Education Commons^™

From Information Literacy To A Spirit Of Inquiry: A Tale Of Two Librarians, Maura Mandyck

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

With just two teaching librarians at our small liberal arts college on the Gulf Coast, we needed to create a coherent, reproducible, adaptable, and student-centered information literacy curriculum that would best serve the freshman English courses we work with most closely. Over the course of the last four years, we have blended the long experience and deep institutional knowledge of one of our librarians with the fresh-from-the-trenches (that is, high school librarianship and experience as an adjunct English instructor) perspective of the other to create the program of a Spirit of Inquiry, which we describe this way:

Active curiosity, diligent …

Databases Are Like Box Stores: Teaching Information Literacy With Analogy, Kory A. Paulus

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Teaching information literacy (IL) often requires instructors to explain and explore abstract concepts. This feat is never easy, as novice students often need a bridge between concrete and abstract thinking. Current research on the topic suggests one effective way to teach new, abstract concepts to students of any age is by using an analogy. However, it’s difficult to come up with effective analogies on the fly. In fact, Rick Wormeli has stated in Metaphors & Analogies: Power Tools for Teaching Any Subject that “what may need to change in many of our classrooms is the purposeful pursuit of metaphors and …

“It [My Research] Would Take Place At 11:50pm”: Constructing A Realistic Simulation To Study Online Information Evaluation For School Projects, Amy G. Buhler, Brittany Brannon

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

When students explore a search results page for a school-related project, what leads them to select a resource? We explore this question in our IMLS-funded research study, Researching Student Information Choices: Identifying and Judging the Credibility of Online Sources. In this session we introduce our novel simulation-based research method. We designed a simulated environment to study students’ online information-seeking behavior and understand their point-of-selection behavior when they determine that a resource potentially meets their research need. Simulated search engine results pages were used to examine students’ information selection decisions for an age-appropriate research prompt. The simulation collected quantitative data …

Innovative Education: Information Literacy Planning Reframed As Design Thinking, Kay Coates, Dylitchrous Thompson

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Innovative education can be conceptualized as the “new” ways and methods of delivering educational content mostly in the realm of civil discourse and academics. Information literacy plays a niche role in content delivery generally, but especially when the discussion centers on tertiary scholarship. Design thinking is one of the many innovative methods of teaching and learning that has taken traction in the field of education. Manifestly, however, librarians have practiced this since the profession became a lettered vocation. It is without adequately acknowledging that by providing information literacy, librarians continue to do their part skillfully and quietly for successful outcomes …

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 …

Refresh Student-Library Relationships With Innovative Applications Of Goosechase, Natalie Edwards Bishop, Jessica Xiong

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Effective library orientations place significant strain on library staff. Development, execution, and assessment of learning outcomes require a significant time investment, especially if working within a low-no cost framework. Learn how we leveraged an FTE-based GooseChase scavenger hunt subscription to create an innovative, community-building orientation that successfully met our information literacy outcomes. Compared to previous, home-grown orientations, GooseChase afforded our library with a platform to easily assess student learning and provide students with self-directed way to learn about library collections, services, and spaces. GooseChase allows for flexible, real-time feedback and assessment such as adding bonus points. Students were self-motivated to …

Information Literacy As Structured Authoring, Robert Terry

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

By drawing on the early findings of an IRB-approved study, this presentation will discuss some challenges involved in teaching structured authoring, defined here as topic based authoring combined with an XML or XML-like structure. Since the late 1980s, Robert E. Horn and others referred to structured authoring/writing as a new paradigm that transforms the ways writers think about information usage, presentation, and structuring. Charlotte Robidoux (2007) and Sally Henschel (2010, 2014), among others, have explored how curriculums that taught structured authoring might help students begin to understand how the approach changes writing. However, as Joy Robinson et al (2019) demonstrated, …

Seeking Symbiosis: Designing Libguides That Bring User-Centered Design And Learner-Centered Practice Into Harmony, Vanessa Garofalo, Adrienne Button, Anne Le-Huu Pineault, S. Paige Crowl

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Libraries around the world use LibGuides to create research guides for students. But is the user-centered approach often employed by libraries when creating these guides enough to meet the needs of today’s learners? A small task force of librarians at Oxford College of Emory University set out to answer this question. After studying the literature, it was found that very few studies focus on instructional design principles in the creation of LibGuides. Furthermore, an examination of their own library’s LibGuides revealed that while the guides addressed many issues of usability, learner-centered design was often absent.

