UNESCO announces the

publication titled “Overview of Information Literacy Resource Worldwide” is divided into 42 language lists and includes selected resources – from websites, books, journals and other kinds of publications – that were provided by contributors from different countries and institutions and compiled by Dr Forest Woody Horton Jr.

The document is available in ePub or PDF formats.

On the left-hand side (from top to bottom):
– My Blue Yeti ™ microphone with wire
– Sustainable coffee mug
– Manfrotto self-standing monopod
– Black lab notebook
– Kodak Playsport camera with its carry-case (on the lab book)

Middle (from top to bottom):
– MacBook Pro laptop with power cord
– A MacIntosh apple on the laptop for the teacher (Mac-Heads will get the joke)
– A dry-erase board eraser, with a blue marker
– Remote control for data projector

Right:
– A few books used in the demo.

I’m pretty proud to say that I was able to equip myself for less than 2000$ with some decent gear !

I just stumbled on MonDiapason.ca (in French), a site I had seen a demo for 2 years ago at a conference. I’ve heard it may go “live” soon, although there is a lot of content on it already…

A new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) attempts to measure the effectiveness of various information literacy (IL) initiatives.

The study involved 500 undergraduate students at Georgian College and tested four different models for IL, including providing specific information literacy courses, embedding information literacy into existing curriculum, online tutorials and non-mandatory tutorials. As they state on the announcement,

The study calls for institutions to adopt information literacy strategies that focus on teaching styles, delivery models, human resource requirements, outcome measurements and defining the benefits to student, institution and employer. Many faculty suggested more time be allotted to skill development as well as additional resources including online tutorials.

As may be expected, students’ comfort, accuracy and ability to utilize information literacy skills increased over their two years of study. While the overall results showed no single method of delivery to be particularly advantageous, the students who had information literacy training embedded in their course curriculum did show significantly higher ability to accurately cite source material.

The full report is available in PDF format (about 70 pages), as are the appendices.

UNESCO annonces the launch of an online course in Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue :

The course will focus on the following subjects:

Intercultural dialogue and citizenship;
Freedom of expression, freedom of information and understanding the news;
Representation and languages in media and information;
Advertising and citizenship;
Information literacy and library skills;
Communication;
MIL and teaching/learning;
MIL policies and strategies;
Citizens and the media and technologies;
Global media/technologies in an increasingly connected world; and
Internet opportunities and challenges.
The course will be offered through QUT’s online learning system, Blackboard, and via Blackboard Collaborate. Most sessions will be self-directed, with ongoing interaction with the course presenters in the online space. There will be four ‘live’ sessions presented globally by international guest lecturers.

The course is free but enrollment is limited to 50 people. Applicants must fill out a form and submit it before mid-January 2013.

UNESCO and InfoLit

Of greater interest is UNESCO’s interest in IL. According to the United Nations agency :

This online course is part of UNESCO’s strategy to foster media and information literacy in societies, which includes:

• preparation of a model Media and Information Literacy Curriculum for Teachers;
• facilitation of international cooperation;
• development of Guidelines for Preparing National MIL Policies and Strategies;
• articulation of a Global Framework on MIL Indicators;
• setting up the MIL University Network;
• articulation of and establishment of an International Clearinghouse on MIL in cooperation with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations;
• provision of Guidelines for Broadcasters on Promoting User-Generated Content and MIL.

You may already know that I have been working on a series of training videos for undergraduate business students – essentially an information literacy program for the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University. These videos aim to present research skills and eventually a reflective model on information seeking and use behavior.

To assist me in this process, I’ve created an open bibliography on the subject of business information literacy, covering recent peer-reviewed articles on the subject. Here is the contents of the folder, as of today:

References

Alessia Zanin-Yost. Designing information literacy: Teaching, collaborating and growing. New Library World, 113(9), 448-461.

Anna, M. J., Sproles, C., Detmering, R., & English, J. (2012). Library instruction and information literacy 2011. Reference Services Review, 40(4), 601-703.

Booker, L. D., Detlor, B., & Serenko, A. (2012). Factors affecting the adoption of online library resources by business students. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 63(12), 2503-2520.

Borg, M., & Stretton, E. (2009). My students and other animals. or a vulture, an orb weaver spider, a giant panda and 900 undergraduate business students …Journal of Information Literacy, 3(1)

Broadhurst, D. (2010). Never mind the width, feel the quality: The provision of library services to a global business school. Business Information Review, 27(3), 144-151.

Brody, R. (2008). The problem of information naïveté. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 59(7), 1124-1127.

Campbell, D. K. (2011). Broad focus, narrow focus: A look at information literacy across a school of business and within a capstone course. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 16(4), 307-325.

