1. Little and often
Exploring the potential of information
literacy mini lessons
Leah Emary, Clare McCluskey, Victoria Watt
LILAC, Sheffield Hallam University
24 April 2014
2. Background
• Little and often = bite size
• Bite size sessions and learning objects are
used at other HE institutions
• Born of pragmatism
• But is there theory behind it?
3.
4. Interleaving vs Massing
• Kornell and Bjork 2008
– ABC, ABC, ABC vs AAA, BBB, CCC
• Spacing (Roediger 2012)
• Long 2013
• Pashler 2007
5. Length on its own is not the key
rather
Responsiveness and diversity of what we
offer
9. “We have noticed a big
improvement in the use of
resources in this module.
Appropriate and wide-ranging.”
10. Image Sources
• Phone Call by Lobna
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lobnapics/265931206/
• Dunkin’ Donuts Sign – Latham New York by MJBarnes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/33445721@N04/8984938659/
• Michael Falling Off a Cliff by Nailz1000
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nailz1000/3228696928/
• Empty Theatre Red Seats by Eric Broder Van Dyke
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ericbvd/4324724233
• Hand Grab by Sandor Weisz
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37961843@N00/393009070
11. Cepeda, N. et al., 2006. Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative
synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), pp.354–380.
Kornell, N. & Bjork, R., 2008. Learning Concepts and Categories: Is Spacing the “Enemy of
Induction”? Psychological Science, 19(6), pp.585–593.
Landauer, T. & Bjork, R., 1978. Optimum rehearsal patterns and name learning. In Practical Aspects
of Memory. London: Academic Press.
Long, M., 2011. The psychology of education, London : Routledge, 2011.
McCluskey, C., 2013. Mapping and evaluating the information landscape. In J. Secker & E. Coonan,
eds. Rethinking Information Literacy: A Practical Framework for Supporting Learning. London: Facet,
pp. 41–53.
Pashler, H. et al., 2007. Enhancing learning and retarding forgetting: Choices and
consequences. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14(2), pp.187–193. Available at:
http://www.pashler.com/Articles/Pashler.Rohrer.Cepeda.Carpenter_2007.pdf.
Rhem, J., Deep/Surface Approaches To Learning In Higher Education: A Research Update. Essays on
Teaching Excellence. Available at: http://teaching.uchicago.edu/oldsite/pod/09-
10/Rhem.html [Accessed April 2, 2014].
Roediger, H. et al., 2012. Applications of cognitive science to education. In S. Della Salla,
ed. Neuroscience in Education: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
https://www.zotero.org/groups/bite_sized_information_literacy_bibliography