DS34020 - INFORMATION LITERACY

Module Identifier

DS34020

Module Title

INFORMATION LITERACY

Academic Year

2003/2004

Co-ordinator

Mr Allen E Foster

Semester

Available all semesters

Course delivery

Lecture

2 Hours One introductory lecture/seminar of 2 hours provided at study school, the remainder to be taught entirely through distance learning materials.

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Assessment	Essay of 2,500 words - weighted 50%.
Semester Assessment	Report of 2,500 words - weighted 50%.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

Evaluate definitions of information literacy and begin to form their own definitions

Discuss theories of information literacy and information seeking

Perform information literate information seeking based on models of information behaviour

Discuss the process of locating and using information sources and discuss the generic transferable skills involved in that process

Demonstrate techniques of Information Seeker Orientation, Opening and Consolidation within a wider understanding of the theoretical frameworks

Identify and use core information seeking skills to identify and solve information problems and contrast these with alternative methods of obtaining information

Explain methods of coping with information overload

Communicate information literacy skills to others

Brief description

Information Literacy offers the opportunity for students to develop transferable skills in the field of Information Seeking Behaviour. Specific information skills are reviewed and evaluated within a theoretical framework. Evaluation of Information Literacy theories and models forms the basis of self questioning and critical thinking skills needed for flexible continual development of information seeking skills over the long term and enable students to consider ways in which they might apply this experience and knowledge to teaching others basic information literacy skills.

Aims

The module aims to enable students to becoming critical thinkers, intellectually curious observers, creators and users of information. That is, to become information literate and capable of sustaining and developing and teaching to others, that literacy skill throughout the changes of technology and information sources that will become available in coming years.

Content

The course will address a range of content linked to the learning outcomes. Primarily content will revolve around:

Definitions and discussions about the meaning and purpose of information literacy as a concept and within the information profession
Theories of information literacy and information behaviour
Practice performing information literate information seeking using feedback and self-reflective practice
Introduction to information sources and the associated generic skills needed to use them
Demonstrate different interpretations of information behaviour and information literacy as understood within the framework of theoretical models of information behaviour
Introduce ideas associated with flexible and adaptable information seeking
Identify issues around the concept of information overload
A guide to knowing what teaching information literacy to others may involve.

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Consultation
Kuhlthau, C.C (1993) Seeking Meaning: a process approach to library and information services Norwood, N.J. : Ablex Pub

Articles
Bruce, C.S (1997) The relational approach: a new model for Information Literacy The New Review of Information and Library Research, Vol 3, pp1361-1455
Conteh-Morgan, M (2002) Connecting the Dots: Limited English Proficiency, Second Language Learning Theories, and Information Literacy Instruction The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Volume 28, Number 4, pp191-196
Erdelez, S (1999) Information encountering; it?s more than just bumping into information ?. Bulletin of the American Association for Information Science, 25(3), pp25-29. Online. Available: http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Feb-99/erdelez.html
Ford, N. J., Wilson, T. D., Ellis, D., Foster, A., & Spink, A (2000) Individual differences in information seeking: An empirical study ASIS 2000: Annual Meeting of the American Society for Information Science, November, Chicago, IL., pp.14-24
Grafstein, A (2002) A Discipline-Based Approach to Information Literacy The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Volume 28, Number 4, pp197-204
Niahl, D (1998) Learning the Internet and the Structure of Information Behaviour ?. Journal of the American Society for Information Science. 49(11), pp1017-1023
Spink, A., Wilson, T. D., Ford, N. A., Foster, A., & Ellis, D (2002) Information seeking and mediated searching. Part 3: Successive searching Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. Vol 53 (9), pp 716-727
Wilson, T.D (2000) Human Information Behaviour Informing Science [online], 3(2). http://inform.nu/Articles/Vol3/v3n2p49-56.pdf
Wilson, T.D., Ford, N.J., Ellis, D., Foster, A.E. & Spink, A (2000) Uncertainty and its correlates The New Review of Information Behaviour Research, 1(1), pp69-84

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6