Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Research Mentor Program At Unh Manchester: Peer Learning Partnerships, Carolyn B. Gamtso, Annie Donahue, Kimberly Donovan

Faculty Publications

At the University of New Hampshire at Manchester (UNH Manchester), the librarians, the Center for Academic Enrichment (CAE) professional staff, and the First-Year Writing Program faculty established a rich collaboration for supporting undergraduate students throughout the research process. This effort was realized by adapting a highly effective peer-tutoring program, integrating basic information literacy instruction skills into the tutor training curriculum, and incorporating the peer tutors within library instruction classes and activities. This chapter focuses on the current iteration of the Research Mentor Program, describes recent changes to the mentors’ information literacy training, and examines valuable lessons learned throughout the program’s …

Poster Competitions In A Pandemic: The Value Of Going Virtual, Megan Frost, Michael C. Goates, Gregory M. Nelson

Faculty Publications

Science librarians at Brigham Young University have hosted a student poster competition for the past several years to showcase student research on campus and to promote science information literacy and scholarly communication skills. As part of this competition, students receive constructive feedback on both their poster design and their oral presentation skills during an in-person open house. In 2020, COVID-19 threw a curveball as the campus shut down just two weeks before the scheduled competition open house. Rather than throwing in the towel, the librarians scrambled to turn this previously in-person competition into a completely virtual event. Despite the substantial …

Library Orientation Practices In Special Libraries, Melissa Fraser-Arnott

Faculty Publications

Purpose The library orientation session is an important marketing tool because it offers the first opportunity for library staff to connect with new clients (Craft and Ballard-Thrower, 2011; Rhoades and Hartsell, 2008). This paper aims to explore library orientation practices in special libraries and information centers with the goal of surveying current practices and identifying guidance for successful orientation program design and delivery.

Design/methodology/approach This study explored library orientation practices in special libraries and information services through an electronic survey. The survey questions were developed based on themes that emerged from case studies on library orientations from the academic …

University Of New Hampshire: Renaissance In Action, Kathrine C. Aydelott

Faculty Publications

This chapter, from Association of College and Research Library's (ACRL) Hidden Architectures of Information Literacy Programs, details the multi-year shift of service delivery and structure of the University of New Hampshire's Research & Learning Services department. The chapter further outlines plans to re-imagine the embedded liaison program and details the nascent rebirth of a unified library instruction program.

Decision-Based Learning For Info Literacy One-Shots, David Pixton

Faculty Publications

An online instructional framework, called “decision-based learning,” helps students learn to think like an expert through making a series of simple decisions that the expert has trained into his or her thought patterns. This framework is currently being tested in one-hour information literacy workshops for engineering and technology students. This lightning talk briefly describes the decision-based learning method and results of this study so far.

Teaching With The Louisiana Digital Library, Elizabeth J. Kelly, Cara M. Key, Michael F. Waugh

Faculty Publications

The Louisiana Digital Library recently migrated to a new platform, which has a modern design that showcases the valuable and diverse collections within, making it a great tool for library instruction. This session will highlight the features and collections of the LDL that would be useful for instruction, along with real-world case studies, and suggestions for building lesson plans for digital library materials.

Improving Student Assessments Of Elections: The Use Of Information Literacy And A Course-Embedded Librarian, Todd J. Wiebe, Paula Booke

Faculty Publications

The study of U.S. elections as a part of introductory political science courses has become an increasingly difficult endeavour as students encounter the ever-changing landscape of electoral politics. Instructors seeking to equip students with the skills needed to navigate this complex terrain may look for partnerships with library faculty and staff as a means of bridging the research gap faced by students in these courses. This article examines the efficacy of a course-embedded librarian and information literacy training as a means of increasing student research confidence and competence. The findings of our quasi-experiment suggest that students participating in a course …

Search Strategy Development In A Flipped Library Classroom: A Student-Focused Assessment, Michael C. Goates, Gregory M. Nelson, Megan Frost

Faculty Publications

Librarians at Brigham Young University compared search statement development between traditional lecture and flipped instruction sessions. Students in lecture sessions scored significantly higher on developing search statements than those in flipped sessions. However, student evaluations show a strong preference for pedagogies that incorporate elements from both lecture and flipped methodologies. Reasons for lower flipped-session scores may include a lack of student accountability, strong preference for a live demonstration, and disconnections between online tutorial content and in-class collaborative activities. Librarians using a flipped classroom should consider ways to help students make meaningful connections between online tutorials and in-class activities.

