Blogs
Thanks "23 things" I'm running a bit behind schedule but I've really enjoyed the blog thing.  I found a couple of items on a few blogs that were really interesting.  For  a start Derek's blog had a great piece showing the world economy in 38 maps - would be a great teaching resource but apart from that was all round fascinating.  Also check out 40 maps that explain World War One and 40 maps that explain the Roman Empire.
In The Ed Techie was a discussion on open access - quite pertinent in view of the research uploadathons being promoted in the university in Open Access Week 20-24 October. By the way, the FoEd uploadathon is happening Monday 20 October 3-4.30pm in the Library Training Room.

23 things for research

Well here I am again - the third time I've started my blog.  The last 2 times I've got going but not kept going - third time lucky.  I like the idea of using the blog as a professional reflection and learning tool, so let's hope that sticks.
I hoping to enjoy some conversations with some other of you "23 things" participants.  So far our team has had quite a good face to face discussion on Thing 2 - online security.  Having said that and having set up 2 step verification the other day, today I have turned it off - the codes take too long to come through to my phone.  Any suggestions of how I can work around that?

Metaliteracy terms and related concepts

I'm in an institution that trains teachers so I'm interested in the recent changes made by UNESCO in their document Media and information literacy curriculum for teachers which broadens the definition of "information literacy" to "media and information literacy."

Some of the UNESCO definitions are:
Digital literacy:

The ability to use digital technology, communication tools ornetworks to locate, evaluate, use and create information. It also refers to the ability to understand and use information in multiple

formats from a wide range of sources when presented viacomputers, or to a person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment. Digital literacy includes the ability to read

and interpret media, reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments

 

Media and information literacy (MIL): the essential competencies (knowledge, skills and attitude) that allow citizens to engage with media and other information providers effectively and develop critical thinking and life-long learning skills for socializing and becoming active citizens.

Media literacy :Understanding and usingmass mediain either an assertive or non-assertive way, including an informed and critical understanding of media, the techniques they employ and their

effects. Also the ability to read, analyze, evaluate and producecommunication in a variety of media forms (e.g. television, print,radio, computers etc.). Another understanding of the term is the

ability to decode, analyze, evaluate and produce communication in a variety of forms. 

I'm also interested in the recent work done by Jane Secker and Emma Coonan on A new curriculum for information literacy (ANCIL). 
Their model of the IL landscape also puts IL at the heart of a number of other literacies such as academic literacies, new literacies, media literacy and digital literacy.  They are touching on the verge of metaliteracy but don't quite make that connection with social media and individuals as creators of content in the same way.

Metaliteracy model

Given the time zones  (sorry, guys its 4am here [New Zealand] in the morning when you broadcast) and the fact I have been on leave, it wasn't until yesterday that I caught up with the first broadcast session.  Thanks for setting the scene so clearly, everyone.  I was a bit cynical about the whole business of metaliteracy, but seeing your models gave me a real sense of excitement.  We have been engaged so heavily in the integration of information literacy into the curriculum in the past few years, yet at the same time I always felt that all the definitions information literacy were really missing something.  It was so great to see your model and to see that IL was at the heart of that model BUT that it included all those other literacies which are so necessary now days.  I love the focus on collaboration and connected-ness.
I found the idea of the badges sort of twee, but it is clear from those who were using them that they helped with engagement and motivation.  Be interested to hear if that is the same across all age groups.
Really looking forward to the rest of the course.

#metaliteracy

Wow, I've signed up for my first MOOC and in an area that has been occupying my mind quite a bit over the past few years - or at least aspects of information literacy (IL) have.  I have wrestled with communicating the idea of IL to our academic staff, introduced concepts of IL integration to our subject librarians through an on-going programme which has been running for 3 years now, and thought a lot about about the 'literacy' aspects of e-learning.  I basically came to the conclusion that IL was really only something that librarians cared about and I think that's still the case.  Other people care about the deficits they see in their students when IL has been absent, but few people really want to engage with the idea of IL - its a tarnished coin I'm afraid, and it has become tarnished because librarians have failed to make it clear what it really means. I've recently been working with academic staff and talking about "academic literacies" - this seems to be a handle that is much more easily grasped and has resulted in far more positive outcomes than trying to push the idea of IL. 

