This document discusses supporting PhD students' information and digital literacies at the London School of Economics. It provides an overview of information literacy courses and digital literacy courses offered, including a 6-week MI512 information literacy program. Feedback from students indicates the courses significantly improved their confidence and skills in areas like finding published literature and searching the internet. While students struggled with newer digital tools, they valued the expertise of librarians teaching them essential research skills and techniques. Continued efforts are needed to further embed information and digital literacy support across academic programs.
1. Information and digital literacies to support PhD students Jane Secker Centre for Learning Technology, LSE
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12. Feedback from students The overall course was excellent, you have raised the bar very high! Tiago, 1 st year, Geography & Environment I liked that this was a 6 week course and you could build up your information literacy … I liked the pre-course needs analysis form and individual suggestions for search sources. Sarah, 2 nd year, Social Policy The Moodle resource is an excellent resource as it is very detailed (and links are live unlike paper version). Helen, 1 st year, Social Psychology All classes were explained very clearly. Support was excellent. The internet and keeping up to date classes were particularly useful. Giulia, 1 st year, Anthropology
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Hinweis der Redaktion
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JS Recent research suggests that teaching IL to researchers will remain an important role but need to ensure sufficient take up (RIN, 2007, p.49) Need to differentiate support for researchers from support for UGs or Masters students to teach ‘tricks of the trade’ (RIN, 2007 p.49) Myth of the Google generation (CIBER report) but are we too late to change ‘ingrained coping behaviour’ ? (CIBER report, p.23) Do students overestimate their information skills? (CIBER report, p.24)
JS Mixed classes may be easier for us in some ways as most students from SS disciplines although this varies from maths to bioscience to philosophy!
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RMG Add booking & attendance figures. Add waiting list figures Promoted via email & the web Used Research Students’ advisor from Teaching & Learning Centre as well as Liaison Librarians’ own networks
RMG The pre course form allows us to track progress and to plan lessons accordingly. Sessions are more clearly defined, rather than having 5 mins explanation 5mins hands on etc we have a short explanation which covers several tasks, with all students looking at the screen, then let them have longer hands on with the workbook, where they can use their own search examples if they prefer. Also allows more advanced students to complete more tasks. WE then offer hands on roving help. PowerPoint's are no longer handed out to students – they are available via moodle but no one has asked us for a copy in the class. They contain much less information. More of this info has gone into the workbook, using handy hints, screenshots, and explaining why students would need to use the resource. Students do refer to these much more than the old activity sheets. Felt if we were going to plan lessons in this way that it was important to have clear structured workbooks.
RMG Natural feedback – good rapport within group and with group and trainers
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RMG 50% increase in confidence! Scores of each class - Literature searching: 32 Google: 39 Finding newspapers, thesis etc: 40 Citing: 29 Endnote: 35 Keeping up to date: 42
JS Referring back to the CIBER report and the RIN study: Difference between researchers now and from 10-15 yeasr ago. Now there seems to be a lack of critical thinking/ability to plan. Bunging in a search in google can return a lot of results – many researchers feel this is enough even if this means they are missing out on key information. They no longer have to analyse and plan their keywords. Despites being high level candidates, they found some concepts eg RSS difficult to grasp.