I'm currently excited over the potential of the Project Qualification to embed critical information literacy skills into the minds of students. It focuses on students as independent learners, and requires them to extend their "planning, research, critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and presentation skills". The process of "showing your workings out" is given more weight in assessment than the final outcome, meaning that "copy and paste" just won't cut it anymore. It was devised after independent research by Warwick University flagged up students' poor research skills and lack of ability to manage their own learning. It certainly looks like it has the potential to reinvigorate the importance of information literacy in the habits of the "Google Generation".
It's a shame however that the information produced by Edexcel for teachers makes no mention of Librarians or libraries. The skills highlighted by this qualification are our field of expertise, and we have much to contribute to such initiatives. I expect that many school librarians will be the key players in delivering the Project Qualification in schools; I feel a letter to Edexcel coming on....watch this space!