WGIL Meeting Minutes 3rd Nov 2006
SCONUL Working Group on Information Literacy
Notes of meeting held on 3rd November 2006
Present: Hilary Johnson (Chair)
Janet Peters
Peter Godwin
Sheila Webber
Stephen Town
Wendy White
Jo Parker
Ellen Breen
Cathie Jackson
1. Apologies had been received from Helen Hathaway and Vanessa Crane. The meeting welcomed Cathie Jackson as the new representative from the CILIP IL group.
2. Minutes of the last meeting were accepted with one change notified from Helen Hathaway to the Chair. (Action: HJ)
3. Matters arising
Position Paper. ST reported on progress with a design outline, and on producing a text with a more coherent overall ‘voice’. An intended date of December 2006 for completion was in mind. He will liaise with the SCONUL Office about production and distribution. (Action: ST)
4. Web site
ST reported on recent work moving the content to the new SCONUL template. All members of the Group were asked to check and update references to themselves and activities.
The prospective changes to the membership raised the issue of management of the web pages, as it would not be possible for Cranfield to continue to support this. It was noted that this will need to be an early discussion with the new membership of the Group in 2007. Ideas relating to new content included a suggestion from WW that the content be based on the workflow arising from information-seeking behaviour, and that ideas relating to research and project work should be signalled through the web pages to suggest themes to prospective interested parties.
The Group asked that their thanks be relayed to Selena Lock for the work on the web pages. (Action : HJ)
5. Membership. The Chair reported in the successful trawl for new members, explaining that the interest aroused had far exceeded the number of places available. After consultation with the Executive Board Chair and Toby Bainton, 5 people had been identified: Alison Mackenzie, John Wolstenholme, Cathryn Gallacher, Moira Bent and Jan Howden. HJ to contact and confirm those named. Given that this represented a substantial ‘change-over’ consideration will be given to a transition process, especially in connection with identifying officers. (Action: HJ)
6. SCONUL and ‘Learning and Teaching’
A seminar is proposed to explore the overall situation with regard to SCONUL and ‘Learning and Teaching’ in HE.
Among discussion points noted were that SCONUL wished to be more strategic in its activities. Members of WGIL felt that the ‘practitioner’ voice was important to IL, and that this was where the strategic directions in L&T stem from (similar to where the L&T strategic direction comes within institutions?) A seminar could usefully address the question ‘What are the strategic gaps between SCONUL and L&T?’
SW stated that her own department had been considering its own L&T strategy, and identified the assessment issue in relation to learning outcomes as being key. JP queried the degree to which this event might examine the whole raft of support for L&T that libraries provide – and that this might mean too unfocused an event. The meeting discussed the importance of the student learning experience and felt that this was the key focal point. What difference does the university library make to the student learning experience and to learning outcomes (both assessed and those less amenable to measurement)? This was felt to be the crux of the matter for SCONUL to re-examine. The HEA definition of the student learning experience was noted as a broad one, including for example, employability and student engagement with local communities. Libraries contribute to both agendas.
The context of the event could usefully include consideration of recent WGIL work on learning outcomes, the work of the WGPI on performance measurement (incl. Critical success factors work) and HR and staffing development issues as well as ‘digital’ aspects. Institutional L&T strategies are a means to enhancing the student learning experience. We could usefully link in to Sheila Corrals’ work on institutional strategies as well as referring to our own ‘quick and dirty’ survey.
How do students perceive libraries? According to THES they value libraries to the extent of wanting to see libraries benefit from fees. Should we know more about how students perceive the value of libraries to their experience?
HJ and Sue Roberts (Chair of e-Learning TF) are planning this as a joint activity between SCONUL groups (including space planning and staff development). More details of this to be confirmed subsequently.
