Information Literacy Commons^™

Leveraging Adult Learning Theory With Online Tutorials, Rebecca Halpern, Chimene Tucker

Library Instruction West 2014

Adult learners are a quickly growing population on university campuses. While there is a fair amount of research on the differences in adult learning pedagogies, most information literacy literature focuses on undergraduate skills and competencies. At the same time, more and more adult learners are harnessing the flexibility of online programs to get their degrees. How can we best leverage what we know about adult learning theories with sustainable, scalable, and engaging online learning modules?
Rebecca Halpern is the librarian for the online Master of Social Work program at the University of Southern California. One of her biggest projects is …

Teaching “Format As A Process” In An Era Of Web-Scale Discovery, Kevin Seeber

Library Instruction West 2014

Purpose- Advancements in online discovery require academic librarians to develop new means of teaching and assessing information literacy, with an emphasis on having students employ critical thinking to evaluate sources.

Design/methodology/approach- This conceptual paper analyzes how the threshold concept “format as a process” could be incorporated into information literacy instruction sessions which address web-scale discovery services and other online search tools. General guidelines for applying this concept are included, along with potential classroom activities and assessments.

Findings- Format as a process provides a valuable framework for evaluating information, though librarians need to be mindful of how they present the concept …

Upcycling Instruction: Developing Efficient Approaches To Working With Experienced Researchers, April Aultman Becker, Veronica Arellano Douglas

Library Instruction West 2014

Our classrooms aren’t always filled with wide-eyed freshman and novice researchers. Many of the students we teach are thesis writers, experienced researchers, and professional practitioners. Through teaching this population, instruction librarians quickly learn that possession of subject expertise and research experience is not necessarily a guarantee that students will have mastered efficient, productive information seeking behavior. Addressing these gaps in research and information literacy knowledge takes some finesse. Through a combination of discussion and activities, we’ll investigate the unique challenges and pedagogical opportunities that accompany teaching advanced students and researchers. Attendees will leave with practical ideas that they can incorporate …

The Value Of Narrative Methods For Library Instruction, Joseph Holterman, Jennifer Turner

Library Instruction West 2014

While serving as a guide to students who are seeking information, an instruction librarian might present a research process as an unfolding ‘story.’ This session will explore several ways that such stories can enliven our instructional presentations and serve a creative and engaging purpose. Although the presentation will introduce flexible ideas that could be applied to a variety of goals and objectives, we will focus on library instruction with undergraduate students, typically within their academic major. The presentation will suggest concrete ways to develop inquiry-based instruction and lead toward the integration of library instruction with an information literacy program.

Situating Information Literacy In The Disciplines: New Opportunities For Sustainable Instruction, William Badke, Robert Farrell

Library Instruction West 2014

Information literacy educators continue to struggle to get significant instruction into the curriculum through the use of “one-shot” sessions that focus on inculcating generic IL skills. In response, librarians have turned to "embedding" or "situating" discipline-specific IL learning opportunities within disciplinary curricula. But given the limited resources and staff time of most academic libraries, how can we develop and ensure sustainable relationships with the many disciplines on our campuses? Presenters William Badke (Trinity Western University, British Columbia) and Robert Farrell (Lehman College, City University of New York) will highlight systematic theoretical and practical approaches to developing sustainable collaborative relationships with …

Let Wikipedia Through The Gates!: A Trojan Horse Approach To Information Literacy, John Thomas Oliver

Library Instruction West 2014

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate which learning targets can be achieved by using Wikipedia as a tool for teaching information literacy within the context of brief one-shot library instruction sessions.

Design/methodology/approach – In this case study, a Wikipedia-editing activity was incorporated into 2-hour one-shot instruction sessions. A variety of qualitative data were collected during these sessions: Student reflections during a facilitated discussion, student responses to exit-survey questions and instructor observations about the extent to which students completed Wikipedia-editing tasks.

