Digital Commons Network^™

Teaching Threshold Concepts: Practical Plans For Meaningful Instruction In Information Literacy, Gayle Schaub, Hazel Mcclure, Patricia Bravender

Gayle Schaub

With the unique constraints that instruction librarians face in the classroom, we often rely on point-and-click instruction sessions that do not always communicate essential information literacy concepts. This program identifies key threshold and core concepts and correlates them with ACRL information literacy standards. The presenters highlight lesson plans that promote critical thinking and engaged learning and offer an opportunity for participants to collaborate in the creation of a standard-aligned lesson plan.

Assessing The Research Process Improves The Product: Results Of A Faculty-­Librarian Collaboration, Divonna M. Stebick, Janelle L. Wertzberger, Margaret E. Flora, Joseph W. Miller

Janelle Wertzberger

When an education professor and a reference librarian sought to improve the quality of undergraduate student research, their partnership led to a new focus on assessing the research process in addition to the product. In this study, we reflect on our collaborative experience introducing information literacy as the foundation for undergraduate teacher education research. We examine the outcomes of this collaboration, focusing on the assessment of the process. Using a mixed methods approach, we found that direct instruction supporting effective research strategies positively impacted student projects. Our data also suggest that undergraduate students benefit from not only sound research strategies, …

Creating, Sharing And Reusing Learning Objects To Enhance Information Literacy, Philip Russell

Philip Russell

From June 2010 until the present, a suite of online reusable learning objects (RLOs) has been created by staff at the Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITT Dublin) library covering a range of information literacy (IL) competencies. These RLOs have helped to facilitate student transition from second to third level, advance IL and enrich the student learning experience. The purpose of this paper is to outline the development of these RLOs and how the resources have been shared, reused and repurposed to enhance IL progression. A review of recent literature explores some of the key issues around the creation of digital …

Information Literacy For Teaching And Learning: A Course For Teacher Practitioners., Sara Bushong, Colleen T. Boff

Colleen T. Boff, Ed.D.

Teachers are faced not only with standards-based instructional design daily, but with the shortage of certified school library media specialists within their districts. Information Literacy for Teaching and Learning, a graduate level course, was created, in part, to empower teachers with the knowledge, skills and abilities to embed information literacy within classroom learning experiences. In addition, the skills mastered and activities explored in this course logically transfer to research projects assigned in future graduate courses. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.

Creating The Il Course In A University Setting, Catherine Cardwell, Colleen T. Boff

Colleen T. Boff, Ed.D.

This book chapter offers suggestions for how to develop a stand alone information literacy course. It takes into account all of the levels of curriculum review at the campus level as well as practical matters such as staffing, course delivery options and budgeting.

Teaching Information Literacy Skills To Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Collaborative Approach, Suzanne Zentz, Kimberly Whalen

Kimberly J. Whalen

Background

An expectation of baccalaureate nursing education is to prepare nurses to implement evidenced-based practice (EBP). This expectation extends far beyond a basic understanding of the research process. BSN prepared nurses must be able to effectively and efficiently identify, analyze, and synthesize evidence (AACN, 2008). The acquisition of information literacy skills is foundational to the development of EBP.

Implementation

The study took place at a College of Nursing within a mid-sized, faith-based university located in the Midwest. Historically, students enrolled in their senior level undergraduate nursing research/EBP course underwent one library instruction session with the nursing librarian to reinforce search …

Addressing Academic Integrity: Perspectives From Virginia Commonwealth University In Qatar, Nancy E. Fawley

Nancy Fawley

Understanding the cultural aspects that affect a student’s ability to appropriately use resources is important in developing outreach and instruction in multicultural settings. Differences in educational philosophies, students’ previous scholastic training and cultural differences in individual motivation are all factors that may affect a freshman’s ability to understand an American university’s idea of academic integrity and can inadvertently cause problems where independent work and critical thinking are required. At Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCU Qatar), a branch campus of the American university in the Middle East, a special class on academic integrity and ethical behavior was integrated into the …