A Knowledge Lens For Information Literacy: Conceptual Framework And Case Study, Darin Freeburg

Faculty Publications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce a Knowledge Lens for information literacy. This lens shifts the focus and potential outcomes of information literacy in three ways. First, it promotes self-reflection as a means of integrating information. Second, it promotes creation, emphasizing it as a social process. Third, it promotes the ability and value of working with imprecision and lack of direction. Design/methodology/approach The author designed a Community of Practice (CoP) with a loosely structured guidebook to operationalize the Knowledge Lens. The initial stated purpose of the CoP was to provide innovative solutions to issues of race relations …

Client-Based Experiential Learning And The Librarian: Information Literacy For The Real World, Andy Spackman

Faculty Publications

Business schools have increasingly turned to client-based experiential learning to better prepare their graduates with skills and abilities that translate to the workplace. The shift from academic learning to experiential learning requires a corresponding shift in the way librarians approach information literacy. This article explores this trend through the literature and through personal interviews and proposes ways in which library instruction, collection development, and liaison relationships can be tailored to meet the needs of experiential learners.

Traditional Vs. Flipped Library Instruction For The Life Sciences, Michael C. Goates, Megan Frost, Gregory M. Nelson

Faculty Publications

We compared search statement development between traditional lecture and flipped instruction sessions using two separate flipped models. Students in lecture sessions scored significantly higher on developing search statements than those in the flipped model 1 sessions. However, student scores were not significantly different between the lecture and the flipped model 2 sessions. Reasons for lower flipped-session scores may include a lack of student accountability, strong preference for a live demonstration, and disconnections between online tutorial content and in-class collaborative activities. Students in all sessions expressed a strong preference for pedagogies that incorporate elements from both lecture and flipped methodologies. Librarians …

The Information Literacy Imperative In Higher Education, Todd J. Wiebe

Faculty Publications

This article contends that information literacy should be considered a standard component in a 21st century liberal education. It explores the role of libraries and librarians within this context while contrasting the "Google it" mentality with deep researching and critical thinking about information and the information-seeking process, both in libraries and in the free online environment.

Eyes Toward The Future: Framing For-Credit Information Literacy Instruction, Emily P. Frank, Amanda B. Macdonald

Faculty Publications

LSU Libraries recently redesigned its one-credit hour information literacy course taught by librarians for undergraduate students. This redesign coincided with a shift from face-to-face to online course delivery at a local level alongside the implementation of the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) on undergraduate research that would lead to increased course enrollment at the university level. At the national level, there was a transition to ACRL’s Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (Framework). The Libraries’ Instruction Committee engaged in a holistic reconceptualization of the course, beginning with debating and designing new student learning outcomes (SLOs) and attributes before considering …

The Communication Skills Accounting Firms Desire In New Hires, Leticia Camacho

Faculty Publications

Interviews were conducted with human resource (HR) managers from accounting firms to determine managers’ expectations of future accounting graduates. Results show HR managers are looking to hire individuals that possess strong oral and written communication skills. HR managers also reported that they expect students to use these skills to represent their company well in meetings, presentations, client appointments, as well as print and electronic correspondence. The study concludes with a discussion of how business librarians can assist faculty in preparing accounting students for successful careers and of implications for librarians to consider in their library instruction and other librarianship activities.

