Conference Agenda

Our intention will be to present a proposal for defining and concretising both the processes of experiencing information and the formation of information culture in interdisciplinary and methodological terms. The aim of our deliberations will be to point out the potential of a multifaceted and diverse understanding, investigation and conceptual construction of human information activities constituting the experience of information in the contemporary world. The panel will also attempt to present research methodologies, selected and most frequently undertaken ways of investigating these evolutionarily, biologically, psychologically and cognitively and socially determined activities constituting responses to information (including stimuli), always occurring in context. It will also be necessary to consider the concept and phenomenon of the human experience of information through the prism of generated information competences, which simultaneously affect the processes of experiencing and practising information.

On the basis of an analysis and critique of the literature on the subject, as well as a conceptual analysis, the key interdisciplinary subject and methodological conditions of experiencing information and information culture and the application of interdisciplinary research methods in this area of information science will be characterised. We will try to show that the analysed research field represents a great potential for exploring the specificity, the diversity of human information behaviour and information culture, as well as the context, including the experience of information in the virtual world, in social media as well as in everyday life.

Objectives

Students are arguably one of the most-researched populations, including in the context of information literacy (IL). However there is significantly less research on Ph.D. students. Nevertheless, the information competences of doctoral students are crucial factors that impact the efficiency and validity of their research and future career prospects. We will discuss the development of an ILDoc questionnaire dedicated to researching IL of Ph.D. students.

Methodology

The first step was to refer to well-known and verified tools such as ILSES (Kurbanoglu, Akkoyunlu and Umay, 2006), IL-HUMASS (Pinto and Sales, 2010; Pinto, 2012), PKIM (Świgoń, 2013), and ALFINVES (Pinto et al., 2013). The other step was to include the learning outcomes approach into the questionnaire. Quantitative data from the survey allowed for statistical analyses to identify potentially core variables. The CAWI technique was used due to its applicability in the case of a dispersed group such as Ph.D. students. The survey was conducted between September 2022 and January 2023 among Ph.D. students from five Polish universities. The selection of universities was dictated by a pragmatic approach in which we focused on easy access to the sample. Due to the important context of systemic changes, we chose only research universities which we knew offered the unique perspective of doctoral schools. The population of Ph.D. students at Polish universities is about 12,000, therefore the required number of people to take part in the survey amounted to 261. Responses were collected from 294 students of various disciplines using snowball sampling - the survey was distributed via peers from selected institutions. Data was analysed using internal consistency reliability tests, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, as well as structural equation modelling.

Outcomes

This paper describes the development of the ILDoc questionnaire and the results of a preliminary study. Using factor analysis, we identified 14 core variables that reflect four theoretically consistent factors. Based on the findings, we propose that these identified latent factors could form the basis for determining the variables in the SEM analysis. The presented approach provides valuable insights into the key factors that shape the information literacy of Ph.D. students in Poland, grounded in their self-assessment of skills, knowledge, and attitudes.

References

Kurbanoglu, S. S., Akkoyunlu, B., & Umay, A. (2006). Developing the information literacy self‐efficacy scale. Journal of Documentation, 62(6), 730–743.

Pinto, M. (2012). Information literacy perceptions and behaviour among history students. In Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives, 64(3), 304–327.

Pinto, M., Fernández-Ramos, A., Sánchez, G., & Meneses, G. (2013). Information competence of doctoral students in information science in Spain and Latin America: A self-assessment. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 39(2), 144–154.

Pinto, M., & Sales, D. (2010). Insights into translation students’ information literacy using the IL-HUMASS survey. Journal of Information Science, 36(5), 618–630.

Świgoń, M. (2013). Personal knowledge and information management–conception and exemplification. Journal of Information Science, 39(6), 832–845.

One of the key questions of information literacy instruction is tailoring the content of sessions to the students’ needs and interests. While we can get information from the faculty members, we rarely hear from the students themselves. In this study I aim to contribute to filling this gap. This case study is situated in an R-1 U.S. university with a first-year writing course that has an embedded information literacy curriculum. One of the instructors assigned students an activity where they anonymously submitted their questions about information literacy topics including questions regarding use of libraries, finding sources, academic integrity, and so forth. The course librarian answered the questions and posted the answers to the course management system.

I looked at three semesters’ worth of questions with a total of approximately 100 questions and took a mostly qualitative approach, focusing on thematic and sentiment analysis. The results showed the themes of the questions and the emotions expressed in them, such as an expressed fear of accidentally breaching academic integrity policies. In my presentation I will show the changing and stable levels of interest in topics across the semesters and will map the students’ questions on the information literacy curriculum to discuss common and differing areas. I will conclude the presentation with discussing implications and possible future actions.

