From 0 to 100% in a year - embedding Information Literacy in a complex setting Sonja Haerkoenen Cardiff University

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Overview  School setting  Previous IL provision  Negotiation process  Practical implementation  Lessons learned  What next?

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University School setting  School of European Studies  5 sections  French  German  Hispanic Studies  Italian  Politics  5 separate library representatives  5 different organisational structures  5 varying pedagogical approaches

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Previous IL provision  Brief Cephalonian Method induction during registration week  No information literacy teaching  Some experimentation with voluntary sessions

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Negotiation process Timeline (1)  December 2006 Initial strategic meeting  January 2007 Library representatives consult within sections  Agreements with 2 sections, 2 possible, 1 no  February 2007 Attendance of section staff meeting  Agreements with 3 sections, 1 possible, 1 no

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Negotiation process Timeline (2)  April 2007 Student consultation, attendance of Board of Studies meeting  Agreements with 3 sections, 2 possible  May 2007 Further internal discussions thanks to enthusiastic members of academic staff  Agreements with 4 sections, 1 possible  June 2007 Follow-up s to library representatives and other key members of staff  Consensus – Agreements with all 5 sections

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Negotiation process Enabling local solutions (1)  Talk to keen members of academic staff  Arrange trials for individual modules  Get staff and student feedback  Maintain a continuous presence in School  Bring all stakeholders together

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Negotiation process Enabling local solutions (2)  Demonstrate advantages of embedding IL  Present examples of hand-outs/slides  Allow time for discussion amongst colleagues  Maintain the need for consistency and cohesion  Highlight flexibility re. individual section requirements

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Negotiation process Essential skills (1)  Good knowledge of IL theory  Positive outlook  Enthusiasm  A variety of ideas  Awareness of School environment

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Negotiation process Essential skills (2)  Flexible approach  Fair attitude  Ability to take on coordinating role  Organisation skills  Firm presence  Persistence ……

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Practical implementation – setup  One lecture per section  Core, compulsory modules  Online tutorials on citing references  Workshops in groups of max. 20 students  Tailored to reflect module context  One section to trial direct skills assessment

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Practical implementation – content  Basic IL skills quiz in the lecture  Techniques for searching databases  Citing references online tutorials  Voyager exercises to find books + journals  Practical examples of websites  Discussion on evaluating information  Getting more help and support

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Practical implementation – timeline  German end Oct 07, 40 students, 4 workshops  Italian end Oct 07, 58 students, 5 workshops  French mid Nov 07, 64 students, 6 workshops  Politics mid/end Nov 07, 130 students, 8 workshops  Hispanic end March 08, 120? students, 6 workshops  Overall teaching commitment: 5 lectures + 29 workshops (≈ 410 students)

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Lessons learned  Positive student reaction:  Student interest in compulsory sessions assisted negotiations (consultation + feedback from previous voluntary workshops)  75% would recommend attending these sessions to colleagues  86% found the sessions useful  95% thought the topics were covered clearly and effectively

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Lessons learned  Room for improvement:  Some overlap for joint honours students  Students prefer sessions a.s.a.p. in academic year  Should be fully integrated into timetables, not additional or in reading week  Basic IL covered, follow-up in year 2 needed for advanced skills  Considerable staff effort to organise slots and create customised materials

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University What next?  Harmonise sections re. timetabling sessions (in scheduled module contact hours)  Coordinate with academic colleagues to move all workshops into semester 1, Oct-Nov  Discuss follow-up workshops in year 2  Gather feedback from academic staff on improvements in students‘ work  Investigate formalised assessments School-wide √

Sonja Haerkoenen, Cardiff University Thank you for your interest and attention! Sonja Haerkoenen