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Inspiring Instruction in
Academic Libraries
Library Instruction with the ACRL Frames
Diane Fulkerson University of South Florida Sarasota-ManateeFlorida Library Association Annual MeetingMay 14, 2015
Pre-Test
1. A Threshold Concept is...
A. New way to solve problemsB. An easily grasped lesson for one-shotsC. A problem encountered by newlywedsD. Theoretical approach to learning focusing on the
transformative, educationally critical content of a discipline
2. When asked to teach a library instruction session to first-year students, I usually...
A. Prepare a presentation to highlight a few databasesB. Attempt to cover everything requested by the instructorC. Focus on one or two key concepts and have them work on
an exerciseD. Call in sick and have a colleague teach the session
3. When discussing new ideas about library instruction with colleagues at work they....
A. support new ideas and will try themB. have a mixture of resistance to change and willing to try
something newC. do not want any changesD. ignore me and hope I won’t mention it again
4.When I define “information literacy” for non-librarian colleagues I...
A. tell them it is librarian terminology for research skillsB. give them a copy of the ACRL standardsC. tell them it is a librarian thingD. change the subject
The New ACRL Framework
Do WeNeed to Use the
Frames?
An Ongoing Conversation
● Threshold Concept Theory● Teaching with the Frames● Assessing Instruction
What is a Threshold Concept
“A threshold concept can be considered as akin to a portal, opening up a new and previously inaccessible way of
thinking about something.”--Meyer & Land
Threshold Concepts Are...
Transformative--cause a shift in perspectiveIrreversible--once learned cannot be unlearnedIntegrative--unifies facts/lessons/conceptsBounded--defines the boundaries of a particular disciplineTroublesome--counter-intuitive
One-Shot Classes
Things to Consider
The ACRL Standards had● 5 Standards● 22 Performance Indicators● Over 90 Learning Outcomes
Teaching OverloadCommonalities between Standards and Frames
New Opportunities
Less is moreMore flexibilityMove away from skillsKnowledge based learning/discovery Assignment-focused one-shotsExplore your options
Instructional Design
Understanding by Design--Wiggins and McTigheDevelop “essential questions” and “understandings”Understandings=Learning OutcomesUse Frames to create “essential questions”Interactive learningPredictable misunderstandings
Identifying Essential Questions
Align with course assignmentUse the opening statements of each FrameIdentify key concepts of each FrameUse Knowledge Practices & DispositionsPlan an activity around predictable misunderstandings
Understandings/Learning Outcomes
Important inference--specific and useful generalizationTransferable big ideas--enduring valueAbstract, counterintuitive, easily misunderstoodDeveloped by “uncovering”and “doing”--realisticSummarizes important strategic principles in skill areas
Clarifying Content
Assessment
Two questions to ask when developing assessment:
● How will you know students achieved the outcome?● How will students demonstrate they’ve achieved it?
Performance Assessments
Research logReflective writingSelf or Peer evaluationsOpen-ended questionsWorksheetsConcept maps
Examples
Using the Frames in
One-shot Classes
Authority is Constructed and Contextual
● Big Questionso What makes someone an authority on a topic?o What are some indicators of authority?o How does bias privilege some sources over others?
● Understandings/Learning Outcomeso Evaluate a source in order to determine if it meets their information needo Define or identify different types of authorityo Identify ways authority can limit diverse ideas
● Instruction Activities○ Provide student with three different sources on the same topic and ask them to explain why
the articles are authoritative ○ Ask students evaluate/analyze social media posts for a current event and determine why the
post is or is not credible○ Ask students to find movie reviews from different sources and identify biases, authority, and
format
Information Creation as a Process
● Big Questionso Does the format indicate credibility and/or quality?o How does one match information need with the information creation process?
● Understandings/Learning Outcomeso Distinguish between different formats and their limitationso Identify how the creation process impacts the way the information will be used
● Instruction Activitieso Use a Wikipedia article to discuss how information is createdo Provide sources in different formats--students will try to determine if they are primary,
secondary, or tertiary
Information has Value
● Big Questionso How can powerful interests use the value of information to marginalize certain interests?o What is the impact of open access publications on the value of information?o Why is it important to cite sources in research?