Objectives

The process of Design Thinking (DT) is widely used in various areas of human activity, including information activities. According to Rak (2022), there are three areas where DT processes can take place. The first and most general and universal applies to entities whose activities are related to broadly understood information activities and information management (institutional area). The next one refers to individual and group information management and includes tools supporting activities among participants of the DT process (operational area). The third and last area is related to the use of DT in the implementation of practical subjects in the field of information management and related fields (didactic area). The aim of the paper is to explore and capture the relationship between DT and information literacy (IL) in the context of the didactic process. In this perspective, DT can be understood as a manifestation of collective intelligence (Lévy, 1997) of great importance for didactic processes (Fisher, Oon & Benson, 2018), in which students undertake both practical activities of designers (Kimbell, 2011) and users of innovations (Kimbel, 2012). It is innovation design (Soukalová, 2017) that is the main core of activities undertaken by students in the didactic area where specific information competences are also needed. IL is understood as undertaking information behaviors that allow obtaining information tailored to information needs and their ethical use (Johnston & Webber, 2003).

Methodology & Outcomes

The main problem of the research study is to explore and capture the relationship between ILand Design Thinking processes in the context of didactic processes. The main research questions are: What information competences should students have in order to actively participate in the DT process? What information management tools do they use in the DT process? The study will be carried out in two groups of students who participated in classes where DT was used. The first group is represented by people studying at the first-cycle studies in the field of electronic information processing (humanities and information technology studies). Their curriculum does not include subjects directly related to IL. The second group consists of students from second-cycle studies in the field of information management (studies in the field of social sciences). The study program provides for participation in many subjects related to IL. In both groups, the author of the paper conducted classes and moderated the DT process. The study will be conducted using the survey method. Survey research will be supplemented by a critical analysis of the literature, comparative analysis, and statistical methods.

The expected outcomes of the research are to show what information skills are needed and preferred in the process of DT and what differences in IL exist among students in information-related fields of study.

References

Fisher, W. P., Oon, E., & Benson, S. (2018). Applying design thinking to systemic problems in educational assessment information management. Journal of Physics: Conf. Series, 1044(1).

Johnston, B., & Webber, S. (2003). Information literacy in higher education: A review and case study. Studies in Higher Education, 28(3), 335–352.

Kimbell, L. (2011). Rethinking Design Thinking: Part I. Design and Culture, 3(3), 285–306.

Kimbell, L. (2012). Rethinking Design Thinking: Part II. Design and Culture, 4(2), 129–148.

Lévy, P. (1997). Collective intelligence: mankind’s emerging world in cyberspace. Cambridge: Perseus Books.

Rak, D. (2022). Design thinking in information management – from the diagnosis of needs to the creation of solutions. In S. Cisek, & M. Wójcik (Eds.), Diagnostyka w zarządzaniu informacją: perspektywa nauk o komunikacji społecznej i mediach w kontekście rozwoju badań interdyscyplinarnych (pp. 83–97). Kraków: Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Biblioteka Jagiellońska.

Soukalová, R. (2017). Design thinking role in process of solving creative projects. In K. S. Soliman (Ed.), Proceedings of the 30th International Business Information Management Association Conference (pp. 5157–5169). Madrid: IBIMA.

According to Zotero Style Repository, one may choose from 10,377 different citation style languages (Zotero Style Repository, 2023). Although only a limited number of citation styles are widely used, especially in individual disciplines, authors may encounter a further expansion of the number of styles because some journals create their own or modified styles. Such a quantity represents a significant barrier for authors. They are not specialists in citation styles to create flawless entries in different citation styles themselves (many have trouble creating perfect references even in one style). Creating the references flawlessly (preferably in a citation style supported by databases and services such as Crossref) is essential to meet the requirements for publication and raise their usability and citation impact. Therefore, authors can use citation managers, so they do not have to manually rewrite references according to the templates, which, moreover, are not offered by every journal. In practice, that creates a set of challenges for authors: (1) to identify the correct citation style for the journal, (2) to try to find the style in their citation management system, (3) to create the references in the system or manually. It follows that a critical factor for referencing is which citation style the journal defines and how it facilitates the named challenges for authors by choosing a widely-used citation style that it describes appropriately.

