Development and Delivery of a Science and Engineering Information Literacy programme at NUI Maynooth Mary Antonesa, Library Claire McAvinia, Quality Promotion Office NUI Maynooth, Ireland

Overview National and local context Module details Collaboration Blended learning Cost Findings Future planning

Context: Teaching and Learning at NUI Maynooth

Context: Core Themes of the T&L Strategy Theme 2 - Developing graduate education: The structure of graduate education is being actively developed through the three Faculty-aligned Graduate Schools. NUI Maynooth will continue the process of introducing professional doctorates, facilitate the development of structured doctorates, incorporate generic skills modules into existing programmes, and develop new programmes to reach out to groups outside the University. Theme 3 - Fostering access, fostering lifelong learning: Teaching should foster a desire to learn throughout life, and develop the learner ’ s autonomy in order to pursue lifelong learning. Access to learning through technology and assistive technology, the provision of new programmes, and the accreditation of prior learning, are all addressed by this Strategy.

Module Details 6 month lead in Library as lead drivers Five week delivery period (November – December 2007) 12 attended from across the Departments of Engineering, Biology, Geography and Psychology Flexible blended learning –five three-hour-face-to-face hands on classroom session –Supplemented with online discussion and support via Moodle

Blended Learning Materials in Moodle Discussion spaces in Moodle Responsive to needs of students - student-centred Using Moodle as part of classroom teaching - blended learning rather than ‘adding on’ e-learning (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004) Developing students’ skills in learning online as well as information literacy

Module Learning Outcomes This Module had six learning outcomes. These outcomes sit on a framework as defined by the Australian and New Zealand Institute for Information Literacy (ANZIIL) Recognise the need for information and determine the nature and extent of the information needed Find information effectively and efficiently Critically evaluate information and the information seeking process Manage information collected or generated Apply prior and new information to construct new concepts or create new understandings Use information while understanding and acknowledging the cultural, ethical, economic, legal and social

Learning Activities Framework provided the structure Learning activities were open and flexible Tailored to suit individual researchers needs Annotated Bibliography - Each participant had to integrate and customise these learning outcomes to their own subject area by searching, finding, evaluating and referencing material for their own literature review and share their findings with the class

Module Itself

Partnership and Collaboration

Integrating approaches to EndNote Web

Costing in time ResourceHours Planning100 Assistant Librarian Hours Delivery20 Assistant Librarian Hours (15 f2f & 5 online) Meetings25 including AL, LT & L Total145

What aspects of the teaching do you appreciate most? Posting additional material on Moodle… Approachable and tailored Use many materials, web links and other resources for teaching If we wanted to spend more time on a particular topic we were given that opportunity. learn something useful from each session In my research I am more aware of the quality information resources available to me This course improved my research skills

What is your general impression of the course? I feel that If I’d taken this course at the start of my PhD it would have saved me a lot of time in terms of literature searches and reviews Very useful to help me to find and manage information for the research I went into the course thinking “I am already literate in finding info”. But I was surprised at how much I have gained 2000 hits in Moodle (25 June – 11 March)

Findings Blended learning -rigorous model Real value Consistent attendance Faculty Specific IL at UG level Collaboration Smaller class sizes Close the loop Blended learning Class size

Future plans? Undergraduates: –Other core themes of the Teaching and Learning Strategy Developing the use of blended learning to teach information literacy –Twofold benefit: effective use of resources, effective use of VLE as online learners

Contact Details Mary Antonesa Claire McAvinia