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Faculty Toolkit for Teaching Information Literacy: 4. Use information

Using 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

 


Activity with assessment

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.