ACIL Meeting Minutes 18th November 2002

Present: Hilary Johnson (Chair), Helen Hathaway, Stephen Town, Deborah Bragan Turner, Wendy White, Martin Jenkins (UCISA), Peter Godwin, Jo Parker.

Apologies: Janet Peters

Item 1. Notes of the last meeting and matters arising
Notes of the last meeting of the Task Force on Information Skills were accepted.

Under Matters Arising, Martin Jenkins reported that the guides to e-learning sponsored by LTSN were now in production and due to be published in April 2003. They will be available as web documents.

Jo Parker reported on the MOSAIC programme. An evaluation had been carried out with the first cohort of students. A 40% response rate was noted. A high degree of satisfaction had been recorded. The main driver for students to undertake the course had been personal and professional development. The course web site had been found effective. Some students had run out of time preventing completion of the assessment portfolio. Those who were experienced with OU courses indicated that they had not found the course as difficult as other Level One modules. A new cohort of 440 students had registered, including one person based in Antarctica.

The development of the ‘customisable shell’ had been taken further with the employment of a consultant to examine the potential market for U120 which will feed into MOSAIC ‘shell’ development. Work is needed to set up some pilot programmes, which would now proceed (Reading, Nottingham, Southampton as potential pilots). The SCONUL Executive member (Helen Workman) had been enabled to access the MOSAIC courseware.

Item 2. Draft terms of reference for ACIL.
The Chair noted that as this was the first meeting of the Group as an Advisory Committee, it was appropriate to review the Terms of Reference. In discussion, points to be amended were disussed (see appendix to these notes). It was noted that it is the intention of the AC to undertake ‘real work’ and to be proactive. The promotion of good practice needed to be reflected in the ToR.

Action: Chair to amend and re-issue ToR

The meeting considered the issue of the working of the AC. It may be advisable to appoint a formal Secretary. This could be linked to inviting a member from Scotland.

Potential communication of the work of the AC to the rest of the SCONUL membership could happen through the SCONUL Conference next year. Agreed to explore with SCONUL Secretary.

Action: Chair to discuss with SCONUL Secretary
[NB a slot has been agreed during the conference programme. The conference is 2nd-4th April at the University of Lancaster]

Item 3 Action Plan
A revised version of the Action Plan had been circulated and was considered further. It was noted that Action 1 had been accomplished in the translation of the Task Force into an Advisory Committee. Further actions were agreed.

Action: Chair to issue further revision of the Action Plan

Item 4 Web presence
Stephen Town reported that the SCONUL web site was under discussion with the ILRT based in Bristol. This issue was noted as related to the discussion under item 6.

Item 5 UCISA TLIG report, & joint meeting idea
Martin Jenkins reported on UCISA TLIG activities. The work on VLEs/MLEs was continuing. The development of portals is also active as a topic for the Group, along with consideration of future technologies such as mobile phones, knowledge management and FAQ services.

The idea of a joint meeting was discussed. An identified theme is ‘Developing the developers for e-learning’ – how those working with developing new e-learning and related systems were themselves helped to develop, both technically and pedagogically. The University of Sheffield had offered to host a meeting, and May or early June was felt to be the optimum timing.

Action: Martin Jenkins, Peter Godwin & Wendy White to constitute a sub-group and report back to the Committee

Item 6 Big Blue Project final report
The considerable discussion centred around the recommendations made in the report is documented in a separate document.

Action: Chair to draft document (circulated separately).

Item 7 Key skills specification
Jo Parker reported that discussions had been taken further within the OU Key skills group. This group is looking at all QCA levels. Level 4 is relevant to the work of ACIL in that it is preparatory to HE, and may relate to diagnosis of skills with which people come into HE. The meeting felt that Level 5 (‘professional’ level) is where CILIP involvement could be relevant.