Cultivating The Librarian Within: Effectively Lntegrating Library Lnstruction Into Freshman Composition, Jesse Ulmer, Nancy E. Fawley

Nancy Fawley

It has become common practice for library instruction to be included in lower-level college composition courses. Students are typically required to visit the library once or twice a semester to receive instruction on how to find books and journal articles for an upcoming writing assignment that incorporates formal research. But does this current model of instruction truly address course outcomes that seek to produce students who are information literate, critical thinkers and life-long learners? Faculty who teach such courses are often reluctant to surrender precious class time to a librarian, but this paper argues that the merging of bibliographic instruction …

Information Literacy Opportunities Within The Discovery Tool Environment, Nancy E. Fawley, Nikki Krysak

Nancy Fawley

Discovery tools such as Primo, EBSCO Discovery Service, Summon, and WorldCat Local aim to make scholarly research more intuitive for students in part because of their single interface for searching across multiple platforms, including the library, fee-based databases, and unique digital collections. Discovery tools are in sync with the way many undergraduates look for information because they offer a more “Google-like” experience in contrast with previous methods of research that required first knowing which database to use, then searching each one differently according to its specifications. However, broad searches across multiple formats with different systems of controlled vocabulary force instructors …

Librarians As Consultants: The Convergence Of Information Literacy, Data Literacy And Scholarly Communication In Undergraduate Research, Lisa Zilinski, David Scherer, Clarence Maybee

Lisa Zilinski

Undergraduate research has been identified as a high impact educational practice by the LEAP Report. At Purdue we support undergraduate research through various library-driven initiatives such as information literacy (IL), data literacy (DL) and scholarly communication (SC). Although these initiatives can be utilized to support undergraduate research individually, librarians are beginning to recognize a need to provide a service model that offers a more complementary/holistic approach that better utilizes the full capability of these initiatives. This was illustrated in the March 2013, ARCL Committee on Research and the Scholarly Environment White Paper, “Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy”. The …

Librarians As Consultants: The Convergence Of Information Literacy, Data Literacy And Scholarly Communication In Undergraduate Research, Lisa Zilinski, David Scherer, Clarence Maybee

Lisa Zilinski

Undergraduate research has been identified as a high impact educational practice by the LEAP Report. At Purdue we support undergraduate research through various library-driven initiatives such as information literacy (IL), data literacy (DL) and scholarly communication (SC). Although these initiatives can be utilized to support undergraduate research individually, librarians are beginning to recognize a need to provide a service model that offers a more complementary/holistic approach that better utilizes the full capability of these initiatives. This was illustrated in the March 2013, ARCL Committee on Research and the Scholarly Environment White Paper, “Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy”. The …

Serving Those Who Serve: Outreach And Instruction For Student Cadets And Veterans, Nancy E. Fawley, Nikki Kyrsak

Nancy Fawley

Student cadets and veterans new to college have unique academic needs, and the abrupt switch from civilian to Corps life for new students at a military university can be challenging. Likewise, transitioning from military life to civilian life as a veteran student can be overwhelming. The libraries at Norwich University and The University of Alabama are supporting programs to assist new students in the transition from civilian to Corps life and from military to civilian life, respectively. While these students are at different stages of their military careers, cadets and veterans have common attributes that inform library support and instruction, …

Hail Professional Development Resources, Shannon Johnson

Shannon F Johnson

Contributor and editor.

Using A Media Technology Showcase To Bridge The Gap Between K-12 & Higher Education: Creating A Professional Development Workshop., Sonya Shepherd

Sonya S. Gaither

Why should students spend time navigating to find the library tools needed to search? Why not provide direct links to library resources so more time is spent finding, evaluating, and synthesizing information? These were questions asked by some academic librarians trying to help students locate resources for assignments.As a result, these academic librarians created online tutorials for using persistent links to library resources. Teaching faculty learned how to use the links in web pages and WebCT Vista. These tutorials were also shared at conferences. Attendees encouraged the presenters to develop a hands-on workshop. Attendees also suggested the workshop as a …

Panel: Going Vertical Together: An Interdisciplinary Infusion Of Information Literacy With Research Writing In The Disciplines, Debra Dew, Nora Belzowski, Trisha Mileham, Jonathan Bull

Nora Belzowski

This panel explores the vertical design of an IL-infused university writing program now under construction at Valparaiso University. The program infuses IL work across a four-year trajectory of CORE, WIC, WID and Senior Capstone curricula. Panel speakers each enjoy distinct structural and disciplinary relations to the project.

