1. School of Health, Care & Early Years/ Learning Resources/HELMs
A collaborative approach to Information Literacy from Level 3 to Level 6
School of Health, Care & Early Years/
Learning Resources/HELMs

2. Project Team Members School of Health, Care & Early Years
Margaret Bamforth
Jo Hall
Jonathan Ratcliffe
Caroline Sloane
Steve Tipping
Marie Whiston (HELMs)
Learning Resources
Gwen Law (FE)
Eileen Norris (HE)

3. Research Groups OCR Level 3 (PT) Pathway to Nursing
BTEC ND Level 3 (FT) Childcare Learning and Development
FD Professional Practice in the Early Years
Yrs 1-3 (FT & PT)
BA Hons Top Up (FT) Early Childhood Studies

4. Background to project Learning Resources Sessions Induction
Initial Indepth
Refresher sessions
Referencing & Plagiarism

5. Main aims and objectives
To investigate information skills needs from Level 3 through to Level 6
Give students the tools to become independent and information literate lifelong learners
Increase the School’s potential for increased achievement, retention and progression between FE and HE

6. Main aims and objectives
To be informed by learner feedback and sustainable
Plot the skills needed at various stages of each course
Translate this into a programme of workshops
Specify timing, content, provider and length of session
Produce suitable resources

7. Models of Information Literacy
National Scottish Framework
Big Blue
CILIP
SCONUL
Seven Pillars
ANZIL

8. What is information literacy? (1)
Recognise the need for information
Where do I start?
Address the information ’gap’
How do I plan my assignment?
How do I start my research?
Retrieve the information required
How do I find resources I need?

9. What is information literacy? (2)
Compare and evaluate the information critically
How do I use my research?
Adapt, organise and communicate the information ethically and legally
How do I write my assignment up?
Review the process
Have I answered the assignment brief?
What have I learnt from the process?

10. Sources of information for evaluation
Track previous support in terms of sessions, theme and when delivered
Marking of assignments
Athens and interlibrary loan data
Comment and data from HELMs
Feedback from academic writing sessions
Questionnaires

11. What we did!
Method
182 learners completed detailed questionnaires on various elements of information literacy.

12. Control Groups
Two control groups of Foundation Degree Professional Practice Early Years learners were engaged in detailed planned delivery of information literacy skills including:
referencing
critical analysis
reading for purpose
accessing sources through Athens and LRC
(delivered in conjunction with tutor time and LRC this was planned on a weekly basis and covered more than 10 hours of delivery in tutorial and lesson time)

13. We focused on referencing
The two control Foundation Degree Early Years groups were questioned on how confident they were on referencing for assessment.
Before the ‘detailed planned delivery’ of sessions, the results show that:
Learner voice stated that just having referncing overview in induction week left 89% not very confident
From this we devised the ref books

14. Findings from our research
We found that 75% of learners lacked confidence in navigating Moodle for referencing purposes (especially learners over 30)
Within our school 61% of HE learners are over 30.
From this we created a reference guide book in order to support learners

15. What we did next
The reference guide book was given to learners, supported by embedded reference sessions in tutorials (that corresponded with the appropriate module)
After the focused input we discovered that 63% learners ‘very confident’.
This is in comparison to previous results that showed that 89% were ‘not very confident’ with referencing procedures.
After ref book and embedded ref session in tutorials to correspond with the appropriate module gave us stronger results: 63% learners very confident.

16. Systemic Integration of Support
Timing
Systemic Integration of Support
Learner Feedback; Questionnaire; Resources Usage; Exit Reviews (08/09)
Designed framework that inputs right support at right time
PPEY pilot
Initiate framework (embedded within tutorial sessions with specialist staff from School and LRC)
Whole School approach (09/10)
Induction: provides overview of skills; students complete I.L Skills Scan to indicate gaps
Inform HELMs of skills gaps for additional, tailored support

17. Does it work? From integrated, customised support for one assignment:
Learners attaining increased by 22%
Learners attaining increased by 6%
No learners attained 30-39
Learners without framework
Learners with framework

18. Systemic Integration of Support
Timing
Systemic Integration of Support
Sustainability:
Embedded
Collaborative
Review tools annually
Ensures continuity of approach
Retention:
Increased student confidence with specific I.L skills
Clarity of framework = consistent, customised support per course
LRC increased additional online resources – promotes independent learning

19. Additional Recommendations
Further Actions
The Loop team has devised referencing activities designed for Level 3 groups that can be utilised cross-college (sustainable) and has taken a more ‘hands on’ approach to in-depth sessions for Level 3
Level 5 specialist classes – dissertation, academic reading, academic writing
Additional Recommendations
Level 3 specialist classes in preparation for level 4 (daytime and twilight)– applicable to all learners, irrelevant of subsequent progression.
Also available for mature learners who applied for level 4 programme.