What’s new in the Library

What’s new in the Library
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The library is an extension of the
classroom
Information Literacy (or “Fluency”) leads
to “deep” learning
Library resources can be used to support
course objectives
Integrating Information Literacy to
Improve Assignments
Jim McCloskey
Wilmington University
Library Director
 “What
can we do in class to help students
learn outside of class?”
Ken Bain
What the best college teachers do
Corridors of Conversation
We’re in this together:
• Students
• Instructors
• Librarians
 “Students
didn’t learn how to read
scholarly papers in grade school but they
usually get little training beyond that level
on how to read.”
 Ken
Bain
 What the best college teachers do
Deep Learning
1.
2.
Indication of sustained influence (“I can
think through problems, arguments,
evidence”)
Relate concepts & information to previous
experience & learning
Natural Critical Learning
Environment
 Natural
= students encounter the skills,
habits, attitudes, & information they are
trying to learn embedded in questions &
tasks they find fascinating – authentic
tasks that arouse curiosity
Natural Critical Learning
Environment
 Critical
= students learn to think critically,
to reason from evidence, to examine the
quality of their reasoning, to make
improvements while thinking, to ask
probing/insightful questions about the
thinking of others.
Scaffolding
 We
strive to provide a…
“safe space in which to construct ideas”.
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Intriguing, important and even beautiful problems to solve
Opportunities to collaborate with other learners to grapple with
problems
Work that is considered fairly & honestly
Opportunities to try, fail, receive feedback separate from any
judgment on efforts
Help Students learn outside of
class
 “You
have to be confused before you can
reach a new level of understanding
anything.”

