We are particularly pleased to hear that INFORMS will have a new lease of life.

 

 Our plans to revise our nursing curriculum include a strengthening of information literacy and the INFORMS method is an extremely useful tool.  I am not saying this merely because this institution  had a key role in the earlier development of the project in its INHALE guise but because as an Elearning system, it allows (encourages) the teacher to use the vehicle for whatever web skills learning is appropriate for a particular context eg level one nursing students on an evidence-based practice module or training medical researchers or postgrad history students  or whatever. It is also context-driven in relation to the web resources which are available in a particular situation eg physiotherapists working in an NHS hospital.

 

The units, as portable learning objects, are flexible and adaptable for use in various electronic systems such as Blackboard, Penfield Virtual Hospital, online library systems etc. It also is a huge resource in terms of over 2400 units currently in the system freely available to HE providers and there are 50 institutional users and 90 odd portfolios.

 

By contrast, some of the high quality but generic materials being produced recently have a ‘one size fits all’ handicap and do not necessarily say what I want to say to my students in my way in my context. The INFORMS method offers this customisable facility which is one of its strengths.

 

It does however need updating in terms of web design for a modern look and feel which inspires confidence in our students. There is also scope for improving the functionality etc

 

The news about the attention it is now getting from Intute is welcome and we are eager to see the output from its modernisation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear All,

 

With apologies for cross posting.

 

This is an update on the project to transfer the management and support of the INFORMS (Information Literacy) software from the University of Huddersfield to Intute (formerly the Resource Discovery Network).

 

Firstly I should introduce myself as the recently appointed Project Manager.  As a former Library Services Manager at Manchester Metropolitan University I have a background in the development of Information Skills and am really pleased that the future of INFORMS is now secure with Intute. 

   .EHhh sdkld

I am very keen to keep all INFORMS users in touch with progress. Whilst the software is still currently being hosted at Huddersfield, technical preparations for the transition are progressing well and we hope that the transfer to Intute will take place in the next couple of months.  We will ensure that the transition is a smooth one to ensure minimal disruption to the service, and that users are informed in advance about changes and how they will be affected.

 

Software enhancements and improvements to the administration interface are also underway, and we will shortly be establishing an Advisory Group to discuss ideas for future developments.  In the meantime please feel free to contact me directly with any thoughts, ideas or suggestions.

 

As well as contacting registered users directly I will continue to provide updates to the list.

 

Regards,

 

Diana Massam.

 

 

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Diana Massam

INFORMS Project Manager

Intute Executive

MIMAS

Manchester Computing

The University of Manchester

Oxford Road

Manchester

M13 9PL

 

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0161 2750172

www.intute.ac.uk

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