Carlson, J., Fosmire, M., Miller, C. C., & Nelson, M. S. (2011). Determining data information literacy needs: A study of students and research faculty. Portal: Libraries & the Academy, 11(2), 629-657.

Catts, R., & Lau, J. (2008). Towards information literacy indicators: Conceptual framework paper. Paris : France: U.N.E.S.C.O.

Conley, T. M., & Gil, E. L. (2011). Information literacy for undergraduate business students: Examining value, relevancy, and implications for the new century.Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 16(3), 213-228.

Cooney, M. (2005). Business information literacy instruction. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 11(1), 3-25.

Crawford, J., & Irving, C. (2009). Information literacy in the workplace: A qualitative exploratory study. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 41(1), 29-38.

Decarie, C. (2012). Dead or alive: Information literacy and dead(?) celebrities. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(2), 166-172.

Detlor, B., Julien, H., Willson, R., Serenko, A., & Lavallee, M. (2011). Learning outcomes of information literacy instruction at business schools. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 62(3), 572-585.

Detmering, R., & Johnson, A. M. (2011). Focusing on the thinking, not the tools: Incorporating critical thinking into an information literacy module for an introduction to business course. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 16(2), 101-107.

Devasagayam, R., Johns.-Masten, K., & McCollum, J. (2012). Linking information literacy, experiential learning, and student characteristics: Pedagogical possibilities in business education. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 16(4), 1-18.

Dubicki, E. (2010). Research behavior patterns of business students. Reference Services Review, 38(3), 360-384.

Emmett, A., & Emde, J. (2007). Assessing information literacy skills using the ACRL standards as a guide. Reference Services Review, 35(2), 210-229.

Fiegen, A. M., Cherry, B., & Watson, K. (2002). Reflections on collaboration: Learning outcomes and information literacy assessment in the business curriculum.Reference Services Review, 30(4), 307-318.

Fiegen, A. M. (2011). Business information literacy: A synthesis for best practices. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 16(4), 267-288.

Frau-Meigs, D., & Torrent, J. (2009). Mapping media education policies in the world: Visions, programmes and challengesUnited Nations Alliance of Civilizations; U.N.E.S.C.O.

Furno, C., & Flanagan, D. (2008). Information literacy: Getting the most from your 60 minutes. Reference Services Review, 36(3), 264-271.

Gilinsky, J., Armand, & Robison, R. (2008). A proposed design for the business capstone course with emphasis on improving students’ information competency.Journal of Management Education, 32(4), 400-419.

Gross, M., & Latham, D. (2012). What’s skill got to do with it?: Information literacy skills and self-views of ability among first-year college students. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 63(3), 574-583.

Gunn, M., & Miree, C. E. (2012). Business information literacy teaching at different academic levels: An exploration of skills and implications for instructional design.Journal of Information Literacy, 6(1)

Hesseldenz, P. (2012). Information literacy and the evolving MBA degree. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 17(4), 287-299.

Hoffmann, D. A., & LaBonte, K. (2012). Meeting information literacy outcomes: Partnering with faculty to create effective information literacy assessment. Journal of Information Literacy, 6(2)

Horton, F. W. J. (2007). Understanding information literacy: A primer. Paris : France: U.N.E.S.C.O.

Hsin-Liang Chen, & Williams, J. P. (2009). Pedagogical design for an online information literacy course: College students’ learning experience with multi-modal objects. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 33(1), 1-37.

Julien, H., Detlor, B., Serenko, A., Willson, R., & Lavallee, M. (2011). Preparing tomorrow’s decision makers: Learning environments and outcomes of information literacy instruction in business schools. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 16(4), 348-367.

Julien, H., & Given, L. M. (2002). Faculty-librarian relationships in the information literacy context: A content analysis of librarians’ expressed attitudes and experiences. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 27(3), 65-87.

Katz, I. R., Haras, C., & Blaszczynski, C. (2010). Does business writing require information literacy? Business Communication Quarterly, 73(2), 135-149.

Kirkwood, H., & Evans, K. (2012). Embedded librarianship and virtual environments in entrepreneurship information literacy: A case study. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 17(1), 106-116.

Lahlafi, A. E., Rushton, D., & Stretton, E. (2012). Active and reflective learning initiatives to improve web searching skills of business students. Journal of Information Literacy, 6(1)

Latham, D., & Gross, M. (2011). Enhancing skills, effecting change: Evaluating an intervention for students with below-proficient information literacy skills. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 35(4), 367-383.

Leigh, J. S. A., & Gibbon, C. A. (2008). Information literacy and the introductory management classroom. Journal of Management Education, 32(4), 509-530.

Lieberthal, S. P. (2009). Teaching undergraduate business students to access public company information: Assessing students‚Äô use of library resources. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 14(3), 230-247.