(25 minutes) The first portion …

Libguides 2.0 Continued: Implementing Best Practices In Design And Accessibility After Migration, Holly Mabry, Jessica Xiong

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Since migrating LibGuides from version 1.0 to 2.0 in 2015, librarians at Gardner-Webb University have adopted a continuous evaluation approach that addresses best practices in LibGuides design, accessibility, and instruction techniques. This presentation will provide an overview of Gardner-Webb Library’s experiences with the migration and evaluation process.

The librarians formed a professional learning community (PLC) to choose colors, fonts, and layout templates to use after the migration that would fit in with the university’s branding. In 2018, one of the librarians provided best practices and training in accessibility for people with disabilities. In the summer of 2019, two of the …

Animating The Library’S Value: Developing An Information Literacy Cartoon, Karen Bronshteyn

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

An academic library was asked to create a brief, compelling, attention-grabbing marketing tool that convinces students to choose library resources over Google. After numerous discussions and a brief student survey, the format of the marketing tool was selected, an animated video, and a ballpark cost was obtained.

Year-end funds were allocated for an animated video to be dubbed “Hunt Library vs. Google”. Followed by an abbreviated vendor selection and an arduous down-payment process, collaborative work began. We provided an example video that we wished to emulate. The video showed a student in a boat fishing (narrated as “drowning”) in a …

Using Best Practices Of Teaching And Learning To Make Your Meetings More Inclusive And Productive, Jessica Kohout-Tailor

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

As instructors of information literacy, our goal is to equip learners with the skills needed to critically evaluate, use, and create information effectively and ethically. Listening and speaking skills are vital, as the information proficient learner listens to information, asks questions, and synthesizes the information with which they interact.

As instructors, we model these skills and behaviors within and outside of classrooms and libraries. We teach learners how to read information, model metacognitive skills, and support learners with how to effectively articulate their findings and new knowledge. We recognize that our pedagogy extends beyond the traditional classroom, which can include …

Don't Google It! Appeal To Students' Passions To Inspire Information Literacy, Ellen B. Derwin Ph.D.

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Who doesn’t love Google? Yet in courses all across disciplines at colleges and universities, faculty struggle with assigning work that requires research. Why? Students immediately Google (or use another search engine) to seek information and often ignore requirements to seek information that is relevant, credible, accurate and evidence-based. Despite partnering with librarians, grading with information literacy as a high priority, and guiding students to seek appropriate sources, googling without critical thinking happens on a regular basis. At Brandman University, this frustration for faculty occurs throughout the curriculum, even in courses such as Critical Thinking, Student Success, and Information Literacy, which …

Tweet Like Ethel; Or, How To Impress Your Institution’S Marketing Team, Amee H. Odom 2212519

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

A substantial part of Information Literacy is navigating information on the web, specifically on social networking channels. It therefore behooves librarians to have a presence on these channels in service of their various patron groups in order to, essentially, cultivate an online information literate landscape. Defining Info Lit in posts, addressing Fake News with suggested tools and resources for investigation, and setting a benchmark for engaging with materials online creates a perfect environment for modeling.

The Ethel K. Smith Library at Wingate University (WU) has had social media accounts for several years, focusing on 3 channels: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. …

How To Make Services Sustainable Without Losing Friends Or Making Enemies, Jennifer Stout

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

The Teaching Librarians at Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries have traditionally offered in-person library instruction to all sections of UNIV 112 and UNIV 200, two writing and research intensive courses all students are required to take which are taught out of the Department of Focused Inquiry (FI). In Spring 2018, we realized that our teaching load had become unsustainable and, with the blessing of FI leadership, made the difficult decision to end in-person instruction for UNIV 112.

In this presentation, I will cover how we handled this transformation of services without jeopardizing the immensely positive relationship we have with FI. Over …

How Charts Lie: What You Design Is Not What People See, Alberto Cairo

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Visualizations such as charts, maps and infographics are ubiquitous nowadays. They are useful because they can reveal patterns and trends in data. Good visualizations make us smarter - if we know how to read them. However, visualizations can also deceive us by displaying incomplete or inaccurate data, suggesting misleading patterns, and concealing uncertainty. They are also frequently misunderstood. Many of us are ill-equipped to interpret the visuals that politicians, journalists, advertisers and even our employers present each day. We are in need of expanding the notion of literacy to include numeracy (numerical literacy) and graphicacy (graphical literacy).

