EMPATIC News No 2: April - June 2011

International Workshop - Schools Sector Information Literacy Development in the School Sector

Venue: Institute of Information and Library Science, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland 
Date: 8 June 2011

The aim of the workshop was to discuss strategies, models and methods of Information Literacy (IL) development in the school learning sector across the European Union. 

Within the workshop eight presentations were given by seven invited speakers from five countries (Finland, Hungary, Poland, United Kingdom and Turkey): Hanna Batorowska, Tibor Koltay, Monika Krakowska, Serap Kurbanoglu, Anu Ojaranta, Sheila Webber, and Gracjana Więckowska as well as the two organizers, i.e. Sabina Cisek and Maria Próchnicka.

The starting point for the discussion was selected examples of the appropriate IL good practices in the education systems in Europe and existing Information Literacy standards for schools of different levels and types.

The presentations inspired the workshop participants, both foreign and Polish, “theorist” and “practitioners”, to formulate their own opinions and share personal IL experiences. The discussion turned out to be very dynamic, even hot, and productive. It concerned the IL development strategies in European countries, “taken-for-granted” but not necessarily valid IL policy assumptions, as well as examples of good IL practices. A few major topics, described underneath, have been identified.

The workshop participants were particularly interested in IL development strategies, the roles of IL stakeholders on national and local levels, the real-life, ongoing IL enterprises and the work to be done in the near future.  They concluded that the development of IL competencies cannot be a unilateral effort of librarians. Modern education of IL competencies requires extensive cooperation of different stakeholders: schools, libraries, cultural institutions, local authorities, teachers, parents and students.

Workshop Chair:  Professor Maria Próchnicka, Director of the Institute of Information and Library Science, Jagiellonian University in Krakow
Workshop Committee: Professor Maria Próchnicka, Dr Sabina Cisek, Dr Agnieszka Korycińska-Huras, Dr Monika Krakowska, Ms Magdalena Wójcik
Workshop Secretary:  Ms Magdalena Wójcik, email: magda.wojcik@uj.edu.pl

View details  of the Workshop  (programme, presentations, etc.) 

International Workshop - Higher Education SectorInformation Literacy Policies: Methodological Aspects

Venue: The National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
Date: 24 May 2011

The aim of the workshop was to point out the strategic role of methodological approaches in Information Literacy Policy Analysis. Policy formulation and implementation is a complex process, deeply rooted in awareness of problems and prediction of impacts. The latter element constitutes the most fragile aspect, since even the best model of prediction cannot cope against unexpected events.

A vast amount of «policy theory» literature has been produced, much of which proposes different models for predicting realistic system behaviours, without ever reaching a common consensus. Alternatively, a major trend towards effective policy formulation is a pragmatic approach based on evidence: policies are adopted on the basis of «what works» rather than ideology or intuition. Despite its more pragmatic positioning, the evidence–based approach is based on data and data structures, which are analysed through a systematic process of enquiry. The methodological dimension is crucial in this approach as a way to perform policy analysis by applying scientific criteria.

Workshop Chair : Carla Basili, The National Research Council, Italy; Coordinator of the European network on Information Literacy (EnIL)

Models of Information Literacy Policies in Higher Education

Session Chair : Carla Basili
Rapporteurs:  Sabina Cisek – Maria Próchnicka, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland

Selected methodological issues in creating the Information Literacy development strategies

Rapporteur : Armando Malheiro da Silva, Faculty of Humanities, University of Porto, Portugal

Information Literacy in the European Higher Education Area: epistemological and theoretical aspects

Panel on Strategic and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Information Literacy Skills

Panelists:
Angela Repanovici: Transilvania University Brasov, Romania
Ane Landoy: Bergen University Library, Norway
Manolis Koukourakis: Crete University Library, Greece

Contact :  Workshop Chair: Prof. Carla Basili Email: c.basili@ceris.cnr.it

View details  of the workshop (programme, presentations, etc.) 

International Workshop – Adult Lifelong Learning SectorInformation literacy, the core of lifelong learning

Venue: The National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
Date: 27 May 2011

The main aims of the workshop were to:

• seek ways and define the role in which IL can be involved in LifeLong Learning (LLL) procedures;
• exchange ideas and opinions amongst different target groups, concerning the integration of IL into LLL;
• discuss strategies and programs of Information Literacy (IL) development in the LLL sector across the EU and abroad;
• validate the EMPATIC products to date, in particular the Deliverables 4.1  Strategic Models for Information Literacy  and 4.2 Illustrative Case Studies , related to IL development strategies as well as IL standards and performance indicators, and examples of good IL practice.

The discussion amongst participants focused on the difficulties of IL inclusion in the curriculum. The panellists pointed out that this pertained to not only the Life Long Learning sector but even Formal Education sectors underestimate the effect of IL in the learning process. Both international (European and non European) and Greek participants agreed and exchanged ideas how to face the problem. The different personal IL experiences were reflected in the light of the problems and the opinions expressed. Some of the major topics identified included:

• the awareness of Information Literacy in the level of society;
• the difficulty of Information Literacy channels to spread widely the role and the necessity of information literacy;
• the attitude of politicians and decision makers in the effect of IL in social coherence;
• the underestimation of IL courses in both formal and informal educational sectors;
• the lack of coordination and cooperation among the stakeholders of IL projects;
• the lack of National Policy on library cooperation in IL activities;
• the central role of the librarians to the process of IL.

