October 2020

UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Alliance Awards 2020

Last week, the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Alliance Awards 2020 were announced. First place went jointly to Michelle Ciulla-Lipkin, representing the USA's National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) and Willice Onyango representing the Youth Cafe Limited in Kenya. Joint second place went to Silvia Bacher representing the Las Otras Voces, Comunicacion para la Democracia (LOV) in Argentina and USA's Sam Wineburg, working with who supports media literacy "lateral reading" skills and tools to schools. Joint third place went to Carlos Lima, who created an educational programme within the Imprensa Jovem (Youth Press) organisation and Syed Ommer Amer, who founded the Daastan institution in Pakistan. More information at https://en.unesco.org/news/all-candidates-are-winners-unesco-media-and-information-literacy-alliance-awards-2020

Lake-Sumter State College Information Literacy Conference

At 8.15-4.30 US Eastern time (so e.g. 1.15pm-9.30pm UK time) on January 6th 2021, Lake-Sumter State College (USA) is holding a online free Information Literacy Conference. The conference includes sessions about the IL programme at Lake-Sumter (which can be interesting as an example of how one institution intergrates IL) and also sessions which look more broadly useful e.g. "Setting Students Up for Success: Incorporating Information Literacy Through Collaboration", "Crafting a Research Assignment: The Good, the Bad, and the Confusing". Presenters include librarians and faculty. Further information on the conference programme and registration (there is a link to each on this page): https://lssc.libwizard.com/f/IL_Conference and more information about the Quality Enhancement Programme that IL seems to be a core lement of at the college at http://www.lssc.edu/qep

Photo by Sheila Webber: white lily, October 2020

Cfp: Critical Approaches to Libraries Conference 2021 #CALC2021

The Critical Approaches to Libraries Conference 2021 takes place provisionally on 5-6th May 2021, and is likely to be online. The Call for Papers Stage 1 has been announced. "This stage is reserved for presenters from marginalised and/or underrepresented groups (a complete list of eligible groups can be found on the CfP page http://calc.coventry.domains/participate/call-for-papers/). The closing date for Stage 1 is Sunday 10th January 2020 23.59 UK time. The second stage CfP will be open to all and will start in January 2021."

Webinar - Being open: taking your Library teaching online

A CILIP London event is a webinar on 25th November 2020, 5pm-6pm UK time, Being open: taking your Library teaching online (a Zoom link will be provided). Presenters are Amanda Closier and Fiona Durham. It is "an event looking at the way Open University Librarians deliver online teaching, both in live tutorials and authored activities, and how you might adapt our experiences for your own institution. We will be sharing examples from both our live teaching and authored activities. This session is aimed specifically (but certainly not exclusively) at librarians outside an HE context. Aims of this session: Give examples of how to make live online teaching more engaging; Think about the benefits of synchronous vs asynchronous teaching; Be introduced to examples of asynchronous activities and how we integrate them." The cost is £5, or £3 to CILIP members (remember to sign in before starting the billing process!) To register go here https://www.cilip.org.uk/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1447669&group=201291

Photo by Sheila Webber: a London park, November 2020

Webinar: Privacy Literacy Reboot: Grounding Practice in Theory

On December 4 2020, at 2pm US Eastern time, which is 7pm UK time, there is a virtual panel discussion: Privacy Literacy Reboot: Grounding Practice in Theory. It is moderated by Alexandria Chisholm and Sarah Hartman-Caverly (Pennsylvania State University) with panelists Symphony Bruce (American University), Claire Lobdell (Greenfield Community College), and Andrew Wesolek (Vanderbilt University). 

"With growing social justice issues related to algorithmic bias and the disparate impact of surveillance, it is more important than ever for librarians to assume leadership in advocating for and educating about privacy literacy (PL). Participants will gain working knowledge of contemporary privacy challenges and solutions to build professional self-efficacy, access the moderators’ PL toolkit featuring resources to develop future PL programming, and leave inspired to lead PL education and advocacy initiatives." 