I'm not sure I agree with Mackey and Jacobsen that we need a definition of (information) literacy that takes account of changes in learning environments and tools. Is metaliteracy going to become the new black of information literacy? - are we just going to go down the same old path that bedevilled IL? Part of me wonders whether the use of "collaborative production and sharing of information using participatory interactive technologies" (p.70) is really such a big jump away from what we had.  Agreed that the way students participate is different and moves more towards the generation of collaborative content, but isn't this more related to the tools we are using rather than any inherent change in the way we should think about information?  Maybe this course will persuade me otherwise.  Looking forward to it :)

Learning in immersive worlds

Having just finished my second assignment I thought I would share an interesting report that I used while I was writing it. In my assignment I looked at the educational benefits of using gaming as a tool to teach information literacy (and the other literacies as well). Some of the most interesting reading came from a JISC funded report called Learning in immersive worlds by Sara de Freitas. The report is designed to "inform practitioners who are considering using games and simulations in their practice." (p. 3) and both reviews the literature and looks at case studies. My particular interest was MMORPGs (massivley multiplayer online role playing games). De Freitas' report came up with a number of conclusions:

• games need to be embedded into practice to ensure effective learning


• More research is needed to provide empirical evidence for how game-based learning can be used most effectively


• more effective supporting materials are needed to support practitioners wishing to use game-based learning approaches


• new developments including the serious games movement are informing the development of games for learning


• there is a great potential and need for tutors and practitioners to become involved with games development for learning


• there is a need for more opportunities for staff development to support tutors wishing to adopt game-based learning in their practice


• there is the potential for learners to become more empowered with game-based learning. (p.7)

De Freitas, S. (2006). Learning in immersive worlds: A review of game-based learning. Bristol: JISC. Retrieved from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/elearninginnovation/gamingreport_v3.pdf

This report and other research I read made me think that I wished I had allowed my kids more freedom when playing online games when they were younger. A lecturer was asking me the other day if they should be allowing their kids to play online games, and I had to say a definite "yes." I think one of my holiday projects will be to become involved in playing a MMORPG - a bit of fun profesional development. If anyone out there knows a good game for an aging (bit keen!) librarian to become involved with, please let me know.

Pre-service teachers and e-learning

I have just picked up a new book Digital literacies: Social Learning and classroom practices (Carrington & Robinson, 2009) which seems to highlight a problem that has been sloshing around in my head for a while, especially as I have just been conducting user groups with our students in relation to a new Library web presence. One of the things that has struck me is the larger number of mature students we have in education. These are the teachers which are going to be going into classrooms in the next few years. A number of them have made it clear that they are uncomfortable with computer technology, although many are willing enough to "give it a go."

Still, I have a feeling that this is probably not enough to bring about the kinds of changes that the e-learning environment will require. Robinson and Mackey (as cited in Carrington & Robinson, 2009) concluded that "somewhat worryingly, in the UK at least, we found that many pre-service teachers have a very functional view of the place of new media and the way that such media might play a part in education." (p. 132). Since Krumsvik (as cited in Carrington & Robinson, 2009) suggests that what knowledge is, how it is accessed and constructed, is fundamentally altered within digital environments (p.132) then a big problem is highlighted. It seems as if the mindset of many pre-service teachers has not changed to allow them to utilise new technologies in a pedagogically sound and effective way. I am sure there are factors other than minset which impinge on this, but this is a pretty important one and maybe this helps to account for the fact that the use of new technologies has not gained as much traction in education as expected.

Kerin (Carrington & Robinson, 2009) also examines the concept of multiliteracies pedagogy, which was used as the analytical framework for her study. Having been occupied for quite a while with information literacy, it makes me wonder now whether we should be thinking more globally around multiliteracies, of which information literacy might be just one aspect. I think that I will investigate this link a little further and try and track down more readings in the area. This might provide a good theoretical framework for my report.

Kerin, R. (2009). Digital portraits: Teacher education and multiliteracies pedsgogy. In V. Carrington & M. Robinson (Eds.) Digital literacies: Social learning and classroom practices. London: Sage Publications.