Creating Online Tutorials For Freshmen, Anne Grant

Anne Grant

In the Fall of 2012, the teaching librarians at Clemson decided to move the freshman library experience online. Previously, over 200 workshops were provided each Fall semester for all incoming students and for the first time in 4 years, those workshops were replaced with online instruction. Join Anne Grant, instruction coordinator, as she talks about the way this change happened and hear about preliminary assessment data.

Going Vertical Together: An Interdisciplinary Infusion Of Information Literacy With Research Writing In The Disciplines, Debra Dew, Nora Belzowski, Trisha Mileham, Jonathan Bull

Jonathan Bull

This panel explores the vertical design of an IL-infused university writing program now under construction at Valparaiso University. The program infuses IL work across a four-year trajectory of CORE, WIC, WID and Senior Capstone curricula. Panel speakers each enjoy distinct structural and disciplinary relations to the project.

Close Encounters Of The Digital Kind: Designing Effective Online Tutorials, Susan [Gardner] Archambault

Susan Gardner Archambault

Being Like Both: Library Instruction Methods That Outshine The One-Shot, Teresa M. Bean, Sabrina N. Thomas

Sabrina Thomas

Marshall University librarians' efforts to improve library instruction are explored. A history of the libraries' Digital Learning Team (DLT) and its developmental phases is provided, as well as interpretations of evaluative data collected from embedded students. Data from the iSkills assessment of student information literacy skills are considered. The results suggest that library instruction best facilitates student learning when it aligns with specific research goals, utilizes a variety of learning styles, and allows time for practice and assessment. Student feedback suggests the need for additional instruction on citation and emphasis on increasing students' confidence in their research skills.

The D.B. Weldon Library's Instruction Portfolio: A Grassroots, Team-Based Approach, Kim Mcphee, Melanie Mills, Marg Sloan

Marg Sloan

In an effort to address ever-shifting staffing levels and evolving service demands, staff in the Research & Instructional Services department of The D.B. Weldon Library at Western University developed and implemented a new and strategic approach to structuring their work. The ‘Portfolio Model’ provides a framework for organizing the primary functions of the department - collections, instruction and reference - while at the same time preserving liaison at its core. Through a close examination of this grassroots effort and in particular, the achievements realized and challenges faced by the team of librarians and library assistants who together comprise the ‘Instruction …

Using A Research Log And Reflective Writing To Improve Ebp And Information Literacy Skills Of Bsn Students, Suzanne E. Zentz, Kimberly J. Whalen

Kimberly J. Whalen

Baccalaureate nursing educators must prepare nurses to implement evidence-based practice (EBP). BSN nurses must be able to effectively identify, analyze, and synthesize evidence (AACN, 2008). In a nursing research course, students conducted group projects which required searching for the best evidence. Project evaluations revealed that students were not searching systematically. To facilitate EBP and information literacy skill development, a collaboration between the College of Nursing and Library Services emerged. Targeted Learning Outcomes 1. Formulate a strategic search using databases and Internet resources 2. Evaluate and select the ‘best available’ evidence 3. Document systematic search (keywords, subject headings, limiters, and results) …

Using A Research Log And Reflective Writing To Improve Ebp And Information Literacy Skills Of Bsn Students, Suzanne E. Zentz, Kimberly J. Whalen

