Jennifer Schwelik, MEd, TRAILS Project Manager, KSUPaula Baco, MLS, Trumbull Career and Technical Center

Using TRAILS:  (Tools for Real-Time Assessment of

Information Literacy) to Prepare Students for Their Future

1. What is Information Literacy

2. What is TRAILS

3. Getting Started with TRAILS

4. Developing an information literacy plan

Providing an Introduction

Information Literacy is one of the 21st Century Skill sets which includes the ability to find, retrieve, analyze and use information effectively.

Information Literacy

Access and Evaluate Information

• Access information efficiently (time) and effectively (sources)

• Evaluate information critically and competently

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Information Literacy

Use and Manage Information

• Use information accurately and creatively for the issue or problem at hand

• Manage the flow of information from a wide variety of sources

• Apply a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Information Literacy

TRAILS is:

• Tool to measure information literacy competencies

• Assessments based on 6th and 9th grade standards available

• Assessments based on 3rd and 12th grade standards available September 2010

• Freely available on the Web

• A project of Kent State University Libraries & Media Services and part of the Institute for Library & Information Literacy Education (ILILE).

• Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the U.S. Department of Education and the Jennings Foundation.

What is TRAILS?

Goal: To develop a tool to assist library media specialists in measuring the information literacy competencies of students.

Specific objectives:–Standards-based–Available on the Web at no cost–Easy to administer–Insure privacy–Report outcomes by student and by class

TRAILS

TRAILS Development Process

1. Standards reviewed for information literacy:

– Ohio Academic Content Standards: Identified all Ohio standards, benchmarks, indicators that relate to information literacy at the 6th/9th grade level.

– AASL Information Power: Reviewed standards and indicators.

– AASL Standards for 21st Century Learners: Available September 2010.

Information Literacy Categories

2. Standards categorized into five measurable information literacy categories:

• Develop topic

• Identify potential sources

• Develop, use, and revise search strategies

• Evaluate sources and information

• Recognize how to use information responsibly, ethically,

and legally

Developing Assessment Items

3. Priority competencies determined.

Within each category the information literacy skills common across

the standards were identified and prioritized.

4. Objectives developed.Student learning objectives were developed to address the priority competency areas.

5. Items written.Items were then written to address the objectives for each category.

Testing Items

6. Items field tested by library media specialists and then revised.

– Are the items understandable as written?

– Are they measuring what was intended?

TRAILS-9: Field testing of items by volunteer library media specialists working with a small number of 9 th grade students.

TRAILS-6: Sample assessments being administered to 6th grade students in over 130 schools nationwide during October 2007.

TRAILS-12: Sample assessments being administered to 12th grade students. Call for schools to field test December 2009. Field testing Winter 2010.

TRAILS-3: Sample assessments being administered to 3rd grade students. Call for schools to field test during Winter 2010. Field testing Spring 2010.

Available Assessments

TRAILS-9:• Two 30-item general assessments covering all five of

the information literacy categories.• Two sets of 10-item assessments for each of the five

categories.

TRAILS-6:• Two 25-item general assessments covering all five of

the information literacy categories.

Revising Items

6. TRAILS-6 and TRAILS-9 items and tests reviewed and revised as test results are studied.

– Are the items understandable as written?

– Are they measuring what was intended?

TRAILS-9 and TRAILS-6: Review of all items and readjustment of tests during Winter 2010. Revised tests available September 2010.

TRAILS-6: Considering development of smaller targeted tests for TRAILS-6, similar to what exists in TRAILS-9.

.

Some TRAILS Features

• Create an Account• Create a Session• View Assessment• Administration Details• Manage a Session• Class Report• Student Report• Benchmarks

1. Create an Account

2. Create a Session

3. View Assessment

4. Manage a Session

Getting Started

http://www.trails-9.org

Create an Account

NOTE:To activate account, you must respond to the confirmation e-mail.

Create a

Session

Manage a

Session

View Assessment

Each item includes •AASL

Standard•OAC

Standard•TRAILS Objective

Red text is the correct

answer.

1. Using TRAILS to develop a plan

2. A Case Study

3. Tools to Build a Plan

Developing an Information Literacy Plan

How TRAILS has been used to integrate information literacy

• Collaboration with classroom teachers for a specific class

• With a particular grade level• To target librarian instruction• To share results with administration• As part of an overall school improvement plan• As a professional development opportunity• For personal development• With response system as instructional tool

Response System

Response System

Response System Data

How TRAILS has been used to integrate information literacy

“I am an Illinois high school media specialist and have been using TRAILS with my ninth grade students. Thank you for your work. TRAILS provides an objective evaluation of information skills that would otherwise be difficult to achieve by sole practitioners.” [Illinois]

“I have been using a couple of the #2 assessments with Seniors taking a Research Paper class. They have been extremely helpful to reinforce specific information literacy skills for which they have received instruction.” [Minnesota]

“We are using Trails 9 to gather baseline assessments.  I'm setting up logins by grade level but we are not tracking each student by name.  Our goal is to find out where our students currently stand with competencies.” [New York]

Users Report

Bench-mark Data

TRIALS9

http://www.trails-9.org

TRAILS: Tool for Real-Time Assessment of

Information Literacy

Jennifer Schwelik, MEd, TRAILS Project Manager, KSU

Paula Baco, MLS, Trumbull Career and Technical Center

Presentors