Information Literacy Framework

Information Literacy Framework 

       “Information literacy is the ability to think critically and make balanced judgements about any information we find and use. Information literacy relates to information in all its forms: not just print, but also digital content, data, images and the spoken word. Information literacy is associated and overlaps with other literacies, including specifically digital literacy, academic literacy, and media literacy. It is not a stand-alone concept and is aligned with other areas of knowledge and understanding” (CILIP 2018).

Information Literacy Framework

Library & Learning Services (LLS) has a pivotal role to play in supporting all students to realise their potential and succeed in their futures (University of Plymouth, 2024).

Working alongside other professional service teams and academic staff, LLS is committed to developing students' skills  constructively aligned with the curriculum.

The framework provides a structure for developing essential skills that align with the Plymouth Compass’s four dimensions; Critical & Creative Learner, Resilient & Thriving Individual, Global & Sustainable Citizen, and Competent & Confident Professional (University of Plymouth, no date).

The framework embraces all information literacies and is cognisant of the digital environment in which students operate.

The framework will allow students and staff to identify the graduate attributes gained from IL and how these will progress across the stages of study throughout the curriculum.

LLS will enable students to become proficient in resource discovery through

• Emphasising the structure and nature of academic and non-academic information sources.
• Promoting the subject and profession specific databases and tools including AI.
• Providing IL sessions scaffolded to key transition points in their student journey.

LLS will enable students to critically evaluate sources through

• Reinforcing reflective analysis and cultivating innovative approaches.
• Inspiring them to question the reliability, relevance and bias of sources.
• Promoting understanding of the processes by which scholarly material in their discipline is produced, reproduced and disseminated.

LLS will enable students to manage information through

• Developing skills in searching, retrieving and managing information effectively.
• Using referencing and citation tools to maintain academic integrity.
• Implementing effective strategies for organizing and managing digital resources efficiently.
• Championing awareness of lifelong learning and equality of education linking to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (United Nations, no date).

LLS will enable students to understand ownership rights and ethics through

• Developing comprehensive knowledge of intellectual property, copyright, and plagiarism to maintain academic integrity.
• Building competence in the ethical use of AI tools and understanding their appropriate application within academic research and professional practice.
• Directing students in navigating open access publishing, licensing options, and the ethical implications of information sharing.
• Raising critical awareness of data protection principles, consent requirements, and ethical frameworks governing information access and use.