Information Literacy Assessment

Trocaire Information Literacy Assessment :  Planning Document & RUBRIC

CONTENTS:
Scope
Goals
Stakeholders
Learning Objectives
Instrument Type and Selection Rationale
How instrument will be administered
Data Analysis & Evaluation
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

Scope

The scope of this document is to assess for improvement in order to:
(1) Target information literacy competencies at the first level of learning. 
(2) Structure lesson plan (s) to the need (s) and ability of student (s).

The first level of learning competencies for information literacy includes the ability to: 
a. Frame the research question.
b. Assess available resource(s).
c. Evaluate resource (s) content. 
e. Select accurate content for a specific outcome. 

Please refer to the assessment RUBRIC instrument (located at the end of this document) and developed for use in conjunction with the first level of learning competencies described herein.

Although this document is written specifically for Trocaire College GS 100-102 (General Studies) courses, it is a useful guideline in establishing college-wide, embedded, information literacy course objectives.

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Goals

1. Target (embedded) information literacy outcome (s) for one lesson assignment in GS 100-102 (General Studies) course (s).
2. Specifically target overall course objectives for GS 100 “College Seminar”; GS 101 “Information Literacy Basics” ; GS 102 “College Success” classes.
3. Indirect Goal (s): 

• Target college-wide, course-related (embedded), information literacy objective(s). 

• Partially fulfill Middle States Accreditation requirements for information literacy.

• Promote and encourage student life-long learning.

Stakeholders

The stakeholders are librarian (s) who teach Information Literacy; Dean of Developmental Education & Transitional Studies; College Seminar Instructor (s), student (s) , and indirectly, Trocaire College.

Targeted Learning Objectives 

Background: In 1998 the ACRL (Academic Research Libraries) task force was working on information literacy standards for higher education institutions. That task force's document, Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (herein referred to as the Competency Standards) was approved in January 2000 and is available at: http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilcomstan.html

The Objectives will herein be referred to as the IS Objectives. 

The targeted (embedded) information literacy outcome (s) selected to fulfill the specific Goal (s) outlined in this document are extracted from the above ACRL source. 

1.1. d. Select and refine a topic.

• Competency Standard One: The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

• Performance Indicator 1: The information literate student defines and articulates the need for information. 
  

• Outcome d: Defines or modifies the information need to achieve a manageable focus.

• Terminal Objective 3: Narrows a broad topic and broadens a narrow one by modifying the scope or direction of the question.

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1.1. e. How to create a search strategy.

• Competency Standard One: The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

• Performance Indicator 1: The information literate student defines and articulates the need for information.
  

• Outcome e: Identifies key concepts and terms that describe the information need.
  

• Terminal Objective 3: Decides when a research topic has multiple facets or may need to be put into a broader context.
  

1.2. d. Discern the difference between sources of information i.e.
(database vs. internet web page; journal vs. magazine etc.)

• Competency Standard One: The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.
• Performance Indicator 2: The information literate student identifies a variety of types and formats of potential sources for information.
  

• Outcome d: Identifies the purpose and audience of potential resources (e.g., popular vs. scholarly, current vs. historical)
  

• Terminal Objective 1: Distinguishes characteristics of information provided for different audiences. 
  

1.4. a. Refine/narrow a search if needed.

• Competency Standard One: The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

• Performance Indicator 4: The information literate student reevaluates the nature and extent of the information need.
  

• Outcome a: Reviews the initial information need to clarify, revise, or refine the question.
  

• Terminal Objective 1: Identifies a research topic that may require revision, based on the amount of information found (or not found). 
  

• Terminal Objective 2: Identifies a topic that may need to be modified, based on the content of information found.
  

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Instrument type

A qualitative instrument in the form of a RUBRIC (located at end of this document), to measure achievement of Assessment Planning Document Goal (s).

Rationale for instrument selection

A rubric facilitates communication between the BI (Bibliographic Instruction) librarian and teaching faculty so that all concerned are well aware of the specific learning outcomes being measured for one selected assignment. Completion of the assignment (on a selected topic), according to measured assessment criteria denotes an acceptable outcome.

Specifically: To measure student learning after a specific assignment (for example, the College Seminar Resume Writing assignment). 
Specifically measure level of comprehension to:

• Identify 2 keywords & 3 alternate keywords.

• Interpret keyword meaning. 

• Select appropriate resources for writing a resume. 

• Apply resources to construct a resume of their own.

How instrument will be administered

After consulting with the course instructor, the BI (Bibliographic Instruction) librarian and/or course instructor will give students a list of keywords pertaining to their topic; students will identify and select relevant keywords and use them to retrieve appropriate topic resources & apply content to construct a writing assignment. At the completion of assignment the course instructor and/ or the BI librarian will apply a rubrics standard to the completed assignment(s). 

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Data analysis consists of measuring the completed assignment against a rubrics created for an acceptable level of competence. Please refer to rubric at the end of this document for further analysis criteria.

Statement on how to evaluate the level of success

Completion of a specific assignment at the first level of learning will indicate a successful BI (Bibliographic Instruction) teaching outcome. 

• Identify 2 keywords and 3 alternative keywords on a selected topic; 

• interpret keyword meaning to select appropriate resources for writing a sample assignment (such as the College Seminar Resume Writing assignment); 

• apply resources to construct an assignment on a topic of their choice (such as a resume of their own).
  

If more than *50% of students achieve a satisfactory assignment result then the BI (Bibliographic Instruction) Session, the teaching format will remain as planned. If less than 50% achieve a satisfactory assignment result then the BI session will be modified to accommodate the student needs. 
*Percentages may vary as a result of consultation/feedback with course instructor.

INFORMATION LITERACY ASSESSMENT RUBRIC 

A table containing the rubric is available in PDF format. Click here to view and/or print.

Author: Ernarosa Tominich, MLS

PLEASE NOTE:
For a complete list of information literacy learning outcomes, visit the American Library Association *ACRL (Academic College & Research Libraries) website at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm#stan

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