The research aims to describe how scholarly journals define the required citation styles. We will analyze a sample of journals available in the Scopus database, thereby including only high-quality journals that meet the criteria for inclusion in this database (Content Policy and Selection, 2021). However, Scopus does not impose any requirements on citation styles. Therefore, they depend only on the journal’s policies. We will create the research dataset manually in early 2023. The sample size will be approximately 400 journals. Our task is to identify how widespread individual citation styles are; to which extent journals use the various procedures for defining citation style requirements (e.g., naming, citing examples, referencing the interpretation); and whether there are any errors in the requirements description. Scopus includes both open and closed-access journals, journals in different languages, from different countries, and various scientific fields. In the second part of our analysis, we will compare the journals according to their discipline (scientific domain), openness, and rank in Scopus. We also want to compare the country specifics of Lithuania and the Czech Republic, which are small countries with local languages, and a general international group (the three groups will be of comparable size). The potential influence of these factors will be discussed. Information literacy practitioners and educators can consider the research results in academic writing courses, guidance offered to academics and doctoral students, and in supporting scholarly journals in setting the publishing rules to amplify the impact of articles.

References

Elsevier. (2021). Content policy and selection. Retrieved January 4, 2023 from https://www.elsevier.com/solutions/scopus/how-scopus-works/content/content-policy-and-selection

Zotero. (2023). Zotero style repository. Retrieved January 4, 2023 from https://www.zotero.org/styles

In the information age, media and information literacy (MIL) has become crucial for work and study. Despite the growing number of various projects and initiatives in the field of MIL, this area of social development is still a relatively new concept for the educational policy of Kazakhstan. The information literacy standards have been developed by the ACRL and adopted worldwide, but there is little information as to what extent the current society is MIL trained and competent. In particular, there are no compulsory educational programs on MIL in Kazakhstan. The situation is complicated by the lack of a sufficient number of high-quality educational and methodological materials in the Kazakh language. Thus, most of the teachers, librarians, and students in Kazakhstan experience a shortage of relevant knowledge and skills. This paper reports the results of the “SauattyKeleshek” social project on MIL awarded by the Nazarbayev University Social Development Fund. “SauattyKeleshek” program aimed to improve MIL knowledge, skills, and abilities among academic and school librarians in Kazakhstan. The project included educational training developed and introduced to the target group, both online and onsite. The target audience of the project was academic and school librarians of Kazakhstan. The objectives of this research paper are to identify the MIL competencies of project participants and ways to improve their MIL knowledge. In this study, researchers will answer the following questions: what are the information needs of the target audience; how does MIL training improve the MIL knowledge of participants; how does MIL training program content respond to the information needs of the learners? Specifically, researchers applied the qualitative research method by analysing the results of primary data from an online survey conducted before the training, and the MIL training program developed on the basis of the preliminary survey analysis. The study found that respondents defined the MIL term incorrectly although initially, they confirmed familiarity with the MIL concept. Also, survey results showed that no MIL seminars and training were provided to users at their home institutions. Learners admitted the usage of educational materials without proper citation and copyright. Overall 391 participants attended 24 online and 7 onsite educational trainings within the framework of the project. The MIL curriculum taught participants to:

• manage information flows;

• search, use, and disseminate reliable information;

• select and organize digital content, identify necessary and high-quality online materials;

• understand copyright issues;

• apply critical thinking strategy.

The learners pointed out the usefulness and intensity of the training which responded to their information needs with the availability of further implementation. The effectiveness of the course is proved by the fact that participants with good results passed the final test and disclosed key MIL competencies. Participants developed and conducted various activities dedicated to the MIL concept, which demonstrate the improvement of academic and school librarians’ MIL knowledge and skills. The researchers state that the project results can be a driving force to achieve success in MIL learning and teaching in Kazakhstan.

References

American Library Association. (2015). Framework for information literacy for higher education. Retrieved January 11, 2023 from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework

Kamilova, Y., & Yap, J. (2022). Subject librarianship in Kazakhstan: Exploring information literacy skills, functions, and practices. International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 7(1), 132–144.

UNESCO. (2013). Information and communication technologies in education. Retrieved January 11, 2023 from https://iite.unesco.org/publications/3214728/

Objectives

From an Information Literacy perspective to improve existing or create new services, we propose to study the development of individual and collective informational skills, both for employees and users, in order to contribute to transform Social Protection Organizations in France in learning organizations in a new collective intelligence and organizational intelligence) dynamic. For us, these organizations correspond to new digital territories, approached as new informational spaces of cooperation and innovation for new services co-constructed with users. Communication is also a lever for understanding the change in organizations which are built through projects and narratives while trying to discern the invisible and hidden side of work. We will insist on the development of new information and communication skills both of employees and users with the role of socio-technical devices in a global context of digital transformation and the Internet of Things.