Dudley Herschbach, Harvard Chemist
Information Literacy is
the ability to “recognize when information
is needed” and “locate, evaluate, and use
effectively the needed information.”
“…a survival skill in the Information Age.”
ALA Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report. 1989
An information literate person is
able to:
 Determine
the extent of information
needed
 Access needed information efficiently
 Evaluate information critically
 Use information to accomplish a purpose
 Use information ethically and legally
ACRL
Information Literacy includes:
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Information-Seeking
Skills
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Finding information
Evaluating information
Using information
ethically
Emphasis on critical
discernment
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Information
Technology Skills
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Word processing
Presentation software
Spreadsheet software
Database software
How do students become
information literate?
“A well-designed resource-based
assignment is an excellent teaching tool.
Effective assignments develop students’
research and information skills, critical
thinking abilities, and subject knowledge.”
Terry Mech, Ed.D.
Information Literacy at WU
 Basic
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skills integrated into English 101
Use of Library resources into course-related
assignments
Information-Seeking Skills Assignment
 Discipline-specific
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skills in the major
Course-related assignments
Instruction by liaison librarian
Handouts, web pages, exercises
Information Literacy integrated into
a required course:
o
Nurs 305– Research
Methods (S. Sharbaugh)
o
Soc 331(J. Bishop)
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o
o
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Each course offers
students an online Library
Exercise
o
Offers multiple attempts
o
Minimum score of 80%
Engl 102, 365 (N.
Lebright)
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Automated Grading
All English 101 sections
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Library Support
Bus Comm 320 (L. Fuller)
What course are you teaching?
 Elective
 Introduction
to the major
 Later course
 Capstone
Sample Assignments
Evaluate each of the following as
an information literacy
assignment.
Term Paper
Write a 15-page paper about a topic of your
choice.
Due: May 10
Term Paper (version 2)
Write a 15-page term paper on belt buckles.
Due: April 30
Conduct the research for a term paper.
Do everything except write it.
At various stages, students submit:
1. topic clearly defined
2. annotated bibliography of useful sources
3. outline of paper
4. thesis statement
5. opening paragraph and summary
Research Log
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Assignment: Keep a record of library research
including: databases consulted, keywords or
headings searched (noting both successes and
failures). Instructors can provide format so
students understand how to structure their
approach.
 Purpose: Provides a good introduction to how
information is organized in library db’s. Focuses
on the importance of terminology. A good follow
up would be a class discussion with a librarian
about search techniques.
Compare Internet and Database
Searches
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Assignment: Provide a precise statement of the
search topic. Run the search using a search
engine (Yahoo, Google) and also on a Library
database. Present some representation of the
search results and compare the findings.
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Purpose: Demonstrates the differences between
these search tools in respect to content and
search strategy.
Library Treasure Hunt
Find Library resources providing background
information on the following:
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Who was Paolo Lazzaroni?
What year was the Emergency-Anti-terrorist
Law passed in Sweden?
What is the Stern Gang?
What happened at Entebbe?
Who were the Tupamero guerillas?
Describe 3 famous hijacking incidents.
Using Library Sources Assignment
Find a peer reviewed scholarly journal
article on some aspect of infant
development.
Do not use a web search engine.
You must use a scholarly journal
available through the library either in
print or electronic. Use APA format
indicating which library database used.
Affirmative Action Assignment
Read two articles on affirmative action
available through the Library Database
“Opposing Viewpoints”. Explain why some
writers believe it should be abolished and
others believe it to be useful. Evaluate
both perspectives and give your own
opinion in a 5-page paper.
Interdisciplinary Research
Assignment
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Research the topic child abuse prevention from the
perspective of three different disciplines.
Find a scholarly journal article written by
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a psychologist (PsycINFO)
a sociologist (Soc Index)
a nurse (CINAHL)
Identify each author’s credentials.
Compare and contrast the three different perspectives in
a 3-page paper.
Use APA style to cite sources.
Learn to Use the Library
Assignment
Your assignment is to attend a library
instruction workshop to learn how to use
library resources.
This will be useful when you have research
assignments in your courses.
Environmental Issue Assignment
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Week 1: Choose an environmental issue you care
about. (Skim through Access Science Encyclopedia for ideas).
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Submit to instructor for approval.
Week 2: Research the issue and find:
2 Magazine articles (Academic Search Premier database)
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2 Scholarly journal articles (Sage Journals Online)
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An advocacy web site (Google – limit to .org)
Turn in a list of references in APA style.
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Week 3: Develop a pamphlet on the issue addressing:
A description of the problem or issue
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Why the general public should care
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A possible solution
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Recommended action
Incorporate some points you learned from your research.
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Critical Evaluation:
Focused Book Review Assignment
The Satanic Gases : Clearing the Air about Global
Warming (2000) by Patrick Michaels and Robert Balling
is a controversial book.

Find and read 4 substantial reviews of this book (500
words or more).
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At least 2 must be from scientific journals.
Look in Books in Print, Academic Search Premier, Choice
Reviews Online
Compare and contrast the reviews, and identify the
credentials of each reviewer.
Juvenile Capital Punishment
Your assignment is to investigate capital
punishment of juvenile offenders and write an 8page objective analysis.
Include in your analysis
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global, national, and state practices and laws
editorial opinions from around the world
court opinions
arguments pro and con on this issue in terms of:
• Psychological development of juveniles (use primary
research reports)
• Deterrence
• Punishment
Blueprint for Successful
Assignments
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Have clear objectives
Make it realistic
Have students generate a product
Make it challenging—Something to be proud of!
Provide clear instructions
Give lots of guidance and feedback
Make it a heavily weighted & graded assignment
Avoid these common problems
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Students forbidden to use anything from the Internet, when in fact
many scholarly resources are only available online in library db’s.
An entire class looking for one piece of information or researching
the same specific topic; especially difficult when printed materials
are involved.
Students required to use printed materials the library does not own
(or does own, but not in sufficient quantity), or online sources they
are not licensed to access.
Students assigned excessively vague or general topics, e.g.,
"women in America," without guidance on narrowing a topic.
Students given obscure trivia questions and told to find the answers.
New Library Resources
•Opposing
Viewpoints
•Sage Journals Online
•360 Link