Can you teach research in 10 minutes? Embedding information literacy micro-sessions in module programmes

This case study discusses the inception and continued delivery of 10-minute micro research skills sessions within two entrepreneurship modules at Coventry University London. The case study starts with an explanation of how and why the project was developed. Its rationale was underpinned by both established, current bite-sized learning research, and established psychological and neural evidence. This paper describes how these practices are used in the workplace to promote continuous professional development and disseminate company information for training purposes. Discussing both the delivery and skills content, this paper explains the methods used by the Information and Skills Development Specialist (ISDS) in each 10-minute session to engage students and embed database searching skills in to their routine study practices. It also explains how this practice has been adopted by students and how the skills have been embedded to enhance their final business pitches at the end of their modules.

effectiveness of the approach. Used in workplaces for many years as a training model, it is becoming increasingly popular in higher education (Gordon, 1997;Armstrong and Sadler-Smith, 2008;Emerson and Berge, 2018). From a microlearning perspective, psychological and neuro-scientific evidence (Cooper, 1990, p.2;Perry, 2000, p.34;Dwyer, 2002) highlights that the brain's cognitive load can be reduced through necessary breaks in information processing to stem neural system fatigue. Recent research confirms this view, suggesting that regular bite-sized sessions can help individuals process information and learn more effectively (Benton-Kupper, 2001;Gutierrez Trejos, 2016;Mella, 2016;Alqurashi 2017;Melvin 2017). For information literacy development, this approach can be beneficial as it allows for the scaffolding of concepts in practice, as evidenced in this adapted form of Baumgartner's (2013, p.6) 'Competence Spiral' as a design model. First, the principles of research would be established, students would apply this knowledge to their particular businesses, and communicate this in their assessment.
(Adapted from Baumgartner, 2013, p.6) Silo mentalities are generally attributed to organisations and in particular, departments that deprive information access to other departments (Mohapeloa, 2017). However, as Paige et al. (2017) assert, the same mentality can be observed in students. Anecdotal evidence collected from Coventry University London students since this project began concurs with this view, and, as previously mentioned, notes that several learners do not utilise the same resource sources for different assessments, both within this module, and across their course. Feedback can also be viewed in isolation and not considered as a developmental opportunity; it is monologic, rather than dialogic (Carless, 2013). To help break down these mentalities, the 10-minute sessions would include consistent reference to how the information gathered in each session could be conjoined, like the pieces of a jigsaw, to form an overall conclusion. As the M059 students progressed to M060, the same databases would be demonstrated in relation to a different topic, thus acknowledging a further development of transferrable skills and optimistically allowing for additional destruction of the silo mentality.
The validity of the sources used for assessments was a cause for concern. Statistical data from the Library shows an increase in the delivery of more traditional one-hour embedded  All of these were arranged between academics and the ISDS, as academics noted a reliance on Google over academic sources such as textbooks and journal articles. This was not behaviour restricted to this institution; evidence of this reliance has been documented previously by Judd and Kennedy (2011), who observed that students' confidence in information provided by Google and Wikipedia was high, and the usage of the library service to gather peer-reviewed, validated information was low. It was hoped that this project would further promote the importance and availability of these peerreviewed resources to encourage students to engage in more critical research practices.

The project
Following a request from a course director to deliver a 10-minute embedded research session at the start of a lecture, a strategy was co-developed between the module leader and the ISDS for two entrepreneurship modules, M059 and M060. Research is currently the only area to adopt this 10-minute approach. All other areas of skills development (referencing, critical thinking, avoiding plagiarism) are delivered as one-hour embedded sessions. This collaboration was key; for the project to have any notable impact, students needed to be aware that these research skills sessions had the full endorsement of the module leader, as they had the detailed understanding of the assessment in relation to the skills development. Without this correlation, it was probable that students would display indifference and an absence of comprehension as to the relevance of this information to their assessment (Bloxham and Boyd 2007 (Morrison, 2018).
At the end of the trial, all student pitches referred to information taken from the taught databases. Whilst this showed evidence of the initial impact, and allowed for the continuation of the programme for future cohorts, it became clear in the final pitches that the data taken from these reports was not used in direct relation to the students' hypothetical businesses. They used the information simply because they were told that they should; not because they were aware of how the data collected may impact these businesses. In short, they stated the 'what', without considering the 'why?'.
This realisation led to a change in delivery for the January 2018/19 cohort with the introduction of the REVIEW framework (City and Islington College, 2016

The impact
The ISDS was invited to the final pitch presentations at the end of the modules. This was beneficial for the ISDS to see the application of the data within the presentation and assess the validity of data sources. It also helped to highlight the cross-department collaboration.
Tracing the development of this project from its first inception for the September 2017/18 cohort to the present, the following impacts have been noted through this observation of the student's pitches at the end of the module. Students' showed: • Increased citations from reliable sources; greater reference had been made to these sources throughout the pitch and 60% for M060, an overall percentage increase of 5% and 2.8% respectively is noted.
Whilst this impact cannot wholly be attributed to the 10-minute tutorials, it is nonetheless notable (see figure 2).

Figure 2. Increase in grade averages in each module
The following was also observed through informal and Modular Evaluation Questionnaires (MEQ) feedback, and statistical data: Data has not been collected from these modules to ascertain its impact on grades from one academic year to the next, but students demonstrated increased awareness of the databases through their questions and comments during the workshops. Increased engagement with the ISDS was also noted through the previously mentioned rise in 1-1 requests and site traffic.

COVID-19
Each cohort has brought new challenges and allowed for a consistent evolution of the

Conclusions
Secondary research has shown that microlearning has benefits for cognitive processing as the brain has opportunity and time to absorb the information (Cooper, 1990, p.2;Dwyer, 2002;Perry, 2000, p.34). This can be utilised in a higher education setting just as effectively as in the workplace. This, along with evidence undertaken from primary research, has shown that this project has garnered an increased awareness of both valid Given this evidence, it is hoped that this model could be adopted by other faculties to facilitate information literacy practice and its continual development to students.