Assessment of information literacy skills circle at Higher Education Institutions in South Africa

is it a reality or not?Presented by Gerda Ehlers

University of Pretoria

Information literacy assessment is like playing with a beach ball ........

it is a different ball game

What is assessment?

Makoni defines assessment as follows :Assessment consists essentially of•    taking a sample of what students do, • making interference and •    Estimating the worth of their actions

The difference between evaluationand assessment

Feedback

Can not establish if

learning took place

Evaluation  Assessment

Whole learning process

Did the student learn ?

How do  students play ball?

Reasons why we should assess Information literacyDid the students learn to catch the ball?

• Improve  students growth• Establish the impact of the instruction program • Assess their learning • Use the data to communicate• Improving your own program

    

The importance of assessment

Be relevant on campus

Demonstrate  IL assessment contributes to student learning and development

Oakleaf states that it is important for libraries to play a role in assessment on campus, if they want to remain relevant

Deflate/inflate

librarians

Reasons why librarians do not inflate the ball

• Other work and responsibilities• Too few resources • Limited knowledge, skills and expertise in assessment• No support and commitment on campus• It is difficult to integrate with campus-wide assessment efforts• Fear and anxiety that they are not competent enough• Limited faculty involvement• Assessment tools do not always measure information literacy adequately

      Oakleaf, Megan and Lisa Hinchliffe."Assessment Cycle or Circular File: Do Academic Librarians Use Information Literacy Assessment Data?"Proceedings of the Library Assessment Conference. Seattle, WA: Association of Research Libraries. 2008.

The assessment learning theory

• Identify students learning and how they are learning • To identify what needs to be trained (instructional needs)

• Develop a program with goals and objectives• Theory does not only increase student learning but also improve the pedagogical skills of instructors

• The learning and assessment process happens simultaneously

• We are the referees!

• Librarians need their own assessment and learning model to become effective and put theory into practice

Librarians and assessment

The Information literacy instruction assessment cycle (ILIAC)

• The  ILIAC model is based on the earlier general assessment cycles of Maki And Bresciani

• Makes provision for the needs of academic librarians • Ensures effective assessment in information literacy training

• Develop pedagogical skills of librarian who are responsible of information literacy instruction

Review goals

Identify outcomes

Create activities Gather data

Enact learning decisions

Interpret data

Enact learning activities

ILI ASSESSMENT CYCLE

Things that keep the assessment ball rolling

• Design and report assessments around outcomes

• Include assessment duties in job descriptions• Input data into an assessment management system

• Continue with the assessment cycle                                                                                                                                      

 www.meganoakleaf.info

Outcomes assessment

                 

“Outcomes assessment combines the measurement of basic competencies with the assessment of higher-order abilities”

Barclay Donald, (Winter 1993),Evaluating library instruction: doing the best you can with what you have. RQ, vol 33,no. 2,p.195

Types of assessment tools or instruments

• Objective tests           • Open ended questions and essays • Questionnaires surveys and rating• Performance assessment• Classroom assessment techniques• Rubric assessment• Computer-based information literacy texts• Self assessment

Questions that should be asked to decide on the assessment instrument

• Who will be assessed?• What will be done with the results?• Should they be assessed before of after assessment?• How will samples be gathered?• Is there institutional support • What statistical help is available to understand results?                  Lym Brian.2010.  Assessing the assessment: How institutions administered, interpreted and used SAILS. 

Reference  Services Review, Vol 38,no1, p169                          

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Information literacy assessment standards

• ISKILLS (ICT skills)      Comprehensive test for information and communication technology proficiency.   Educational Testing Service (ETS)

      http://www.ets.org.iSkills• Information literacy Test (ILT)       Computerised test to assess ACRL standards.         James Madison University      http.www. jmu.edu//assessment/resources/overview.htm• Standardized assessment of information Literature Skills (Project SAILS)      test of information literacy skills based on ACRL standards     http.www.projectsails.org

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Important aspects of assessment standards

 Assessment standards

benchmarking

Support and conduct 

assessment

Statistical support

Use with another 

instrument

Information literacy assessment in South Africa

information literacy surveys in South Africa and assessment

• During 1993A survey by Behrens indicated information literacy training there was however  very little information available in the literature. These courses were not accredited which made it even more difficult to    assess

• After 1993These courses were generic and mostly for undergraduatesThere was a increase in information literacy activities in South Africa

• During 2001 The Retig (Research,Education and training interest group) survey

Results of the 2001 survey

• Twelve of the twenty six institutions responded• Four had fully accredited courses• Issues of assessment and credit were explored• An increased need and for assessment of IL courses• Results of assessment not investigated• Primarily generic courses• Increased awareness of the importance of assessment

The 2010 Survey

Some of the questions asked in the survey

• Is the course accredited?• Is the course based on an educational model and learning outcomes?

• Is the course designed in collaboration with an academic department?

• Is any assessment data available?• Is this data used to change the instruction program?

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Results of the 2010 survey

• Seventeen  of the twenty three institutions responded• Thirteen (76%)confirmed that they do assess (2001-58%)• Fourteen use summative assessment• Four (24%) of these institutions have accredited courses• Six (35%) follow pedagogical and educational planning• Four (24%) have data available which they use to change the  learning goals and outcomes

• Two have continuous assessment• Fourteen use multiple choice questions • Four combine multiple choice questions with assignments• Four use the online education management system

Suggestions based on the 2010 survey

• Institutions should gather, evaluate and use data, to change and develop training programs more

• Increase involvement and collaborations with academic departments concerning content and assessment

• Combine multiple choice questions with other assessment tools to also assess higher level IL skills

• Librarians should become more skilled and increase their knowledge on assessment and the assessment process

• Increasingly use the IL instruction assessment cycle• More subject and task specific assessment• Give feedback to the students

Keep the assessment ball rolling

Close the loop

Thank you