Assignment Design I

Katy Sullivan, Reference & Instruction Librarian

Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery

Spring 2004

Objectives

Discuss the concept of information literacy Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) –

Information Literacy Competency Standardshttp://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.htm

Review effective assignment design Consider assignment ideas Create assignments based on elements of

individual Standards Share assignment ideas

What is Information Literacy?

The ability to access, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources.

“Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information.”

American Library Association. Final Report of the American Library Association Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Chicago: American Library Association, 1989.

Common Questions

Why is information literacy important? Don’t they learn this in high school? Don’t they learn this in English 100? Why use standards?

“People… will not come to the workplace knowing all they have to know, but knowing how to figure out what they need to know, where to get it, and how to make meaning out of it.”

A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century: the Report of the Task Force on Teaching as a Profession. Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy, 1986. (ED268120).

Standard I

The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

Involves recognizing and focusing an information need, and exploring various options for meeting this need. It requires a basic understanding of how information is generated, organized and disseminated.

What do I want to know? What kind of information do I need? How much information do I need?

Association of College and Research Libraries - The Standards Step-by-Step http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/infolitstandards/stepbystep1/stepbystep.htm

Standard II

The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.

Involves selecting an appropriate investigative method, constructing effective search strategies, and searching appropriate retrieval systems (catalog, database, etc.).

Am I using the best terms for this search? Which retrieval system will get me this information?

Association of College and Research Libraries - The Standards Step-by-Step http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/infolitstandards/stepbystep1/stepbystep.htm

Standard III

The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically.

Involves examining and comparing information from a variety of sources and evaluating that information (and the sources).

Is this a credible source of information? How does this new information change what I know? Is there another interpretation or point of view?

Association of College and Research Libraries - The Standards Step-by-Step http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/infolitstandards/stepbystep1/stepbystep.htm

Standard IV

The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.

Involves communicating the gathered information in an effective manner. Also involves the knowledge of how to use information technology.

What is the best method for presenting this information? Will this medium convey the message I want?

Association of College and Research Libraries - The Standards Step-by-Step http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/infolitstandards/stepbystep1/stepbystep.htm

Standard V

The information literate student accesses and uses information ethically and legally.

Involves an understanding of the legal and ethical issues surrounding information, including: plagiarism, copyright, freedom of speech, privacy, intellectual property, and fair use.

Can I make a copy of this material? Are there University policies about information gathering,

use or reproduction and dissemination?

Association of College and Research Libraries - The Standards Step-by-Step http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/infolitstandards/stepbystep1/stepbystep.htm

Good Assignment Design

What is the purpose of the assignment? What do I want my students to learn? Provide assignment objectives

Good Assignment Design

What resources will be required to complete the assignment? Distinguish between resources in class Know where the resources are available

Good Assignment Design

Would it be useful to schedule a library instruction session prior to this assignment? Investigate your students’ skill levels Contact the Reference Department to let us

know about the assignment

Good Assignment Design

Does the assignment encourage critical thinking and academic improvement? Use the “build” approach to assignments Allow for incremental improvement with large

projects

What Motivates Students?

Curiosity about the subject Topic selection

Relevance of the assignment to the course content (a need to know)

Lively modeling of the process by the instructor

An expected level of success with the assignment

Good Assignment Ideas

Annotated bibliography – critical and evaluative (Standards III, IV, V)

Research log (Standard II) Compare treatment of a topic in different types

of sources (Standard III) Select bibliography (Standards I, IV) Compare Internet and database search results

(Standards I, III) Presentation on the process (Standard IV)

Assignments to Avoid

Treasure/Scavenger hunt List of journals The “birthday” assignment Limiting the resources unnecessarily

Group Work

Create assignment (s) that integrate certain elements of one of the ACRL Information Literacy Standards

Assignments should reflect the overall goals and objectives of the course and/or discipline

Report to larger group for discussion of all Standards Note taker