Researchers’ learning lives symposiuminformation literacy and researchers

Moira BentJo Webb

Pat Gannon-Leary

Background

RIN surveys and research Research

De Montfort workshops Interviews

Subsequent presentations, feedback and research and reflection Emergent model of ‘7 ages of research’

(articles at press and conference papers)

What this session will cover

Interactive discussion of how: we sh/would define and describe ‘research’ and

‘researchers’ what we might agree to be researchers’ learning

needs how those learning needs change based on age /

career stage / experience and external influences Some ways of using educational theory to

interpret researchers’ learning needs Suggestions for practical application

Session will be interactive and participative

What we won’t tell you

How to run a perfect workshop A blueprint for working with all researchers The solutions to the JSS / Roberts / REF

agenda/s You must define your own institutional framework

What do you think?

What is research? What is a researcher? Who are the researchers with whom you

work? What do you think are your researchers’

learning needs?

What the researchers said 1Research is Theory-led; Data-led; Scholarship Grounded in disciplines; multi / inter / trans

disciplinary Investigation; interpretation; gathering evidence A holistic activity; a set of transferable skills Collaborative / solo activity Related to self Validated by peer group Made meaningful by an external audience

… concept is disputed at every level but meaning is often implicit and not known outside CoP

What the researchers said 2Researchers are: Usually recognised within organization and… people who find out new things, reflect and take

action at different levels and career stages working in different disciplines obliged to share what they find – to put knowledge

into the public domain ready to be challenged making connections passionate ambitious

Life course analysis of IL

• Sociological approach to reviewing sociostructural and institutional contexts of life paths in contemporary societies

o Perspective on research/er careers and hence information needs

• Individual through progress/process of life and organization

• Stages / Link of learning / information need and development

Researchers’ learning lives - the 7 ages model

Different conceptions of research and learning needs / IL by age and/or career stage

Interviews indicated: Earlier experiences (and emotions) influenced present

behaviours Needs and priorities varied at discrete career stages Attitudes and values change at each stage

Threshold concepts and life course analysis IL is more than skills and training and must include

attitude and values based in the wider concept of a life course

7 ages of research

Masters studentsDoctoral studentsContract researchersEarly career researchers Established academic staffSenior researchersExperts

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Early

Apprenticeship - influenced by supervisors / tutors / mentors

Skills and competences are defined (also funded and monitored)

Different levels of control Transition from structured learning to self-

organization Interaction between personal life / prior experiences Managing different roles e.g. other jobs, developing

teaching skills Information consumer, objective is production

Early

I consider myself to be at the start of my research career, although I have been doing research for about 4 years. [Recent PhD graduate, South Africa]

I don’t think I was a good researcher for my PhD. You need to have a mentor to show you the ropes and the pitfalls. You can train for some things. The best is to work alongside someone successful and learn from them. [Dean of Research, UK]

I reckon I spent nearly all my first year reading journal articles. [Computing Sciences Final year PhD]

Mid Moving field / moving role / learning a different landscape Balancing teaching and research support / info guiding work management in different

circumstances situating yourself / making your name / establishing credentials

locally (e.g. in department) wider research community

Need to be adaptable / avoiding isolation Starting to supervise other researchers Starting role in management / administration Information production and consumption Shift from systematic to pragmatic information retrieval

‘Librarians love to search. Everyone else likes to find’

Mid

I hardly ever use databases, probably because I’m not usually starting from a position of knowing nothing. I tend to start with a few key papers and then follow up their references. [Senior lecturer in Biology]

I used to be focused in my approach to finding mainstream resources, now I’m less so, more explorative. I guess looking for inspiration for my more mainstream ideas. [Senior Research Fellow in creative technologies] p.158

Late / Senior

• Developing into/ having a significant role in research leadership and administration

• Leading research teams / research centres / research projects / mainstream management

• Supervising and examining theses• Teaching research methods• Plenary conference speaker• Editorial board of journals etc.• Refereeing / peer reviewer / specialist assessor• Disseminating research practice or defining their

field• Different IL skillsets for range of activities

Late I have 5 years to retirement but research is becoming more

important in my career. I still have one, even though retirement is looming [South African researcher]

If I couldn’t find it myself on the Internet, then I’d ask my students first, my RAs, then I’d come to the library. The RAs live and die finding info. [Professor of Industrial Statistics, UK]

These days all my papers are invited plenaries and similar tertiary reviews. [Retired Professor of Chemistry, UK]

As a researcher, the difference is that I know how to do research and I am connected into all the networks. [Dean of Research, Humanities, UK]

7 ages of research

Masters studentsDoctoral studentsContract researchersEarly career researchers Established academic staffSenior researchersExperts

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Researchers learning lives

Andragogy or pedagogy? Recognise the need to know Researchers should be responsible for own

decisions and treated as capable of self-direction Role of previous and ongoing experience Readiness to learn Orientation to learning

Overly-didactic approaches are not key to effective IL development

IL and Researchers

Recognise differences Skills and information behaviours Focus on management and information need

rather than finding Change agency / advocacy role

EngagementEnabling

Empowerment