Register at https://ala-events.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ro8T86USTjuHxHLZ8bEHTQ Discussion questions and background reading at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hFn7bP_oi_qjSQG4FRHEIUkYIsYr82LS/view?usp=sharin: one of the readings is - Hartman-Caverly, S., & Chisholm, A. (2020). Privacy literacy instruction practices in academic libraries: Past, present, and possibilities. IFLA Journal. open access https://scholarsphere.psu.edu/resources/6e465f98-fc36-478e-bba5-3f29c52a7632

Photo by Sheila Webber: winter branches, with birds, November 2020

Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) awards

Nominations are sought for the LIRT Librarian Recognition Award (for librarians) and the LIRT Innovation in Instruction Award (for libraries). Deadline is 15 January 2021 for both awards. These are presented by the American Library Association Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT), but none of the criteria mention restriction to North America, so I think librarians from any country can apply, and the awards are also open to any type of library. 

The LIRT Librarian Recognition Award "is given to acknowledge a librarian's contribution to the development, advancement, and support of information literacy and instruction. The award is open to any librarian who participates in instruction/information literacy activities in any type of library. Instruction need not be the main focus of their position." Elements wich are considered are: Contributions to library literature; Key role in the creation of an instruction/information literacy program or project; Impactful participation within professional organizations at local, regional, national, and/or international levels. You get a $1,000 cash award, a plaque, and a $500 travel stipend to be used to attend the ALA Conference. 

The LIRT Innovation in Instruction Award "is given to acknowledge a Library's contributions to the development, advancement, and support of information literacy instruction.... Practice(s) will be prioritized over scholarship with preference for innovative practices that are low-cost and can be easily reproduced elsewhere." It will have done something like: "Revamped its public instruction program in response to a new technology, an assessment report, etc.; Initiated a public program that utilizes best practices of instruction in combination with new methods of delivery; Created an original type of instruction." The prizes are the same as for the other award. 

For full information go to http://www.ala.org/rt/lirt/awards

Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn roses, October 2020.

Featured Teaching Librarian: Yvonne Mery

The ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) Instruction Section Teaching Methods Committee periodically interviews a librarian involved in teaching. You can find the latest interview, with Yvonne Mery (University of Arizona) here, and there are links to the previous interviews here: https://acrl.ala.org/IS/category/istm/featured-teaching-librarian/

#lisrival presentations on Syrian Information Literacy; public libraries & citizenship; e-legal deposit; school library provision

RIVAL is a collaborative network of Scotland-based Library and Information Science (LIS) researchers and practising library and information professionals interested in maximising the impact and value of library and information science research. They are having a closed meeting on 19 November, but video presentations and some other resources are already available to all. These include 

- A keynote from my colleague in the Information School, University of Sheffield, Dr Leo Appleton: Public library services and citizenship: a longitudinal analysis of roles, impact, and value 

- Syrian new Scots’ information literacy way-finding practices: Dr Konstantina Martzoukou and Professor Simon Burnett (Robert Gordon University) 

- Digital library futures: the impact of e-legal deposit in the academic sector: Dr Paul Gooding (University of Glasgow) with Dr Frankie Wilson (Bodleian Libraries) 

- Turning school library provision digital and return to school in times of COVID19: Hayley Lockerbie 

Go to https://lisrival.com/rival-events/event-3/

Project Information Literacy seeking a part-time Fellow

Project Information Literacy is seeking a PIL Fellow, who must be based in the USA. You are expected to work 6-8 hours (remotely) a week between January and June 2021, and the payment is a US $500 honorarium to be paid at the end of the Fellowship in June 2021. The deadline for applications is 10 December 2020. "The PIL 2021 Fellow will work virtually on a brand new initiative, the “PIL Provocation Series.” The purpose of this occasional series is to provide the library and higher education fields with an OA forum for formalizing and voicing pressing information literacy-related issues, ideas, and concerns while raising solutions or new ways of thinking for plotting a way forward. The goal of the web-based publications is to create better teaching and learning opportunities for students, librarians, and educators, while identifying new directions that inform future research." For more details about the Provocation Series go to https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CmAfjXSaOWd5dEI3xZ-2bSBIWmTbQ9mtNCtBHlXahV8/view More detils of the Fellowship and an application form go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf20zSuhg9YQvk9_265cR7PZA-NbIrJr4YjrcCYt0wX-FyfZA/viewform

The FOSIL Group

An interesting group that I haven't blogged about directly is the FOSIL group, which developed the FOSIL model "a model of the inquiry process, an evolving continuum of specific and measurable skills that enable each of the stages in the inquiry process" and which has a website which hosts thoughtful discussion and "a growing collection of freely available resources that develop these skills within the inquiry process." Based on Barbara Stripling's model, the FOSIL (Framework Of Skills for Inquiry Learning) model has the stages: Connect; Wonder; Investigate; Construct; Express; Reflect. Pam McKinney previously blogged a conference session that talked about its use. Their website is at https://fosil.org.uk

