Abstract
This presentation will share the recent redesign of InfosmART, the Glasgow School of Art Library’s series of online information literacy modules. Presented jointly by one of the Library’s Assistant Librarians and the Senior Learning Designer from the Future Skills team, the session will explore how collaboration between librarians and learning designers can enhance digital learning and engagement with information literacy.
InfosmART was first launched in 2010 as a series of self-paced online modules, aiming to address the specific information needs of artists, which Cowan (2004) identifies as being distinctly different from many other disciplines. The modules have evolved over time through various iterations, and in 2025, the library undertook a major redesign to update the resource. The updated version of the modules can be accessed through the institution’s VLE, Canvas, and as an Open Educational Resource on our Future Skills platform.
The redesign aimed to respond to developments in digital pedagogy, as well as to changes in the ways HE students engage with online learning (McClure, Hess and Marsicano, 2023) and the increasing expectations of academic libraries to provide asynchronous online instruction (Deeke and Binnie, 2023). The redesign also aimed to ensure that the final product aligned with institutional goals to “support students' creative, academic, intellectual and personal development”, and contributed to GSA graduate skills and attributes by encouraging students to become creative learners and thinkers (Glasgow School of Art, 2022).
The goal of the redesign was to create a more engaging and active learning experience. The new InfosmART incorporates a range of interactive features, including multiple-choice quizzes, drag-and-drop matching exercises, and short reflection prompts. These elements encourage students to check their understanding, apply concepts in context, and interact meaningfully with the material (Walsh, 2018). The modules are now more visually dynamic and user-friendly, retaining a clear focus on information literacy through the introduction of five distinctive owl-characters (Scout Owl, Seeker Owl, Critic Owl, Scholar Owl, Creative Owl) — each representing a stage of the information-literacy process.
Central to the project was a collaborative approach between the library and Future Skills teams. This partnership combined subject expertise in information literacy with learning design and technical implementation skills, utilising the interactive capabilities of Articulate Rise. The new version was developed as a SCORM package—compatible with any LMS that supports SCORM, such as Canvas, and utilised Articulate Review for iterative feedback.
The presentation will outline the stages of development, from scoping and content review to design and implementation, and will showcase examples of how the new interactive elements were created. Delegates will gain insights into our approach to redesigning existing digital information literacy materials and reflections on the benefits of collaboration across teams.
While feedback gathered from a previous review of the modules in 2023 helped inform the changes made, a formal evaluation of the redesign is still in progress. We are currently exploring methods for gathering feedback to assess usability and impact. We will invite discussion on approaches to evaluating online information literacy initiatives and using feedback to inform continuous improvement.
References
Cowan, S. (2004) ‘Informing Visual Poetry: Information Needs and Sources of Artists’, Art Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America, 23(2), pp. 14–20.
Deeke, A. and Binnie, N. (2023) ‘The Impact of Decorative Images on Student Performance: A Two-Year Study of Online Library Modules’. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.84.3.374.
Glasgow School of Art (2022) ‘Common Academic Framework for Taught Degree Programmes’. Glasgow School of Art.
McClure, J., Hess, C. and Marsicano, D. (2023) ‘Redesigning Research Guides: Lessons Learned from Usability Testing at the University of Memphis’, Information Technology and Libraries, 42(3). Available at: https://doi.org/10.5860/ital.v42i3.15535.
Walsh, A.P. (2018) The Librarians’ book on teaching through games and play. Huddersfield, UK: Innovative Libraries.
