Information resources in interdisciplinary writing program (IWP) courses: Winter and spring 1998

The University of Washington (UW) Interdisciplinary Writing Program (IWP) provides five-credit expository writing courses each of which is linked to a discipline-based lecture course. Students enroll in both the writing and discipline-based courses, and complementary assignments allow them to improve their writing skills within a subject area of their own particular interest. In Winter and Spring of 1998, the UW UWired program sponsored a pilot program adding librarian-taught class sessions to existing IWP courses. These sessions focused on the use of information resources in the context of student research for writing assignments. Post-course questionnaires were composed primarily of items drawn from the Flashlight™ Current Student Inventory.1 Students indicated that they had gained skills that were transferable to other research activities and that they were using, and evaluating, a wider variety of information resources than previously. Students had had little prior experience with on-line research, and rated the instruction very highly. These outcomes suggest that the UWired/IWP collaboration meets a particular instructional need. A focus group of IWP instructors and administrators, held at the end of Winter quarter, discussed effective instructional approaches in the context of the UWired/IWP collaboration, and suggested that course portfolios might be used to encourage faculty participation in teaching partnerships. Based on the feedback received from both students and faculty, the UWired/IWP collaboration provides a promising avenue to instruct students in the use of information resources. Specific next steps might be the development of 1) a set of common topics of instruction to be used in each of the UWired sections of English 197/198 (without inhibiting instructors\u27 input and creativity), and 2) a range of class learning activities for each topic to facilitate increased participation by librarians throughout the UW Libraries. Common topics would ensure not only a more consistent level of student outcomes, but also allow for more focused evaluations

Hitch your wagon to institutional goals

The landscape of accreditation and accountability in higher education is in a period of rapid change, coalescing around issues identified in the 2006 report of the Spellings Commission, “A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education.” Information literacy librarians need to connect their instructional efforts to the institutional strategies and initiatives that address continuous improvement whatever their source, e.g. accreditation agencies, funding bodies such as state legislatures, institutional participation in the Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA), University & College Accountability Network (U-CAN), or internal initiatives of the institution’s administration. The challenge for instruction librarians is great, requiring delivery and assessment of educational programs while simultaneously facilitating the library administration’s engagement with institutional education initiatives. It is our fundamental belief, however, that the library is poised to be in a position of leadership when it comes to answering these external pressures on higher education for accountability. The Information Literacy QEP at Trinity University illustrates a number of the leadership challenges that instruction librarians must engage and their example is one that will encourage us to continue to grow in the area of assessment of student learning. While all solutions will be local, the lessons learned from the Trinity experience regarding institutional engagement and cultural change can be generalized

Instruction and program design through assessment

True to the intention of this chapter, we begin with learning outcomes and use them as the chapter\u27s organizational structure. Learning outcomes represent what we want you to be able to do as a result of active engagement with this material. Within each outcome we include a short discussion of each topic along with many examples and practical applications of the concept under discussion. We hope that this format illustrates the concepts in a holistic manner and facilitates your understanding and learning

Research-based learning from the start: Developing undergraduate researchers

This presentation will: - Describe the Faculty Institute for Research-Based Learning in High Impact Classes at UNLV –Goals and curriculum –Examples of impact to date - Rough assessment of need to intentionally integrate research skills into curriculum at your institutions - Action plan focusing on potential collaborators at your institution

At the Nexus of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy

Introduction Graduate students embarking upon a new phase in their educational careers may not realize the range of expectations, particularly the cocurricular or extracurricular expectation to participate in the scholarly communication process. Unforeseen faculty expectations may include a requirement to publish or copublish an article in order to pass a graduate course or to engage in grant-funded research that will result in conference presentations or publications. Learning about the publication process provides a key transitional experience between the independent intellectual endeavor of conducting research for course assignments and the social dynamics of being a professional researcher or scholar, interacting with a complex human system that encompasses significant variations of protocol. The initiate author must learn to decode and conform to the varied requirements of specific journals, using critical analysis and attention to detail. These lessons come to light and are made personal for the novice author as she transitions from being primarily a consumer to being a creator of published materials. A widespread assumption is that faculty members mentor graduate students through the transition, however, research on graduate education indicates that the practice of mentorship varies widely. Librarians who are seeking hooks for information literacy connections with graduate programs are advised to look closely, yet discreetly, into the cultural dynamics of their liaison departments, as well as to gain familiarity with their department’s resource requirements. Understanding the extent to which publication by graduate students is encouraged and supported through mentorship in specific departments or programs is vitally important for planning and implementing services around both information literacy and scholarly communication. Librarians who facilitate professional exchange between faculty and graduate students around the publication process can contribute developmentally to a key transformative experience whereby a graduate student begins initiation into the mores and intellectual habits of his or her discipline