Using Student Performance To Evaluate An Online Tutorial: Is Flipping Really Worth It?, Michael C. Goates, Gregory M. Nelson

Faculty Publications

How effective are online tutorials at providing library instruction? Are students really getting as much out of these tutorials as we think they are? What advantages, if any, do students and librarians gain from incorporating online tutorials into information literacy sessions? This presentation will describe a study comparing two library instruction models for an undergraduate advanced writing course at Brigham Young University. The first model follows a traditional instruction session while the second model uses a flipped classroom approach to deliver instruction in the form of an online tutorial. Results from student assignments, evaluations, and focus groups will be discussed …

The Flipped Classroom For Library Instruction: A Student Focused Assessment, Michael C. Goates

Faculty Publications

Librarians at Brigham Young University conducted an assessment to evaluate student performance in developing effective search strategies between flipped classroom and traditional library instruction models. In the flipped classroom model, students completed an interactive online tutorial prior to attending a face-to-face instruction session in the library. During the face-to-face session, students collaborated on projects designed to reinforce concepts explained in the online tutorial. In this presentation, participants will learn about the history of the flipped classroom teaching model for library instruction. Next, the presenter will explain the process of developing a flipped library instruction session for undergraduate students in the …

Information Literacy And Instruction: Information Literacy Instruction With Primo, Elena S. Azadbakht

Faculty Publications

Discovery services are changing the way library users find and access library materials, especially electronic resources. These search tools are also impacting information literacy instruction for users at all skill levels. The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries in Hattiesburg adopted Ex Libris’s Primo discovery service during the summer of 2014. Primo has now been a prominent feature on our website’s homepage for almost a full semester and has impacted the way we teach information literacy to our students. As the reference librarian for Health Sciences, I will describe my experience incorporating Primo into our library instruction for both first-year experience …

Pausing At The Threshold, Patrick K. Morgan

Faculty Publications

Threshold concepts are increasingly inescapable at library conferences and in general information literacy discourse, and this visibility will likely only increase as they figure so prominently in the Association of College and Research Libraries inchoate Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Nevertheless, very little has been done to critically consider the wider intellectual ramifications of certain assumptions fundamental to their manifestation in library/information literacy instruction. This paper is an initial attempt to promote such discussions.

The Postmodern Shift In Library Instruction, Terry Dwain Robertson

Faculty Publications

Fifty years ago, prior to the digital revolution, library instruction consisted of a knowledgeable librarian guiding students through the various classes of documents, with examples of recognized authorities. Each bibliographic tool was handcrafted by competent individuals, published by reputable publishers, and recommended by disciplinary practitioners. While working through these various tools was time consuming, and getting access to materials not held locally often proved slow, the student researcher could reasonably assume the sincerity and integrity of the sources. With the digital revolution, much has changed. Now, instead of bibliographic instruction, librarians engage in “information literacy”(IL) training. Rather than point students …

The Data/Information/Knowledge/Wisdom Hierarchy Goes To Seminary, Terry Dwain Robertson

Faculty Publications

In Information Science studies, the Data/Information/Knowledge/Wisdom (DIKW) hierarchy is a conventional construct for making sense of the terms. However, when examined with any rigor, the distinctions become challenged and the hierarchy appears to fail. I suggest that the reason for this is the tacit classification of this hierarchy as a disciplinary ontological narrative. With context-appropriate definitions and delimitations, the DIKW hierarchy can still be useful as a model for specific applications in information literacy pedagogy. This is illustrated in the context of theological education by using the construct to differentiate the identification of primary sources in the Seminary disciplines.

Transforming Information Literacy: Engaging Stakeholders., Rob Morrison, Deana Greenfield

Faculty Publications

Librarians at National Louis University have been engaged with stakeholders for the past four years to integrate Information Literacy into the undergraduate curriculum that goes beyond traditional instruction. The outcome was a 2 credit course on Digital Information Literacy now required in three undergraduate degree programs. The success of this course resulted in the creation of additional credit courses tailored to the learning outcomes of specific programs. We have learned from this process how to strategically discuss Information Literacy with academic departments. In this session, we will draw from our experience to facilitate a group discussion on transforming Information Literacy …

Digital Information Literacy At National Louis University: Embedding And Integrating Information Literacy Into Degree Programs., Rob Morrison, Deana Greenfield

