Turning Them Loose: Increasing Student Engagement through Information Literacy Activities

Eileen WrightMontana State University Billings LibraryBillings, Montana

Backgound on MSU Billings Information Literacy courseNew Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) framework for Information LiteracyHands on ActivitiesMany Ages of InformationCritical ThinkingConcept Maps

What to expect . . .

LSCI 125: Research in the Information AgeIntroduces students to the organization, retrieval, and evaluation of both electronic and print sources; covers concepts of the research process, methods, and ethics of information research, the evolving nature of information resources, and appropriate information citation.

FormatsIn-personOnlineHybridIntersessionSummerHalf Semester

LSCI 125 Stats & CommentsYearsOnline StudentsIn-Person StudentsTotal Students2007- 20159356441579

The course taught me a lot about research and helped me with another course I am currently takingThe information learned will be helpful in the futureA good class I should have taken soonerI thought I knew everything about research, but I learned a lot from this class

Information literacy is a set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.ACRL expanded Information Literacy Definition (2015) :

ACRL Framework for Information Literacyfor Higher Education (2015) is organized into six frames, each consisting of a concept central to information literacy, a set of knowledge practices, and a set of dispositions.

At the heart of this Framework are conceptual understandings that organize many other concepts and ideas about information, research, and scholarship into a coherent whole.

ACRL Six Concepts (2015)Authority Is Constructed and Contextual Information resources reflect their creators expertise and credibility, and are evaluated based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used. Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required. Information Creation as a Process Information in any format is produced to convey a message and is shared via a selected delivery method. The iterative processes of researching, creating, revising, and disseminating information vary, and the resulting product reflects these differences. Information Has Value Information possesses several dimensions of value, including as a commodity, as a means of education, as a means to influence, and as a means of negotiating and understanding the world. Legal and socioeconomic interests influence information production and dissemination.

ACRL Six Concepts continuedResearch as Inquiry Research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field. Scholarship as Conversation Communities of scholars, researchers, or professionals engage in sustained discourse with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of varied perspectives and interpretations. Searching as Strategic Exploration Searching for information is often nonlinear and iterative, requiring the evaluation of a range of information sources and the mental flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding develops.

LSCI 125 Information Literacy ObjectivesKnowledge PracticesDispositionsAuthority is Constructed and ContextualUse research tools and indicators of authority to determine the credibility of sources, understanding the elements that might temper this credibility

Recognize that authoritative content may be packaged formally or informally and may include sources of all media typesDevelop and maintain an open mind when encountering varied and sometimes conflicting perspectives

Develop awareness of the importance of assessing content with a skeptical stance and with a self-awareness of their own biases and worldviewInformation Creation as a ProcessRecognize that information may be perceived differently based on the format in which it is packagedDevelop, in their own creation processes, an understanding that their choices impact the purposes for which the information product will be used and the message it conveysUnderstand that different methods of information dissemination with different purposes are available for their useInformation Has ValueGive credit to the original ideas of others through proper attribution and citationArticulate the purpose and distinguishing characteristics of copyright, fair use, open access, and the public domainMake informed choices regarding their online actions in full awareness of issues related to privacy and the commodification of personal informationRespect the original ideas of others

See themselves as contributors to the information marketplace rather than only consumers of it

LSCI 125 Information Literacy ObjectivesKnowledge PracticesDispositionsResearch as InquiryDeal with complex research by breaking complex questions into simple ones, limiting the scope of investigationsUse various research methods, based on need, circumstance, and type of inquiryOrganize information in meaningful waysSynthesize ideas gathered from multiple sourcesDraw reasonable conclusions based on the analysis and interpretation of informationMaintain an open mind and a critical stanceSeek multiple perspectives during information gathering and assessmentSeek appropriate help when neededFollow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using informationScholarship as ConversationCite the contributing work of others in their own information productionContribute to scholarly conversation at an appropriate level, such as local online community, guided discussion, undergraduate research journal, conference presentation/poster sessionCritically evaluate contributions made by others in participatory information environmentsSee themselves as contributors to scholarship rather than only consumers of itUnderstand the responsibility that comes with entering the conversation through participatory channelsValue user-generated content and evaluate contributions made by othersSearching as Strategic ExplorationDetermine the initial scope of the task required to meet their information needsUtilize divergent (e.g., brainstorming) and convergent (e.g., selecting the best source) thinking when searchingMatch information needs and search strategies to search toolsDesign and refine needs and search strategies, based on search resultsUnderstand how information systems (i.e., collections of recorded information) are organized to access relevant informationUse different searching language types (e.g., controlled vocabulary, keywords, natural language)Manage searching processes and resultsExhibit mental flexibility and creativityUnderstand that first attempts at searching do not always produce adequate resultsRealize that information sources vary greatly in content and format and have varying relevance and value, depending on the needs and nature of the searchSeek guidance from experts, such as librarians, researchers, and professionalsPersist in the face of search challenges, and know when enough information completes the information task

