Developing an Online Credit-Bearing Information Fluency Course: Lessons Learned

1. Developing an Online Credit-Bearing Information Fluency Course: Lessons Learned Rebecca Blakiston Yvonne Mery Leslie Sult University of Arizona Libraries LOEX Annual Conference 2009 Albuquerque, NM

2. Background • History of the UA Library Instructional efforts • New opportunities the Skillful Researcher course presented • Partnering with campus units • Moving our instructional efforts forward • Ability to assign grades

3. Curriculum Development • How we created the course • Short timeline • Use of ACRL Standards • Adapted standards into “student” language ACRL Standard #1, Performance Indicator 1.D: Defines or modifies the information need to achieve a manageable focus Course Objective: Narrows a research topic so that it is appropriate for an assignment

4. Modules and Objectives Module 1 – The World of Information • Identify different types of information resources and their unique characteristics • Select the best resources for particular research needs • Locate different services and resources via the Library’s website Module 2 – Focusing Your Topic • Narrow a research topic so that it is appropriate for an assignment • Create research questions based on a research topic • Describe several major issues of a research topic Module 3 – Database Basics • Select keywords • Use keywords to create search strings • Apply keywords and search string skills to a library database search Module 4 – Choosing the Best Resources • Analyze citations and abstracts • Use citations and abstracts to select the best article for a given topic Module 5 – Avoiding Plagiarism • Recall the consequences of violating the campus plagiarism policy • Identify plagiarism • Choose strategies to avoid plagiarism • Know how to paraphrase a short passage correctly • Learn the basics of the MLA Citation style  Module 6 – Final Assignment • Assemble an annotated bibliography

5. Development of Assignments Challenge of balancing good instructional practices against time limitations of instructors

6. Materials Development Selecting content creation software

7. Pitfalls of E-learning • Common pitfalls to avoid • Focus on technology • Transfer of materials • PowerPoint dependence • Instead, focus on pedagogy

8. Active Learning • Active Learning • Engagement with content, materials, and others • Application and incorporation to lives, studies • Activate schemata • Discussions • Interactivity: games, quizzes, self-assessments

9. Learning Styles Smart graphics, diagrams, pictures Narration, lectures Scannable text, written discussions Interactive tutorials

10. Discussions • Why? • Builds community • Collaboration • How? • Social prompts • Academic prompts • Extrinsic motivators: grades • Provocative questions • Instructor participation

11. The Course

12. Implementation • 5-week course, multiple sections, 25+ students each

13. Implementation • Tasks & responsibilities • Technology issues • Student communication

14. Implementation • Utilizing Graduate Assistants (GAs) • New model for managing the course

15. Assessment • Informal mechanisms • Librarians, Grad Assistants & Students • Formal mechanism • Teacher/Course Evaluation

16. Assessment • Feedback: Course content Navigation Workload

17. Assessment • Modifications • Restructuring to 6-week • Downsizing Module 3 • Redesigning interface

18. Conclusion

19. Special Thanks • To Keith Rocci: Former UA advisor, guiding force behind the Skillful Researcher, and current librarian at Washburn University.