Designing information literacy instruction for the life sciences

Information literacy for the life sciences differs from other disciplines and requires an approach that addresses the specific needs of the curriculum and its students. This chapter focuses on the important aspects to consider when designing information literacy for the life sciences, including characteristics of the curriculum and students, opportunities to collaborate with instructors to integrate information literacy, and strategies for developing assessment-based approaches. It provides recommended resources, specific guidance, and practical suggestions for librarians responsible for information literacy instruction in the life sciences disciplines

Measuring students’ information skills through concept mapping

This paper seeks to develop a methodology that will discover, specify and measure students’ abilities and skills in creating concept maps. Because competencies are the key factor in higher education, the paper analyses the role of concept maps as a tool to diagnose and improve information analysis, synthesis, organisation and representation skills and competencies. We propose a methodology that enables these skills to be evaluated by observing, analysing and measuring the stages involved in creating a concept map: identification of the main and secondary subjects; subject codification by concepts; grading of concepts; and representation of the concepts and their relationships with labels. A case study using action-research methodology tests the usefulness of the methodology on a group of university students of Library and Information Science. The method proposed provides information on the strengths and weaknesses of the students’ skills analysed, thus enabling their training to be improved by means of specific actions

Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

Contents of the standard: Information Literacy Defined; Information Literacy and Information Technology; Information Literacy and Higher Education; Information Literacy and Pedagogy; Use of the Standards; Information Literacy and Assessment; Standards, Performance Indicators and Outcomes; Appendix I: Selected Information Literacy Initiatives; Developers of the Information Literacy Competency Standard