Findings – Students found Wikipedia-editing activities and Wikipedia-related discussions engaging, and as a result they seemed …

Piloting A Blended Model For Sustainable Il Programming, Jody Nelson, Joan Morrison, Lindsey Whitson

Library Instruction West 2014

Purpose – This paper aims to describe the MacEwan University Library’s successful pilot of a fully blended information literacy (IL) instruction program for first-year English courses. Development, implementation and assessment of the pilot prior to full implementation are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach – The new sustainable blended model for the English Library Instruction Program reduced duplication of content and effort, incorporated online and in-person instruction and promoted self-directed learning opportunities through a new Learning Commons. This model places essential instruction online while maintaining personal relationships for students with the English Librarian and the Library through multiple points of interaction. Face-to-face instruction efforts …

How Can We Make Library Research A Little Wild? Make It Natural!, Jared Burton

Library Instruction West 2014

Incorporating a nature tour into a Library Research Strategies course at Mt. San Antonio College (Walnut, California), my class took a guided tour of local ecosystems at the campus Wildlife Sanctuary as part of a larger lesson plan. The lesson plan consisted of four main parts: 1) Students formed five groups based on the ecological zones represented in the Wildlife Sanctuary; 2) Each group conducted research on their ecological zone, utilizing a variety of print and electronic library resources; 3) Based on their research, each group crafted informational questions which they were instructed to ask the tour guide (the “expert”) …

Live The Question, Love The Question: Embracing Inquiry-Based Learning In The One-Shot, Zoe Fisher

Library Instruction West 2014

Do you want your students to ask better research questions? As teachers, we know that the ability to ask authentic, meaningful questions is one of the most important qualities in a successful learner. Learning how to ask questions takes practice. In this session, participants will discover active learning strategies for encouraging inquiry in the library classroom. These flexible activities emphasize inquiry-based learning and can be adapted to fit any library instruction session. All of these activities have been successfully used by the presenter in a fast-paced community college setting.

Using Anonymous(Ish) Google Spreadsheets To Enhance Student Engagement, Elizabeth Mcmunn-Tetangco

Library Instruction West 2014

Google spreadsheets can add value and engagement to library instruction sessions – and since they are free, they don’t tax already-burdened pocketbooks. Hear about how the UC Merced Library uses semi-anonymous Google spreadsheets to allow students to experiment with search techniques and learn directly from each other. Creating semi-privacy for students allows them to take risks and learn from the ideas of others in a non-threatening classroom environment that allows for experimentation and easy, immediate feedback. Tips and ideas will be included, along with a demonstration of how to create a Google spreadsheet, how to use it in a class, …

Making Information Literacy Assessment Sustainable Through Collaboration At The University Of Idaho, Diane Prorak

Library Instruction West 2014

We collaborate on course-integrated instruction – why not on assessment? The University of Idaho Library was applying (successfully) for the ACRL Assessment in Action (AiA) Program at the same time that the UI General Education Program was beginning formal assessment of its recently adopted curriculum. We joined forces with General Education for a sustainable, collaborative assessment project in which first-year students in Integrated Seminar courses write two essays on the University “common read” book -- one essay at the beginning of the semester and one at the end (with library instruction in between). Students are required to find and cite …

Comics In Class: Assessing Metacognition In Graphical Research Narratives, Margot Hanson, Michelle Van Hoeck

Library Instruction West 2014

Instruction librarians often recommend assignments such as reflective essays and research diaries to encourage metacognition about the research process. In an effort to introduce students to the practice of metacognition in a fun and engaging way, two instruction librarians created a graphical narrative assignment for freshmen, using comics software called Comic Life. The presenters will share the metacognition rubric they developed to assess and compare student research comics with reflective essays assigned in previous semesters. Finally, presenters will share the results of their analysis comparing rubric scores for significant differences between the two instruction methods. While the graphical narrative assignment …

More Than A Citation Manager: Zotero For Scalable Embedded Librarianship And Instruction Assessment, Rebecca Kuglitsch

Library Instruction West 2014

Embedded librarianship via class attendance or course management system has been successful in extending the reach of library instruction beyond the single class session, yet it raises concerns about scalability and sustainability. However, librarians can effectively and sustainably extend their instructional reach into the classroom without requiring their actual presence or use of a course management system by using the group library feature of Zotero to communicate with students. Not only does using the group library make effective use of limited librarian time, it also leaves the students with citation management skills and the librarian with a new way to …

More = Better: A Rubric-Based Evaluation Of Librarian Course Collaborations At The First Year, Natalie Tagge, Sara Lowe, Char Booth, Sean Stone