#PIDLit

I'm not too sure about the acronym (perhaps it doesn't call up the same word for Americans?), but the concept of PIDLit is interesting "Public Interest Data Literacy (PIDLit) weds Public Interest Technology and Data Literacy. Students who are skilled in finding, evaluating, analyzing, and using data are better equipped to serve the public good. Communities need thoughtful and well-prepared data experts who can evaluate and use data for informed decision making for the public good, while being ever mindful of the ethical implications that go along with big data collection and increased surveillance." 

Georgia State University is recruiting a PIDLit Fellow who "will take the lead on developing a curriculum for first-year students at Georgia State’s main campus and two-year Perimeter College around data literacy and promoting data careers for the public good. GRAs and undergraduate Peer Leaders will assist with program development, outreach, and instruction. The Fellow will coordinate outreach and marketing efforts, including the hosting of webinars with other universities in order to gain insights and share experiences in reaching undergraduates". (dealine for applications is 10 December) They are also recruiting a graduate research assistant. More information at https://research.library.gsu.edu/PIDLit  

Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn berries, Sheffield Botanics, October 2020

New articles: underserved students; comparing student competencies; collaboration

Foskey, A., & Roper, A. (2020). Constructing authority: Using the ACRL Framework to connect with underserved students. College & Research Libraries News, 81(10), 508. https://doi.org/10.5860/crln.81.10.508 "At the community college level, rethinking library instruction in light of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education often feels like a puzzle. ... In this column, we outline our library’s outreach efforts to engage with two intersecting and underserved groups: returning adult students and students in the LGBTQ+ community.  ... At our library, engaging with the Framework provided an opportunity to design innovative instruction and programming."

Głowacka, E., Kisilowska, M., & Paul, M. (2020). Patterns of Differentiation of Students’ Competencies: A Comparative Study. College & Research Libraries, 81(7), 1061. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.81.7.1061 "The aim of the project is threefold. First, it offers a comparative analysis of the information literacy skills of Polish and Spanish students, regarding both their self-assessment and belief in the importance of information literacy. Second, it focuses on differences and unique IL needs of students of courses rooted in social sciences and/or humanities. And third, due to these differences, it discusses the role of academic librarians in profiled IL training, integrated with the specific courses. Quantitative methodology was applied. The comparative study covered subgroups of humanities and social science students from Poland and Spain. Competencies in information searching, processing, evaluation, and communication/dissemination were taken into account. The results indicate some common ways of perception of valuing information competencies and major differences in assessment of IL self-efficacy. Students’ reluctance to visit libraries is another argument to enhance profiled IL training being realized in close cooperation of academic librarians and the faculty."

Tran, N., & Chan, E. (2020). Seeking and Finding Research Collaborators: An Exploratory Study of Librarian Motivations, Strategies, and Success Rates. College & Research Libraries, 81(7), 1095. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.81.7.1095 "This exploratory study explores librarians’ motivations, strategies, and their perceived or relative success rates for finding collaborations on research projects or library initiatives. Survey results indicate that the most prevalent motivators for seeking a collaborator were to acquire expertise that one lacked, sustain research interest, and obtain a sounding board. Workplace culture, being open to collaborations, and attending conferences and meetings were the top selected strategies for finding research collaborators with the highest relative success rates."

There is also a book review of Julien, H., Gross, M. & Latham, D. (2020). The Information Literacy Framework: Case Studies of Successful Implementation. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield (ISBN 978-1-5381-2144-3) Photo by Sheila Webber: remembrance poppies and sunlight, November 2020

Tips and trends: Zoom for Library Instruction: Benefits and Considerations

The latest in the short Tips & Trends guides series (each a few pages with links) is Zoom for Library Instruction: Benefits and Considerations by Meg Grotti and Jamie Johnson, which "explores how the Covid-19 pandemic has altered library instruction and how Zoom can be used as to build classroom community and deliver synchronous instruction. The series is published by the Instructional Technologies Committee of the ACRL Instruction Section. Download the guide at https://bit.ly/tirpsandtrendsf20

Photo by Sheila Webber: knitted remembrance day poppies, November 2020

Updated call: WILU 2021: Visions of the Possible

The 2021 WILU (Canadian information literacy) conference will take place online, June 17-25 2021. There is an updated call for presentations from Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) colleagues with review beginning on 18 December 2020. They say "Academic institutions, including libraries, continue to fall short with representing our diverse communities. The academic environment continues to favour white people, as they hold the majority of academic roles, positions of power, and decision-making capabilities. The WILU 2021 Steering Committee has reflected on and discussed the outcomes of these imbalances. One change going forward is a new call for presentations from our BIPOC colleagues. The WILU Steering Committee believes that it is crucial to augment, amplify, and honour these voices. 

