Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Mapping For Change: Re-Imagining Assessment With Concept Maps, Heidi Gauder, Fred W. Jenkins

Fred W Jenkins

Facilitate student creativity and assess information skills at the same time with concept maps. Learn how to administer these easy assessments and analyze them for evidence of learning. The presenters will demonstrate how this assessment technique can be used in multiple situations and how it is possible to transform these maps into results that can be easily understood by stakeholders.

Sing A Song Of Sixpence: The Birds We Found In The Web-Scale Discovery Pie, Sarah Fabian, Susann Devries, Sara Memmott

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2012

The use of the web-scale discovery product Summon has changed the ways in which EMU librarians provide research instruction to students, from beginner to graduate. Librarians were pleasantly surprised to realize that they could spend more time focusing on making sense of academic sources and less time teaching database-specific searching tips. This has strengthened instruction librarians’ emphasis on evaluation of sources in all instruction sessions, regardless of whether they involve the use of Summon. Presenters will also discuss user feedback and the other benefits and challenges of using a web-scale discovery product.

A Gateway To Outcomes Assessment: Collaborating On A Multi-Session Library Instruction Program, Jennifer Hatleberg, Niyati Pandya

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2012

The Gateway to College (GtC) program at Montgomery College serves at-risk high school students who complete their high school diploma requirements while simultaneously earning college credit.

In Fall 2010, the GtC Program Director, faculty, and instruction librarians launched a semester-long library instruction program. Librarians worked closely with faculty to design six two-hour sessions for GtC students, aligning ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards with the course’s theme and assignments. The program has been repeated each semester, and expanded to all three campuses. In this presentation, we will share details about our collaboration and the resulting opportunities for evaluating student learning outcomes.

Fun Assessment: How To Embed Evaluation With Educational Games, Mary J. Snyder Broussard, Theresa R. Mcdevitt

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2012

Most librarians, and indeed students, tremble at the very mention of the dreaded word “assessment.” This does not have to be the case. When assessment is non-threatening and strategically placed to provide needed feedback, it can be pleasant, rewarding and improve learning outcomes. Many educational games have built-in assessment that turns evaluation into fun. This session will look at specific examples used at two Pennsylvania academic libraries where games help instructional librarians ensure that students are accomplishing what the activity requires and assess student learning. Come to this session prepared to play!

From Prix Fixe To A La Carte: Using Lesson Study To Collaborate With Faculty In Customizing Information Literacy, Eric Jennings, Hans Kishel, Jill Markgraf

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2012

The one-shot, prix fixe library instruction session has long been the reality for many information literacy programs. Learn how one library used lesson study, a collaborative process of planning, observing and assessing a single lesson, to put in motion ongoing collaboration with faculty across several disciplines. Through the collaborative process of redesigning a single lesson, librarians and teaching faculty confronted their respective expectations for and challenges in providing library instruction, and ignited the interest of faculty from English, nursing and the sciences. Through work with a variety of faculty, librarians learned that a single instruction model does not work for …

What Does Your Repository Do? Measuring And Calculating Impact, Margaret Heller

University Libraries: Faculty Publications and Other Works

A multifaceted approach at understanding the impact of institutional repositories using both quantitative and qualitative processes, particularly with regards to alignment with institutional mission.

Write Together: Assessing Writing Center Data For Library Collaboration, Heidi Gauder, Hector Escobar

Roesch Library Faculty Presentations

Two academic support units, the library and the writing center, will be co-located on the library’s first floor starting Fall 2014. With a mandate to integrate services, the library was particularly interested in learning how the writing center addressed the evaluation, integration and attribution of sources, tasks similar to the work of reference librarians. Learn how we analyzed the writing center’s consultant reports in order to gain a deeper understanding of their work and prepare for a more effective service integration.

The Book Vs. E-Book: E-Book Survey Report, Susan Silverman

South Carolina Libraries

During the Spring Semester 2014 at Winthrop University an E-book survey was administered to Winthrop faculty, staff, and students. The objectives of the survey were (1) to inform the patrons that the library does have e-books available to them, (2) to ascertain if they have used any of the e-books for their research, (3) to determine which format, print or e-book, is their primary preference and (4) which format do they think is most important as part of the permanent library collection. The results, including comments from the faculty, staff and students, were compiled and are presented in this paper.

