Faculty Toolkit for Teaching Information Literacy: 4. Use information

Standard four:

The information literate student uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.

• synthesizes information from diverse sources to reach an informed conclusion
• utilizes information to create a product that meets the requirements of the assignment
• keeps a research journal or log that reflects on successes, failures, and strategies
• clearly communicates the product to others

From SCC Communication Department

Critiquing Communications Assignments

• Group presentation tip sheet 
• Dealing with difficult group members 
• Group work log sheet 
• Self and peer evaluation rating sheet for group work 
• Feedback form for individual speech delivery 
• Feedback form for speech organization and development 
• Feedback form for group presentations

Building a Collection of Professional Resources

Students need to be able to (outcomes)

• Locate and evaluate resources within a specific discipline in order to build a professional continuing education collection upon graduation from professional/technical program

Students need to know (curriculum)

• The potential value of professional material
• How to develop a search strategy
• Where to locate information resources for their discipline
• Evaluation criteria for professional resources

Learning activities (pedagogy)

 
Combination of:

• Lecture - general introduction to research with an expanded discussion of specific evaluation criteria for professional/continuing education resources

Assignment (assessment)

• Students complete the assignment outside of normal class time, after the Information Literacy lecture.
• The assignment consists of two parts:
  1. Sharing their search strategy and locating four professional resources aimed at a specific audience. The students turn this portion of the assignment in to the librarian to be graded.
  2. A written essay evaluating one of the professional resources that the student most highly recommends from the list of four. That essay is turned in to the professional/technical instructor for grading.
• Building a Collection of Professional Resources assignment (MS Word document linked below)

Grading/Scoring (criteria)

• Grading criteria will include attention to:
  • Mechanics, documentation, completeness, and accuracy
  • Search strategy, topic development, and tool use
  • Evaluation criteria and target audience
  • Comparative appropriateness of choice
• Points are awarded according to the instructor's desired point value/structure.
• Note: Please contact Linda Keys, Access Services Librarian, for further information about the assignment and related curriculum.