Benchmarking Strategic Engagement with Information Literacy Professor Sheila Corrall

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Presentation outline Concepts and definitions Aims and objectives Methods and limitations Results: headlines, specifics Findings: sharp contrasts, striking features Areas for further research

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Concepts and definitions Benchmarking ‘the search for best practices that lead to superior performance’ (Camp, 1989) ‘the process of identifying and learning from best practices in other organisations’ (Oakland & Tanner, 2001)

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Concepts and definitions ‘Strategic thinking means to take the long- term view and to see the big picture… Understanding the strategy concept, the levels of strategy, and strategy formulation versus implementation is an important start toward strategic thinking…’ (Daft, 1988)

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Aim To investigate levels of strategic engagement with information literacy in UK higher education Objectives To locate examples of institutional practices To characterise general patterns of activity To develop indicators of strategic engagement To identify areas for further research

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Research design Methods Website survey (114 institutions) Systematic browsing and keyword searching Iterative process of data gathering Coding, categorisation and descriptive statistics Limitations Restricted to publicly available information Collected as snapshots at specific times Searches thorough, but not exhaustive

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Results: Headlines Evidence found at 75 sites (66%) –in institutional documents at 51 sites (45%) –in library etc documents at 49 sites (43%) –in standalone documents at 15 sites* (20%) ‘Information literacy’ used in c50% cases (approx two-thirds for standalone documents) *Includes 8 institutions committed to producing documents

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Results: Specifics LIS mission/objectives (23) LIS strategies/plans (31) Information/KM strategies (21) Learning and teaching strategies (16) Graduate attributes (5) Student skillsets (20) Skills policies/guidelines (5) + research training programmes IL strategies (5) + 5 planned/in progress IL policies (3) + 1 planned/in progress IL frameworks (7) + 2 planned/in progress + projects/initiatives networks/groups logos/branding

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Findings: Sharp contrasts Penetration – number and extent of references within documents and across different strategies Positioning – location of documents on websites and prominence of statements within documents Precision – specificity of aims/objectives/goals, from general policy/principles to specific targets eg Explore integration of information skills in curriculum cf Embed IL in 100% taught course curriculum by 2008

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Findings: Striking features 20 cases where references found at institutional level, but not reflected in library documentation Confusion for students over relative importance of skills with differing lists on different web pages Statements of graduate attributes providing big opportunities for promotion of IL at highest levels Only 2 cases where connections made between information literacy/skills and RCUK statement

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Strategic benchmarking Domains of engagement Core business, eg –research –learning and teaching graduate attributes/skills PDP/employability Support functions, eg –human resources –information/library Measures of engagement Penetration –number of documents –linkage of strategies –extent of coverage Positioning –level of statements –order of points Precision –specificity of goals

27 March 2007 LILAC 2007 Areas for further research In-depth investigation in particular institutions, drawing on evidence not in the public domain (documentary and non-documentary sources) Comparative studies among groups of similar or different institutions (eg via benchmarking clubs) More exploration of strategic engagement with information literacy/skills in different sectors