Beyond The Numbers: What You Can Say With Instruction Evaluation Data, Ashley Rosener, Barbara Harvey, Emily Frigo, James Gulvas, Anne Merkle

Barbara C. Harvey

While data driven decision making is a hot topic in librarianship, collecting, analyzing and interpreting data can be intimidating. Where and how to begin? Instruction librarians from Grand Valley State University will discuss how they scaled up from unshared, nonstandard evaluations to a standard form that would make participant perceptions of library instruction more widely accessible in order to make data driven decisions within the Instruction Program.

Using Rubrics To Assess Authentic Learning Products From One-Shot, Course-Integrated Library Instruction, Jennifer Stout, Laura Gariepy

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Librarians face numerous challenges when designing effective, sustainable assessment methods for student learning outcomes in one-shot, course-integrated library instruction sessions. In this presentation, we will share how librarians at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) use a rubric to assess students’ authentic learning products from one-shot instruction sessions for a research and writing course required for all undergraduate students. We will share how rubric-based assessment enhances student learning and explain how we use this type of assessment to demonstrate our information literacy program’s effectiveness.

University 200: Inquiry and the Craft of Argument is a sophomore-level writing and research course required for all …

The Proof Is In The Worksheets: Assessing Information Literacy Outcomes From Library Instruction In An Evolved Fye Program, Robin Johns Grant

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

In the past, Middle Georgia State College’s assessment of library instruction mainly consisted of post-instruction evaluations in which students answered questions about the class’s usefulness and gave comments. However, we wanted to be able to tie our library instruction sessions to learning outcomes based on ACRL Information Literacy Standards—not just student impressions of the class. For three years, the college had been conducting two library instruction sessions for each section of our new First Year Experience class, and we were using a standardized instruction outline and worksheet for each of those classes already. The FYE program, therefore, was the ideal …

Practice Makes Perfect: Updating Borrowing Policies And Practices At A Small Academic Library, Crystal Boyce

Crystal Boyce

In 2011, staff from the undergraduate libraries at the College of William & Mary came together to evaluate circulation policies related to borrowing periods and billing. In an attempt to better align the policies across each unit, and with the intention of creating a more consistent user experience, new policies were proposed and implemented in the fall of 2012. These changes were found to dramatically decrease staff time necessary for billing, while improving user satisfaction with the borrowing policies. Significantly fewer books went into billing, suggesting no adverse effects on collection maintenance.

The Book Vs. E-Book: E-Book Survey Report, Susan R. Silverman

Dacus Library Faculty Publications

During the Spring Semester 2014 at Winthrop University an E-book survey was administered to Winthrop faculty, staff, and students. The objectives of the survey were (1) to inform the patrons that the library does have e-books available to them, (2) to ascertain if they have used any of the e-books for their research, (3) to determine which format, print or e-book, is their primary preference and (4) which format do they think is most important as part of the permanent library collection. The results, including comments from the faculty, staff and students, were compiled and are presented in this paper.

Integrated Service Spaces: New Ways Of Assessing Collaboration., Hector Escobar, Heidi Gauder

Roesch Library Faculty Presentations

Many academic libraries have participated in the growing trend in creating unified service desks, where users visit one desk to get help from a variety of library and other campus services. The University of Dayton’s Roesch Library, however, is exploring a different model. It is piloting a service that lends itself to true integration with external departments. Although unified service desks offer the convenience of one-stop assistance, the various units may still act as silos. Service integration facilitates better cross-training and less confusion for students who may need multiple forms of help in one common area.

