Course Particulars

Here is a course for information literacy workers to provide some background on Web 2.0. This post serves to provide some of the background (and the required information for competency under US10473).

Learner Profile
The learners may be pretty much anyone. The course will, however, be pitched towards those working in an information literacy field, but particularly libraries. Therefore, the students are likely to:

• Have previous tertiary-level qualifications
• Have good information literacy skills
• Have a strong desire to grow these skills
• Be used to using technology
• Have access to technology
• Be required to study for their career development and to maintain professional registration.
• Work in an environment that both values knowledge and encourages disseminating knowledge
• Have access to colleagues who can assist them in their studies

Since this course is designed for professional development, learners may not be able to dedicate much work time to study or may have higher priorities to which they must attend. The materials, however, are designed to allow learners to access them from where ever they have an internet connection. Moreover, the materials are designed for short sessions that allow the learner to dip in and out or delve a little deeper.

Web 2.0 Training

This is a list of information literacy training materials for professionals.

Some Tools
An introductory section

Unit 1: A New Way
A general introduction to Web 2.0 using videos from YouTube, one of the most popular social networking sites.

Unit 2: Data, Data, Everywhere
A brief history of the web, the explosion of data, and how current practices of organising items is disconnected from ways of searching for information.

Web 2.0 in Information Literacy

In carrying out the assessment for US10473: Develop Open and Distance Learning Materials, I have to crate materials for a course. So, here is the background course information.

What are These Learning Materials?
The course is professional development for librarians. As such, it will not be offered in conjunction with any institution and will have no practical credit. It does, however, fit within the first 8 areas of LIANZA's Body of Knowledge required for professional registration.

To Whom are These Materials Suited?
In short, those people working in libraries, or other information literacy areas, who wish to extend their knowledge of information behaviours. Participants may join the course at any time and carry out the activities in any order - or as they have been presented. Although the course is informal, you may wish to carry it out with a friend; it is much more exciting to get comments on your post and learning the art of collaborative exchange is a vital part of the new way we use the web.

However, the materials are freely available and open to all - practically anyone could find something valuable in the course.

What Will I Learn? 
At the conclusion of the course, students should be able to:

• Describe the history of Web 2.0 and how it impacts on information literacy and library use (BoK 1)
• Understand how Web 2.0 has impacted how we create, access, and use information (BoK 2)
• Practice using Social Media to better improve information literary services (BoK 3)

How Will I Learn?
The materials may be browsed casually or worked through as a complete block. Alternatively, you may simply wish to delve into a particular set of learning materials that suits your need. You are recommended, however, to set up a blog to document your journey in. This blog will not only let you "get your feet wet," so to speak, but also give you a way of both charting your development whilst providing the possibility of sharing your journey with others.

On to the materials...