Developing an Information Literacy Policy Program

Julie Cass

Julie Cass has worked in university and TAFE libraries for more than 10 years. In her current position as teacher librarian
at Victoria Point State High School, she is committed to changing the culture of the resource centre to improve the learning
environment for both staff and students. Julie will complete her Masters Degree in Applied Science (Teacher Librarianship)
through Charles Sturt University in 2004 and is a concurrent presenter for the ASLA Online I: Constructing communities of
learning and literacy online conference in May 2004. Julie is also a professional calligrapher and likes to dabble in Chinese
brush painting.

(The views expressed in articles are those of the author(s) concerned and do not necessarily represent the views
of ASLA.)

Abstract
An information policy and plan are developed in a Queensland high school. Data on staff and student information literacy
awareness and skills is gathered, and strategies and outcomes are specified to support the schools curriculum plan.

School background and philosophy

Victoria Point State High School (VPSHS) is located in the Redland Shire at the southern end of Moreton Bay, 40
kilometres from Brisbane. In 2004, the school comprises 1140 students from years 8 to 12 and 82 teaching staff, including
11 heads of department. Only seven years old, the school is committed to encouraging personal growth by empowering all
students to achieve their best educational outcomes. To this end, the schools curriculum plan (Victoria Point State High
School 2003) provides a framework that is designed to improve learning outcomes for every student in the school and to
achieve the broader curriculum objectives of Queensland State Education2010 (Education Queensland 2000).
In order for students to sustain lifelong learning in the 21st Century, they will need to be able to find, understand and use
information from the many sources available. Information literacy is an essential life skill. It should be integrated into the
curriculum and facilitated by access to a wide range of resources mediated by the teacher librarian. For this to occur, an
information literacy policy and program must be implemented throughout the school. This report looks at our schools
approach to the development and delivery of an information literacy policy and program for the whole school.

Defining information literacy

While there is no consensus of opinion on how to define information literacy, experts would almost certainly agree
with the following. Information literacy, the ability to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate and use
this information effectively, encompasses the effective use of multiple information technologies and formats, enables
individuals to develop skills for learning throughout life, and supports skills for workplace enterprise and community
participation. (ALIA statement on information literacy for all Australians 2003). Langford (1998, p. 53) asserts that
information literacy, a process-oriented continuum of skills, should become part of the natural discourse of teachers as
they design and develop curriculum units or discuss pedagogical issues.

Context
Globally, there is increasing acknowledgement of the importance of information literacy skills in an environment of
constant change and innovation, and of information overload. At a national level, the Australian Library and Information
Association (ALIA 2003) endorses the following principle in citing the Statement on information literacy for all Australians:
A thriving national and global culture, economy and democracy will be best advanced by people able to recognize the need
for information, and identify, locate, access, evaluate and apply the needed information.
Also, at national level, the Council of Australian Universities (2001) has released the Information literacy standards. At a
state level, in Queensland, the New Basics Project recognises schools as: the place where children will learn how to sift
through, weigh, judge, filter, critique a virtually informative and continuous 24-hour flow of information that they are going to
be exposed to for the rest of their lives (Luke 2000, p. 15, cited in Bundy 2000).

Why now?
As a newish teacher librarian at VPSHS (commencing work there in July 2002), I was prompted to undertake the
development of an information literacy policy and program for the school midway through 2003 due to several factors:

A reading of Lonsdales (2003) research findings highlighting the need for evidence-based practice in Australia, particularly
in the secondary school sector.
 The schools changing focus for information skills, moving gradually away from a reliance on text books to
collaborative, resource-based, student-centred learning.
A commitment to building solid relationships with the teaching staff to integrate information literacy into the curriculum.
An awareness of teachers concerns about students lack of adequate research skills and lack of understanding about
ethical issues and plagiarism.
My own observations of students use of the Internet, revealing that many were confused and overwhelmed by the
mass of information confronting them.
A commitment to integrate information literacy skills into VPSHSs proposed notebook (laptop) program for 2004.
A commitment to raise the profile of the resource centre, an overlooked part of the school.
My liaison with university staff in our region, revealing that many new students at universities lacked the necessary
information skills.