The conclusions reached included:

• recognition that there are presently no coherent Information Literacy policy actions being undertaken by interested organizations – a lack of funding from the EU was observed within the selected “cases”. The government agencies do not fund most of the initiatives or research;
• Information Literacy has been implemented mainly by academic centers; all kinds of tutorials and training are created. In some academic and library institutions, thanks to the participation and realization of IL projects, the issues related to IL education have been incorporated into curricula;
• in the case of completed projects there is a lack of data concerning further development of the selected IL initiatives or the projects, little follow-up on impact on educational policy and other actions taken with respect to teaching information skills. Furthermore, there is an impression that most of the case IL projects did not bring lasting results due to the lack of a wider reflection and overall project management policy. It is therefore necessary to develop strategic solutions that will ensure the viability of the project results after the termination of funding;
• finally, it is necessary for all organizations participating in Information Literacy projects to do much more to provide access to complete and good-quality information about their initiatives, particularly through the creation of functional websites and maintaining them not only for the duration of the projects but also afterwards.

Workshop Chair:  Prof. Dr. Christos H. Skiadas, Director,Data Analysis and Forecasting Laboratory, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania Crete Greece, skiadas@asmda.net
Workshop rapporteur  – Anthi Katsirikou, Librarian, PhD, MSc, Director, University of Piraeus Library  (anthi@unipi.gr , anthi@asmda.com)
Workshop Committee :  Prof. Christos Skiadas (skiadas1@otenet.gr ), Dr Anthi Katsirikou, Aristeidis Meletiou (MSc) (amlet@ict.tuc.gr ), Ageliki Oikonomou (MSc) (angie@unipi.gr )

View details  of the workshop  (programme, presentations, etc.) 

International Workshop - Vocational Sector The Importance of Information Literacy in the Vocational Sector

Venue: Turkish National Library, Yunus Emre Hall, Ankara Turkey
Date: 30 May 2011

The aim of the workshop was to validate findings in EMPATIC as related to the vocational sector. Discussions included: determining the functions of information literacy in vocational education, describing the situation of VET in Turkey and identifying challenges within vocational education in Turkey.  Participants went on to discuss how Information Literacy be integrated into Vocational Education.

The main issues identified during the workshop included:

• the lack of awareness of information literacy on the level of society;
• the lack of awareness of information literacy by politicians and users;
• the difficulties caused by lack of establishing a relationship between Vocational Education and Information Literacy;
• the lack of cooperation between the institutions connected with Vocational Education;
• the lack of national policy in the subject of Vocational Education

Workshop Chair:  Prof. Dr. Bülent Yılmaz,
Workshop Committee:  Professor Dr. Bulent Yılmaz, Dr. Esin Sultan Oguz, Nevzat Ozel (MSc), Aynur Ersoy (MSc), Ahmet Karataş
Keynote Speaker:  Professor Dr. Serap Kurbanoglu, (serap@hacettepe.edu.tr) Hacette-pe University, Ankara-Turkey

View details  of the workshop (programme, presentations, etc.) 

Contact:  Workshop Chair Prof. Dr. Bülent Yılmaz, email: byilmaz@hacettepe.edu.tr

Information Literacy News

First International Forum on Media and Information Literacy (MIL)

Venue: Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Fes-Sais of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
Date: 15-17 June 2011

The forum aims to raise awareness about the importance of MIL in this media-saturated / information-overloaded world, to find ways and means to build up media and information literate societies, and to make of mass media important actors at the service of democracy, justice, and development. To this end, the forum adopts a holistic approach to MIL.

Contact:  Dr. Drissia CHOUIT nfissichouit@gmail.com  Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco

Librarian TeachMeet

Venue: Liverpool University, Liverpool, UK
Date: 26 May 2011
Objectives

The meeting aimed to be an informal opportunity for librarians who teach to get together to share tips, experiences and good practice.

View more information

London TeachMeet

Venue:  University of Westminster, London, UK
Date: 20 June 2011

TeachMeet are informal exchanges of experience and participation is free. Everyone would like to participate will have five-minute micro presentations and two-minute nano presentations given by volunteers.

View more information  

LIBER 40th Annual Conference

Venue:  Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
Date: 29 June - 2 July 2011

Objectives

The main theme of the Conference is: Getting Europe ready for 2020: the library’s role in research, education and society.

Topics of interest included:

• Opening up access to content through (mass) digitisation
• Innovative business models for dissemination of scientific data
• Measuring the impact of scholarly communication
• User behaviour and the users' demand for services
• Enhancing the resource discovery experience
• Advancing information literacy and skills
• Digital preservation
• Mobile devices and applications
• New roles and partnerships
• Marketing research libraries

View more information

EBLIP6 -The 6th International Evidence Based Library and Information Practice  Conference

Venue: University of Salford, Greater Manchester, UK.
Date: 27-30 June 2011

This international conference has grown out of an increasing interest in using the best available evidence in health library to improve library and information practice more generally. It provides a practical and accessible forum for librarians and information practitioners from all sectors to discover and disseminate evidence that may contribute to decision-making in professional practice.

Copies of the programme, details of the speakers and presentations are now available.

View more information

Workshops and Seminars

Government Information Literacy and Transparency

On May 2, the National Forum on Information Literacy is sponsoring a symposium on one of today's hottest topics: access to government information, including transparency and Wikileaks at the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) in Washington, D.C.

View more information, visit www.infolit.org/May 2 Symposium

Workshop for Instruction for Library Use (WILU): Learning Under Living Skies

Venue: Regina Saskatchewan, Canada.
Date:  1-3 June 2011

WILU is the major Canadian Information Literacy conference and it always has an interesting programme. Over the decades WILU has grown to encompass all aspects of library instruction and librarians as educators. Traditionally it has focused primarily on the academic librarian, however this year it focuses also on school and public librarians.

View details  and more information on WILU activities