Information research strategies (IMT 220) and fluency with information technology (CSE 100): Two approaches to teaching use of technology

The University of Washington has recently initiated two approaches to teaching technology and information resources via the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) and Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). The courses developed by the respective departments, IMT 200 2 and CSE 100, offered specialized instruction, regarding computer use and the availability of information resources. These courses were offered during Winter 1999 and Spring 2000 quarters, allowing for the evaluation of their success over time, and comparison to courses that were unaccompanied by this type of information resource instruction. Questionnaires were administered to students in IMT 220 and CSE 100 both at the beginning and end of the course, and included questions tapping ability, confidence and performance with respect to information resources and technology. Analysis revealed that the incorporation of information resource and technology instruction resulted in significantly improved ratings given by the students concerning their computer skills, as well as increased computer literacy. A detailed account of student responses, as well as conclusions and recommendations for future courses are discussed. Over the last several years, the University of Washington has taken a number of different approaches to teaching the use of information resources and technology. Recently, two additional approaches have been developed and introduced into the curriculum. First, is the instruction that has traditionally been provided by University librarians in the use of information resources. This instruction has evolved over time in response to the increasing implementation of computerized databases. More recently, a new course was introduced within the department of Computer Science and Engineering based on a model developed by the National Research Council. The report, Being Fluent with Information Technology (FIT) defines the level of understanding of information technology sufficient for lifelong self-education. The emphasis within FITness is primarily on the technology underlying information resources, whereas that of the Libraries is on the use of those resources

2010 Calvert Award winners (left to right): Thomas J. Birmingham, David G. Huggins, Junichi Miyamoto, Vanessa Gomez

With the support of a generous endowment from Lance and Elena Calvert, the University Libraries Lance and Elena Calvert Award for Undergraduate Research recognizes excellence in undergraduate research projects that incorporate the use of University Libraries\u27 collections and demonstrate sophisticated information literacy skills on the part of the undergraduate researcher. The award review committee considers the product of the research, but focuses on the research process: the demonstration of library research skills, adept use of library resources, and reflection upon the strategies utilized to investigate a research problem. Winners receive a cash prize and public recognition of their excellent work.https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/calvert_award_images/1000/thumbnail.jp

2011 Calvert Award Winners (left to right): Yesenia M. Alaniz, Adam S. Billman, Shipra De

With the support of a generous endowment from Lance and Elena Calvert, the University Libraries Lance and Elena Calvert Award for Undergraduate Research recognizes excellence in undergraduate research projects that incorporate the use of University Libraries\u27 collections and demonstrate sophisticated information literacy skills on the part of the undergraduate researcher. The award review committee considers the product of the research, but focuses on the research process: the demonstration of library research skills, adept use of library resources, and reflection upon the strategies utilized to investigate a research problem. Winners receive a cash prize and public recognition of their excellent work.https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/calvert_award_images/1001/thumbnail.jp

UNLV-GWLA webcast pt. 2

An Outcomes Based Approach to Undergraduate Education — Jennifer Fabbi & Carl Reiber For over three years, the Libraries have been heavily involved in the creation of a proposal to reform undergraduate education at UNLV. Librarians are serving in key leadership roles as we transition from a discipline-based, turf-driven curriculum, to one that is based on a set of essential learning outcomes to be infused throughout students\u27 entire experience, in both the curricular and co-curricular arenas. This partnership will outline some of the qualities that position librarians for leadership roles in campus-wide educational initiatives — from developing undergraduate learning outcomes to rising above the credit-count fray. All Roads Lead to Faculty Development — Vicki Nozero & Christine Bergman Summary of three campus-wide faculty development collaborative initiatives in which the University Libraries has played a leading role: the UNLV Faculty Institute on Research Based Learning for High Impact Courses, the Hotel Faculty Institute on Course Design, and the Faculty Collaboratory. Curricular and Co-Curricular Collaborations — Anne Zald & Alicia Simon In addition to the collaborations discussed by preceding speakers, the Libraries is pursuing seemingly disparate collaborations that share a fundamental goal, e.g. engagement with student learning. Zald will outline several of these initiatives while Simon will provide a case study of the impact of these partnerships