Methodology

We qualify our global positioning as ICCOE: Information & Communication and Confidence for Organizing Ecosystems. We also insist on resilience and reliance aspects on territories. Within the interdisciplinary field of information and communication sciences, we position in a collaborative action research perspective in Information Literacy, considering organizations as new informational and communicational spaces to produce validated knowledge for action based on cooperation between academics and local actors.We have developed this approach in Social Protection Organizations:

• In the Family Allowance Funds (CAF), in particular in Seine-et-Marne department, with the observation of the platform « caf.fr » to build « the Caf of future ».

• In Health Territorial Professional Communities or CPTS (hospitals, retired people establishments or EHPAD, doctors, nurses, pharmacies, local authorities, etc.), through the analysis of a new intermediation platform: Conex santé (https://telemedecine.conexsante.com).

The data were obtained through interviews with the actors of these organizations and through participatory observation sequences with the support of the digital tools mentioned: caf.fr or Conex santé.

Outcomes

We propose new approaches to service organizations of the Social Protection sector as spaces of cooperation and innovation. We will especially work to develop new uses of cooperative data to promote a new contributive evaluation way of these organizations, in a perspective of co-innovation involving all the actors around new co-constructed services. So we may also try to analyze the evolution of informational and communicational skills of main actors to improve existing or develop new services, in an idea of new « learning organizations ». In particular, we will analyze how the studied organizations rely on the associative sector in their territory to train a wider public in the new uses of digital technology We will also try to better mobilize the specificity of the informational and communicational skills of the actors in order to reveal obscure sides of their activity (idea of “iceberg of activity”).

References

Bourret, C., Gheller, J., & Parrini-Alemanno S., (2022). Changes in social protection and territorial issues: New cooperations and services innovations in the health and social sectors in France. In Proceedings 32st RESER Conference: Looking Back to Move forward the Past, Present and Future of Service Science (pp. 48–51). Paris: Université Gustave Eiffel.

Linstead, S., Maréchal, G., & Griffin, R.W. (2014). Theorizing and researching the dark side of organization. Organization Studies, 35(2), 164–168.

Wilensky, H. L. (1967). Organizational intelligence: Knowledge and policy in government and industry. New York: Basic Books Publisher.

Many instructors expect that students will develop and demonstrate their information literacy through course-based assignments but are often frustrated with the results, because students (as novices) and instructors (as disciplinary experts) are seemingly speaking two different languages. In this workshop, we model activities that we have delivered for several cohorts of course instructors centered on using Decoding the Disciplines (Pace & Middendorf, 2004) and Writing to Learn (WAC Clearinghouse, n.d.) to help instructors identify ways in which they can intentionally and transparently develop their students’ information literacy while also learning disciplinary ways of thinking. We believe this is a scalable and sustainable strategy for incorporating information literacy into programs and curricula, as working with a single instructor could benefit multiple courses. This strategy provides librarians the hands-on opportunity to be intimately involved with the integration of information literacy into students’ academic experiences but does not require librarians to plan and deliver multiple workshops.

Learning Outcomes

After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:

• apply Decoding the Disciplines to their work with instructors to identify students’ information literacy learning bottlenecks;

• use resources like the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education and Writing to Learn to develop or adapt activities to address students’ information literacy bottlenecks.

Topics to be Covered

• Information literacy’s evolution, instructors’ perceptions of information literacy, how information literacy can be part of a hidden curriculum, and the strategy of supporting information literacy through instructor development;

• Overview of Decoding the Disciplines;

• Introduction of Writing to Learn;

• Participants are encouraged to bring their electronic devices, though some paper copies of the workshop materials will be available.

Target Audience

Any librarian who works with faculty/instructors, particularly at a college or university.

References

Pace, D., & Middendorf, J. (2004). Decoding the disciplines: Helping students learn disciplinary ways of thinking. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 98. Retrieved from https://decodingthedisciplines.org

WAC Clearinghouse. (n.d.) What is writing to learn? Retrieved from https://wac.colostate.edu/resources/wac/intro/wtl/

Librarians at a southern New England Community College designed a freshman-level college course intended to teach information literacy skills to students within the context of their majors through a linked Learning Community. It is critically important for students to understand research within the context of their fields. As they progress through their education, students will build on the information literacy skills gained in their first two years of college, creating engaged and research-focused students and professionals (Virtue et al., 2019). The new course will align to different courses through the Learning Community model, allowing students to connect information literacy skills with real-world application within their discipline. Hopefully, through completing this course students will be encouraged to engage in life-long learning and potentially transfer to a four-year institution.

