Resource: Information Literacy Facilitation cards

Embedding Information Literacy: Information literacy is a key component in the development of the student as an independent learner. Where students are guided from the outset in developing IL skills they will be better able to find, evaluate and use material to support their learning, and to carry on learning throughout their employment and life.

 Using the cards: These cards have been developed by the Open University's Library Services Unit in collaboration with OULDI-JISC project (2011) and are designed to help you consider how to effectively integrate information literacy into individual modules and/ or whole programmes. They are grouped according to the 4 skills areas covered by the IL Levels Framework:

1.  Understand the information landscape
2. Plan and carry out a search
3. Critically evaluate information
4. Manage and communicate your results

 Each skill area has 4 cards, one each for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Masters level. On the front of each card you will find the broad skill area, and on the back the outcomes for the relevant level. Use these cards in module team meetings, workshops and staff development sessions, or to help explain IL to employers, tutors and students.

The cards will help you to:

• decide on learning outcomes, teaching and assessment of IL skills at a particular level
• think about IL skills across an entire programme and about how progression can be built-in
• ensure that IL skills are explicit within learning and teaching, thus enabling you to better articulate, teach and assess these skills

 Printable pdf version of the cards

or access the Open University IL Levels Framework online: http://www.open.ac.uk/libraryservices/ILLFramework

Please note: The PDF contains 15 pages. Print all 15 out back to back on a duplex print and then simply cut out each card - the card will have been printed with the appropriate back. Guidelines to cut the cards are given. One printing of this document will give you:

• One each of 4 Level 1 cards
• One each of 4 Level 2 cards
• One each of 4 Level 3 cards
• One each of 4 Masters Level cards
• An overview card
• A title card (slightly larger than the other cards)
• An A4 (larger text) handout version of the overview card