BEST PRACTICES IN INFORMATION LITERACY ASSESSMENT

1. BEST PRACTICES IN INFORMATION LITERACY ASSESSMENT Yvonne Mery, Vicki Mills, Jill Newby, University of Arizona Libraries February 11, 2009

2. Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education An information literate individual is able to: • Determine the extentof information needed • Access the needed information effectively and efficiently • Evaluate information and its sources critically and incorporates 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

3. Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher EducationApplication Competency Standard Three: The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system. Performance Indicator 2: The information literate student articulates and applies initial criteria for evaluating both the information and its sources. Outcomes include: • Examines and compares information from various sources in order to evaluate reliability, validity, accuracy, authority, timeliness, and point of view or bias • Analyzes the structure and logic of supporting arguments or methods • Recognizes prejudice, deception, or manipulation • Recognizes the cultural, physical, or other context within which the information was created and understands the impact of context on interpreting the information

4. Standardized Tests for Information Literacy Competencies SAILS - Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills • Based on Information Literacy Competency Standards • Uses Multiple-choice questions • Each item tied to a single Info Lit standard outcome • Provides reports of average student performance • Skill set and by Info Lit standards • Cohort based -- class standing , major or other designation

5. Standardized Tests for Information Literacy Competencies iSkills™ • Assesses Information and Communication Technology (ICT) • Based on Information Literacy Competency Standards • Uses scenario based questions • Reports: individual; aggregate task performance; institutional skill area results with peer data

6. Piloting Standardized Tests Lessons Learned • Recruitment of subjects • Human Subjects Requirements • Costs • Staff Time • Incentives • Administration fees • Requires collaboration and buy-in with campus administration and departments

7. Information Literacy Assessment Best Practices • Acknowledges differences in learning and teaching styles by using a variety of appropriate outcome measures, such as portfolio assessment, oral defense, quizzes, essays, direct observation, anecdotal, peer and self review, and experience • Focuses on student performance, knowledge acquisition, and attitude appraisal • Assesses both process and product • Includes student-, peer-, and self-evaluation • Includes periodic review of assessment/evaluation methods "Characteristics of Programs of Information Literacy that Illustrate Best Practices: A Guideline," American Library Association, July 07, 2006. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/characteristics.cfm

8. Attempts at Assessment for Information Literacy Instruction • Problems with assessing learning in one-shot session • Assessment methods we have used: • One minute paper – students tell us 3 things they learned; what they are still confused about • Interviews or surveys of students after the research assignment – did the research session help them? What did they learn? • Interviews or surveys of instructors after the research assignment – did the research session help your students do better research? Do you think learning happened?

9. Assessment methods (cont.) • Reading student research logs or one entry on their research experience in their class journal • Observing students doing a focused assignment – this is done most frequently • Grading a research assignment • Assignment directly related to skills taught in class • Assignment showing broader application of skills – annotated bibliography • Pre and post tests

10. Integrating Info Lit into Curriculum • Best results when information literacy skills are integrated into the course • Library has been in partnership with English Writing Program for many years • Linked learning outcomes for Info Lit with those of composition course and assignment • Working to make the formal library/info lit instruction a part of course – taught by librarian and instructor

11. Integrating Info Lit into Curriculum • We have a Library Resources module that can be uploaded into D2L. • We have an instructor’s site with links to many ideas for activities. • We have a subject guide that helps focus on the best resources for their research. • This site includes a variety of tutorials we have created to help teach skills.

12. Assessment Tools • Survey Monkey • Annotated Bibliography • Articulate • Captivate

13. Survey Monkey

16. Survey Monkey Attitudinal

17. Survey Monkey Quiz Question Type Pre Post • Reading citations • Identifying library resources • Selecting keywords and constructing search strings • Narrowing topics 61% 92% 60% 85% 49% 56% 28% 48%

18. Towards Performance Based Assessment • Annotated Bibliography • Retrieve relevant articles • Cite properly • Synthesize information • Apply information

19. Information Literacy Assessment Online • D2L • Articulate • Captivate • HTML/PHP