 |
 |
*** Apologies for cross-posting*** We are pleased to announce that we have Drew Whitworth presenting at the next SUILCOP half-day conference on Wed 4th Nov 2009. Next Workshop: 4 November 2009 Time: 1.30-4.30 Venue: Room LT114/116 Ashley Building, Leek Road Campus The Leek Road campus is 5 minutes walk from Stoke-on-Trent railway station. For information on finding the Ashley Building room, please see the Stoke Campus Map <http://www.staffs.ac.uk/assets/stoke_campus_map_tcm44-3815.pdf> . This workshop will take the theme of Information Literacy Obesity. Speakers are: * Andrew Whitworth, University of Manchester * Ben Scoble, Learning Development and Innovation, Staffordshire University Book a place: on-line booking form <http://www.staffs.ac.uk/suilcop/bookingform/index.php> Please note, you can pay by cheque on the day if you wish. Just in case the embedded link doesn't work here is the URL: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/suilcop/bookingform/index.php Andrew Whitworth Presentation Title: Information Obesity and Information Literacy Abstract Physical obesity comes about not just because one has too much food available, but for many other reasons including a reduction in that food's quality, commercial pressures to consume, and a lack of awareness of basic skills like cooking and keeping oneself fit. Obesity can, in general, be described as a situation in which the food we consume is having a negative rather than positive impact on our ongoing health. Information obesity suggests similar processes are happening with our consumption of information. It is not just "information overload" which is the problem, but, as with food, a loss of quality, commercial pressures, and a lack of basic skills. These skills can be termed information literacy. Information obesity is, generally, a failure to filter information adequately, and as a result, it becomes less able to contribute to our ability to make new knowledge and care for the informational resources which we and our communities need in order to make themselves sustainable. This talk explores these definitions, and then addresses the issue that many of the common definitions of information literacy do not take account of the fact that much information is filtered out before we get the chance to go through the steps of IL - that is, selecting, evaluating and so on. It will explore the two main ways in which this happens: as a result of inbuilt "cognitive biases" in our mental architecture; and how organisations affect the way we think. A more critical approach to information literacy is then explored which specifically links the academic world to the communities that surround it, and suggests how we can all help transform and nurture the informational resources of the environments in which we all have a stake. Andrew Whitworth is a lecturer in the School of Education, University of Manchester, and author of the 2009 book from Chandos, Information Obesity (see http://www.informationobesity.com <http://www.informationobesity.com/> ). He is Programme Director of the MA: Digital Technologies, Communication and Education, which helps teachers, trainers and technologists in any educational setting enhance their professional development skills in technology-rich environments (http://www.MAdigitaltechnologies.com <http://www.madigitaltechnologies.com/> ). Ben Scoble Presentation title: Exploring your learning ecology in the 21st Century Abstract This presentation and workshop investigates learning as a social practice, with an examination of the methods we have available to us to get information, learn and solve our problems. An important aspect of this workshop is about how contemporary technology is influencing this principle of 'Social Contructivism', which emphasises how meanings and understandings grow from social encounters. Dr Geoff Walton, BA(Hons), MA, PGCHPE, PhD, MCLIP, FHEA Subject Librarian & Research Informed Teaching Project Co-ordinator, Thompson Library, PO Box 664, Staffordshire University, College Road, Stoke on Trent. ST4 2XS [log in to unmask] Tel: 01782 294448 Fax: 01782 295799 The information in this email is confidential and is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, except for the purpose of delivery to the addressee, is prohibited and may be unlawful. Kindly notify the sender and delete the message and any attachment from your computer.