Teaching Information Skills: Materials for Secondary Schools
The need to equip the 'Google generation' with effective information literacy skills was highlighted recently in a report by JISC and the British Library.
These materials provide guidance to staff in schools about teaching information literacy, as well as including a selection of activities which can be used with pupils.
The materials have been produced as part of a project funded by Eduserv's Information Literacy Initiative and delivered by Helen Blanchett from Netskills. The information literacy activities for use with pupils were developed by Pauline Roberts, school librarian at Longbenton Community College.
For more details on this project, see:
The materials
These materials may be used and adapted freely for educational purposes, with acknowledgement of the original source.
The materials include:
- A range of cascade materials designed to deliver in-house training and awareness sessions for teachers and support staff
- A selection of activities for use with pupils accompanied by teacher's notes containing guidance on running the activities
Materials for Staff Training Sessions
Download all the staff materials as a zip file
Session Notes
- Notes for Teachers and Trainers [Word]
Guidance on running sessions using the materials and delivering the activities.
An Introduction to Information Literacy
- An Introduction to Information Literacy [PowerPoint]
A presentation providing definitions of information literacy and how it links to the curriculum. - Information Literacy Models [Word]
A handout explaining several well-known models of information literacy designed for use in schools. - Strategies for Success [Word]
A handout listing key success factors for implementing a successful information literacy and library skills programme.
Information Literacy and Learning
- Information Literacy, Learning and Design [PowerPoint]
A presentation giving an overview of key learning theory and how this relates to information literacy and design of teaching activities. - Analysing Learning Outcomes [Word]
An exercise to evaluate information literacy learning outcomes in relation to Bloom's taxonomy. - Levels of Learning and Teaching Strategies [Word]
A handout explaining key learning theories and how to use the appropriate teaching strategy to meet intended outcomes. - Bloom's Taxonomy [Word]
A handout defining Bloom's taxonomy. - Evaluating Resources [Word]
A list of online information literacy resources to be used in an evaluation activity. - Evaluation Form [Word]
A form to use in the 'Evaluating Resources' activity. - Designing WebQuests [Word]
A form that can be used to design a WebQuest. - Learning Styles [Word]
A handout information about working with learning styles and links to online learning style evaluations. - Lesson Planning [Word]
A form which can be used to plan information literacy activities. - Tips from School Librarians [Word]
Materials for use with Pupils
Download all the staff materials as a zip file
Research versus Search
- Notes for Teachers and Trainers [Word]
Guidance on running the activity. - Research Questions [Word]
A set of questions to use in the activity. - Search Questions [Word]
A set of questions to use in the activity. - Search versus Research [Word]
A handout outlining the key differences between searching and researching.
Plagiarism and referencing
- Notes for Teachers and Trainers [Word]
Guidance on running the activity. - Plagiarism [Word]
An activity containing True/False statements relating to plagiarism. - What is a bibliography? [Word]
An handout explaining referencing and bibliographies.
Which Program?
- Notes for Teachers and Trainers [Word]
Guidance on running the activity. - Which program? [Word]
A quiz to test pupil's knowledge which computer program to use for the information they want to present. - Which program? [Word]
A handout / poster explaining which program to use when.