Small Teaching: Effective Techniques To Scaffold Student Learning In Information Literacy Instruction Sessions., Omer Farooq

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Learning scientists have long advocated for using learning techniques that help students achieve their learning outcomes in a variety of different contexts. These strategies include engaging prior knowledge, elaborative interrogation questions, self-explanation, distributed practice, and testing—all of which bring the processes of comprehension, critical thinking, and synthesis to the explicit attention of the learner. However, the use of strategies such as self-explanations, analogies, and elaborative interrogation prompts that enhance learning by facilitating the various stages of the research process is not fully explored in the context of information literacy instruction. This presentation will highlight ways to incorporate specific questioning prompts …

An Improved Way Of Information Literacy Instruction: Remodeling The Library Curriculum With Scaffolding And Standardization, Kory Paulus

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

This session builds upon a session from last year: Library Instruction, Learning Outcomes, and Assessment: A compliance strategy for SACS assessments. The EKS Library at Wingate University found a large number of students were repeating library instruction in several classes with the same content repeated; in other cases, a number of students did not receive library instruction at all. The level of inconsistency across the student body became a pressing concern for the library instruction team. Met with much resistance, the library instruction team determined standardization and scaffolding was the most appropriate solution to these problems and in alignment with …

Everyone Loves Gummi Bears! Removing The Intimidation Factor From Research Data Management With Yummy Fun., Dawn N. Cannon-Rech, Jeffrey M. Mortimore

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

How do you get students excited about research data management and attract over 70 participants to a voluntary workshop? How do you get Librarians excited about teaching a research data management workshop to undergraduates? With the promise of Gummi Bears and hands-on fun! During this workshop session, presenters will break down their experience overhauling a faculty workshop into an active learning session to expose students of all experience levels to basic research data management concepts and techniques. Presenters will walk participants through their design process from inception to delivery, highlighting how Gummi Bears lessened students’ intimidation with this complex topic …

Citations As Expressions Of Fairness, Helpfulness, And Decorum, Drew Nathaniel Keane

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Much of the literature on academic integrity focuses on misconduct; there is little discussion of what constitutes ethical academic practice (Macfarlane, Zhang, Pun (2014); Blum (2009); East and Donnelly (2012)). I argue for teaching ethical use of sources in terms of three social values that are expressed in context-specific aways: fairness, helpfulness, and decorum. I interrogate a number of examples to show how each of these values is necessary to make sense out of academic citation practice. Though we know concepts of originality, textual ownership, and citation are complex and differ across contexts, media, and cultures, plagiarism is still widely …

Fair Use And Films In Academic Forums, Jessica Garner, Amber J. Culpepper

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

A library's Course Reserves department often fields questions about Copyright and Fair Use. Most recently, the Georgia Southern University Libraries have been asked several questions concerning Fair Use and movies. This short presentation will outline how the Course Reserves Department at the Henderson Library complies with Fair Use and Copyright. By following the Georgia Southern Universities Course Reserves policy, professors are able to share resources to their students in a legal and ethical manner. We will briefly review our process when professors have Copyright questions including when we bring in legal affairs. This presentation will provide tips for teachers, professors, …

Instructional Scaffolding Of The Acrl Framework For Information Literacy For Developmental Learners., Fabio Montella

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Information literacy has become a necessary set of abilities for community college students to possess in this age of digital distribution. The plethora of information that is generated at an almost instantaneous rate has brought about the need for an information-literate student body with the ability to both decipher and utilize viable and valid information. However, the attainment of such abilities requires the comprehension of information literacy core concepts. These concepts, while instrumental, may be difficult to grasp without a foundation of practical familiarity, especially for students in developmental education courses.

In this presentation, Fabio Montella, Assistant Professor of Library …

Come Together: Developing A Successful Cross-Campus Collaboration To Improve The Information Literacy Skills Of Novice Researchers, Denise A. Wetzel, Liz Dunne

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

During the 2018-2019 year, Florida State University (FSU) Libraries began a pilot partnership with the FSU’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement (CRE) to create a cross-campus collaboration for undergraduate students in the FSU Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), with a heavy emphasis on information literacy. 1st-year, 2nd-year, and new transfer students in this program attend a year long course while learning the basics of research by participating in an individual research project mentored by faculty, staff, post docs, or graduate students on the FSU campus. Developing a successful campus partnership is crucial to the holistic development of undergraduate …

Help! No Time For Library Instruction, Not Even A One-Shot, Sheri A. Brown, Dianne M. Fair Ph.D.