Therefore, we are adding space to our program, to ensure that our conference is more inclusive. The WILU 2021 Programming Committee is now inviting proposal submissions from BIPOC library professionals. Speakers may report on original research, completed projects, instructional programs, innovative projects, or other information literacy initiatives. Discussions of pedagogy, learning theory, and educational philosophy are also acceptable. Participants may represent diverse experiences or points of view." 

Presentations and panels are sought. Submit using this online form.

Final cfp #LILAC21

The call for papers for LILAC (the UK information literacy conference, taking place 7-9 April 2021) closes on 12 November 2020 5pm UK time. The current plans are for it to take place at Manchester Metropolitan University, but, they say "are closely monitoring the current COVID situation. We are exploring an online option should things change". "LILAC welcomes proposals which address information literacy from all sectors and contexts. For LILAC 2021 we invite you to present on any aspect of information literacy, there are no specific themes. We ask that your presentation makes explicit reference to your innovative practice or research in information literacy. All submissions to the conference are peer reviewed before acceptance." 

The options are: Micro-teach (15 minutes long); Masterclass (30 or 60 minutes); Workshops (60 minutes); Short presentation (30 mins inc questions); Long presentation (60 mins inc questions); Panel Discussion (60 mins). Go to

https://www.lilacconference.com/lilac-2021/call-for-presentations

The role of public pedagogy, open education and information literacy in a rapidly changing world

Sheila MacNeill presented an interesting keynote at the CILIP Scotland conference, on The role of public pedagogy, open education and information literacy in a rapidly changing world. The slides are embedded below and she blogs about it here: https://howsheilaseesit.net/digitalcapability/the-role-of-public-pedagogy-open-education-and-information-literacy-in-a-rapidly-changing-world-cilips-2020-keynote/ noting that "In my keynote I wanted to focus on the role of information and public pedagogy and the direct relationship they have on each other. In our increasingly confused world ensuring that everyone has the capacity and opportunities (both in digital and physical spaces) to find, share and critique information is increasingly important, if not urgent"

She also refers to a recent article: MacNeill, S., Johnston, B. and Smyth, K. (2020). Critical Engagement for Active Participation: The Digital University in an Age of PopulismNew Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 115-127. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20372
(there is also an open access version here). "In this article, the authors describe a new vision of open education, a “public pedagogy,” that can respond to both the neoliberal university and contemporary rightwing media."

 

The role of public pedagogy, open education and information literacy in a rapidly changing world from Sheila MacNeill

Online course: Introduction to Universal Design for Learning

Starting next month is a Library Juice Academy online course: Introduction to Universal Design for Learning, running from 7 December 2020 to 3 January 2021 (so, something for those of you unsure of how to occupy yourselves during a lockdown Christmas). The cost is US $175.00. "This four-week course will introduce participants to the principles and practices of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The UDL framework provides an approach to designing meaningful learning environments that support learning variability in instructional settings, and creates a learning environment that supports all learners by removing barriers to learning before the learner encounters the barrier." It is taught by Liz Johns, the Teaching and Learning Librarian at Goucher College in Baltimore, USA.

Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves, October 2020

ACRL Instruction Section newsletter

The Association of College & Research Libraries Instruction Section newsletter (vol 37 no 2) has been published. It has short articles on Using Canvas Commons; Adding Learning Units to Canvas Commons; & Teaching Online with Active Learning Tools, and also includes information on the ACRL Framework Sandbox (https://sandbox.acrl.org/) Go to http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/aboutacrl/directoryofleadership/sections/is/iswebsite/projpubs/newsletter/is_fall2020.pdf - the newsletter home page is at https://acrl.ala.org/IS/about-is-2/instruction-section-newsletters/

Photo by Sheila Webber: Sheffield Botanics, October 2020