A National Information Literacy Framework

Research undertaken by Glasgow Caledonian University Information Literacy Skills - the link between secondary and tertiary education has shown that students arriving at university have generally either poor or limited information literacy skills, for some these skills will be enhanced but many will leave as they arrived. The findings from a recent small based exploratory interview study into 'The role of information literacy in addressing a specific strand of lifelong learning: the work agenda' indicated that although employers do not explicitly ask for information literacy it is implicitly expected, seen as important at work but not included in workplace training. It therefore falls to education to provide future employees with information literacy skills and competencies. The development of a national overarching framework of information literacy skills and competencies which all sectors of education can recognise and develop or which can be applied to the world of work, equipping learners with skills needed for the 21 st century is seen as a key tool for the embedding of information literacy in schools, FE, HE, and lifelong learning and for life.

The framework will be developed by Glasgow Caledonian University with secondary and tertiary partners and following discussions with SCQF (Scottish Credit Qualification Framework) will be developed using SCQF aims, structure and key features.

The framework will:

• define information literacy learning in terms of statements of skills, knowledge and understanding
• support a continuing learning process through identifying a learning pathway within the context of SCQF as part of an educational guidance or personal development planning process
• map the existing learning that is taking place allocating a notional level to learning outcomes utilising relevant reference points such as the SCQF generic level descriptors with the intention of providing a general shared understanding of each level which can then be linked to academic, vocational or professional practice
• enable the notional levelling process and outcomes to become transparent and clearly understood by other learning providers, receiving organisations and or employers to meet the needs of the lifelong learner more effectively
• incorporate and highlight CILIP's information literacy skills and competences definition and SQA's Information Handling Skills Intermediate 2 qualification.

The target audience for the framework is:

• library and information professionals working in learning and teaching environments / organisations
• learning and teaching organisations e.g. Learning and Teaching Scotland, learndirect Scotland
• organisations involved in qualifications and accreditation e.g. CILIP, SQA

Project deliverables:

• Working with partners identified information literacy skills and competencies will be converted to draft information literacy framework that will provide notional levels of information literacy skills and competences for all levels of learners and educators
• An evaluation exercise of the draft framework will be carried out, this will involve the project partners, target audience, CILIP IL group, relevant professional bodies and email discussion lists
• Barriers to and constraints on the development of a national information literacy framework will be identified
• Contribution to curriculum development in Scotland and to the teaching and learning of information literacy skills within education
• Contribution to the information literacy agenda on a national and international basis

Project Timescale September /October 2006 - March 2007

For further details email: christine.irving@gcal.ac.uk

Last Updated: 16 October, 2006
Edited by: Learning Services Web Team