Course Topic Bracket Lesson Plan

This lesson plan uses a March Madness style bracket to choose an example course topic in a credit information literacy course. It increases student enthusiasm and cohesion in the course. Students then act as research consultants to develop a sample research project on the topic the group selected

McNair Students, Scholarly Identity, and the University Libraries

Members of the UL Assessment Committee give an overview of a project underway to gather ideas from students and UL employees ahead of a possible remodel of Michener Library. In contrast to previous Committee work that assessed our existing spaces, we are calling on folks to imagine how a future version of the library might look and function. We will outline what we have accomplished so far, share items from a draft of the student survey, discuss plans for gathering data from employees, and have time for feedback and questions on our process

First-generation students’ information literacy in everyday contexts

Historically, much of the Library and Information Science (LIS) literature on first-generation students (FGS) framed them using deficit thinking, emphasising what they lacked to be successful in higher education. In contrast, recent scholarship has turned to asset-based pedagogies, shifting the focus onto the strengths that FGS bring to college. Further, LIS research on FGS has examined how students engage with information solely in academic contexts, such as completing research papers or navigating higher education procedures. The current study contributes to the discussion of asset-based pedagogies by using a funds of knowledge approach to explore the ways in which FGS at a mid-sized university in the US engage with information, and it expands the scope of inquiry to several everyday contexts, including students’ households, workplaces, and communities. The findings reveal a variety of funds of knowledge concerning participants’ information literacy (IL) and lay the foundation for IL instruction that meets FGS where they are, thus serving them more equitably

A Critical Review of LIS Literature on First-Generation Students

This review offers a critical analysis of the library and information science (LIS) literature on first-generation students (FGS) from the last 40 years. This literature demonstrates an interest in understanding the needs of FGS to serve them better, but it is often grounded in a deficit model of education that focuses on what first-generation students lack instead of what they have. This review identifies four predominant themes in the literature: FGS as outsiders, as a problem, as reluctant library users, and as capable students. Then it suggests possible avenues of future research, such as using a “funds of knowledge” approach to build on the learning and skills that students bring from their families and communities

Learning to put people first: Cultural humility, funds of knowledge, and information literacy instruction with first-generation students

In this critical self-reflective essay, I first share key learning moments in my development as a teacher librarian dedicated to pursuing more inclusive and equitable information literacy instruction. In these moments, first-generation students gave me the invaluable gift of sharing with me the harm I was causing them by emphasizing course content and behavior policing over people and relationships. Next, I use the lenses of cultural humility and funds of knowledge to reflect critically on those moments. Finally, I share ways I have changed my professional praxis as a consequence

Developing a Research Topic Using the Library

This lesson is designed to guide students in developing a research topic starting with news headlines. After this lesson, students will be able to generate keywords for searching, develop an initial research topic, and find sources using a library search tool. The lesson relates to the frame “Searching as Strategic Exploration” in ACRL\u27s Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The lesson could be used in a one-shot session or as part of a credit-bearing course. Included in the document is a lesson plan with suggested assessment questions and a three-page worksheet

Evaluating Authority Matrix

This activity calls on students to evaluate the authority of various kinds of people in multiple contexts. It relates to the frame “Authority is constructed and contextual” in ACRL\u27s Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. It could be used as the basis for a one-shot session or as the core activity in a lesson on authority in a credit course. The topic, people, and scenarios listed here could be adapted to any setting and student population

Proactive Academic Coaching: A Study on Why Students Leave College and How to Support Them

The purpose of this assessment was to gather data on reasons why students struggle when they get to college and then assess if the Bears First program has helped reduce these barriers. Exit surveys and suspension appeals were used to determine the reasons why students leave or were suspended. A combination of focus groups, individual interviews, and surveys were used to determine the effect that Bears First has had on students in their first semester. Students were also asked about personal and academic experiences with UNC as a whole