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Considering the Open University (OU) as a context in which people come from a wide range of educational, cultural and professional backgrounds and distance learning forms the domain educational approach, this presentation discusses approaches can be taken by the OU to prepare for, and deal with the educational needs of Net generation, meanwhile meet the needs of elder generations. It presents some practical assignments using Web 2.0 and demonstrate how they will engage students in developing their understanding of information literacy and performing as information literate individuals in the dynamic context of e-environments. The proposed approach is based on the author's PhD study of information literacy in online distance learning environments, which particularly focused on the GIS (Geographic Information Sciences/Systems) discipline. Hope you find it useful :)
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Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Information Literacy for the Net Generation:
Challenges and Approaches for the Open University
Maryam NazariResearch Student in Information Literacy and Online Distance Learning
January 2009Presented to the IL team, Library and Learning Resources Centre of Open University
University of Sheffield Department of Information Studies
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Overview
• The Net generation• IL needs of the N Gen • IL at the OU• Challenges • Approaches
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Net/ Y Generation• Born in or after 1980• Hypertext mindset• Defined by instant messaging and a Web 2.0 life
perspective • Interested in team work• Hand-outs learning style• Needs constant feedback• Prefer doing, rather than knowing: “play to learn”• Me Generation: want jobs that fit their lives vs.
adapting themselves to their jobs
(Feiertag & Berge 2008; Lorenzo & Dzinbun 2006)
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Net Gen Information Behaviour
Find Organise Create and Share
Communication
Update
YouTubeWikisBlogs
Social networkingTagging Folksonomies
Facebook MySpaceYouTubeBlogsWikisDeliciousSlideshareFlickr
Constant messagingFacebook
RSS FeedGoogle personalization features
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
IL needs of the Net Gen
• Understand the function of Web 2.0 tools and resources in the context of their learning
• Ability to effectively select, interact with, and use appropriate Web 2.0 tools
• Ability to produce, organise, share information and update their knowledge in the 2.0 information landscape
• Requires learning environment, tasks, assessment methods that support their information behaviour and needs
• Need fun and exciting tasks and assessment methods
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
The OU through an IL lens
Background
Courses & SubjectsLevels of education
25,000 outside of UK
20% under 20
Average age 32
A TYPICAL OU student is older than an undergrad elsewhere
150,000 Undergrad
30,000 Postgrad
10,000 with Special needs
13 subjects
600 courses
Q, R, … X & Y Gens
DiversityDiversity
Ambitions and goals
Abilities and competency-
needs
Information behaviour,
needs
No entry requirements
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Fixed Curricula
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
IL as an enabler for transferable and lifelong learning
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Challenges for the IL team• How to meet the vision of OU: “OU
transforms lives through education”?• How to update teaching methods,
curriculum design, and learning environment and materials to support the development of information literate online distance learners in the e-world?
• How to accommodate Q, R, X and Y Gens with their IL needs?
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Current Approaches to IL development in
e-environments • To position IL in the e-literacies framework • To add other literacies to the IL models• To develop new courses on IL with a focus
on Web 2.0 resources and tools e.g. TU120 • To use Web 2.0 to teach IL concept and
practice IL competencies
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
IL in e-environments• IL is a constructive and
contextualised concept, needs to be built by learners and becomes part of them
• IL is an enabler for transferable and lifelong learning, rather than only “a” set of transferable skills
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Solutions for the OU based on the new view of IL in e-
environments
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
• Engage learners in thinking and questioning their information and skill-needs when accomplishing their tasksUsing 5 YouTube videos and 10 journal papers as
sources of information to write an essay on a topic and publish it in the form of a Wiki
to know how to formulate a search strategy to find videos on YouTube and in a database that matches their needs
to understand the organization of knowledge published on YouTube website and databases
to be aware of the evaluation criteria for both types of information sources
to know how to document their thoughts and knowledge gained from these two sources of information and write them in the format of an essay
to upload a video, cite a video etc to publish their assignment on a Wiki
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
• Involve learners in evaluating their knowledge and skills gapsTo develop quizzes or other self assessment tools that
would encourage them to identify their knowledge and skill gaps, and to share their profile with others
To use IL as a reflexive tool to identify the scope of knowledge and competency needs of learners in the e-environments e.g. Web 2.0 (using learners’ tasks, assessment methods, other task accomplishment requirements)
To design assessment tools or quizzes that would ask learners to situate themselves in the context of their task/assignment and identify their knowledge and skill-gaps
The system creates a kind of Facebook profile/ portfolio of the person. Then with his permission it can be shared with others
To develop the learners’ IL facebook in the form of a bank of expertise and provide instant and other communication facilities so that they can get in touch and exchange their expertise and expriences
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
• Support learners’ information behaviour and needs
To provide learners with information and learning materials they may need
To provide learners with tutorials on information evaluation published e.g. in YouTube websites or blogs, comparing the criteria with the ones apply for a database, journal paper etc (to reduce the gap between X and Y Gens knowledge)
Tutorials on what is a Wiki, what are the functions of Wikis as source of information, how to evaluate them, how to use them, how to cite to them etc
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
• Support learners’ information behaviour and needs – cont.To use tools and materials that make the IL tutorials
more fun and exciting
To use Web 2.0 tools to develop the IL learning materials e.g. in the form of YouTube videos (e.g. how to use a journal paper, a Wiki, or how to evaluate information gathered from blogs)
To use some real experiences of people when they talk about the tips and tricks they have used in the form of some videos
To provide learners with an environment where they can make video or audio documents of their IL and learning experiences, and failure and success stories and publish them in the bank of IL tutorials
To use Web 2.0 tools and features to update learners’ IL needs e.g. add a RSS feed to the bank of IL tutorials or to the learners’ IL Facebook profiles so that they can refresh their information immediately
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Openness, Collaboration, Practice
• To contextualise IL in the e-information and e-learning environments, and in the context of disciplines
• To establish a common understanding of the contextualised concept of IL among the key IL role players and contributors in the OU
• Course designers and tutors to design tasks in a way that engage learners in the IL activities
• To set a new IL agenda to research the IL studies and practices in e-environments
• To use learners’ self IL- and competency- assessments to enhance IL content, methods, and environment
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Bibliography • Goodwin, Peter. 2008. Information literacy meets Library 2.0.
London: Facet Publishing. • McPherson, Keith. 2008. Shaping global creativity with school
libraries. School Libraries Worldwide, 14(2): 35-44.• Geck, Caroline. 2006. The generation Z connection: teaching
information literacy to the newest net generation. Feature article in Teacher Librarian, 33(2): 19-23.
• Andretta, Susie. 2007. Change and challenge: information literacy for the 21st century. PublisherAdelaide: Auslib Press.
• Feiertag, Jeff, and Zane L. Berge. 2008. Training generation N: how educators should approach the Net Generation. Education + Training, 50(6): 457-464.
• The Open University Information Literacy Strategy 2003-06. Information Literacy Unit, Open University Library.
• Mallett, Liz. 2008. Going Beyond Google at The Open University. Presented in the department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield in 18th November.
• Open University Library. Library courses and workshops. http://library.open.ac.uk/services/libcourses/index.cfm
• Wikipedia • YouTube videos
Maryam Nazari – University of Sheffield
Thank you.