Methodologies for Developing and Improving

Information Literacy Assessment Techniques

Meggan HoulihanCoordinator of Instruction and Reference

The American University in Cairomhoulihan@aucegypt.edu

After this workshop, participants will be able to:

Identify and utilize various forms of assessment in order to increase student learning at your home institution.

Debra L Gilchrist. (2009). A TWENTY YEAR PATH: Learning about assessment; learning from assessment. Communications in Information Literacy, 3(2), 70.

Knowing what you are doing

Knowing why you are doing it

Knowing what students are learning as a result

Changing because of the information

Learning Outcomes Mission Statements

Are statements designed to specify what learners will be able to know or to do as a result of learning activity

What do you want the student to take away?

Are statements of purpose

What is the role of your IL department in the library and university?

One-shot Learning Outcome: Determine which subject specific resources are the most appropriate for the research topic, in order to retrieve relevant articles from journals, magazines, or newspapers.

AUC IL Mission Statement: The AUC Libraries Information Literacy Department provides classes, workshops, orientations and seminars that aim to increase the information literacy levels of students, faculty and all members of the AUC community.

AssessmentSummative assessment. (n.d.). LEARN NC. Retrieved April 02, 2012, from http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/5233 Michelle Kathleen Dunaway, & Michael Teague Orblych. (2011). Formative assessment: Transforming information literacy instruction. Reference Services Review, 39(1), 24-41.

“Formative Assessment refers to the processes used to elicit evidence of students’ learning that is used by the instructor to determine what students know, and what they still need to learn”

“Summative Assessments are cumulative evaluations used to measure student growth after instruction and are generally given at the end of a course in order to determine whether long term learning goals have been met.”

Authentic AssessmentWiggins, G. P. Assessing Student Performance. San Francisco: Jossey-BassPublishers, 1993.

“engaging and worthy problems or questions of importance, in which students must use knowledge to fashion performances effectively and creatively. The tasks are either replicas of or analogous to the kinds of problems faced by adult citizens and consumers or professionals in the field.”

THINK!

GROUP!

SHARE!

Debra L Gilchrist. (2009). A TWENTY YEAR PATH: Learning about assessment; learning from assessment. Communications in Information Literacy, 3(2), 70.

Megan Oakleaf. (2009). WRITING INFORMATION LITERACY ASSESSMENT PLANS: A guide to best practice. Communications in Information Literacy, 3(2), 80.

Information Literacy Assessment Plan

PurposeTheoryLinks to Strategic DocumentsStructuresResourcesData PoliciesGoals & OutcomesTimeline for Continuous Assessment

Guidelines for Instruction Programs in Academic Libraries. (Oct. 2011). Association of College and Research Libraries. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from: http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/guidelinesinstruction

E. Evaluation and assessment

Evaluation and assessment of an instruction program are systematic ongoing processes that inform and guide Library strategic direction. A program evaluation plan is useful for assessing a Library instruction program’s success and viability.

Program evaluation should be based on the Library’s mission and goals and include:

• Measures of evaluation based on specific a) student learning outcomes and b) overall program goals;• A variety of indirect and direct measures assessing various aspects of the program, e.g. needs assessment, participant reaction, teaching effectiveness, overall effectiveness of program;• Regular data collection and analysis using such measures;• Periodic revision of program based on data analysis;       • A feedback loop that assesses the sustainability of the program; and• Coordination of assessment with library administration and teaching faculty where appropriate

THINK!

GROUP!

SHARE!

So Now What….

Complete a SWOT AnalysisCreate goalsIdentify and include all stakeholdersCreate a timelineBe active and engagedPrioritize assessment efforts Ask for helpCommunicate with each other!Do everything with a clear purpose

ACRL Guidelines

Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians

Characteristics of Programs of Information Literacy that Illustrate Best Practices: A Guideline

Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

Association of College and Research Libraries Standards for Proficiencies for Instruction Librarians and Coordinators

References

Adriana J. Gonzalez. (2009). Needs assessment of library instruction at texas A&M university libraries using student feedback. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 10(2), 122-133.

Arndt, R. M. (2009). Library and information literacy. Journal of Emergency Nursing: JEN : Official Publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association, 35(4), 360-362.

Baldwin, V. (2008). Resources for assessment of information literacy. Science & Technology Libraries, 28(4), 367-374. doi:10.1080/01942620802204952

Bonnie Gratch Lindauer. (2005). The three arenas of information literacy assessment. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 44(2), 122.

Carol McCulley. (2009). MIXING AND MATCHING: Assessing information literacy. Communications in Information Literacy, 3(2), 171.

Debra L Gilchrist. (2009). A TWENTY YEAR PATH: Learning about assessment; learning from assessment. Communications in Information Literacy, 3(2), 70.

Elizabeth Choinski, & Michelle Emanuel. (2006). The one-minute paper and the one-hour class. Reference Services Review, 34(1), 148-155.

Julie M. Chapman, Charlcie Pettway, & Michelle White. (2001). The portfolio: An instruction program assessment tool. Reference Services Review, 29(4), 294-300.

Lorrie A. Knight. (2002). The role of assessment in library user education. Reference Services Review, 30(1), 15-24.

Megan Oakleaf. (2009). The information literacy instruction assessment cycle. Journal of Documentation, 65(4), 539-560. doi:10.1108/00220410910970249

Megan Oakleaf. (2009). WRITING INFORMATION LITERACY ASSESSMENT PLANS: A guide to best practice. Communications in Information Literacy, 3(2), 80.

Michelle Kathleen Dunaway, & Michael Teague Orblych. (2011). Formative assessment: Transforming information literacy instruction. Reference Services Review, 39(1), 24-41.

Scott Walter. (2009). BUILDING A "SEAMLESS ENVIRONMENT" FOR ASSESSMENT OF INFORMATION LITERACY: Libraries, student affairs, and learning outside the classroom. Communications in Information Literacy, 3(2), 91.

Thomas, J. (2011). Fostering information literacy. Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(2), 30.

Walsh, A. (2009). Information literacy assessment: Where do we start? JOURNAL OF LIBRARIANSHIP AND INFORMATION SCIENCE, 41(1), 19-28.

Warmkessel, M. (2007). Information literacy assessment. Public Services Quarterly, 3(1), 243-250.