Information literacy for a sustainable career in engineering and technology

Information literacy has become an important skill for undergraduate students due to societal changes that have seen information become a valuable commodity, the need for graduates to become lifelong learners to remain effective across their working lives, and the recognition by many stakeholders that information literacy is an underpinning generic skill for effective learning in higher education. Important elements in the design and delivery of information literacy training include the collaborative process between library and academic staff, the need to link generic information literacy skills into the specific discipline context of the students, and catering for a wide diversity in the student body including off-campus students. This paper describes a sequence of activities designed to help students learn and practice information literacy skills that have been purposefully designed and integrated into a first-year engineering and technology study unit as a core element of the unit syllabus.

Integration of information literacy training into engineering and technology education

Information literacy has become an important skill for undergraduate students due to societal changes that have seen information become a valuable commodity, the need for graduates to become lifelong learners, and the recognition that information literacy is an underpinning generic skill for effective learning in higher education. This paper describes a sequence of purposefully designed activities to help students learn and practice information literacy skills that were integrated into a first-year engineering and technology study unit as a core element of the unit syllabus. A formal evaluation of these activities was planned and undertaken in semester 1 2003.

It takes more than breadcrumbs to learn generic skills : collaborating to improve information literacy

The effective teaching and learning of generic skills is becoming an important component of undergraduate education with the introduction of graduate attribute programmes in some Australian universities. Research shows that contextualised learning of these skills is important, but is a discipline-specific context sufficient to ensure student success in acquiring these skills? This paper studies the effectiveness of information skills
learning by a group of undergraduates using Brookfield’s concept of critical reflection and Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ). Most students reported positive experiences where the learning environment encouraged a deep approach to learning and negative experiences where that environment encouraged a surface approach. To ensure that students’ approach to
learning is appropriate for achieving the level of information literacy required of graduates, the study recommends the integration of information skills learning into course curricula through the close collaboration of academic and library staff.

The final piece of the puzzle : assessment of information literacy in graduate medical students

Deakin University graduate entry medical students come from a varied knowledge base with regard to information research.

Assessment for the learning outcomes of information literacy modules will help to determine effective development of information searching skills for future clinical practice, teaching effectiveness, and identification of skills requiring additional support.

Assessment aims to provide encouragement to engage with the content being taught.

September 2000: Dacus Enjoys Banner Year, Information Literacy, Lifelong Learning

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November 2007: A New Approach to Information Literacy

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Information literacy: uma análise nas bibliotecas escolares da rede privada em Natal / RN

GUEDES, Clediane de Araújo; FARIAS, Gabriela Belmont de. Information literacy: uma análise nas bibliotecas escolares da rede privada em Natal / RN. Revista Digital de Biblioteconomia e Ciência da Informação, Campinas, v. 4, n. 2, p. 110-133, jan./jun. 2007

New readers, new reading skills and meaning: challenges for media and information literacy

Recognizing the importance of developing the information and media literacy in contemporary society, this article discusses the scenario of hybrid languages born on cyberspace, hypertext and the new types of readers who interact with information, now disseminated by digital media. As theoretical references authors such as Lucia Santaella, we develop arguments that present the headquarters of language and thought within a semiotic support. Matrices help to understand the phenomenon of hybrid language in hypertext. Therefore, we emphasize that the development of skills associated with the new reading environments propitiated by the virtual environment requires the understanding of language, which is one of the concepts used within the media and information literacy (MIL) proposal of Unesco, which combines the two concepts and skills of information and media literacy. It is hoped that this article motivate scholars and practitioners of education and information to take responsibility to educate for information environments that arise with new media and technologies, emphasizing the issue of reading and language.

Two Approaches to Collaborative Information Literacy Instruction at a Small Engineering School

Two librarians at a small STEM academic library have partnered with professors to develop and teach chemistry and writing courses. These librarians have successfully worked with professors to serve as an active presence within the classroom. This article describes the challenges of navigating the typical obstacles librarians face when attempting to integrate information literacy into the curriculum, reflects on the benefits of these collaborations, and touches on strategies for implementing similar programs at other institutions. It outlines two distinct approaches to collaborating with professors on credit-bearing information literacy courses, along with the key steps involved in planning and implementing these courses, including generating institutional buy-in, identifying potential collaborators, negotiating workload and responsibilities with collaborators, and planning to sustain courses beyond a single academic year. Suggestions for overcoming obstacles, supplemented by experience-based recommendations, are discussed.

Teaching Information Literacy to Undergraduate Students: Reflecting on the Past, Present and Future of Library Instruction

The need to teach information literacy skills to undergraduate students is often framed as a 21st century concern, but debate over the value and practice of teaching this set of skills can be found as far back as the early 1900’s. This article reviews the history of information literacy instruction in academic libraries from its origins to the present, examines the current state of information literacy instruction in academic libraries, and explores possible future directions that this instruction may take. Looking to the past, present and future shows that while library instruction has evolved, many central concerns remain unanswered.

Creating Information Literacy Toolkits For HBCU Libraries

Information literacy is the set of research skills needed to access, retrieve, and analyze information. By creating an information literacy plan and an online toolkit that the entire campus uses for research purposes, faculty and students will be equipped with the necessary tools to become better researchers, understand the importance of citing information and the significance of searching for peer-reviewed articles.