Martz, B., Braun, F., & Hughes, J. (2011). Business informatics and the information systems perspective: Implementing the IS 2010 curriculum. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 16(3), 229-242.

McKinney, P., & Sen, B. A. (2012). Reflection for learning: Understanding the value of reflective writing for information literacy development. Journal of Information Literacy, 6(2)

Md Zahid, H. S. (2011). Information literacy competency of freshman business students of a private university in bangladesh. Library Review, 60(9), 762-772.

Michelle, K. D., & Michael, T. O. (2011). Formative assessment: Transforming information literacy instruction. Reference Services Review, 39(1), 24-41.

Mottaghifar, H. (2011). Systematic library instruction in academic libraries: Cooperative learning. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business,3(7), 1181-1190.

Nazari, M. (2011). A contextual model of information literacy. Journal of Information Science, 37(4), 345-359.

Nazari, M., & Webber, S. (2012). Loss of faith in the origins of information literacy in e-environments: Proposal of a holistic approach. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 44(2), 97-107.

Payne, P., Crawford, J., & Fiander, W. (2004). Counting on making a difference: Assessing our impact. VINE, 34(4), 176-183.

Polkinghorne, S., & Wilton, S. (2010). Research is a verb: Exploring a new information literacy–embedded undergraduate research methods course. Canadian Journal of Information & Library Sciences, 34(4), 457-473.

Salisbury, F., & Sheridan, L. (2011). Mapping the journey: Developing an information literacy strategy as part of curriculum reform. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 43(3), 185-193.

Scharf, D., Elliot, N., Huey, H. A., Briller, V., & Joshi, K. (2007). Direct assessment of information literacy using writing portfolios. Journal of Academic Librarianship,33(4), 462-477.

Scott, M. (2009). Guidelines for broadcasters on promoting user-generated content and media and information literacy. London : England: Commonwealth Broadcasting Association; U.N.S.C.O.

Senior, H., Wu, K., Martin, D. M., & Mellinger, M. (2009). Three times a study: Business students and the library. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 14(3), 202-229.

Serenko, A., Detlor, B., Julien, H., & Booker, L. D. (2012). A model of student learning outcomes of information literacy instruction in a business school. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 63(4), 671-686.

Simon, C. (2009). Graduate business students and business information literacy: A novel approach. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 14(3), 248-267.

Strittmatter, C. (2012). Developing and assessing a library instruction module for a core business class. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 17(1), 95-105.

Toby, L. M. (2006). New forms of information literacy. Reference Services Review, 34(1), 156-163.

Tooman, C., & Sibthorpe, J. (2012). A sustainable approach to teaching information literacy: Reaching the masses online. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 17(1), 77-94.

Walsh, A. (2009). Information literacy assessment: Where do we start? Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 41(1), 19-28.

Wilson, C., Grizzle, A., Tuazon, R., Akyempong, K., & Cheung, C. (2011). Media and information literacy curriculum for teachers. Paris : France: U.N.E.S.C.O.

Xue Zhang, , Majid, S., & Foo, S. (2010). Environmental scanning: An application of information literacy skills at the workplace. Journal of Information Science,36(6), 719-732.

Yuhfen, D. W., & Susan, L. K. (2006). Teaching faculty’s perspectives on business information literacy. Reference Services Review, 34(1), 86-96.

You can access my open bibliography on business information literacy to download these records directly in your favorite reference manager.

Also, please let me know if anything is missing – the comments are open !

Educause Review presents an interesting project: a class about digital distractions focussed around a “concentration lab”. Also of interest, the results of a class survey about digital habits.

What a great theme to engage students about their learning habits!

Librarians and a student at Kansas State Salina U. (USA) have launched a graphic novel (comic book really) about library use called Legends of the Library Ninjas: A Quest for Knowledge.

Hat tip to Sheila Webber for the link.

I will be launching about 30 library training vidoes about doimg business research from a Canadian University context sometime in the next few days… But you can check them out during this “soft launch” on my YouTube channel, in particular the two playlists (industry research and searching for business articles).

I enjoyed reading this post on a Chronicle of Higher Education blog, called: What Can Angry Birds Teach Us About Universal Design for Instruction? It gives a simple checklist of what makes this mobile game such a success:

Angry Birds involves practice without penalty.
Angry Birds offers the opportunity for constant feedback.
Angry Birds inherently teaches that different tools have different purposes.
Angry Birds has a built in mechanism for knowledge transfer.
Angry Birds rewards perseverance.
Angry Birds gives no time limit.

Also of interest is this post on an event taking place December 10th in Leeds, UK, called Making Games for Libraries, hosted by Andrew Walsh, who has written on active learning. He also is working on an <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/infolit-gamese" called SEEK!