The need for the development of a national overarching framework of information literacy skills and competencies which all sectors of education can recognise and develop or which can be applied to the world of work, equipping learners with skills needed for the 21st century has arisen from research carried out by Glasgow Caledonian University.

Research undertaken by Glasgow Caledonian University Information literacy skills – the link between secondary and tertiary education has shown that students arriving at university have generally either poor or limited information literacy skills, for some these skills will be enhanced but many will leave as they arrived. The findings from a 2006 small based exploratory interview study into The role of information literacy in addressing a specific strand of lifelong learning: the work agenda indicated that although employers do not explicitly ask for information literacy it is implicitly expected, seen as important at work but not included in workplace training. It therefore falls to education to provide future employees with the necessary information literacy skills and competencies.

The framework is seen as a key tool for the embedding of information literacy in schools, FE, HE, and lifelong learning and for life.

The framework has been developed by Glasgow Caledonian University with secondary and tertiary partners using SCQF(Scottish Credit Qualification Framework) aims, structure and key features and existing skills, frameworks and models (Appendix B) to:

• define information literacy learning in terms of statements of skills, knowledge and understanding
• support a continuing learning process through identifying a learning pathway within the context of SCQF as part of an educational guidance or personal development planning process
• map the existing learning that is taking place allocating a notional level to learning outcomes utilising relevant reference points such as the SCQF generic level descriptors with the intention of providing a general shared understanding of each level which can then be linked to academic, vocational or professional practice
• enable the notional levelling process and outcomes to become transparent and clearly understood by other learning providers, receiving organisations and or employers to meet the needs of the lifelong learner more effectively
• incorporate and highlight Chartered Institute’s of Library and Information Profession’s (CILIP) information literacy skills and competences definition , SQA’s Information Handling Skills Intermediate 2 qualification and existing models that are currently being used in each of the sectors e.g. SCONUL Seven Pillars Model in higher education.

Acknowledgements

• learndirect scotland for their funding contribution to the preliminary work into the development of the framework 
• the Eduserv  Foundation for funding the development of the draft framework 
• the individuals, organisations and bodies that have  created / developed the definitions, models and qualifications included within the framework and 
• the projects’ advisory group and partners for their invaluable assistance.

N.B. 2008/2009 The SCONUL working group on information literacy is working on a nuber of initiatives including the impact of the seven pillars model on the design and delivery of information literacy across the UK.

National Information Literacy Framework (Scotland) Working Draft Christine Irving / GCU 18/06/2008 links updated 02/06/2009