Allegheny College CIC Information Fluency Workshop February 2013 Information Literacy Plan Report to CIC The Allegheny plan has two parts one for promoting and tracking information literacy over the entire College program and one specifically for the Modern and Classical Languages Department. PLAN FOR THE COLLEGE The College has a basic set of courses every student is required to take: 1 st Semester: FS101 writing, speaking, basic research 2 nd Semester: FS102 writing, speaking, basic research Sophomore year: FS201 writing, speaking, research in a discipline Junior Seminar preparation for the senior project Senior project a substantial research or creative project, including a major research paper. Using this existing college-wide scaffolding, we intend to make explicit the information literacy objectives which are now implied in the objectives of the courses. There will be some delay in implementing these changes because several key positions central to this work are now being filled. We anticipate having all these positions filled by this summer and beginning discussions with the relevant group for implementation for the 2014/15 academic year. The specific steps in our plan include: 1. Share with the faculty the results of the information literacy assessment test given to a sampling of seniors last Fall. (Done) 2. Talk with FS coordinator, new Associate Provosts, new writing program coordinator, and appropriate library staff about explicit incorporation of specific information literacy skills in FS101 and 102 for all first year and transfer students. The suggested skills for each level are listed in Attachment A. (Fall 2013 begin discussions; implement for Fall 2014 cohort) 3. In collaboration with the same group, promote the use of a standard information literacy test such as the one from MadisonAssessment for all first year students in September and in May to determine whether we have succeeded in our goal to teach the targeted research skills. (implement Fall 2014) 4. Bring to the Curriculum Committee a request that, as FS201 courses are re-listed, the committee look for specific information literacy objectives and encourage departments to include these elements explicitly either in FS201 or in the Junior Seminar. The
Curriculum Committee will need to determine whether this request can be implemented and decide on the objectives. A proposed list is in Attachment A. (Fall 2013) 5. Share this plan with Terry Bensel, as the Associate Provost for the Academic Commons/Gateway and the person responsible for FS training this summer. (March 2013) 6. Share this plan with Shaun Murphree as the leader for departmental self-studies with a suggestion that assessing students information literacy skills be a part of their selfassessment. (Begin March 2013; discussions continuing) 7. Share this plan, especially its assessment aspects, with the Assessment Committee for their input on whether information literacy testing is part of their mandate, should be done without their input, or should not be done in the manner proposed. (March 2013) 8. When the vacant library position is filled, design a credit-bearing course in library research skills open to all students but required for library reference assistants. Model this course on that required for peer writing consultants. Take the course to the Curriculum Committee. (Design course in Fall 2013 for implementation in in Spring or Fall 2014) 9. With the new Associate Provost for Organizational Development is hired, design and propose summer workshops to promote faculty-librarian partnerships. Use several existing programs like that at Stonehill as a model (Attachment B). (Planning in 2013/14 academic year) PLAN FOR MODERN LANGUAGES The Modern Languages FS201 is currently broken into sections by language and taught in the language. This creates two goals for the course to improve language skills and to have a meaningful experience with the process (not just the outcome) of research. We propose to teach FS201 in English, mixing students from all language majors, and focusing on the process of research in the humanities. The subject matter might be on culture or on cross-cultural issues and comparisons. The specific objectives we currently propose for the course are: Understand how research is conducted, evaluated and published in their major field Follow and document citation trails: understand how practitioners draw on and respond to each other s work. Interpret different kinds of citations in MLA International Bibliography Write works cited and in-text citations in MLA style Sophisticated knowledge of MLA style principles Advanced searching techniques in MLA (complex Boolean, author/title/descriptor terms, phrase, limiting, expanding)
Determining the content of an online resource and how it limits retrieval (e.g., indexed content types, controlled vocabulary, coverage dates, level of indexing, treatment of diacritics and spelling variations) Distinguish among information packages articles, books, reference works, data files, research reports, etc. and their appropriate use for different information needs Use sources to identify frequently cited works Knowledge of current major sources of primary materials including archives, institutional repositories, and websites in the culture
SUMMARY OF THE PLANS There are a number of currently unfilled positions involved. To save space: FS = new FS program coordinator FacDev = Associate Provost for Organizational Development RIS = Head of Research and Instructional Support (Library) DWriting = Director of Writing As a precursor to these actions, we will share this plan with the following people and adjust it with their suggestions. Terry Bensel, the Associate Provost for the Academic Commons/Gateway, Shaun Murphree, the faculty member overseeing department selfstudies, and Scott Wissinger, chair of the Curriculum Committee, and Milt Ostrofsky, chair of the Assessment Committee. What Who When 1. Share with the faculty the results of recent information literacy assessment 2a. Explicit incorporation of specific information literacy skills in FS101 and FS102 Planning Stage Linda Bills Initiated by Linda DeMeritt; team may include: FS, DWriting, FacDev, RIS, Terry Bensel, Linda Bills Next library newsletter (March 2013) Summer or Fall 2013, depending on when all new staff are available 2b. FS workshops for faculty include specific skills and suggestions for incorporating them in assignments FS, RIS May 2014 3. Information Literacy test administered to First Year students in September and May 4. Bring proposal to include Information Literacy objectives in review of FS201 courses to Curriculum Committee 6. Consider administering information literacy test to seniors once every 3 years for use in departmental selfstudies 8. Create an Information Literacy credit course for student reference assistants MODERN LANGUAGES Apply for Demmler grant to restructure Modern Languages FS201 FS201: Modern Languages. Restructure and re-describe the course. Implemented if agreed to by team in item 2 Linda DeMeritt Shaun Murphree, Assessment Committee? Linda Bills RIS Modern Languages Department Briana Lewis, Teresa Herrera, Department. 2014/15 Academic Year Depending on CC agenda Initial proposal to Shaun in Spring 2013 2013/14 academic year; implement Fall 2014? Spring 2014 Summer? 2014