Library Instruction West 2014

In the summer of 2013, the Claremont Colleges Library undertook a rubric-based assessment of Pitzer College First-Year Seminar papers to determine if librarian course interventions had an impact on information literacy (IL) performance in student writing. Findings indicate that progressive degrees of librarian collaboration in two distinct areas (research instruction and/or faculty syllabus consultation) had a marked and statistically significant impact on student IL skills. This presentation will discuss our findings and suggest strategies at the individual and program level that contribute to effective course collaboration frameworks in the first year and beyond. These include outcomes-focused teaching, ongoing professional development …

Unifying Ideas: Building For-Credit Information Literacy Around Themes To Optimize Student Learning, Elizabeth Price, Rebecca Richardson

Library Instruction West 2014

Teaching a for-credit information literacy course can be viewed as hitting “prime time” for some librarians, but the courses can be as disjointed and problematic for the instructors as one-shot sessions. Projects are a hodgepodge of student-chosen or instructor-assigned “info lit” topics that fail to underscore the biggest problems for students in research: Developing a research question and writing a paper are difficult without enough background knowledge to understand the topic. At semester’s end, instructors may be feeling discouraged and wondering what students actually learned. Solution: Start the semester analyzing one topic to build a knowledge base for discussion and …

Roving Exhibits, Arlene Salazar

Library Instruction West 2014

Book exhibits are commonplace in most libraries, but the idea of Roving Exhibits just recently came about at the Library. In the Fall 2013, an exhibit was set up at a student event, a PowWow celebration of native oral tradition, sponsored by the Native American Student Association. The exhibit was a culmination of collection development efforts on the part of the education liaison, who is also in charge of the juvenile collection, over the course of 5 years. Continuation and expansion of roving exhibits will provide an opportunity for the library to physically take in-library exhibits out to the university …

From Local To Global: Open And Sustainable Ways To Sharing Our Teaching Resources, Jane Secker, Nancy Graham

Library Instruction West 2014

During this workshop two UK librarians will explore:

• The growing body of evidence to support librarians sharing their own resources including data from surveys and feedback from face to face events held by our community of practice in the UK.
• How can librarians from different countries discuss ideas around sharing and share resources in a practical way?
• How can existing organisations such as ALA, CILIP, IFLA and UNESCO help promote the sharing of Information Literacy resources in open format internationally?

The workshop will also discuss issues such as key features of a successful community of practice, what we mean by …

Faculty Power: A Renewable Energy Source For Teaching Information Literacy, Elisa Acosta, Susan Gardner Archambault

Library Instruction West 2014

How can instruction librarians best utilize diminishing resources to support expanding information literacy initiatives on their campus? To be successfully implemented on campus, information literacy depends on collaboration between faculty and librarians. Participants will learn about using “train the trainer” methodology to advance and sustain information literacy programs at their home institution. In “train the trainer” workshops, faculty are educated about information literacy through classroom activities, guided discussions, and library resources. This session will present methods for collaborating with faculty in order to empower them to integrate information literacy and library resources into the curricula. Participants will learn about a …

Library On Demand: Now Delivering Fresh Services To Your Online Course!, Debbie Feisst, Kim Frail, Lindsay Johnston, Angie Mandville

Library Instruction West 2014

Working in conjunction with other key campus stakeholders, the University of Alberta Libraries has developed a customizable Library Resources widget that makes it easier for students to access valuable library resources at their place and point of need within their online course management system (CMS). This seamless integration of library resources and services into online courses represents a time-saving enhancement for faculty and students as well as a springboard to information literacy learning within the virtual classroom environment. We will outline the project history and describe how this initiative grew from a department-based project into a campus-wide model with an …

Can't Stop Won't Stop: Seeding Library Instruction With Hip-Hop, Dave Ellenwood, Beth Sanderson

Library Instruction West 2014

Have you ever wanted to infuse your teaching with one of your passions that is not commonly associated with information literacy? More specifically, have you ever been curious about including hip-hop themes, metaphors, or other hip-hop-related content in your IL instruction? In this panel discussion grounded in critical pedagogy, social justice discourse, and the politics of including hip-hop in the college classroom, attendees will hear the strategies and experiences of four instruction librarians with varied hip-hop familiarity, from novice to fan to emcee. Panelists will describe teaching research concepts through hip-hop metaphors, teaching library databases through interpreting/annotating rap lyrics, and …