"General Education and Information Literacy: Partnering with Faculty in Curriculum Reform,

General Education and Information Literacy: Partnering with Faculty on Curriculum Reform

Presented by : Mary Krautter, Reference and Information Services, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Libraries

Its all About the Students!The Academic Librarians ChallengeHow do we reach students?At the Reference Desk On our websites Through presentations to classesMaximize impact:Through facultyThrough administratorsThrough curriculumThe Road to Information LiteracyConcept first widely used in the late 1980s

ALAs Presidential Committee on Information Literacy in 1989

Information Literacy: Revolution in the Library (1989) by Patricia Senn Breivik and E. Gordon Gee

Success in information literacy depends on active partnerships between librarians and faculty in the instructional process.

Breivik and Gee also stress the vital role of academic presidents and vice presidents in integrating IL Information Literacy in the 1990sProgression of librarians adopting IL principlesCollaboration with faculty increased but emphasis on individual disciplines and classesMoving toward more visibility among facultyEmphasis on higher level skillsChange from librarian mediator to self service model due to changes in online information

Moving from individual faculty to curriculum levelBreivik (1998) the best place to start information literacy planning is with general education or core curriculum, where concerns for competencies that all students should acquire provide a natural home for the discussion of information literacy abilitiesACRL Information Competency Standards for Higher EducationApproved by the Board of Directors of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) on January 18, 2000Widely adopted and endorsed by numerous bodiesAmerican Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)Founded in 1915Members include over 1,100 colleges and universities of every type and size: large and small, public and private, research and masters universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, and state systems Focus is the quality of student learning in the college yearsCommitted to extending the advantage of a liberal education to all students

Greater Expectations : A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to CollegeAssociation of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)(2002) report with a vision of empowered learners with the ability to transform information into knowledge and knowledge into judgment and actionAssociation of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Board of Directors (2004) Recommended that campuses assess key outcomes including strong analytical, communication, quantitative and information skills

Regional Accrediting BodiesSpecifically mention information literacyMiddle States Commission on Higher EducationNew England Association of Schools and CollegesWestern Association of Schools and CollegesDont use term but do include related attributesSouthern Association of Schools and CollegesNorth West Commission on Colleges and Universities

Moving Into Curriculum MainstreamACRL IL Standards created a clearly stated foundation Adoption by a variety of higher education organizationsIL is the gold standard

From Information LiteracyTo General EducationNew Tricks for Middle Aged Dogs

My UNCG experienceRole as ex-officio, non-voting member of the General Education Council a body formed in 2007Charge: Establish policies and procedures for General EducationConduct ongoing course approval Address concerns raised in General Education reviews

UNCG General Education 5 Year Review (2006)Internal Self study:Concluded that a structure of 10 General Education Curriculum committees including 80 faculty members wasnt able to provide coordination and coherenceRecommended a 10 member oversight committee to be charged with upholding and developing the requirements, management, and assessment of the general education curriculum at UNCG UNCG External Review (2006)Advised : UNCG needs to do some careful definition of the purposes of undergraduate educationDetermine what student knowledge, skills, and understanding will be outward signs of having achieved those purposes General Education Summer Workshop Two week intensive workshop in 2008 including faculty, administrators and students and 1 librarianGoal to give participants the opportunity to assist the General Education Council in : Defining the purpose of general education at UNCG Articulating the relationship between the GEC and general education as a wholeClarifying the overall general education learning goals, outlining a plan for operationalizing the learning goals.What We AccomplishedKnowledge of national trends in General EducationIntensive examination of UNCGs current structureExamination of assessment and accreditation issuesIntensive work on coming up with draft of new goalsPlan for presenting goals to campusReport to Provost

Comparison of Existing and Revised General Education GoalsExisting UNCG Learning Goals (approved by Faculty Senate in March 2000)

Proficienciesability to write and speak clearly, coherently, and effectively as well as to adapt modes of communication to ones audience ability to interpret academic writing and discourse in a variety of disciplines ability to interpret numerical data and perform basic computation ability to locate, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information ability to utilize appropriate technologies

Knowledge and UnderstandingScientific principles and their use in scientific inquiry Mathematical principles and their use in solving problems Historical, cultural, and philosophical traditions that have shaped our diverse society Significant elements of the worlds diversity of cultural and national experiences, and interconnections among them The aims and methods of intellectual, spiritual, literary, and artistic expression The importance that abstract ideas and artistic expression have in the process of self-understanding and in the shaping of society The individual, society, and interactions between them

Habits of Mind and Attributes of CharacterSensitivity to social and cultural differences Sensitivity and attentiveness to the ethical dimensions of any problem or experience A disposition to weigh opposing viewpoints in the balance of reason and to develop an informed perspective A disposition to continue learning and to welcome new knowledge and insight (intellectual curiosity) Openness to the value of new social, cultural, or aesthetic forms (flexibility of mind and sensibility) An appreciation for the broader social, intellectual, and historical contexts of individual events and situations Recognition of social and intellectual responsibilityDRAFT Revision

Learning Goal 1: Foundational Skills***think critically, communicate effectively, and demonstrate fundamental skills in information and quantitative literacy

Learning Goal 2: The Aesthetic WorldUnderstand the perception and expression of aesthetic experience as essential features of human interaction .

Learning Goal 3: The Natural World Understand fundamental principles of mathematics and science, and recognize their relevance in the world.

