Does advocacy help to embed information literacy into the curriculum? A case study

Abstract

For over twenty years libraries in Higher Education have been attempting to enhance students’ information literacy skills through the teaching of best practice in literature searching. Content of information literacy courses often include the mechanics of how databases work, and more importantly, the higher-level thinking skills, such as problem solving and critical evaluation, underpinning the research process. This paper looks at the work in the development of information literacy competencies run by the academic library at Loughborough University in the UK. This study, which was undertaken by the library at Loughborough University, focuses on the impact of its information literacy programmes, and in particular, it examines the mixed success brought about by the embedding of information literacy education into subject modules. Three main strategies are presented in this paper to fully contextualize the outcome of such provision and promote collaboration between library and faculty staff. Examples here include the attempts made by library staff to encourage the integration of information literacy into the curriculum through the use of learning outcomes, through the delivery of Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) practices, and the employment of preventive strategies against plagiarism.

Keywords:

• advocacy
• diverse learning styles
• RAPID
• Personal Development Planning

Biographies

Ruth Stubbings is the Academic Services Manager supporting the learning, teaching and research needs of the Social Science and Humanities Faculty.

Ginny Franklin is an Academic Librarian in the Science Team.

Both authors are active members of the Library’s Information Literacy Group and are fully committed to enhance the student learning experience and information literacy skills across campus.

Notes

¹ this will be referred to as the library throughout the rest of the paper.

² Loughborough University, November, (2005) Rapid projects [Online]. Available at http://rapidprojects.lboro.ac.uk/ (Accessed 11 November 2005).

³ The ILT was recently renamed the Higher Education Academy (HEA)

⁴ These tests are available on the University’s VLE only.