Principal, teachers targeted

I realised that the support of the principal would be vital to the success of my plan (see Hay et. al. 1999). I needed
to build visibility by convincing the principal that I was able to function as a partner in curriculum development, providing
new approaches to teaching and learning. I also needed to shape the perceptions of teachers. For teachers to be effective
change agents, facilitating the development of information literacy skills in their students, they must themselves be
information-literate role models. Research shows that this is not often the reality (see Juchau 1984; Turner 1996; and Henri
1997).

Succesful Studies
Before approaching the principal, I conducted some research with the aim of including evidence in my portfolio to
principal and staff, showing that information literacy skills do make a difference to student learning outcomes. As most
research examining the impact of school libraries on student achievement has come from overseas, I was able to locate
only a handful of studies that documented the kind of outcomes that I was seeking (Lamb 2003; Sivanesarajah, McNicholas
and Todd 1993; Todd, Lamb and McNicholas 1993; and Lamb and Todd 1993).
Some of the outcomes from these studies included:
Improved self-esteem.
Appreciation that ease, speed and usefulness were rewards for information literacy.
More control of learning tasks.
Acceptance of the need for active participation in learning.
Higher levels of ability to construct personal understanding.
Increased competency at information analysis and synthesis.
In embarking on my own evidence-based practice at VPSHS, my aim was to identify elements that were
associated with effective research tasks so that students saw value in their learning. If we are to teach for understanding,
we need to focus on how students construct meaning from a variety of sources.

Expected outcomes
The principal will support the teacher librarian 100 percent in taking a leading role in the development of an information
literacy policy and program.
All teachers will be aware of information literacy and its importance in the curriculum in six months.
Eighty-five percent of teachers will become proficient users of a range of information sources and services in five
years.
Thirty-five percent of teachers will work co-operatively with the teacher librarian to facilitate information literacy skills in
their students in one year.
Eight-five percent of students in years 8 to 10 will show knowledge of the range of information resources available in
the Resource Centre and other community venues in five years.

Strategies Adopted
I commenced midway through 2003 with the following plan of attack, which was accomplished by the end of last year.
Give the principal a portfolio on information literacy.
Make a presentation to HOD meeting in June 2003.
Lobby staff to become involved in a whole-of-school audit of existing information literacy skills. This action research
would identify gaps and good practice (Doll 1999 and Farmer 2001, cited in OHare 2002).
Survey staff about information literacy skills (see Garland 1999, pp. 41-53; and Bennetto and Manning 1995)
Organise research projects with two or three teachers.
Invite Jenny Ryan, co-author of Information literacy planning overview (ILPO), to visit the school.
 Adapt Ryan/Capras (2000) Information literacy planning overview (ILPO) to fit the teaching of information skills into the
curriculum.
Collaborate with HODs and some teachers to identify and acquire or create relevant resources.
Evaluate the program using the information and ICT matrix of student learning (ASLA/ALIA 2001, Learning for the
future: Developing information services in Australian schools) and McKenzies (1998) five-star matrix.

I count my major successes in this early phase as the assured support of the principal, which enabled the formation
of an information literacy working party and the inclusion of an information literacy policy in the 2004 curriculum plan. It was
decided to start small and then expand by gradually integrating information literacy skills into the curriculum.
A timeline was established for 2003 to 2005 to ensure that a number of teachers in different faculties would have a chance
to work with the teacher librarian as guide and mentor in the implementation of information literacy into the various classes.
Formal and informal awareness raising sessions were set in place for teachers and students in Semester 2, 2003. Staff in-
service in the use of various information sources was arranged for 2004 through the University of Queensland Cybrary.

School audit()

Conclusion
As a school community, VPSHS aims to fulfil its vision of empowering students to achieve their best educational
outcomes. To achieve this and to sustain lifelong learning in the 21st Century, it is crucial that we take up the challenge of
information literacy.
As the teacher librarian at Victoria Point, having initiated the development of an information literacy program at the school, I
will continue to implement and evaluate information literacy during the next two years. If other teacher librarians around the
country take up the challenge of evidence-based practice, the gap that Lonsdale (2003) has identified will be gradually
addressed and the case for school libraries in Australia will continue to grow. ()
References (seccin abreviada por falta de espacio en esta evaluacin)