Learning Goal 4: The Social Worldexplain how historical, political, social, and economic forces shape individuals, social groups, and communities, in diverse contexts from local to global

Learning Goal 5: Personal Development***Develop a capacity for active citizenship, growth, and lifelong learning in a global society

*** These learning goals may be integrative in nature throughout other learning goals.

NEXT STEPS for the General Education CouncilCurrently presenting and gathering feedback on draft goalsPresented to Faculty Senate in OctoberFaculty Forum on November 19Analysis of all feedback and responseHow to gather student input???What I Learned?Appreciation of the difficulty of establishing curriculum goalsAppreciation of politics and need for communicationAppreciation of respect for tradition and difficulty of implementing changeAND WAY MORE THAN IVE EVER KNOWN ABOUT GENERAL EDUCATION

LEAP Liberal Education and Americas Promise: Excellence for Everyone as a Nation Goes to Collegehttp://www.aacu.org/LEAP/index.cfm10 year campaign launched in 2005 by AAC&U to champion the value of a liberal educationGoal is to expand public and student understanding of what really matters in college

Making the Case for Liberal Education (2006)In the LEAP campaign, AAC&U uses liberal education to refer to a philosophy of education that empowers individuals with broad knowledge and transferable skills that cultivates social responsibility and a broad sense of ethics and values.College Learning for the New Global Century http://www.aacu.org/leap/documents/GlobalCentury_final.pdf published through the LEAP initiative in 2007, spellsout essential aims, learning outcomes, and guidingprinciples for a twenty-first-century collegeeducationThe Essential Learning Outcomes

Beginning in school, and continuing at successively higher levels across their college studies, students should prepare for twenty-first-century challenges by gaining:

Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World Through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences,humanities, histories, languages, and the artsFocused by engagement with big questions, both contemporaryand enduringIntellectual and Practical Skills, includingPracticed extensively, across the curriculum, in the context ofprogressively more challenging problems, projects, and standardsfor performancePersonal and Social Responsibility, including Civic knowledge and engagementlocal and global Intercultural knowledge and competence Ethical reasoning and action Foundations and skills for lifelong learningAnchored through active involvement with diverse communities andreal-world challengesIntegrative Learning, including Synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general andspecialized studiesDemonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, andresponsibilities to new settings and complex problemsIntellectual and Practical Skills: Inquiry and analysisCritical and creative thinkingWritten and oral communication Quantitative literacy Information literacy Teamwork and problem solvingWhat Employers ValueEmployers want Colleges to Place More Emphasis On:

Science and Technology82%Critical Thinking and Analytical Reasoning 73% Information Literacy70% Complex Problem Solving64%Ethics and values56%

Based on a 2006 survey of employers commissioned by AAC&U What Students Value

Student focus groups held in 2005 4 locations and 4 regions of USHigh School Seniors and Rising SeniorsCollege students at public and private colleges and universitiesFindings show that students differ radically from faculty on their views on learning outcomesStudents focus on outcomes such as:Sense of maturity Time management and work habitsSelf-discipline

University of Wisconsin Liberal Education Initiative UW working with AAC&U has adopted campus action and advocacy efforts that champion the value of a liberal education. The initiative seeks to make the goals and outcomes of liberal education, which we view as essential to productive citizenship in 21st century global society, accessible and valuable to all UW students, regardless of chosen major or type of degree earned.

Learning Centered ApproachWhat faculty teach vs. what students learnActive learningCritical thinkingIntegrative learningAssessment A major emphasis in campus curriculum and reformIncludes:

Developing rubricsProgram assessment vs. individual assessmentBroad and achievable learning goals Standardized testsEssential role for accrediting agencies

High Impact Educational Practices (2008)Methods to achieve the AAC&U learning goals

Strong possibilities for research/library connections Undergraduate ResearchThe Council on Undergraduate Research lists approximately 50 undergraduate research publications from universities and colleges around the countryUndergraduate Research conferences

Learning Communities and Shared Intellectual Experiences1st year courses and experiencesResidential collegesFreshman Reads and One Book, One Campus programs Becoming part of the college experience

Service Learning and InternshipsPart of the liberal education ideal of becoming a fully rounded citizenMaking colleges and universities part of the communityIncreasingly prevalent in higher education in a variety of programs

Capstone projectsOften used for Honors programs, but becoming more commonly required of all students

Generally, based on students majorCan be thesis, performance or art exhibitOften research intensive. Writing Intensive CoursesWriting Across the Curriculum no longer expected that all writing skills will be gained in freshman English

Possible model for Research Across the CurriculumDiversity/Global LearningThe World REALLY is flatEncouraging students to experience other cultures, other viewpointsUNC Tomorrow to prepare students for successful professional and personal lives in the 21st century higher education will need to improve student proficiency in soft skillsAmong these are:CommunicationLeadershipAnalytical thinkingTeamwork

Questions that RemainHow can libraries work within the process of general education reform to integrate information literacy more fully into curriculum? How can we work with faculty to make information literacy integral to individual classes? How can we develop goals and outcomes that can be assessed as part of general edeucation? RecommendationsBecome part of the curriculum process by whatever means possibleApproach faculty armed with knowledge of what general education is trying to accomplishLook at the whole curriculum, not just where information literacy fitsExamine ways to make information literacy part of all learning goals

QUESTIONS and Shared experiences?Thanks for your attention!