Objectives

In this session we will focus on the collaborative efforts of the librarians at this Community College and their new course in information literacy designed to teach research methods within specific majors. We created the course to act as a sort of “lab” for a foundational course in the disciplines that will focus on research methods utilized in those academic areas. For example, the course could be paired with a foundational sociology course and would then focus on the research methods in that field. Or, it could be paired with a history course, where students would learn research methods in that field. The course would include bringing in the college writing center in order to teach students to write within their chosen field as well as feature guest lecturers who have conducted research so that students can ask questions about interviewing, data collection, and other facets of research.

We will base the course on the High Impact Practice (HIP) of a learning community. The course will be offered as part of the required college first-year curriculum but will specifically be tailored to declared majors. The course, as a part of a learning community, would teach to the research assignments that are assigned in its partner course. In doing so, the students will be able to gain the research skills and support required to complete assigned research assignments.

Methodology

Our course proposal was approved by the College Wide Curriculum Committee in March of 2023. We intend to run several sessions in the summer of 2023, if possible. A faculty member in sociology has already agreed to participate in the first learning community, planned for Fall 2023. A variety of concerns are present, including staffing to teach the course in a time of low enrollment. Thus, the librarians feel that tailored courses will have more of an impact on student learning of information literacy concepts. Our presentation will include current research on information literacy and learning communities to illustrate the need for a modern approach.

References

Virtue, E. E., Maddox, G., & Pfaff, K. (2019). The lasting effects of learning communities. Learning Communities: Research & Practice, 7(2). Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1240093

Background

The Library of the Law and Administration Faculty of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow is currently preparing a complex reform of its website and profiles in social media in order to comply with the best benchmarks in this domain. This operation has been preceded by a two-stage study of Library’s users’ information needs and expectations concerning the website’s future architecture and design. We purposefully limited the target group to active scholars and academic teachers only. The paper exposes the results of the study and possible practical implementations of its empirical findings. The research project discussed herein is the first large scale mixed-method survey conducted in our Library.

Objectives

We defined the objectives as follows:

1) discover, with the utmost precision achievable, actual needs of faculty members staff regarding the offer of resources and services displayed by the Library via its website and social media profiles;

2) assess the concordance of discovered user’s needs with the best benchmarks as recognized optimal models of law libraries website design and organization;

3) compare obtained findings with similar studies (e.g. McAllister & Brown, 2020; Uwaechina & Eze-Onwuzuruike, 2019) and identify potential particularities of local law scholars; and

4) assess the feasibility of implementing modifications recommended by faculty members.

Methodology

The study is a mixed-method research relying on the application of: 1) a large scale online survey addressed to the whole community of the faculty members and 2) a focus group interview with 10 scholars, fully transcribed and explored via discourse analysis conducted according to the principles of the cognitive imaging method.

Outcomes

The main outcome generated by the study is an accurate panorama of information needs and expectations expressed by the faculty members with respect to the Library’s website and social media profiles. Indications emerging from this first-of-this-kind research will guide modifications and extensions introduced in the Library’s website so as to better address and anticipate scholars’ requests. The study is in line with current research trends that stress the utility of improving libraries’ communication via digital media in order to sustain users’ satisfaction (McCaffrey, 2019; Indrák & Pokorná, 2021; Fu, 2021; Mărginean & Kifor, 2021).

References

Fu, Y. (2021). Experiencing the academic library in the digital age: From information seeking and user experience to human information interaction. [Doctoral dissertation]. UCL (University College London).

Indrák, M., & Pokorná, L. (2021). Analysis of digital transformation of services in a research library. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, 70(1/2), 154–172.

McAllister, C., & Brown, M. (2020). Wrangling weirdness: Lessons learned from academic law library collections. Retrieved December 19, 2022 from https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/charleston/2019/collectiondevelopment/21/

Mărginean, E., & Kifor, C. V. (2021). Academic libraries as user-centered organizations. Case study: Quality of services provided by LBUS Library. In MATEC Web of Conferences, 342, (p. 09002). EDP Sciences.

McCaffrey, C. (2019). Transforming the university library one step at a time: A ten year LibQUAL+ review. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 25(1), 59–75.

Uwaechina, C. G., & Eze-Onwuzuruike, J. (2019). The role academic law libraries in meeting information needs of legal clientele. Library Research Journal, 4, 133–137.

Information literacy is a tenet of school librarianship (ALA & AECT, 1988, 1998; AASL, 2018a, 2018b). Although most school librarians were once classroom teachers, these individuals do not always possess adequate information literacy skills (Burchard & Myers, 2019) even though it has been shown that the students of teachers, who possess these skills, have higher levels of information literacy themselves (Solmaz, 2017).

