Dr. Monika Krakowska (PhD)Institute of Information and Library Science

Jagiellonian University

INFORMATION LITERACY DEVELOPMENT IN THE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF VIRTUAL MOBILITY

EMPATIC project ‘s workshop 8th June 2011 Krakow, Poland

• Virtual mobility concept and challenges for scholar sector – teacher’s and lifelong learning perspective

• Information literacy in Virtual mobility• Case study• Identification of information skills within

multicultural, international group

Presentation content

• multitasking is important • reality is not “real” – virtual reality is a stimulus • doing is more important that knowing• trial-and-error experimentation• zero tolerance for delays • communication and connection is essential (always and

anywhere, staying connected) As our students enter the workforce,

the ability to deal with complexand often ambiguous information

will be more important than simplyknowing a lot of facts or having an

accumulation of knowledge.Jason L. Frand

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0051.pdf 

Lifelong Learning and new learners

Improve the set of individual choices and offers in the context of cultural, societal, personal, environmental matters

Improve the quality and utility of education and training in formal, non-formal and informal sector

Raising awareness of ICT, provoke reflection, critical thinking

Raise awareness for continuing development and continuing professional training

Information literacy and lifelong learning

• The phenomenon related to the Bologna Process and the Erasmus program, as well as closely associated with the process of lifelong learning

• Could be implemented in all school sectors

• type of academic pilgrimage, is a common, interactive communication between stakeholders through the computer and new communications technologies, without barriers of time (Sylvia van de Bunt-Kokhuis, 1996)

• e-learning, computer assisted learning, technology enhanced learning, distance learning, flexible learning

Virtual mobility

• flexible learning approach to identify, understand and accept the needs of particular scholars (rather than the institution providing training along with staff) and the adaptation of cognitive and socio-cultural factors in the learning process

• cultural, social, economic aspect• The use of information and communication

technology (ICT) in order to obtain the same benefits obtained due to physical mobility, without having to travel (elearnigeuropa.info)

Virtual mobility

• New types of students and changing students expectations are driving the integration of core campus functions and deployment of students services and learning on the Web

• Lifelong Learning concept • Learners’ attitudes IL, a repertoire of learning

skills, interpersonal skills, group membership • Cross-boarder collaboration from different culture

backgrounds, community building, European citizenship, knowledge exchange models raising awareness of tools, resources, culture models, social impact, enrichment of learning activities, acquisition of ICT skills, flexibility – holistic view of IL

• Collaboration within curricula creation with clear concept of IL

Information literacy in virtual mobility

• Virtual Learning in Higher Education course within TeaCamp (Teachers virtual campus: research, practice, apply) project

• International and multicultural, academic environment (HE institutions from Jyvaskyla University, Finland, Vytautas Magnus University; Baltic Education Technology Institute, Lithuania, Jagiellonian University, Poland, University of Aveiro, Portugal and University of Oviedo, Spain)

• 14 teachers, 29 bachelor, master and doctoral students = only 13 successively finished the virtual mobility course – education and LIS students

• course lasted 12 weeks from 24 September 2010 to 10 December 2010

Research background

• Methodology = qualitative and quantitative research (observation, surveys, narrative interviews, lecture, diary, sub-task evaluation)

• The analysis has been enriched by the personal involvement - was carried out sub – module

• Impact on future teachers, educators – IL awareness

Virtual Learning in Higher Education

Cultural ModelsCollaborative Online LearningTraining StrategiesInformation LiteracyLearning TechnologyLearning StrategiesE-assesment StrategiesCulture models – summary, results of

analysis, diaries

VLHE sub-modules

Data analysisSource of data Data

Virtual mobility platform: portfolio, diary

Reflections on content, context, relationship, course realisation, challenges, information process (searching, organisation, sharing in VM environment);Stated motivations for participation

Virtual mobility platform: forums, asignments,

Videoconferencing, information grounds and small worlds indicators improvement (non-formal virtual ambience)interaction (reciprocation, individual information behaviour)

Students: survey (start-end)

Student declarations of affective factors (motivation, personal moods and emotions) concerning VM participation and information behaviour, relationships with others in the VLHE module: friend, acquaintance, barriers and problems within collaborative behaviour

Participating observation, interviews (mid-point)

tutorial group for the module, team membership, collaborative work for sub-module Information literacy for group course work for the module

• The desire to create a special bond based on the abandoned stereotypes - the implication of conversation and correcting mental models of reality for the national team;

• Have little knowledge on Information literacy

• Little awareness on national level (no policy, no courses, connected with library sector – then only basic skills development or only information (presentations, lecutres without practice)

• Have some problems with IL skills• Use of information – have used only those

they knew, associate past experience, resisted the implementation of tasks - there affective associations

Conclusions (1)

• Need for new pedagogies of engagement that will turn out the kinds of resourceful, engaged workers and citizens – on each level of education, in every type

Conclusions (2)

Finding information about my country interests or

awareness in Information literacy I found that in my

country information amount about Information

literacy is very small.

I think that Learning to

learn is at the core of

information literacy

I did not realised that the situation could be so different in

other countries. We are used to IL, but

there is no so typical issue for others EU

• The problem is communication - linguistic, technical, time

• users often they avoid obstacles, or commence individual actions aimed at increasing the activity of self or others, to encourage information processes – expectations were high!

• Find IL skills and tasks difficult• VLHE module has developed different IL

skills (media, digital, library literacy, culture awareness, etc.) that was important for raising IL awareness of teachers, scholars, pedagogy students and LIS students

• IL modules should be implemented within VM syllabuses, courses, programmes

Conclusions (3)

• Impact on the teacher • The role of the teacher challenges and

changes: - from a source of knowledge, to a

manager and facilitator of learning ; - from passing on knowledge to

students, to creating a learning environment that is linked to real life situation

- from face-to-face based teaching to advanced pedagogical concepts in VM

It should be not one-time activity

Conclusions (cont)