blazing trails: on the path to information literacy: lighting the path to collections through...
TRANSCRIPT
Blazing Trails: On the Path to Information Literacy: lighting the path to collections
through collaboration
Brena Smith and Alison Armstrong, UCLA LibraryMay 1, 2009
Background:HNRS101-I: Information and Research for
Social and Behavioral Sciences• Partners & Collaborators
– Undergraduate Initiatives, a new library concept
– Information Literacy Program (outreach to subject liaisons)
– Undergraduate Research Center, College of Letters & Science
– Academic Advancement Program– Future … capstones, fellowships & other
long term research projects
Delivering IL Instruction @ UCLA
• Current line up:– Fiat Lux: 1 credit, 1 instructor– EC 123: 1 credit, 1 instructor, Office of
Residential Life– SOC 10: co-taught by 2 librarians and
faculty – GE Program: librarians liaisons, many
courses, College of Letters & Science– One shots: many librarians, many courses,
College of Letters & Science
Alignment with UCLA Library’s Strategic Plan
• Making specialized collections available– “[collections] are identifiable, accessible, and
available…”• Enriching services
– “…high quality services that support research, teaching, learning, and the creation of knowledge…”
• Improving research skills– “measurable raise…student’s information
competence”– “beneficial partnerships”
http://www2.library.ucla.edu/pdf/UCLALibraryStrategicPlan200609.pdf
HNRS101-I Criteria
• Our mission: to create something different!– Need to meet the needs of several groups
of students– Collections/Partnerships/Collaboration
• Across-library unit• Across campus
– Adaptable• Sustainable
Course Design & Objectives• The usual suspects: improve research skills
and strategies, ethical use of information, etc.• Wanted to emphasize:
– Searching , accessing, utilizing documents from specialized collections
– Deeper understanding of the collections, docs, services important to specific disciplines
– Deeper understanding of issues that affect access to information
Course Design & Objectives
• Course structure– Each class session (quarterly, 2hr/once per
week)– Weekly themes: From catalog to copyright
and from books to data in the cloud– Required textbook– Utilizing the experts & the collections– Making it all accessible
• Role of instructor
HNRS101-I• Assignments & course readings
– Literature Review– Presentation– General assignments– Readings
Assessment• Overall success of the pilot
– Indicators • Enrollment• Time – effort• Stakeholders
• Student learning– Indicators
• Pre/post tests• Assignments/Final Literature Review
Assessment:Pretest
• Fall 2008 & Winter 2009– Variety of ways students begin their
research– Varying levels of difficulty utilizing
databases/OPACs – About 50% (in both classes) could correctly
identify definition of peer-reviewed journal article
– Difficulty locating journal titles
Assessment:Post-test
• Fall 2008– Administered at the end of Winter 2009– 4 Multiple choice, 1 open-ended comments
• Winter 2009– Administered at the end of the quarter– 3 multiple choice questions, 6 narrative, 1
open-ended comments
Assessment: Conclusions
• Final literature review– Synthesize ideas & identify contributions– Depth & breadth of research
• Use of documents and collections• Oral Presentation
Role Playing• Break into groups of 4• Assign roles• Discuss, voice your perspective• Report back
Challenges & Opportunities• Sustainability & growth
– Coordinator role– Guest lecturers– Adaptability
• Enrollment• Fiscal concerns• Collections• Partnerships