Many Ages of Information: Information Literacy Objectives

What other types of information were they getting?How were they getting that information?How much information were they getting at one time?How quickly was the information getting to her/him?How important were the bits of information?Colonial time: only horses and ships Agricultural Age: horse and buggy limited trains on East Coast and wire Industrial Age: trains, cars, limited phones, and no television 80s: computers but no Internet access yet no email no cell phonesInformation Age: todayThe Many Ages of InformationInformation needs are the same for each time period: water, food, shelter. However, how has it changed through the ages?

Crimebuster Assignment: Information Literacy Objectives

Title of Show Define the subject of area of investigation: What is the crime? Formulate the search strategy: What do they decide to do? Search for the criminal, investigate the wife, look online? When searching, do you notice any search terms/key words that are repeated?Find the information from varying sources: Where do they find their answers? What type of resources do they use? Analyze/Evaluate the data collected: Was the information they found valid, was the witness credible? Was the evidence reliable?Organize the information: Did you see them organize the information in any special way: poster board, use a computer, paper notes, charts?Communicate the information: How was the evidence presented? A written report, a news report, online media, to their boss, to their colleagues?

Crimebuster AssignmentRespond to the following questions in a word document:

Critical thinking skills: Information Literacy Objectives

Critical Thinking Exercise: The Day after Tomorrow

Someone says she reached her sister in Memphis an hour ago and they are all heading south

Cell phones are not working now

The water outside is frozen solid and you see lots of people traveling on the ice, leaving the city

Friends dad says stay inside anyone going outside will instantly freeze when the next wave comes through

Police officer says it is nonsense to stay need to get going before the snow gets any deeperPart I: What would you do? Keep these things in mind that you just saw from the movie clips: Would you accept the information from your friends dad or from the police officer? Would you stay or would you go?

Part 2: Where do you go?

Concept Map: Information Literacy Objectives

Concept map using Bubbl.us

Concept map exerciseLindsey Stirling Roundtable Rival

Concept map using Bubbl.us

Broad topicLaura Ingels WilderRestricted topicHomestead ActMain Research QuestionHow did the Homestead Act shape the West?

Research Question breakdown

What is the Homestead Act?What opposition was there to the Homestead Act?Who was affected by the Homestead Act?What opportunities did the Homestead Act provide?Focused Research QuestionsYou need to ask the who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Your search termSynonymHomesteadDwelling, home, farmOppositionCompetition, contention, resistanceChangeDevelopment, shift, transformationStudyInvestigation, survey, course

Search Terms

LSCI 125 Research in the Information AgeIncorporation of the new ACRL Framework into LSCI 125 class Group activities

ConclusionThank you!!!

ReferencesAssociation of College & Research Libraries. (2015). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency Hofer, A. R., Brunetti, K., & Townsend, L. (2013). A threshold concepts approach to the standards revision. Communications in Information Literacy, 7(2), 108 113. Gibson, C., & Jacobson, T.E. (2014, May). Informing and extending the draft ACRL information literacy framework for higher education: An overview and avenues for research. College & Research Libraries, 73(5), 250-254. doi:10.5860/0750250Solomon, A., Wilson, G., & Taylor, T. (2012). 100% Information Literacy Success.Boston: Wadsworth.Upson, M., Hall, C. M., & Cannon, K. (2015). Information now: A graphic guide to student research. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.