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Throughout the semester librarians hear from faculty that there is no time for library instruction. This is especially true for science courses where lab work is required. The Biomedical Sciences program at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) is a rigorous, hands-on laboratory-based curriculum with course work covering physics, chemistry, biology, microbiology, molecular biology, and genetics. Students are required to complete IDS4936 – Biomedical Degree Capstone which requires a “multidisciplinary approach of learning science by analyzing social, economic, ethical, scientific, and professional aspects of their chosen topic.” (FSCJ College Catalog 2019-19)

It became apparent students did not have the necessary …

Using Curriculum Mapping To Develop An Acrl Framework-Centered Information Literacy Instruction Program At Georgetown’S School Of Continuing Studies Library, Ladislava Khailova

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

This presentation focuses on an ACRL Framework (2016) informed curriculum mapping project conducted at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies Library. The School, aimed at preparing largely non-traditional students with the skills needed to succeed in today’s business landscape, offers graduate degrees in a wide range of professional disciplines, with the Library supporting these educational efforts through a very active information literacy program. After an initial analysis, the presenter/Library Director determined that the existing program contained substantial gaps as well as redundancies, with some disciplines’ required blocks of courses not visited by instructional librarians at all and others oversaturated. To …

We Got This: Instruction Training For Four New Librarians With Four Different Backgrounds, John Siegel, Sara Desantis, Erika Montgomery, Allison Read

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

A southern regional comprehensive university hired four new Reference and Research Librarians. These new librarians had varied experiences with information literacy instruction in academic libraries. Three were recent library school graduates, two were assistants in circulation and technical services, and the other was a part-time reference and instruction librarian. The Coordinator of Information Literacy realized that a training program was needed. In this panel, the Coordinator of Information Literacy will discuss the development of the training program. Several of the new librarians will discuss their backgrounds, including library school preparation. They will also share their perceptions of the training and …

Coming Together: How Librarians In The University System Of Georgia Are Coordinating Efforts And Professional Development Across The State, Jolene Cole, Julius Fleschner, Dawn Cannon-Rech

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

The University System of Georgia is a robust system that includes 26 institutions of higher education. Each college and university has its own culture, faculty, and student experiences. They also each have a library. Seeing the need for closer collaboration and professional development, the Regents Academic Committee on Libraries (RACL), a group consisting of each institution’s library director, dean, or university librarian, called for the creation of an information literacy working group.

The RACL Information Literacy working group was formed in early 2019 and focused on informing the University System of Georgia broadly about how instruction and reference librarians serve …

I Just Need Two Credits: Looking At Motivation When Redesigning An Online Credit-Bearing Information Literacy Course, Jane Hammons, Hanna Primeau, Diana Ramey, Stacey Mckenna

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Although a 2-credit hour information literacy course had high enrollment, with multiple sections offered each year across several campuses, course completion rates were not as high as hoped. Originally designed for freshman or sophomores, many upper-level students were enrolling in the course because they needed the credit hours, not because of interest in the course content, and overall engagement with the course material was low. With these concerns in mind, we undertook a team project to redesign the course. In this presentation, we will highlight the significant changes we made to course focus and content that were intended to increase …

Woodi Health Hub: Promoting Health Information Literacy To Students In The Atlanta University Center, Rosaline Y. Odom

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

“Health Literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” National initiatives call for improved health literacy as a means of addressing ongoing health disparities in the U.S. Low health literacy is linked to a poorer overall health status and higher risk of death among at-risk populations. Vulnerable populations include older adults, immigrant populations, minority populations and low income populations. College years are a time when young adults transition from parental control to independence and face new challenges, stressors and messages …

Information Literacy On-Demand: How To Create An Online Library Readiness Mini-Course, Rachel Hooper

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

What do many academic librarians want? Required information literacy classes! When do they want them? Now! This poster will show how a large university developed an on-demand library readiness mini-course online that has recently become a requirement for all undergraduate orientation classes, both in-person and online. Furthermore, the online mini-course has been adopted by numerous faculty in research-based courses across varied subject areas throughout the University. Through a collaboration between librarians and faculty, the mini-course teaches students research skills, how to find books and journal articles, how to use InterLibrary Loan, how to get library and research assistance, and more. …

Archives And Stem: The Perfect Formula For Immersive Cross-Disciplinary Instruction., Dawn N. Cannon-Rech, Autumn Johnson

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Reaching out to STEM Students beyond the one-shot requested instruction sessions is challenging. Creating faculty buy-in for non-traditional STEM instruction is doubly challenging. This poster will highlight a recent activity designed to draw STEM participation in utilizing a unique set of resources from the institution’s Archival Collections. Normally viewed as primarily relevant to history and humanities students, this collection provides the backbone for a fully immersive Escape Room Activity and exposure to primary sources normally not considered part of the normal STEM course work. The hands-on activity provides an opportunity for critical thinking, reflection, and teamwork. The poster will highlight …