Attachment A: Suggested content for information literacy in FS structure. 1. Any abilities targeted in a lower level course should be re-iterated if possible in the higher level courses in the series as well as other classes. 2. Any abilities targeted in a higher level course can be brought into a lower level course if appropriate. 3. We have sometimes distinguished two categories of abilities Core and Suggested. 4. We recognize that for the FS201/Junior Seminar, different departments distribute content differently. If it is normal for students to take both these courses in the same department, re-distributing core items would not make any difference to the objectives of the program. Specific Objectives for FS College-Wide Program FS 101 Objective: to give students a successful experience with basic sources and simple tasks Where the library is and why it is important to your work Role of a reference librarian and peer reference consultants Basic library resource finding tools (catalog, journal list), how to search and find physical or online materials listed Introduction to one general online index search, interpret entries, get materials Basic searching techniques (keyword selection, truncation, and, or) Interpret a works cited citation (basic) and find the item(s) Ethics if you use it, cite it. FS 102 Objective: Extend student abilities to more difficult information discovery and source credibility tasks Identify a scholarly source (peer review, authoritative sources, primary materials) Interpret website clues to determine if sites are scholarly and/or authoritative Advanced searching techniques (phrases, author/title/descriptor terms, limiting, facets) Use of another, subject-specific database Concept of different citation styles Distinguish among information resources articles, books, reference works, review articles and the role of each in a research project Interpret works cited citation and locate the materials (advanced) journal, book, chapter, website, document, dissertation Interpret index entries (advanced) and get the materials Explore potential bias in sources Use and interpret Google searching effectively
FS 201 Objective: Use and document (with ease) academic research in the discipline Understand how research is conducted, evaluated and published in their major field Follow and document citation trails: understand how practitioners draw on and respond to each other s work. Interpret different kinds of citations in the subject-appropriate online index(es) Advanced searching techniques (complex Boolean, author/title/descriptor terms, limiting, expanding) Determining the content of an online resource and how it limits retrieval (e.g., indexed content types, coverage dates, level of indexing) Distinguish among information packages articles, books, reference works, data files, research reports, etc. and their appropriate use in the discipline Use sources to identify frequently cited works Write works cited and in-text citations in the appropriate style Citation management tools (RefWorks) Junior Seminar Objective: Preparation for the senior project; dry run Explicit, intentional synthesis of research skills Explicit, intentional experience with the process of research Testing for weaknesses in information/research skills Working through visual intercultural problems to identify scholarly sources (visual and linguistic cues to reliability in websites, etc.) Incorporate ideas from sources into your own coherent argument Incorporate research information into multiple formats Explore basic copyright law to ensure appropriate use of information Familiarity with basic statistic and/or geographic data resources as appropriate Senior Project Objective: Integrate all of the above Students should demonstrate research, writing and presentation abilities Students should now have enough familiarity with the discipline and with research methods to be able to identify the extent of information needed Student should understand how research is conducted, evaluated and published in their major field In appropriate disciplines, require an interview with a reference librarian
Attachment B: Sample of a faculty-library partnership program (Stone Hill College) Organized by the MacPháidín Library and the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Faculty-Librarian Partnership Program (FLPP) offers faculty members the opportunity to explore how they can better collaborate with librarians to further their curricular goals. Find application instructions and the link to the online application form here. Program Description New trends in library instruction are moving away from "one-shot" sessions (that try to cram everything a student might need into a single library visit) and instead are moving towards more "integrated" approaches that connect students to the library in multiple ways throughout the semester. The FLPP partners faculty members and librarians to pilot such integrated approaches throughout a semester. There are a number of ways these partnerships can be imagined: a librarian could offer multiple brief library instruction sessions during the course of the semester (and even sit in on a class or two) a reference department member could serve as an "integrated librarian" in person or via the elearn platform a librarian could contribute to the development of assignments and identification of resources for completing them, the librarian and faculty member could create customized tools designed specifically for the course, such as blogs, wikis, games, tutorials, etc. Up to five full-time faculty members are selected to participate each year. Faculty can choose to offer the course featuring the faculty/librarian collaborative component either in the fall or spring semester. Benefits to Faculty All faculty who are chosen to participate in the FLPP will receive: $1,000 stipend One-on-one assistance from a reference librarian. That assistance can include, among other things, ongoing visits to the classroom, creation of learning tools, identification and acquisition of resources, etc. New learning tools (class pages, lesson plans, course-specific resources) that can be incorporated into your teaching The opportunity for your students to establish an ongoing relationship with a reference librarian who has in-depth understanding about their course, its contents and their research responsibilities The opportunity to share the results of your experience with the Stonehill community Responsibilities of Faculty Faculty participants will be expected to: Attend a two-day institute held in early June Actively collaborate with partner librarian to develop course syllabus Attend luncheon in August with other institute participants to discuss progress Continue to collaborate throughout the chosen semester Participate in assessment of the project Share the results of the project with members of the Stonehill community