Building the capacity of educators and librarians in information literacy

Summary

The EDUCABILITY Project offers an innovative, freely accessible Educational Framework covering six information-related literacies: Critical Information Literacy, Digital Literacy, Mobile Literacy, Media and Information Literacy, Data Literacy, and Sustainable Development Literacy. Grounded in the structural support provided by established Information Literacy (IL) models, the Framework is designed for online, self-paced training aimed at educators and librarians. It focuses on developing core IL skills alongside the six targeted literacies.

"Since the project delivery, the Library has implemented a complete IL skills educational program applicable to all academic Departments. The actual VLE really empowered the cooperation between Library and academics."

Topic(s) addressed

• Vocational education and training
• Adult education
• Citizen empowerment
• Digital transformation
• New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses
• Open and distance learning

Target group(s)  

60 experts (educators/librarians/ other information scientists) in four countries

Methodologies used

Preliminary actions included the development of a task allocation plan, administrative arrangements, stakeholder involvement, and measures to ensure participant safety. The project management plan covered immediate and scheduled communication strategies between partners, continuous progress monitoring, and a combination of online and in-person meetings. It also included the evaluation of deliverable quality, risk management strategies, a sustainability plan, a dissemination plan, training activities, and multiplier events. The project oversaw the allocation and implementation of four Intellectual Outputs (IOs). Each IO comprised specific tasks with intermediate deliverables and was led by one of the project partners, while all partners collaborated throughout the process to achieve the intended results.

Innovation environment

The project includes open educational resources (OER), with their credibility ensured through six Delphi studies. EDUCABILITY introduces innovative approaches and digital technologies to support teaching and learning. Planned activities make use of cutting-edge training tools, teaching methods, and educational resources. The project has investigated, designed, tested, and implemented various teaching models and practices within an open-source virtual learning environment. Its innovative character lies in its collaborative approach, with strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement and co-creation. Each partner assumed multiple roles throughout the implementation process, contributing to the project's success.

Teachers’ role

An Information Literacy Training Package (ILTP) has been collaboratively developed to support educators and librarians in creating and applying their own practice. The ILTP's e-content and training approaches are designed to be adaptable, enabling users to tailor them to the specific needs of their communities each time they are used.

Impact and output

At the transnational level, convergence in culture, strategic expertise, and infrastructure for information literacy (IL) initiatives has been achieved. At the local level, each partner has access to a wide range of free, credible open educational resources to support the integration of IL and related literacies across various educational settings - formal, non-formal, informal - and in real-world contexts. This is expected to lead to the development, implementation, and dissemination of key skills essential for fostering a democratic and sustainable society.

To maximise the short- and long-term community impact of the project’s outcomes, the partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and established an Information Literacy Network.

Learn more about the project

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