Suzanne E Zentz, DNP, RN, CNE

Baccalaureate nursing educators must prepare nurses to implement evidence-based practice (EBP). BSN nurses must be able to effectively identify, analyze, and synthesize evidence (AACN, 2008). In a nursing research course, students conducted group projects which required searching for the best evidence. Project evaluations revealed that students were not searching systematically. To facilitate EBP and information literacy skill development, a collaboration between the College of Nursing and Library Services emerged. Targeted Learning Outcomes 1. Formulate a strategic search using databases and Internet resources 2. Evaluate and select the ‘best available’ evidence 3. Document systematic search (keywords, subject headings, limiters, and results) …

Unite And Conquer! Our Experience Using A Team-Liaison Approach To Integrating Library Services Into A New Medical Education Curriculum, Barbara C. Harvey, Timmi Johnson

Barbara C. Harvey

Objectives:

To illustrate our team-based approach to further integrate health sciences liaison services into a new medical education curriculum. Two full-time librarians are assigned to several departments as liaisons; duties for the school of medicine are shared between the two liaisons. Here, we describe several techniques employed to increase the library’s presence for information literacy in the new curriculum.

Methods:

The health sciences liaison librarians assigned to the school of medicine have for the past several years had a marginal role in the medical school curriculum. First-year medical students are required to take a “Scholarship and Research in Medicine” course, …

Sketching Success: Assessing Learning Outcomes With Concept Maps, Heidi Gauder, Fred W. Jenkins

Fred W Jenkins

Learn how one library uses concept maps to conduct both quick and in-depth assessments of student learning. This technique evolved into a more formal assessment with pre- and post-testing for both one-shot instruction sessions and semester-long research classes. After transcribing the concepts to spreadsheets, librarians standardize the terms and map them to ACRL Information Literacy Standards for more rigorous analysis and assessment. Discover how concept maps can be easily utilized for assessment.

Teaching Threshold Concepts: Practical Plans For Meaningful Instruction In Information Literacy, Gayle Schaub, Hazel Mcclure, Patricia Bravender

Patricia Bravender

With the unique constraints that instruction librarians face in the classroom, we often rely on point-and-click instruction sessions that do not always communicate essential information literacy concepts. This program identifies key threshold and core concepts and correlates them with ACRL information literacy standards. The presenters highlight lesson plans that promote critical thinking and engaged learning and offer an opportunity for participants to collaborate in the creation of a standard-aligned lesson plan.

The D.B. Weldon Library's Instruction Portfolio: A Grassroots, Team-Based Approach, Kim Mcphee, Melanie Mills, Marg Sloan

Melanie Mills

The Cloud Ate My Homework! Stay Organized Using Online Storage, Jenn Nolte

Jenn Nolte

Information Literacy & Scholarly Communication: Mutually Exclusive Or Naturally Symbiotic?, Stephanie Davis-Kahl, Kim Duckett, Julia Gelfand, Cathy Palmer

Stephanie Davis-Kahl

Learn specific strategies used by librarians in a variety of roles to successfully develop coherent, campus-wide scholarly communications and information literacy initiatives. Our goal is to expand the scope and culture of collaboration around scholarly communication activities using information literacy as a lens through which to view our outreach, education and advocacy activities. Programmatic efforts to change undergraduate education, instructional activities for the classroom, and new models and roles for subject liaisons will be presented.

The Campaign For Information Literacy: Politics, Personalities, & Perseverance, Elisa Slater Acosta

Elisa Slater Acosta

The Great Race: Embedding Information Literacy Into A New Core Curriculum, Susan Archambault

Susan Gardner Archambault

This presentation will give an overview of the structure for embedding information literacy into Loyola Marymount University’s new core curriculum. The curriculum map for information literacy throughout the first-year core courses will be displayed, with an emphasis on how the performance indicators are iterative and help build a foundation for more advanced skills. Also, the first-year information literacy assessment plan, which ranges from mandatory online tutorials to a series of graded research assignments, will be presented. Students engage in a more disciplinary perspective of information literacy through a required “information literacy flagged” course taken during the sophomore or junior year. …