Faculty Publications

This session will provide an overview of NLU Librarians experience to develop a new teaching model that enhanced traditional library instruction through embedding in online courses and new courses on digital information literacy. Our integration into undergraduate degree programs with a required library course was the result of engaging with academic stakeholders and being “out in front” with technology. This resulted in a major shift in our roles and workload and brings us deeper into the teaching and learning process. We will engage participants in a discussion of useful strategies to integrate teaching into academic programs, the role and use …

Books And Websites, E-Journals Or Print: If The Source Fits, Use It, Todd J. Wiebe

Faculty Publications

Despite the ever-growing range of media types, formats, and information-access options, students are often instructed to only use specific sources in their research. They are sometimes even given strict guidelines, prescribing how many of each they need to, or may, cite. It is important not to lead students to believe there is a formula for the ideal works cited for all research topics. In contrast, students should learn to think critically about the content and appropriateness of each potential source rather than choosing it only because it is a book, a journal article, a Website, etc. This article argues that …

The Impact Of Computer Literacy And Library Anxiety On Students' Library Experience, Terry Dwain Robertson, Lauren Matacio

Faculty Publications

Despite growing up with technology, are college freshmen well prepared for library research, or does their computer savvy actually put them at a disadvantage? Do other factors such as library anxiety affect students’ research experience? How can secondary educators better prepare their students for the leap from a small school library to a large college or university library? How can college librarians make new students’ first library experience a positive one? These questions are addressed in this article.

An ‘Information Literacy’ Perspective Of The Creation/Evolution Debate, Terry Dwain Robertson

Faculty Publications

The conventional information literacy standards do not suffice for engaging the creation/evolution debate. The data is inconclusive about which approach is more likely; neither theory can be validated any more than the other. Both theories appeal to a recognized authority.

Embedded Information Literacy In The Basic Oral Communication Course: From Conception Through Assessment, Kari D. Weaver, Penni M. Pier

Faculty Publications

This paper explores the process of embedding information literacy into a basic oral communication course. Discussion includes student performance as an impetus for change, collaborative course design between the oral communication teaching team and instructional librarians, and assessment initiatives. Suggestions for future collaborative work are articulated.

Rendering Information Literacy Relevant: A Case-Based Pedagogy, Andy Spackman, Leticia Camacho

Faculty Publications

The authors describe the use of case studies in a program of extracurricular library instruction and explain the benefits of case teaching in developing information literacy. The paper presents details of example cases and analyzes surveys to evaluate the impact of case teaching on student satisfaction.

An Evaluation Of An Upper-Division, General Education Information Literacy Program, Elizabeth S. Hopkins, Suzanne Julian

Faculty Publications

The Advanced Writing library instruction program at Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library (HBLL) is intended to teach junior-level students advanced information literacy and research skills. The university general education curriculum requires students to participate in the program as part of their Advanced Writing course. When anecdotal feedback from librarians and students identified problems with the program, the authors conducted a qualitative evaluation of the program in order to identify problems and possible solutions. The evaluation included a student survey and focus groups with students, librarians, and English faculty. This paper describes the HBLL Advanced Writing instruction program, identifies …

Utilizing Focus Groups To Evaluate An Information Literacy Program In A General Biology Course, Betsy S. Hopkins

Faculty Publications

The Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University (BYU) recently implemented a number of information literacy strategies to help students in Biology 100, a large general education class, find resources for their term assignment. The library's services for Biology 100 students were evaluated using focus groups composed of both teaching assistants and students. This paper will describe the class and the assignment, discuss the impact the class had on library staff, detail the efforts of the staff to meet the needs of Biology 100 students, and present results of focus groups used to evaluate the library's outreach and teaching …

Searching On Cd-Rom In An Academic Environment, Margaret Sylvia, Leigh Kilman

Faculty Publications

Novice information searchers are overwhelmed with the amount of material retrieved with a simple keyword search. Training users to retrieve the optimal amount of information and the correct information is a challenge for librarians.