Information Literacy

MOTIVATION

To ensure success at UMM and beyond, students need to understand how to thrive in an increasingly information-intensive environment. The ease with which vast amounts of information are available presents a new dilemma. It requires a rethinking of strategies for finding, evaluating, selecting, and using these resources.

INFORMATION LITERACY DEFINED at UMM

By the time students graduate, they will understand how knowledge is organized and transmitted, especially within their major. They can analyze a topic and identify key concepts, formulate a successful search strategy, select and use appropriate print and electronic research tools, find relevant information sources, make critical judgements on the relevancy, accuracy, and applicability of those sources, and effectively integrate this information into their academic experience.

INTEGRATION WITH THE FIRST YEAR SEMINAR

It is critical for information literacy to be an integral component of the initial college experience. Integrating information literacy into the First Year Seminar provides a systematic mechanism through which all UMM students learn information literacy skills. Information literacy encompasses an overall perspective on the research and learning process, culminating in lifelong learning.

To make this process effective librarians must be in communication with instructors during the development of the course and together discover how to accomplish and evaluate the specific outcomes described below.

INFORMATION LITERACY OUTCOMES IN THE FIRST YEAR SEMINAR

1. Given a topic, students can identify relevant key words and/or controlled vocabulary terms that will be used in searching for information on the topic.

2. Students can select two or three appropriate print or electronic resources at UMM and use them to find books, articles, and Web sites on the topic.

3. Students can demonstrate the ability to make critical judgements about the relevance, accuracy, and applicability of the information resources they have found, selecting appropriate ones for the particular information need.

4. Students can document sources.

TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND LOGISTICS

Flexibility in adapting the information literacy component to the syllabus envisioned by a particular instructor is a key element in the success of the program. Each class will focus on the specific information needs and resources used in the course.

Librarian-led sessions can be included at any time in the semester, though scheduling them in the first half of the semester is encouraged. Faculty should sign up for sessions before the beginning of the semester and will be scheduled on a first come basis. It is desirable that the information literacy component will fall at the optimal time in the sequence of course assignments and events. Library staff will teach two 50-minute sessions. Both will be held in the library's instruction lab (Lib 350A). For more information or to schedule a session please contact instruction librarian Matt Conner by email or at 589-6173.

ASSESSMENT

Students must demonstrate that they have learned a set of competencies by the successful completion of a project that utilizes information literacy skills. The assessment of the project will be completed by the instructor of the course, taking into account the quality of the information resources the student used in completing the project. The librarians will work with the instructors, as necessary, to assist in providing support for this process. An example of support might be in providing guides to students with copies to faculty that explain the process of evaluating Web sources.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Association of College and Research Libraries, Instruction Section Task Force. Guidelines for Instruction Programs in Academic Libraries. College & Research Libraries News, Vol. 58, No. 4, April 1997, p. 264-266.

LeAnn Dean

July 17, 2006, 8^th revision