Program Overview
Information Literacy (INST0088)
Key Information
- Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Teaching department: Information Studies
- Credit value: 15
- Restrictions: This module is restricted to students on the BSc Information, Data and Society programme only.
Alternative Credit Options
There are no alternative credit options available for this module.
Description
Module Content
Information literacy considers how and why people interact with information, including finding, seeking, evaluating, sharing, and avoiding it. Understanding information literacy's role in sculpting our information seeking and application landscape is essential for designing ethical and human-centred information systems and structures.
A humanities-focused module taught through lectures, seminars, and group activities, students will build knowledge on the theories and practices of information literacy and information behaviour in contemporary society. Students will reflect on how information literacy principles can be applied to a range of practical and theoretical information problems affecting the world today. The module may include guest speakers from industry or the health and culture sectors.
Indicative topics include, but are not limited to:
- Information literacy
- Information literacy in context
- Information needs and behaviours
- Digital literacy
- Health literacy
- Media literacy
- Citizenship and civic participation
- Information production
- Information circulation
- Searching behaviours
- Misinformation
- Disinformation
- Intercultural approaches
- Digital inclusion
- Social inclusion
- Critical information literacy
- Information activism
- Information biases
- Architectures of information
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Articulate the value of information literacy and behaviour in society
- Identify and describe a range of information literacy approaches and perspectives
- Discuss a range of theories foundational to information literacy and information behaviour, and analyse the issues that affect the practice of information literacy in a range of settings
- Evaluate the empirical literature related to information literacy
- Reflect on their information literacy practice
Delivery Method
The module will be taught through a range of delivery methods, including lectures, seminars, and group learning. Some materials may be available asynchronously, and some learning exercises, such as reflective practice diaries, may be part of independent study.
Additional Information
Students will be expected to regularly contribute to class discussions, which will generate feedback from peer and tutor within the classroom session.
Brief overview of indicative texts:
- Lloyd, Annemaree. The Qualitative Landscape of Information Literacy Research London: Facet, 2021
- Downey, Annie. Critical Information Literacy: Foundation, Inspiration, and Ideas. Sacramento, CA: Litwin Books, 2015
- Goldstein, Stephane, ed. Informed Societies: Why Information Literacy Matters for Citizenship, Participation and Democracy. London: Facet, 2020
- Tumber, Howard, and Silvio Waisbord, eds. The Routledge Companion to Media Disinformation and Populism. London: Routledge, 2024
- Hicks, Alison, and Annemaree Lloyd. 'Deconstructing Information Literacy Discourse: Peeling Back the Layers in Higher Education.' Journal of Library and Information Science , 53, no. 4 (2021): 559-571
Module Deliveries for 2026/27 Academic Year
Intended Teaching Term
Term 2, Undergraduate (FHEQ Level 4)
Teaching and Assessment
- Mode of study: In person
- Intended teaching location: UCL East
- Methods of assessment:
- 60% Coursework
- 40% Group activity
- Mark scheme: Numeric Marks
Other Information
- Number of students on module in previous year: 40
- Module leader: Dr Lucy Brownson