Connecting to great minds: an information literacy framework for final year students

At the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), to address the ongoing challenges the engineering profession faces, teaching engineering academics and teaching librarians collaborate to initiate and develop Information Literacy programs that change the way engineering students engage in their disciplines. Significant milestones at QUT, such as the ‘Advanced Retrieval Skills’ program, the ‘Learning For Life Information Literacy Framework and Syllabus’ and the ‘Teaching Capabilities Framework’ demonstrate the universities engagement in shaping new graduates’ profiles. In accordance with a recent faculty review, the information literacy programs for the civil engineering students in the School of Urban Development were further developed and provided opportunities for stronger cooperation between academics and librarians. A transformational framework, ‘Connecting to Great Minds’ is an attempt to move beyond the information literacy debate in order to integrate information literacy into the curriculum. Resource-Based and Deep Learning through a fourth year unit, CEB411 Thesis A, as a case study, demonstrates the necessity for academics and librarians to undergo transformational competencies in their professions. Evaluation of learning outcomes suggests that there is a relationship between performing advanced thinking, information retrieval skills and the ability to find and critically analyse the literature pertaining to a research topic. Collaborative approach must continue and improve the articulation, planning, content, delivery and evaluation of all information literacy programs through the entire curriculum; Common learning and teaching training programs must address the integration of literacies specific to engineering students; Staff teaching all types of literacies in engineering must work to advance programs and research in curriculum design at international level; The entire teaching engineering community must engage in team work, interdisciplinary and international collaboration as part of professional practice, in entering a knowledge economy in a sustainable world.