Xerte at HRCOur college’s journey

Abigail Howe Head of the LRCKen McKerral Curriculum Manager for Business TechnologyScott Clark Internet and Media Technology Foundation Degree Student

BeginningsSummer term 2011 – Head of LRC introduced to Xerte at ACER/JISC Learning Resource Manager’s Forum.

Summer 2011 – Head of the

LRC created Xerte tutorials

for Information Skills.

Information Literacy

CILIP definition:

“Information literacy is knowing when and why you need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner.” (CILIP 2003)

In FE this means:• How to search the internet effectively• Evaluate sources such as websites for academic value (bias,

credibility etc)• Awareness of plagiarism and how to avoid it through referencing

and bibliographies

I firmly believe this is a Functional Skill that is needed in life – this is not just for academic purposes.

Information Skills - Difficult to Deliver• Timing in year – context.• Staff to deliver it – traditionally qualified

librarians.• Must be generic but engaging to varied subject

areas.• Range of ability in FE.• Not that interesting!

Biggest problem: Learner perception of ability is much higher than actual ability.

CIBER Google Generation Research

Delivery

September – November 2011 – Delivered Info Skills Sessions.

Evaluating websites

Bibliographies, referencing and plagiarism

Reflections and Improvements

November 2011 – LRC Staff and Student feedback.

Plan to improve the sessions for September 2012.

December 2011 – Business Technology

required work placements for learners.

January 2012- May 2012 - Work placement.

Working initially from specific instructions,

then just given content.

Scott’s work

• Improved existing sessions to spec• Improved interactions• Created new session on journals

Impact of placement

• Head of LRC time!• Reflections – work sheets• Better sessions - Differentiation

Information Skills Sessions

Created a real work experience opportunity:

• Adapting an existing product• Working to briefs – some of which were

looser and some were tighter• Learning about Copyright and e-learning.• Working for a demanding client!

“

Benefits of Xerte for Info Skills

For the learner• Resource that learners can go back to - unlike presentation

from Librarian.• Engages learners this is a dull subject!

For the college• Staff utilisation – para-professional can deliver.

Future plans 2012-13

• LRC delivering an e-safety qualification – looking at using Xerte for this.

• Better sessions for each academic year – keep reflecting, iterating and improving.

• Continue with work placement.

Bibliography

• CIBER 2009 (Online) Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future. Available from: http://www.bl.uk/news/pdf/googlegen.pdf (accessed 3 April 2009).

• CILIP 2003 (Online) Information Literacy: Definition. Available from: http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/information-literacy/pages/definition.aspx (accessed 13th April 2012).

• Rowlands, I et.al. (2008), The Google Generation: the Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future, Aslib Proceedings, 60(4), pp290-310

Any questions?

?Abigail HoweHead of the LRC01480 379175abigail-howe@huntingdon.ac.uk