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Enhancing life-long learning, teaching and research through information resources and services

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Student learning at HE level: how Libraries and Learning Resources facilitate a smooth transition from FE

Heather Parsonage

Sharon Potter

Liaison Librarians

The Academic Liaison Team (ALT)

• Professional team with specialist subject knowledge supporting students and staff in finding and using information resources

• 10 Liaison Librarians supporting 9 Academic Schools across 3 campuses

• Emphasis on information literacy support

• Expectation that all Liaison Librarians will complete the PGCHE

• Aligned to the NTU Learning and Teaching Enhancement Strategy

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The ALT and the wider NTU community

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Students

Academics

ALT

Student Support Services

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Information literacy

• The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) defines information literacy as:

"Knowing when and why you need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner". 

• “Information literate people will demonstrate an awareness of how they gather, use, manage, synthesise and create information and data in an ethical manner and will have the information skills to do so effectively”. SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy

• LLR aims to help students develop a critical, analytical and evaluative approach to information resources

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Information literacy teaching within the School of Social Sciences

• What– Using appropriate resources– Types of information– Evaluating information– Ethical use of information

• Why– Enable students to use the correct resources– To identify good academic literature– Critically evaluate information– Use it ethically

• When– Varies

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Collaboration

FdA / BA Youth Justice

S3 Learner Support

Coordinator

Discussions

BA Health and Social Care

FdA Youth JusticeStudy Skills

Module leader

BA Youth JusticeDissertation

Module leader

RelevanceVariety

Timing

Team

Referencing & plagiarism

Academicsources

Is it successful?

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Information literacy and the Gateway Summer School

• 10 week summer school for ARES foundation degree students before they progress to the final year of the articulated honours degree

• Assessment - Dissertation proposal and scientific poster

• Successful transition? Academic staff concerns highlighted weak academic writing and information literacy skills:– Lack of academic rigour– Lack of engagement with scientific literature– Weak literature searching skills

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My involvement

• 90 minute library workshop– Literature searching process– Finding academic sources– Referencing and RefWorks

• Student feedback from previous sessions

A lot to take in – I liked practical

needs to be taken experience, not

at own pace just talking

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Challenge and Response

• The challenge – devise a session plan and supporting activities and materials that would further

understanding of the literature searching process and be useful after the taught workshop

• My response– Increased opportunities for student interaction and peer learning within the

classroom e.g. Turning Point quiz – Richer visual materials and interactive eLearning tools e.g. screencasts and

‘Doing a literature search’ Prezi– Inclusion of support materials within NOW learning rooms so students can

access help 24/7 and off-campus– Greater promotion of follow up appointments

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Is it successful?

• Student feedback indicates: – Increased engagement with the subject material – Favourable comparison to previous library sessions– Screencasts and embedded subject guides most popular

• Too soon to see if it has an impact on the assessment and subsequent performance at BSc level

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Conclusion

• LLR takes transition very seriously

• Transition support – not just for Welcome Week

• Build upon existing links

• Increase collaboration

• Aim is for ALL students to have information literacy support

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