The library began to …

What Do Students Learn From Participation In An Undergraduate Research Journal? Results Of An Assessment, Sharon A. Weiner

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Like an increasing number of academic libraries, Purdue University Libraries provides publishing support services to the Purdue community. In 2009, Purdue University Press had recently been moved into the Libraries, and there was enthusiasm about exploring new relationships which could combine the publishing skills of the Press with use of Purdue e-Pubs, the institutional repository platform that also featured powerful publishing features. Publishing an undergraduate research journal was particularly appealing because it connected the scholarly communication program of the Libraries with strategic goals around information literacy. There is evidence that undergraduate students benefit from engaging in research experiences, and writing …

Using Assessment To Leverage Collaboration With The Campus Writing Center, Heidi Gauder, Hector Escobar

Roesch Library Faculty Presentations

Purpose

Like many academic libraries, the University of Dayton’s Roesch Library houses a writing center. Currently located on the Library’s 2nd floor, it will soon move and become integrated with the library’s reference service. Since the writing center operates independently from the library (e.g., it is staffed by students and reports to different campus administrators), the library reference team, comprised of tenure-line faculty librarians, wanted to better understand writing center services. Given that research and writing are often intertwined, the library was particularly interested in learning how the writing center addressed the evaluation, integration and attribution of sources, tasks similar …

Using Social Media In The Classroom: Assessment Of Its Effectiveness., Jennifer Wright

Jennifer Wright Joe

Social media can be an effective tool in promoting critical thinking and collaboration in library instruction. Whether it is simple polls or a much more collaborative event, these methods engage students and allow them to interact with material, professors, and other students in an organized fashion that might not be feasible without the use of technology. However, many faculty members are quick to incorporate these new learning tools without regard to their effectiveness. In this session, several applications of social media will be presented and their effectiveness will be discussed. Then, to conclude, the participants will discuss the best way …

What Does Your Repository Do?: Understanding And Calculating Impact, Margaret Heller

University Libraries: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Librarians working in scholarly communications need to understand how to calculate and explain how including work in a repository affects its impact. This presentation describes the current state of research and practice into metrics for repositories including traditional metrics and newer alternative metrics, and some preliminary results of a research study assessing the usage and impact of a Digital Commons repository.

Assessing Data Linking In Transportation Technical Reports, Lisa Zilinski, Paul Bracke, David Scherer

Lisa Zilinski

In 2013, the Purdue Libraries partnered with the Joint Transportation Research Program (JTRP), a collaboration between Purdue University and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), to incorporate the publication of research data sets into the technical report publication process. This project extended an existing process, developed in partnership between the Purdue Libraries, Purdue University Press, and JTRP, which leveraged Purdue's institutional repository to replace artisanal production processes with a more professional approach (Zilinski, Scherer, Bullock, Horton, & Matthews, forthcoming; Newton, Bullock, Watkinson, Bracke, & Horton, 2012). The existing workflow focused on production of textual documents, but did not address opportunities …

Potential Ramifications Of Common Core State Standards Adoption On Information Literacy, Jacob Paul Eubanks

Communications in Information Literacy

In the United States, the decline in jobs for high school educated workers and the proliferation of jobs for post-secondary educated workers is driving the development of the Common Core State Standards. The Common Core State Standards theoretically shift K-12 pedagogy towards ability development of critical and extended thinking skills, preparing high school graduates for college and career readiness. This literature review explores the reasoning behind the shift to the Common Core State Standards and asks questions regarding the potential ramifications their adoption might have on post-secondary information literacy instruction.

Measuring The International Usage Of U.S. Institutional Repositories, Lauren Fralinger, Jonathan Bull

Jonathan Bull

Purpose – In an educational world with increasing internationalization, digitization, assessment and financial justification, US institutions, especially academic libraries, must justify each new project. Institutional Repositories (IRs) are no exception. The authors attempt to identify factors that might affect the international usage of US IRs as part of assessment efforts to determine an IR's return-on-investment. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was disseminated to IR administrators asking for demographic information, international usage counts for website hits and downloads, and any internationalization efforts connected to the IR in order to determine any influencing factors on an IR's international usage. Findings – While many …

Why Can't They Keep The Book Longer And Do We Really Need To Charge Fines? Assessing Circulation Policies At The Harold B. Lee Library: A Case Study, Duane E Wilson

Faculty Publications

In response to a charge from the library administration, the Circulation Committee of the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University designed and implemented a thorough assessment of circulation policies. Using multiple assessment methods including surveys, focus groups, and statistical analysis, the committee determined that the undergraduate checkout period was not sufficient and that the fine structure needed to change. Using the information obtained through the assessment, they were able to successfully lobby for an extension to the undergraduate checkout period and for the elimination of fines for regular overdue materials.

