Assessment for information literacy: a challenge for lifelong learning

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Assessment for information literacy a challenge
for lifelong learning

• Sheila Webber, Department of Information Studies,
  University of Sheffield, UK
• Bill Johnston, Centre for Academic Practice,
  University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
• June 2002

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IL is important for LLL

• In particular, a large number of respondents
  have identified information literacy as a key
  set of skills that people will need in the
  information age . New Zealand. Department of
  Labour, Labour Market Policy Group. (2001)
• Information literacy initiates, sustains, and
  extends lifelong learning through abilities that
  may use technologies but are ultimately
  independent of them. Council of Australian
  University Librarians. (2001, p2)

IL Information LiteracyLLL Lifelong Learning
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Dimensions of LLL
Old
Information literacy assessed on all factors and
within each mode
Informalsettings
Formal settings
Universities their libraries
Matrix based on Boshier (1998)
Young
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Information literacy

• the adoption of appropriate information
  behaviour to obtain, through whatever channel or
  medium, information well fitted to information
  needs, together with critical awareness of the
  importance of wise and ethical use of information
  in society

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It has long been recognised that probably the
biggest influence on a students approach to
their studies is the assessment regime of the
course Rust, C. (2001, p11)

• Assessment of student learning
• Complex assessment as befits the definition of IL

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Our argument
Definition of IL
requires
implies
Academics, Students, management, library etc.

• Visions of IL
• student
• university
• organisation

Pedagogy practical enactment of the definition
Challenges in practice?
Learning design
Model of assessment for IL/LLL
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Our vision...
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Information literate student lifelong learning
in the information society

• Social/ cultural changes
• Institutional
• Local, National
• Global

Changing personal goals (academic, career, life)
Information literate student

• Information economy changes in
• Law
• Pricing, Access
• Technology
• Media

Information literacy
Principal subjects of study
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Implies
   
   

• Body of knowledge,
• something more than a list of skills,
• plus an information literate university

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Our vision of an information literate university

• Information literate Curriculum
• IL as discipline
• Learning, teaching assessment

Information literate research
Information literate university

• Management for information literacy
• strategy
• resourcing
• policy
• infrastructure

Information literate students and graduates
Staff development for information literacy
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and information literate organisations
Information literate graduates
Information literate RD
Staff development for information literacy
Information literate organisation

• Management for information literacy
• strategy
• resourcing
• policy
• infrastructure

Learning organisation
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No simplistic model for IL assessment

• No TV dinners!
• Assessment in context of teaching, learning and
  course design
• Course design is cornerstone of IL university
• Formal learning in IL laying groundwork for LLL

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Barriers to our vision include, in universities

• Lack of academic recognition
• Academic politics
• Obsession with ICT training e-learning
• Not embedded in curriculum
• Library instruction/ library skills focus (nice
  but no status) not taking IL seriously as a
  subject as study constrained practiceleading to
  problems such as
• Lack of appropriate assessment

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Learning design for the information society
influence
Learning purposes
Information rich
Proactive
Alignment T/L/A for IL
Design of learning teaching
Evaluation/ redesign
Constructivist Relational
Developmental
Assessment of learning
Credit bearing
Complex
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Designing assessment in practice

• Common factors
• Modes of assessmentexpressed by
• Tasks, activities and products of assessment
  individual and group

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4 Common factors

• 1. Assessment should address a blend of purposes
• Diagnosis
• Formative feedback
• Summative feedback
• Course evaluation, quality audit

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• 2. Assessment regime should display certain
  conditions e.g.
• relevance, consistency, authenticity,
  practicality
• 3. Recording of assessment should take variety of
  forms e.g.
• transcripts of test results, portfolios, learning
  diaries
• 4. Assessment should address the learners
  concept of, approach to, learning e.g.
• Quantitative/qualitative Surface/deep

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• Be suspicious of the objectivity and accuracy of
  all measures of student ability and conscious
  that human judgment is the most important element
  in every indicator of human achievement
• Ramsden, quoted in Biggs, J. (1999, p159).

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Modes of assessment

• Expert assessment
• Self assessment
• Peer assessment

Need to develop self-critical and reflective
capacity to be able to engage in self and peer
assessment
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"Critical self-evaluation and self-assessment of
performance is an essential quality of the
lifelong learner. Unless students are encouraged
to take at least some responsibility for their
own assessment they are unlikely to reach their
full potential as creative, productive learners
in the workplace or community Candy, P.C.,
Crebert, G. and OLeary, J. (1994, p154)
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In practice?
Factors

• Emphasis on diagnosis evaluation
• Summative formative assessment taking place but
  no feedback to students because focus on course
  evaluation
• Emphasis on practicality relevance to other
  subjectsobjectivity

• Address a blend of purposes
• Display certain conditions

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In practice?
Factors

• Emphasis on multiple choice simple tests
  bibliographies
• Emphasis on surface rather than deep learning

• Recorded in variety of forms
• Address learners concept of, approach to,
  learning

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Modes
In practice?

• Expert
• Self
• Peer

• Emphasis on expert (but who is the expert?) and
  self but self assessment often without
  support/feedback to help student make realistic
  assessment

cf workplace where emphasis is on peer and self
assessment
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Recap Our argument
Definition of IL
requires
implies
Academics, Students, management, library etc.

• Visions of IL
• student
• university
• organisation

Pedagogy practical enactment of the definition
Challenges in practice?
Learning design
Model of assessment for IL/LLL
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IL in HE and dimensions of LLL
Old
Self
Informalsettings
Formal settings
Peer
Expert
Information literate Universities
Universities now
Young
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Contacts

• Sheila Webber s.webber_at_sheffield.ac.uk
• Bill Johnston b.johnston_at_strath.ac.uk
• http//dis.shef.ac.uk/literacy/