Planning and Assessing Instruction Sessions Using Learning Outcomes

1. Planning and Assessing Instruction Sessions Using Learning Outcomes Texas Library Association Annual Conference Houston, TX – March 31, 2009

2. Learning Outcomes for Session Attendees will be able to: Create learning outcomes based on assignments Create activities/content to teach to those learning outcomes Assess students’ achievement of learning outcomes

3. Information Literacy: ACRL Definition An information literate individual is able to: • Determine the extent of information needed • Access the needed information effectively and efficiently • Evaluate information and its sources critically • Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base • Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose • Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally

4. Information Literacy: AASL Definition The student who is information literate: • Accesses information efficiently and effectively • Evaluates information critically and competently • Uses information accurately and creatively

5. Learning Outcomes • Identify what your students will know and be able to do by the end of your instruction activity • Useful tools for creating learning outcomes: • ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education and ACRL Standards Toolkit • AASL Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning • Bloom’s Taxonomy

6. Sample Assignment Choose a controversial social issue and write a paper mapping the controversy. To do so, identify all the sides of the controversy (and a true controversy has more than two sides), explain what they are and where they intersect with one another. Summarize and analyze all positions fairly, without advocating or slanting. Incorporate at least three sources, at least two of which are library sources (print sources or sources found in electronic library databases). Document all sources accurately according to MLA style.

7. Selected Learning Outcomes • Students recognize that encyclopedias provide topic overviews and background information, including histories of controversial issues. (ACRL & AASL Standard 1) • Students select keywords to represent different aspects of their controversy, stakeholders, etc. (ACRL Standard 2, AASL Standard 1) • Students formulate searches using AND and OR (ACRL Standard 2, AASL Standard 1)

8. Selected Learning Outcomes • Students recognize that article citations can be located using a subscription database (ACRL Standard 2, AASL Standard 1) • Students select appropriate databases for the types of articles they need (ACRL Standard , AASL Standard 1) • Students evaluate websites and articles for authority, accuracy, point of view, currency and relevancy (ACRL Standard 3, AASL Standard 2)

9. Active Learning • Create learning outcomes for your assignment

10. BREAK Meet back in 15 minutes

11. Creating Content & Activities • Tie content/activities to learning outcomes • Appeal to a diversity of learning styles

12. Active Learning • Create content/activities for your learning outcomes

13. Assessment • What to assess • How to use assessment data • Easy ways to get started: Muddiest point, 1-minute essay, faculty feedback, etc. • Assessment tied to learning outcomes: Pre & post-tests, research logs, etc.

14. Wrap-up • Questions • Presenters: • Michele Ostrow & Meghan Sitar • Library Instruction Services • University of Texas Libraries