Searching for sustainability - A blended course in how to search interdisciplinary

Abstract

Introduction

This paper presents the information-seeking course Searching for sustainability. The course was created to help students to become efficient users of information literacy skills needed within the interdisciplinary field of sustainable development.

Objectives

Our primary objective was to create a blended learning course focused on how to search interdisciplinary. The aim was to turn attention from the subject content to the more reflective dimensions of information seeking, e.g. encouraging collaboration and discussions about the search process.

The course

In spring 2013, teaching librarians at the Gothenburg University Library started developing a course in sustainability with a new pedagogical approach. We were asked to teach a group of undergraduate students, at The Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law how to search for interdisciplinary material in general, and material on sustainable development in particular. The course is unique in a number of ways, not only in the way we teach information literacy but also the content of the course. The course is flipped and the students are expected to complete a web-based part of the course before they meet us face-to-face. This approach enables us to focus our, perpetually scarce, time with the students on deeper knowledge and discussions rather than just transferring generic information seeking skills.

Results and conclusion

We have given this course at several occasions, and our experiences have so far been positive. It seems clear that the blended learning approach has a lot of positive consequences and can enable teachers to make better use of the face-to face time. We are now offering Searching for Sustainability to all faculties at the University of Gothenburg. The course is flexible and can be adapted to suit different programmes and students.