Do students leave library school with the skills to answer their own information needs? Does preparation for the profession encompass essential skills necessary for success (Whitton, 2019)? In this paper, authors will provide a holistic view of the responsibilities and information necessary to meet those responsibilities while sharing selected results from a recent study exploring the professional information needs of early-career school librarians and library school students wishing to become school librarians. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, we used surveys and interviews to explore and understand the information needs of participants as well as ways they met those information needs.

Initial results revealed the source of support for these early career professionals resided in participation in professional learning communities and networks, whether ad hoc or more formal. Early-career school librarians relied on the mentoring found in these groups to ensure their success. Responsibility lied with the employer and preparation program to build on students’ and early-career school librarians’ inherent and emerging information literacy skills to foster expertise. We anticipate that additional analysis will aid school library preparation programs and school administrators in developing a more strategic approach to supporting the success of the future and early-career school librarian.

References

American Association of School Librarians. (2018a). National school library standards crosswalk with ISTE standards for students and educators. American Library Association. https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180828-aasl-standards-crosswalk-iste.pdf.

American Association of School Librarians. (2018b). National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries. American Library Association.

American Library Association, & Association for Educational Communications & Technology. (1988). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. (ED 315028). ERIC. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED315028.pdf

American Library Association, & Association for Educational Communications & Technology. (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. ALA Editions.

Burchard, M. S., & Myers, S. K. (2019). Early information literacy experience matters to self-efficacy and performance outcomes in teacher education. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 49(2), 115–128. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 10790195.2019.1582372.

Solmaz, D. Y. (2017). Relationship between lifelong learning levels and information literacy skill in teacher education candidates. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(6), 939–946. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2017.050605

Whitton, C. A. (2019). A study of school librarian job advertisements and the inclusion of AASL standards. Teacher Librarian, 46(4), 26–30.

Our contribution aims to summarise the results of evaluating information literacy instruction focusing on plagiarism prevention and appropriate work with scientific information sources using the HUMAN framework. A team from Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt presented this frameworkat ECIL 2021 (Baldarelli et al., 2022) as a tool for developing the information literacy competencies of German engineering students. We followed up on this initiative by further adapting the framework to the context of healthcare studies in a Czech university.

Czech law mandates that midwives and paramedics receive a bachelor’s degree to perform their work (Act on non-medical health professions, 2004). This entails a requirement to master academic writing, including proper use of information sources. However, these claims usually do not meet the interests and expectations of healthcare students, who are rather practically oriented and, hence, consider the requirement of these academic competencies unjustified. In this situation, we were looking for a way to convince them that it is necessary to address this problem by adopting a different perspective. The HUMAN framework, which had been previously successfully piloted with similarly practically oriented engineering students (Baldarelli et al., 2022) and in a practical-oriented international management course (Trefer, 2022), provided us with such a solution.

In cooperation with the framework’s authors, we created self-study materials (including a video presentation), exercises (consisting of categorisation of the sources used in a preselected scientific article), and a workshop using the HUMAN framework. We subsequently tested and evaluated the materials in class with 27 students of midwifery and emergency medical services study programs. To improve the reliability of the research, we used a combination of research methods: an analysis of students’ outputs from the exercise and a self-assessment questionnaire.

The effect of the teaching method proved to be considerable. Before the lesson, more than half of the students assessed their ability to work with sources as poor or very poor. While after completing, all but one rated their ability as rather good or somewhat good (the average increase was 1.3 steps on a five-point scale). The evaluation of the framework as a teaching method showed that the students appreciated the video presentation but would welcome more examples of the application on specific scientific texts. Another finding highlighted the importance of choosing an appropriate article for student assessment. The analysis of the students’ outputs showed that the findability and availability of full texts of the sources cited in the assessed article played an essential role in their correct categorisation according to the HUMAN framework.

References

Act on non-medical health professions, nr. 96/2004 (2004). Retrieved from https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2004-96

Baldarelli, B., Trescher, K., Treffer, A., & Jakobs, L. (2022). Learning how to avoid plagiarism: A new approach in information literacy sessions for computer science and engineering students. In S. Kurbanoğlu, S., Špiranec, S., Ünal, Y., Boustany, J., Kos, D. (Eds.), Information Literacy in a Post-Truth Era, The Seventh European Conference on Information Literacy, ECIL 2021, online, September 20-23, 2021: Revised Selected Papers. Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS) 1533. Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99885-1_45

Treffer, A. (2022). Design digitaler Lernmedien zur Quellenkompetenzvermittlung. [Unpublished master thesis]. Brandenburg: University of applied Science.

