How to integrate IL with the curriculum
 Information Literacy capabilities in RMIT students are best developed through an
integrated curriculum approach. In order to facilitate such an outcome the following recommendations
are presented:
 ACADEMIC and Library
staff recognise and develop their own information literacy
capabilities
PROGRAM
COORDINATORS recognise and facilitate incremental information literacy development throughout a
program
LIAISON
LIBRARIANS work with program renewal teams, teachers and academics to assist in the development of an information literacy ‘friendly’
curriculum.
Please see our outline of suggestions for developing
Information Literacy outcomes through the curriculum.
Developing an information literacy friendly curriculum complements existing RMIT Teaching and Learning strategies. What’s more, the Library advocates
a partnership approach to information literacy development. There are roles for librarians in developing information handling skills and roles for academics in analysis, synthesis and communication skills.
Here are some steps to get started:
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Make an appointment with a member of
your Faculty Liaison Team at the
commencement of your curriculum renewal processes. |
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Discuss with the Liaison
Librarian what it is you want your students to achieve (eg. students
to be able to cite references less than ten years old; to be critical of
information resources, etc.) |
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Explore the ways that the curriculum
can be designed to include information literacy components and how you can
work with your Liaison Librarian to achieve and assess the outcomes. |
The Library is able to help address the three strategic priority areas:
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r i o r i t y:
GRADUATE CAPABILITIES |
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Information Literacy
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Information Literate students will be better equipped to deal with new
situations:
- Determine what new information is required
- Synthesise existing information to develop new
understandings
- Communicate the information
- Use the IL process iteratively
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Relationship
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There is strong potential for a curriculum which has as one of its
foundations student learning processes, that by design develop information
literacy and discipline knowledge, to address the strategic requirement for RMIT courses to produce knowledgeable
graduates. (See Bowden)
(Information Literate graduates are an indicator of meeting the
priority)
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r i o r i t y:
INTERNATIONALISING THE CURRICULUM |
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Information Literacy
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Information Literate students will have the ability to formulate the need for, and identify sources of information
appropriate for the particular cultural context for which the
information is required.
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Relationship
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Learning activities undertaken by the students can facilitate them in
internationalising their projects and assignments etc. (global
perspective)
Information Literacy will enable students to operate more effectively
in an Internationalised curriculum
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r i o r i t y:
DISTRIBUTED LEARNING |
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Information Literacy
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The distributed learning environment is increasingly characterised by
IT mediated access and also flexibility of access. Students may have less
access to on-call support. Information Literacy will enable them to
operate more effectively in the information rich environment of the
Internet but also be self sufficient in identifying and evaluating
information.
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Relationship |
Information Literacy will enable students to operate more effectively
in a Distributed Learning Environment |
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