Promoting Information Literacy Andrew Smith Johnson Center Lunch

Promoting Information Literacy Andrew Smith, Johnson Center Lunch, March 17, 2016

What is Information Literacy?

Information Literacy Defined (NFIL) The ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for the problem at hand.

Information Literacy Defined (NFIL) The ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for the problem at hand.

Information Literacy Defined (ACRL, 2015) Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.

Information Literacy Defined (ACRL, 2015) Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.

Information: ➢When it is needed ➢How to locate/identify it ➢Evaluate it ➢Use it. . . ethically

Institutional Policy?

What do we know about research?

Findings from Project Information Literacy What is most difficult about research? Getting started (84% of respondents) Tried and true methods. . . 7 of 10 use Wikipedia; 92% use search engines (Google) Other sources used for course research 88% databases; 83% instructors; 30% librarians

Findings from Project Information Literacy How students feel about research assignments. . . Fear ANGST EXCITED TIRED DREAD ANXIOUS STRESSED INTRIGUED DISGUSTED ANNOYED OVERWHELMED CONFUSED

Other thoughts. . . “Research is as much a process as writing. ” - H. Jacobs & D. Jacobs, Reference & User Services Quarterly

Why is Information Literacy important?

Findings from here “Many students seem to studiously avoid actual peer-reviewed sources and cobble together papers from hilariously bad blogs, You. Tube videos, and quite partisan publications. ” - an AC faculty member

Findings from here “It’s all obvious, we learned it all in middle or high school. ” - an AC student

TMI

Too Much Information? “Finding and using information is exponentially more complex than it was a generation ago as the information landscape has shifted from one of scarcity … to abundance and overload. ” - Alison Head, Project Information Literacy

Photo by Alec Couros (via Flickr)

IT skills IL skills

What are others doing?

What others are doing (U Tennessee-Chattanooga) ➢ Research refresher workshops ➢ Video tutorials: ○ “Teach Yourself Series” ○ “Research Concepts” ○ “Library Website Quick Guides” ➢ Embedded librarianship

What others are doing (U Tennessee-Chattanooga)

What others are doing (U Tennessee-Chattanooga)

What others are doing (Trinity University) ➢ Established an information literacy plan based on 5 established principles (derived from ACRL’s Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education) ➢ Define learning outcomes, illustrate roles and activities, and make connections

What others are doing (Trinity University)

What about us?

What we’re doing (class research assignments) ➢ Research papers ➢ Presentations ➢ Annotated bibliographies ➢ Wikipedia contributions

What we’re doing (library materials & activities) ➢ Customized instruction and handouts ➢ Research worksheets ➢ CRAAP formula ➢ Interactive quiz/game ➢ Assessment (some) ➢ …and more

Strategies to enhance IL skills

Tools to utilize “Evaluating Sources for Credibility” video (from NCSU Libraries) http: //www. lib. ncsu. edu/tutorials/evaluating-sources

Tools to utilize “Primary vs Secondary Sources” table (from BMCC Library) http: //lib 1. bmcc. cuny. edu/help/sources/

Tools to utilize “Popular vs Scholarly Articles” guide (from U of Arizona Libraries) http: //www. library. arizona. edu/help/tutorials/scholarly/guide. html

Tools to utilize “CRAAP” worksheet (email me!)

Tools to utilize Evaluating Sources (Abell Home → Tools) http: //abell. austincollege. edu/abell/elinfor/evaluating. html

Ideas

Food for thought. . . ➢Be explicit with assignments ➢Consider more than one library session ➢Require a librarian consultation

Research assignments ➢Require sources of each type ➢Annotated bibliography ➢Wikipedia assignment

Collaboration Opportunities? ➢ Flipped instruction model ○ opportunity to maximize library instruction session(s) ○ may be ideal for a specialized follow up session ➢ Embedded librarian model ○ activities/assignments to maximize utilization of resources ○ integrate library instruction into courses to make it transparent to students

What you can expect from the library

New library website ➢ Clean, simplified look ➢ Streamlined functionality ➢ Video tutorials, forms, worksheets ➢ UX testing & feedback - this summer!

Outreach and Assessment ➢ Activities (pre- and post-instruction session) designed to measure impact on students ➢ Follow up with faculty to evaluate sessions and amend/update as needed for future

Findings from your librarian “(The session) met students where they currently are. ” - an AC student

Questions?

Thanks! Andrew Smith Abell Library #136 | x 2470 aasmith@austincollege. edu

Further Reading American Library Association. "Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. ” (2015): np. Web. Head, Alison J. “Project Information Literacy: What Can Be Learned about the Information-Seeking Behavior of Today’s College Students? ” Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Conference, April 10 -13, 2013, Indianapolis, IN. Ed. Dawn M. Mueller. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2013. Print. Jacobs, Heidi L. M. , and Dale Jacobs. "Transforming the One-Shot Library Session Into Pedagogical Collaboration: Information Literacy and the English Composition Class. " Reference & User Services Quarterly 49. 1 (2009): 7282. Web. Oakleaf, Megan, Millet, Michelle S. , and Leah Kraus. "All Together Now: Getting Faculty, Administrators, and Staff Engaged in Information Literacy Assessment. " portal: Libraries and the Academy 11. 3 (2011): 831 -852. Web.