When students first start their studies, they have much to learn. Even though the new environment can be a bit overwhelming, newcomers should learn about the services that help them cope with their studies (Reed, 2020). This is a situation in which we should find new ways to effectively encourage and support learning. Functional learning, playfulness and collaboration can enhance learner motivation and improve the chances of remembering what has been learned (Bai, 2019). Utilization of mobile game-based learning can be a powerful idea because “students feel more engaged in the learning process and are interested in following the educational strategy” (Troussas et. al., 2020). Players of a game are active collaborators instead of passive listeners.

The library introduction game in Metropolia UAS is basic level;, the aim is to introduce library services and facilities. Students play it in small groups with their own mobile devices. We use Seppo, which is a platform for gamified mobile learning and training, for the game. The game consists of ten map-based tasks, some of which are locked so that the players need to unlock them with a key hidden in the library. The idea is to make students move around the library premises. To motivate players we use goals, which are a basic feature of games (Walsh, 2018). The goal is to win and be rewarded a prize.

During spring and autumn 2023 we will study the students’ views on playing the library introduction game with a short questionnaire. The preliminary results suggest that students react positively to gamified library introduction. We will report the results at the workshop.

Workshop Outline and Objectives

The participants will play a short game specifically designed for the session. The participants will gain a good understanding of the game and how it can be used in a library setting. After playing we will discuss the game and the thoughts and ideas the participants have gained.

Target audience are those who are interested in using games for library introduction or information skills teaching. Participants need a mobile device that has an internet connection. The space needs to enable moving from one task point to another in groups of 2-3.

References

Bai, H. (2019). Pedagogical practices of mobile learning in K-12 and higher education settings. TechTrends, 63(5), 611–620. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00419-w

Reed, K. N., & Miller, A. (2020). Applying gamification to the library orientation. A study of interactive user experience and engagement preferences. Information Technology and Libraries, 39(3), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v39i3.12209

Troussas, C., Krouska, A., & Sgouropoulou, C. (2020). Collaboration and fuzzy-modeled personalization for mobile gamebased learning in higher education. Computers and Education, 144, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103698

Walsh, A. (2018). The librarians’ book on teaching through games and play. Tallin: Innovative Libraries.

Objectives and Aims

Modern media landscape today requires high quality skills and knowledge to navigate and use critically tremendous information flows. Media literacy knowledge and skills help individuals evaluate the information content in daily life and equips them with the necessary competences to recognize disinformation and propaganda (Terzis et al., 2020).

Our goals for this paper are to analyse and present the main activities and results of the 2022 Media Literacy in the Baltics project at Vilnius University and share best practices. The project is part of the Media Literacy in the Baltics program that aims to enable better engagement of critical dealing with multiple forms of media. It leverages the IREX Learn to Discern (L2D) media literacy training curriculum and approach implemented by International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) organization with the assistance of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It is a part of coordinated international effort to help people acquire knowledge and develop the skills strongly needed in the post-truth media and information era. It aims to prevent the spread of the manipulative information, disinformation, hate speech, and propaganda that appears across multiple information sources and content (Learn to discern. Media literacy: trainer’s manual, 2020).

Outcomes

We developed the main activities and products of the Media Literacy in the Baltics project at the Vilnius University Faculty of Communication. In our roleas a partner in this project, we analysed results usingstatistical data andfeedback from attendees. To do this, we created forms targeting university students, academics, information specialists, and schoolchildren. We conducted media literacy seminars and workshops for other than Lithuanian speaking students as well at partner high schools. We arranged seminars/workshops during summer school for Vilnius University students and academics. And we prepared an article for academic research and literature review on media literacy. Vilnius University accepted the general university course, “Media and Information Literacy,” we created.. We adapted and integrated the JEDI (Journalism in the Era of Disinformation) method into this course. The aim of this course wass to develop students’ abilities to understand the information sphere and its processes in the media and to gain skills that are essential for conscious and critical consumption of the media content. Students completing the course should be able to evaluate and manage all daily information flows as well as to discern between reliable and unreliable information sources, credible content and disinformation, misinformation, and fake news. Finally, Vilnius University Faculty of Communication acted as an organizer of the international students’ conference, SOLUTION2022, on media literacy https://www.kf.vu.lt/dokumentai/Programme-Final-Public.pdf in cooperation with Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas (Lithuania).

