teaching information literacy with discovery tools

TEACHING INFORMATION LITERACY WITH DISCOVERY TOOLSNancy Fawley, University of Alabama

Nikki Krysak, Norwich University

Introduction

About our presentation

Webinar Outcomes• Understand the unique qualities of discovery tools in order to better instruct students in the classroom

• Learn how to maximize discovery tool features in order to teach students to fully evaluate search results

• Understand how discovery tools integrate with subject-specific databases in order to meet upper-level course needs

• Acquire new ideas for teaching in order to fully capitalize on the benefits of teaching with a discovery tool

Poll #1: Understanding Our Audience

Does your institution have a discovery tool?

a. Yes, we have one

b. Not yet, but we will be implementing one

c. No, and we have no plans to implement one

Poll #2: Understanding Our Audience

If you have a discovery tool, when did your institution implement a discovery tool?

a. Less than 1 year ago

b. 1 to 2 years ago

c. 2 to 3 years ago

d. More than 3 years ago

Understanding Our Students

Digital Natives

• Love to customize and personalize• Often visual learners• Say what they think

Digital Natives

• Collaborative • Multitaskers• Crave speed and entertainment

“Google’s simplicity and single search box seems to have created the expectation among students of a specific search experience within the library”

Asher, Andrew D. and Lynda M. Duke. 2011. “Searching for Answers: Student Research Behavior at Illinois Wesleyan University.” In College Libraries and Student Culture: What We Now Know.” Ed. Lynda M. Duke and Andrew D. Asher. Chicago: American Library Association.

…Which means that they rely too much on simple keyword searches.

Digital Natives as Information Seekers

• Adept with technology as a tool, but lack critical thinking and evaluation skills

• Lack the methodological understanding to search for and evaluate resources in the library

Poll #3: Understanding Your Institutions

If you use a discovery tool, is it positioned as a main default search box on the library homepage?

a. Yes

b. No

Discussion

Benefits of Teaching with Discovery Tools

• One-stop shop model (also a drawback)• Unified search platform

• Intuitive, Google-like interface• Accommodates broad keyword searches

Benefits of Teaching with Discovery Tools

• Facets and limiters

Benefits of Teaching with Discovery Tools

• Interdisciplinary-friendly• Encourages critical thinking (also a drawback)

Benefits of Teaching with Discovery Tools

• Overwhelming number of retrievals• Relevancy rankings • Lack of controlled vocabulary between databases skews rankings

Challenges of Teaching with Discovery Tools

• Requires critical thinking (also a benefit)• One-stop shop model (also a benefit)

Challenges of Teaching with Discovery Tools

• Spotty interdisciplinary coverage• dependent on topic/subject area

• Obtaining buy-in (from faculty & library colleagues)

Challenges of Teaching with Discovery Tools

Getting others on board

• Include librarians in the decision-making process• Write the discovery tool into learning outcomes• Work with tech services to customize discovery tool

• Be ready for surprises!

Challenges of Teaching with Discovery Tools

Discussion

Teaching: Best Practices

• Focus on keyword development

Teaching: Best Practices

• Focus on facets and limiters

Teaching: Best Practices

• Emphasize critical thinking

Teaching: Best Practices

Teaching: Best Practices

• Use as a scaffold for discipline-specific databases

• Develop supplemental subject guides

Teaching: Best Practices

• Highlight link resolvers

Teaching: Best Practices

• Emphasize interlibrary loan

Teaching: Best Practices

Lesson Ideas

• Keyword development

• Evaluating sources

Lesson Ideas

• Flip the classroom

Lesson Ideas

Discussion

Selected Bibliography 

Buck, Stefanie, and Margaret Mellinger. "The Impact Of Serial Solutions’ Summon™ On Information Literacy Instruction: Librarian Perceptions." Internet Reference Services Quarterly 16.4 (2011): 159-181.

Cmor, Dianne & Xin Li. “Beyond Boolean, Towards Thinking: Discovery Systems and Information Literacy.” Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences (2012): Paper 7.

Debonis, Rocco, Edward O'Donnell, and Cynthia Thomes. "(Self-) Discovery Service: Helping Students Help Themselves." Journal Of Library & Information Services In Distance Learning 6.3-4 (2012): 235-250.

Fagan, Jody, Condit. "Discovery Tools And Information Literacy." Journal Of Web Librarianship 5.3 (2011): 171-178.

Fawley, Nancy & Nikki Krysak. “Information Literacy Opportunities within the Discovery Tool Environment.” College & Undergraduate Libraries 19 (2012): 207-214.