(Action: HJ and Sue Roberts)
7. Action Plan
Discussion of content for an Action Plan for 2007; to include
- 7 Pillars model – review and re-draft – remove ‘basic library skills’ and perhaps prefer a concept of basic literacy skills to include the sort of thing meant (e.g. understanding concept of classification, use of catalogues and indexes etc etc) – more emphasis on ethics – possibly link to Bloom’s taxonomy (could usefully be a piece of work on relating 7 pillars to Bloom’s taxonomy?). Could usefully get the diagram redrawn (was always an aspiration to illustrate the dynamic iterative nature of the concept of IL). Useful task would also be to review the literature relating to the model and its use.
- International activity - ?ENIL (2006 report could include reference to evidence based conference report by Gill Needham)
- More explicit link to CETLs working in relevant areas?
- Research dimension – link with RIN?
- Work on web site and new social networking technologies (e-learning tools for IL as well as role of IL in e-learning applications)
- Need to revisit work with UCISA TLIG about the relationship between IL and IT skills
- Liaison with HEA (HEA Conference in July 07?)
- Disseminate outcomes from Literature Review
- Contribute to Steering Group for IL website (with CILIP group)
- Idea for the next significant WGIL event, focusing on PG and research level IL skills development – in conjunction with research libraries organisations (possible joint meeting organised with CONUL and held in Ireland?)
Action: HJ to incorporate into draft plan (although noted that all this will need ratification by the new membership)
8. Reports and updates
SW – Literature Review had been extended to the end of the year. Probably be available sometime in early 2007. Commented on the lack of evidence base for contributions of librarians to learning and teaching and their collaborative work with academic staff. The work has identified the issue of trying to understand the difference between learning and teaching support as against the more straightforward provision of learning resources. SW noted that she thought the other HEA sponsored studies had now been published.
(Action: SW to send details of other studies?)
CJ reported from CILIP. The next LILAC conference is in planning for Marh 07. A call for papers will be issued in December. The web site has been well received (issue noted regarding who from WGIL to liaise in future). The Journal of Information Literacy is coming out soon.
EB reported on activity from CONUL. A follow-up to a successful seminar which attracted 90 delegates last year is in planning. The emphasis of this is to be on practical help to people undertaking IL work.
JoP reported on ‘Beyond Google’ (T120) the OU follow-up to Mosaic. 120 students are following the 10 credit module, among them some OU library staff. JP will investigate possible access to WGIL members. The OU is launching ‘Open Learn’ web site with materials.
ST reported in Cranfield IL tutorial launch on 22 November. This is a multimedia product of about 4 hours learning time, built around 7 pillars. The focus is on Postgraduate level, in line with Cranfield’s main activity. There is an intention to ‘commercialise’ it.
JaP and CJ reported on IL materials in JORUM (a resource bank of learning objects). There is an initiative in Wales, funded by the MLA (Welsh) to share with Welsh institutions, undertaking evaluation in FE, Swansea and the Welsh Office, UWIC. Discussion as to how much IL-related material there is in JORUM, and how well communicated the existence of such potentially useful public domain materials are. ST mentioned the analogy of what the WGPI is intending to set up with the ‘VAMP’ web site, containing a resource bank of tools to help with performance measurement. SW also mentioned the ‘LAMS’ initiative (Learning activities sequences) which the department at Sheffield is contributing to. Sheffield is looking to integrate LAMS within Web CT (SW to circulate info about LAMS).
WW reported from Southampton on an Employability initiative which has extablished a Faculty Officer for Employability, with which links for IL may be able to be made. Also developments of the Institutional Repository approach.
PG reported on talk given to M25 group about ‘the Google generation’, and also ALISS.
HJ reported an invitation to visit Barcelona for an IL event linked to the Barcelona Book Fair later in November and will report subsequently.
9. AOB
HJ brought to attention the exchange with John Crawford about setting up a Scottish ‘node’ of the International network. Group supportive (HJ to relay) especially as interest from the National Library of Scotland might prompt the British Library into a more proactive stance.
NB issue an invitation to Jan Wlkinson to attend a future meeting of the group?
10 Date of next meeting. 30th January identified as a possible – check with new members (HJ)
HJJ 3 1 07 (with apols for long delay in drafting the notes for distribution)