Information Literacy @ The University of AkronGeneral Education & Beyond

Joseph A. Salem, Jr.Head, Research & Learning Services

jsalem@uakron.edu330-972-858110/22/2012

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What Is Information Literacy?

• Information Literacy is the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information.– Association of College &

Research Libraries

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21st Century Literacies

• Information Literacy• Basic Language

Literacy• Visual Literacy• Spatial Literacy• Historical Literacy• Cultural Literacy• Political Literacy• News Media Literacy• Scientific Literacy• Mathematical Literacy

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Information Literacy & University Libraries

• Developed through instructional partnerships between University Libraries & the disciplinary faculty

• Goal is to integrate information literacy into key courses within the curriculum

• Current program is based on relationships between the disciplinary faculty and subject librarians

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General Education Revision @ The University of Akron

• General Education Revision a key strategic goal of Vision 2020

• New general education curriculum based on the learning outcomes that every UA student should obtain

• Designed to meet needs for graduating college students among employers and graduate schools

• The new program will also assess their achievement at the institutional level

Learning Outcomes for 21st Century Success

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1. Communication Skills and Information Literacy

2. Critical Thinking and Complex Reasoning Skills

3. Knowledge of Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences

• Awareness of multiple dimensions of diversity• Domestic focus• Global focus

• Economic literacy• Personal and societal health• Environmental sustainability

4. Responsible Citizenship in an Interconnected World

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General Education Coursework

Learning Outcome Course Content Credits

Communication Writing & Information Literacy I & II

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Speaking & Information Literacy

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Critical Thinking Reasoning Processes 3

Quantitative Reasoning 3

Disciplinary Knowledge Arts 3

Humanities 3

Natural Science + Lab 4

Social Science 3

Gen Ed Credit Hours 28

Designated Attributes Embedded in Course Content

Learning Outcome Course Attributes*

Responsible Citizenship in an Interconnected World

Diversity—Domestic focus

Diversity—Global focus

Economic Literacy

Personal & Societal Health

Environmental Sustainability

Additional Credit Hours 6-15

*Courses with these attributes must include at least one of the following: be writing intensive, involve qualitative reasoning, or involve normative reasoning

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Assessment Cycle

Year 1 Communication

Year 2Critical Thinking

Year 3Knowledge of 4

Disciplinary Areas

Year 4Responsible Citizenship

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Information Literacy in General Education

• UL faculty are developing Web-based modules for the three courses in which information literacy is embedded

• UL faculty developing the “research journal” assignment that will be part of institutional assessment

• UL faculty developing the rubrics that will be used to assess the process and outcomes assignments in these three courses

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Information Literacy @ The University of Akron

• All students will now systematically interact with information literacy instructional content and assignments

• Student information literacy will be assessed at the institutional level

• Upper level subject-specific information literacy instruction will now be able to assume a base level of skills upon which to build

Questions?

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