Information literacy research at the University of Sheffield and Queensland University of Technology

A free half-day seminar was held at the University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies on Friday 30th March 2007. The PowerPoints for two of the presentations have been added.

Programme

1.40 Welcome and Introduction. Professor Sheila Corrall (Head of Department, Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield)

1.50 Guest keynote: Information literacy: models from research. Dr Christine Bruce (Associate Professor, Faculty of Information Technology, Queensland University of Technology, Australia)
Dr Bruce will discuss the nature and agenda for information literacy research, and give an insight into the models which have emerged from research by staff and students at Queensland University of Technology.

2.35 Information Literacy research in the Department of Information Studies, and the UK research agenda. Sheila Webber (Senior Lecturer, Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield) and Professor Nigel Ford (Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield)
The Department has a long history of information behaviour research and, more recently, information literacy research. This presentation will highlight recent research by staff and student in these fields. It will also summarise findings from a delphi study investigating the research agenda for information literacy, carried out in 2006 by students on the Information Literacy Research module.
Here is the presentation powerpoint in pdf form: http://dis.shef.ac.uk/sheila/30-3-2007-webber-ford.pdf

3.20 Conceptions of information literacy of UK Chemistry and English academics. Sheila Webber and Bill Johnston (Senior Lecturer, Centre for Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement, University of Strathclyde, Scotland
This presentation is based on research findings from the Arts & Humanities Research Council project “UK academics’ conceptions of, and pedagogy for, information literacy”, funded November 2002-November 2005. The speakers will summarise key discoveries and the implications for educating students for information literacy.
Here is the presentation powerpoint in pdf form: http://dis.shef.ac.uk/sheila/30-3-2007-webber-johnston.pdf

3.45 Mining of search activity data to support information literacy. Professor Nigel Ford and Dr Andrew Madden (Research Fellow) Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield.
This presentation is based on research findings from the Arts & Humanities Research Council project “Understanding the dynamics of information seeking: analysing searchers' strategic changes over time”, funded February 2005-July 2007.

How to find the Department: Department of Information Studies, 2nd Floor, Regent Court, Portobello Street, University of Sheffield. See map at http://www.shef.ac.uk/visitors/mapsandtravel/university.html. Regent Court is building 166 on this map (on the right hand side of the map). From the Railway station, take a tram (at the back of the station) to the West Street stop, and it is a 5 minute walk.

If you have questions, email s.webber@shef.ac.uk.