Education Commons^™

Beyond The Checklist Approach: Teaching Students To Think About How They Will Use Information, Jenny Mills

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Students can generally find relevant information for their topic that checks the boxes for “quality,” but then, what do they do with that information? Relying on a checklist approach to source analysis leads to a surface examination of sources, which can then lead to patch-writing and simplistic, bland papers. Instead of focusing just on those outside markers of quality, library instructors at Belmont University also focus on how the source will be used, and for what specific purpose. This holistic approach to evaluating information encourages students to dig deeper into texts while simultaneously teaching that research is about inquiry.

Library …

Scalable Scaffolding For Information Literacy Instruction: A Tale Of Two Frameworks Collaboratively Applied, Jessy Polzer, Sylvia Tiala

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Novice researchers experience significant cognitive load to perform research tasks. Entrenched in linear research processes, beginning students struggle to move beyond shallow engagement with information. Teaching research and information literacy skills based on past paradigms are inadequate given the immersive nature and lightning-fast development of the information eco-system. The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy (2015) articulates what was previously implicit – the threshold concepts underpinning a flexible and nuanced information consumer ready for engaged professionalism and citizenship. In practice, we are still wrestling to design and scaffold dynamic yet digestible learning experiences while also satisfying bloated instructional mandates. Searching for …

How Do We Teach Authority In A Culture Where Everyone’S An Expert?, Renee L. Berry, Lauren Mcmillan

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

As one of the cornerstones of the CRAAP test to evaluate the validity and usefulness of sources, we rely on the idea of “authority” to inform our evaluation of the source, to decide if it is trustworthy. In the long history of authority, we’ve variously relied on royalty/aristocracy, the Church, professors/the University, the printed word, and the “cultural elite.” In today’s world, all knowledge is available to all people (who are literate and have access to technology) at the click of a mouse or the tap of a finger. The concept of authority has been destabilized and democratized. Credentials don’t …

Contextualizing Information Literacy: Why “Why” Makes All The Difference, Wendy Doucette

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Graduate students require the same base knowledge of information literacy as undergraduates, but are less likely to receive in-class instruction. Rather than considering them as external, theoretical signposts or goals, this presentation will discuss the value of situating the ACRL Information Literacy Standards and Framework into the real-life graduate student experience. Explaining what it means to have membership in the academic community leads directly to a deeper understanding of scholarly dialogue, authority and peer review. This grounding leads to an understanding of ownership, copyright, and plagiarism. This high-level overview of the scholarly research process allows students to comprehend their own …

Frameworking Craap: How We're Correlating The Acrl Framework To Content Evaluation With The Craap Test In Our Instruction Practices, Paul Campbell, Derek Malone

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

For years, we have used the CRAAP Test as an information evaluation mechanism in our instruction sessions. We apply it to everyday, real-life stories, and to complex research as needed. Currently, we are adapting our practices of CRAAP Test instruction by expanding the evaluation to include the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Specifically, we have given each CRAAP letter a frame for discussion when evaluating. This presentation will cover what frames we have assigned to each letter, why, and the assessment of the instruction using these concepts.