References

IREX (2020). Learn to discern. Media literacy: trainer’s manual. Retrieved January 15, 2023 from https://www.irex.org/sites/default/files/node/resource/learn-to-discern-media-literacy-curriculum-english-3.pdf

Terzis, D., Kloza, D., Kuželewska, E., & Trottier, D. (Eds.). (2020). Disinformation and digital media as a challenge for democracy. Retrieved January 22, 2023 from https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/disinformation-and-digital-media-as-a-challenge-for-democracy/4AA403BC2691C317616CBD580894A02D

ECIL and ENOEL are two groups that have a lot in common. Both strive to bring together the librarians of Europe for a bigger goal. Their topics differ slightly, but the groups definitely have similarities. Whereas ECIL unites information specialists from all over Europe to exchange ideas, best practices, and research on all aspects of information literacy, ENOEL does the same job on all aspects of open education (OE).ENOEL started around three years ago as a part of SPARC Europe and since then ENOEL members have been working on a lot of projects. ENOEL consists of more than 100 very enthusiastic librarians from 27 countries all over Europe. We meet (virtually) around ten times a year.

The projects we have been working on are the following:

• OE Champions: a series of 13 interviews with inspirational advocates of OE in Europe.

• The ENOEL toolkit: a toolkit that consists of reusable and adaptable templates for Twitter cards, slides, and leaflets. Its aim is to help raise awareness of the importance of OE and explain benefits for four stakeholder groups: students, teachers, institutions, and society at large. ENOEL members have translated the Toolkit into 16 languages so far.

• Resources for librarians & OE enthusiasts: a Wakelet page that is filled by members of the ENOEL community with links to key documents that can support librarians and OE advocates.

• A “ENOEL practitioners under the spotlight” webinar series: In this series of webinars, ENOEL members guide us through their personal journeys with OEproviding a space for network members to share ideas, ask questions, and learn from one another.

• OE “Drops”: A series of short videos explaining the basics of OE to newcomers.

• OE learning path for librarians: a helpful guide for librarians who want to learn more about OE and identify available resources for educators, researchers, and students.

• A survey on OE in European libraries of higher education.

We partner with national and international networks to stimulate the implementation of the Open Education Agenda, including Creative Commons, ICDE, LIBER, OE Global, SPARC NA, the Network of Open Orgs, and many others. We try to visit as many conferences as we can to spread the word about our activities and learn from other communities and organize virtual OE café sessions with our OE Champions on different themes. The last one we did was on OE policy. The work of the ENOEL membership has paid off: last year we won the worldwide OE Award for Open Collaboration.

But we want to do more and that’s why we invite you to become a member of our community: the more we grow, the more we can do to support the OE movement.

The KTH Library performed a project funded by the Vice President for Gender Equality and Values and Vice President for Sustainable Development during 2021 that aimed to support teachers in their work for embedding equality in education at KTH. The project was managed by the library’s Education team and designed in collaboration with team Arena, team Collections, and the Learning Department. The overall aim of the project was to support teachers in embedding equality by focusing on critical information literacy and develop activities that could, over time, foster a sustainable and systematic way of working with gender and equality. Activities that were performed within the frame of the project were exhibitions, book discussions with a gender perspective, a workshop on bias for PhD students, journal clubs within the Education team (Accardi, Drabinski & Kumbier, 2010; Carstensen, 2006), and a workshop for library staff.

The Swedish Higher Education Authority made an assessment that showed the need to improve gender and equality in several education al areas. This led to the University’s funding of projects that supportted teachers to embed gender and equality. The library staff developed the project based on theory and strategies found in:

• literature at the Gender Theory and Gender Equality in Technical Higher Education course at KTH;

• literature read and discussed by the Education team (Accardi, Drabinski & Kumbier, 2010; Carstensen, 2006); and the United Nations global goals (https://www.globalgoals.org/).

The outcome of the project was in many ways successful but several parts remain on which to reflect. One challenge was how to reach an audience that is busy with teaching and research. Another challenge was how to ensure that the content you provide is relevant. It was also challenging to consider how perspectives on gender and equality can be embedded in daily work after the project is formally ended. We found that the reactions and assessment after the different activities showed that the book discussions were much appreciated as it gave opportunities to talk about and share experiences on both texts and society from a gender and equality perspective. We held these after the project was finished. The journal clubs within the teaching team were considered valuable as competency development and resulted in updates of the policy for equality in the library’s teaching. As an effect of the project, the library’s policy for acquisition was modified to take gender and equality in consideration when new media is purchased. Another effect was a workshop performed among the staff that aimed to enhance the consciousness within the organization regarding issues of gender and equality.

References

Accardi, Maria T., Drabinski, E., & Kumbier, A (Eds.) (2010). Critical library instruction: Theories and methods. Duluth, Minn.: Library Juice Press.

Carstensen, G. (2006). Könsmedveten pedagogik: Konkreta tips och övningar för lärare. Uppsala: Avdelningen för utveckling av pedagogik och interaktivt lärande (UPI), Uppsala universitet.

United Nation. The 17 goals. Retrieved from https://www.globalgoals.org/