● Understandings/Learning Outcomeso Explain the value/importance of citing sourceso Identify why some groups are marginalized through the production and dissemination of
informationo Determine how the personal information shared online has value
● Instruction Activities○ Use the recent court case between the estate of Marvin Gaye and Robin Thicke and have
students discuss/explain issues of copyright, plagiarism, and intellectual property.○ Have students demonstrate how their online information has value to others○ Identify issues that impact access to information
Research as Inquiry
● Big Questionso In what ways is research an iterative process?o How does the research need determine the questions to be answered?o How can information gaps be found through the research process?
● Understandings/Learning Outcomeso Students will develop research questions based on information needo Use research questions to identify key concepts to create a search strategyo Apply various research methods based on need and type of inquiry
● Instruction Activitieso Use mind mapping software such as Coogle to identify search termso Ask them to list the type of information and where they would find it to purchase an item
such as a car
Scholarship as Conversation
● Big Questionso How does someone become part of the scholarly conversation?o Why is it important to find more than one perspective about a topic?o How do authority structures limit the ability to enter into the scholarly conversation?
● Understanding/Learning Outcomeso Citing sources in the creation of informationo Become a contributor at the appropriate levelo Identify the contribution of scholarly materials to disciplinary knowledge
● Instruction Activitieso Provide reference page from an article and ask students to find one of the articles listed using
the citations providedo Divide students into group and have them search for different types of information then teach
other how to find informationo Peer review of their evaluation of a scholarly article
Searching as Strategic Exploration
● Big Questionso What role does serendipity play in the search process?o How does the research need determine the type of search strategy to use?o Why is it necessary to search a variety of sources to find the needed information?
● Understandings/Learning Outcomeso Use brainstorming and other techniques when searchingo Match information need with search strategy.o Use previous search results to expand or refine search strategies
● Instruction Activitieso Concept Mapso Use bibliography to find another sourceo Jigsaw method to develop a search strategyo Identify the types of sources needed
Post-Test
When a colleague asks me about information literacy and threshold concepts I will tell them….
SourcesACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframeworkCowan, S.M. (2014) “Information Literacy: The Battle We Won That We Lost? portal: Libraries and the Academy, 14(1), 23-32Fister, B. (2015) A Bit of a Tall Order. Retrieved from: http://goo.gl/d8vPoNFister, B. (2015) Standards, Frameworks, and the Work We Need To Do. Retrieved from: http://goo.gl/pf84zrHofer, A., Brunetti, K. & Townsend, L. (2013) A Thresholds Concepts Approach To The Standards Revision. Communications in Information Literacy, 7(2) 108-113Knapp, M. & Brower, S. (2014) The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education: Implications for Health Sciences Librarianship. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 33(4) 460-468. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2014.957098Launius, C. & Hassel, H. (2015) Threshold Concepts in Women’s and Gender Studies: Ways of Seeing, Thinking, and Knowing. New York, NY: RoutledgeMeyer, J. & Land, R. (2003) Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge: Linkages to Ways of Thinking and Practising within the Disciplines. Enhancing Teaching-Learning Environments in Undergraduate Courses Project, Occasional Report 4. Retrieved from: http://www.etl.tla.ed.ac.uk/Oakleaf, M.(2014) A Roadmap for Assessing Student Learning Using the New Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40(5) 510-514. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aclib.2014.08.001
SourcesSwanson, T. (2004) A Radical Step: Implementing A Critical Information Literacy Model. portal: Libraries and the Academy, 4(2) 259-273. DOI: 10.1353/pla.2004.0038Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005) Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: ACSD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum)ACRL Crossing the Threshold Workshop Outcomes http://guides.library.unlv.edu/content.php?pid=655776&sid=5494090Nicole Pagowsky’s Outcomes http://pumpedlibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/12/acrlilrevisions-next-steps.html Threshold Concepts & Information Literacy http://www.ilthresholdconcepts.com/ Black, B. & Diaz, K. (2015) The Problem with teaching “the Library” to First Years and How Metacognition Can Help. Retrieved from: http://goo.gl/AwCjY4 http://libguides.usc.edu/ld.php?content_id=10093239 USC Libraries Information Literacy Outcomes for Undergraduates ACRL Framework List http://lists.ala.org/wws/info/acrlframe