Assessment And Evaluation Methods For Access Services, Dallas Long

Dallas Long

This paper serves as a primer to assessment and evaluation design by describing the range of methods commonly employed in library settings. Quantitative methods, such as counting and benchmarking measures, are useful for investigating the internal operations of an Access Services department in order to identify workflow inefficiencies or comparator data to judge performance against peer institutions. Qualitative methods, such as focus groups and observation studies, are useful for exploring patron behavior and perceptions, especially in regards to space planning and customer service. The strengths and limitations of these methods are also briefly addressed.

Utilizing Building Usage Assessment: Determining Deployment Of Student Workers In An Academic Library, Ryan F. Buller

University Libraries: Faculty Scholarship

Generating, collecting, and analyzing building usage statistics can greatly increase the ability of an access services unit to meet the changing dynamic of patron needs in an academic library. By analyzing three different data points, the Access Services Unit in Malpass Library at Western Illinois University was able to determine the most effective and efficient way to deploy the student workforce to meet the demonstrated needs of the patron population throughout the day. This article will examine those data points and how they were analyzed in order to improve the services provided by the Access Services Unit.

Assessing Hands-On Learning In Special Collections: A Pilot Study, Sarah M. Horowitz, Stefanie R. Bluemle, Ellen Hay, Mark Salisbury

Library and Information Science: Faculty Scholarship & Creative Works

This Assessment in Action project addressed the effect of using original primary materials on first-year students’ information literacy (IL) and critical thinking skills. IL and critical thinking are among Augustana College’s college-wide student learning outcomes. More than 25% of Augustana first-years use Special Collections each year, yet we had little data on how this affected student learning. The study evaluated a worksheet given as a pre- and post-test around class visits to work in Special Collections, and papers by students who did and did not visit Special Collections with class.

Establishing Twenty-First-Century Information Fluency, Jennifer Sharkey

Jennifer Sharkey

In an effort to infuse information fluency into programming and curriculum, consideration of the learning environment and methods for integrating technology is essential.

Information Literacy Instruction And Assessment : A Collaborate Design, Carlos Arguelles

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Great Expectations: Results From A Faculty Survey Of Students' Information Literacy Proficiency, Brian Jackson, Margy Macmillan, Michelle Sinotte

Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences

In the fall of 2012, our library surveyed teaching faculty to gauge their expectations around students’ use of information. We asked instructors what they thought was important for students to know in each year of study, how proficient they felt students were in performing tasks associated with research, how they expected students to acquire that proficiency, and how they assessed students’ skills. The survey also polled faculty on the types of resources they felt were important for each year of study. The results of the study are informing the development of the library’s strategic plan and the inclusion of information …

Library Learning Spaces In The Digital Age, Anne Horn, Bernadette Lingham, Sue Owen

Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences

Students describe the Library as being central to their learning, offering focus and inspiration, enabling access to information and technologies, and collaboration with peers. Deakin University Library’s building redevelopment program has been integral to the Library’s re-imagined value proposition for students learning in the digital age. The introduction of new generation library and learning spaces strengthens the University’s offer to students for a brilliant education where you are and where you want to go through premium cloud and located learning experiences that are personal, engaging and relevant.

The Library’s building projects are distinctive in terms of location and the built …

The Impact Of Library Resource Utilization On Undergraduate Students' Academic Performance: A Propensity Score Matching Design, Felly Chiteng Kot, Jennifer Jones

University Library Faculty Publications

This study uses three cohorts of first-time, full-time undergraduate students (N=8,652) at a large, metropolitan, public research university to examine the impact of student use of three library resources (workstations, study rooms, and research clinics) on academic performance. To deal with self-selection bias and estimate this impact more accurately, we used propensity score matching. Using this unique approach allowed us to construct treatment and control groups with similar background characteristics. We found that using a given library resource was associated with a small, but also meaningful, gain in first-term grade point average, net of other factors.