Action: JoP to continue to liaise

Item 7a (sic!) Report on CILIP contacts
The Chair reported contact with Kathy Ennis, who it is hoped will attend the next ACIL meeting. CILIP Executive Advisory Groups were working on knowledge management, with a strong slant on information literacy, and the ‘Start with the Child’ report also mentioned IL in a number of contexts.

Action: Chair to contact SCONUL Secretary about SCONUL/CILIP meeting in the summer
[Notes received and circulated]

Item 8 HESDA Skills Development Group
The Chair reported on attending the first meeting of the HESDA Group. Other members were drawn largely from the Staff Development area, and were primarily interested in Basic and Generic skills, and not so much in academic staff skills, though a range of topics were likely to be considered. A further meeting of the Group is due to take place on 5th December.

Action: HJ to monitor

Item 9 Contact with LTSN
The Chair reported contact with LTSN staff through Elaine Dunphy at Robert Gordons. Noted that there is a LTSN ‘Librarian’s day’ on Nov 26th.

Action: HJ to liaise with Elaine Dunphy

Item 10 CrossEd
This project is a scoping one funded by JISC to look at what schools are doing by way of preparing students for using electronic information sources. In discussion it was noted that some universities are involved in offering ‘taster’ sessions to prospective students under the ‘Widening Participation’ initiatives.

Item 11 Advisory Committee on Health Services
Proposal mooted of joint work with SCONUL ACHS. Agreed that two people from ACILwill liaise with ACHS.

Action: HJ and WW to contact ACHS Chair
[NB Date of ACHS meeting 14th February 2003]

AoB
Chair noted the Research Students Skills Training guidelines published by the research Councils and the AHRB. Work with research staff and students is a strand which the ACIL should consider more at a subsequent meeting.
Action: HJ to include as an agenda item for future meeting

Stephen Town reported that he is contributing to a TFPL meeting on Information skills in the Workplace, in December.

Jo Parker brought to the meeting’s attention the initiative led by John Lindsay at Kingston University relating to IL, for UNESCO, with a meeting on 12th December.

The book published by Barbara Allen on e-learning was noted.

Date of next meeting
Weds 5th February or Friday 7th February.
Action: HJ to check with Kathy Ennis and confirm date subsequently.
[Confirmed as Friday 7th February 2003, 12.00 at the SCONUL Offices]

Meeting closed at 3.40 pm.
HJJ 3/12/02 amended 223/12/02

(amended Terms of reference….see next page)

Advisory Committee on Information Literacy

Terms of Reference
NB ‘Information literacy’ is used to encompass areas of library user education, information skills training and education, and those areas of personal, transferable or ‘key’ skills relating to the use and manipulation of information in the context of learning, teaching and research issues in Higher Education

1. To provide a forum for discussion, and for advice to the Executive Board, on issues relating to information literacy
2. To provide information and advice to SCONUL Representatives on behalf of the Executive Board, including the development of good practice
3. To develop a high level of expertise in operational and strategic issues for SCONUL in matters relating to information literacy
4. To assist practitioners within SCONUL member organisations in relation to the development of policy and practice in information literacy
5. To provide a route for communicating with the SCONUL organisations on matters relating to information literacy
6. To provide a liaison mechanism for SCONUL to interface with other interested parties on issues relating to information literacy
7. To act as a stimulus to the further development of policy and strategic thinking among SCONUL members on issues of information literacy
8. To assist in raising the profile of the topic among the broader constituencies of HE

Modus operandi
The AC will consist of a Chair (a SCONUL Representative) plus, normally, eight individuals drawn from staff of member libraries. The Committee will seek to represent from among its members, the diversity of SCONUL member organisations, including geographically. A balance of membership will be struck between heads of service and practitioners in the information literacy areas of activity. A member of the UCISA Teaching, Learning and Information Group will be invited to attend meetings and act as a liaison point.

Revised 3/12/02

Updated November 2003 by Selena Lock S.A.Lock@Cranfield.ac.uk.