"I love how I can come to the library and be able to get my work done in a quiet, peaceful environment.  I love how there are tutors available to you whenever you need them to help you with any subject."

Lisa Hunt, Biology, Freshman

2010-11 Information Literacy Integration into Learning Commons Activities

Libraries drive student success by ensuring that they understand the breadth and complexity of information resources available, the specific print and electronic databases at their disposal, the research skills necessary to access, filter and synthesize information and the technology literacy required to use the software and hardware that is integral to research.  In 2010-11, by partnering with the Center for Academic Excellence - CAE - (the learning centers) we were also able to integrate research skills literacy into the overall package of assistance available for students.  Highlights of these activities will be documented in this folio section:

• Digital Storytelling - This innovative multimodal tool has invigorated the Freshman Seminar program and has expanded to other disciplines in 2010-11

• Information and technology workshops -  Innovative sessions in 2010-11 have including Microsoft skills development, research skills and Refworks

• Center for Academic Excellence - This year, CAE's focus has been in incorporating assessment into their  reading, writing and math program (see their separate section in this folio)

• Library Instruction Sessions - The mainstay of the library's IL program, this year continues focus on Freshman Seminar, general education curriculum and junior seminar

• Integrated course assignments - Certain courses, such as Psych 101,  have information literacy assignments embedded into their curriculum.  These continue to be of critical importance.

2009-10 Information Literacy Integration into Learning Commons Activities

Freshman Seminar 

A Scavenger Hunt program has been developed incorporating information literacy exercises to be performed by collaborative groups in the libraries.  The exercises will be collected and assessed by librarians.  In addition, the FS pre & post test includes information literacy questions as part of overall assessment of student competencies.

Speech 

An exercise will be administered to speech classes at the start of the IL session.  The students will be required to complete the exercise gradually through the session, the process guided by the librarian. 

English

An IL exercise specifically targeted to English 112 has been administered to the class, collected and assessed by librarians.

Additionally:

• Liaison program will formalize a process by which librarians will engage with first-year and all faculty in the integration of information literacy into curriculum.

• Librarians will continue to provide a library orientation and information literacy instruction to all faculty requesting sessions at all campuses, including first-year.

Digital Storytelling Integration

• We will continue to provide FCTL sponsored workshop sessions to faculty as part of outreach and training for both curriculum integration and mechanics of the digital storytelling practice.
• Several first-year faculty from the workshops are incorporating digital storytelling into their Fall 2010 courses (See Digital Storytelling Section)
• Introduce digital storytelling to faculty at Fall Faculty Seminar Day and provide breakout session geared toward creating mini-stories.  Several faculty will be presenting stories based around the theme of social justice.
• Expand digital storytelling beyond Freshman Seminar group to become its own Faculty Learning Community starting in Spring 2011
• Develop goals and objectives in first year of Community geared toward integration into curriculum and media scholarship.
• Develop Specialist Desk within Learning Commons, manned by student technicians, to provide training and support to students learning discrete skills related to digital storytelling as well as other skills including ePortfolio
• Expand professional development opportunities for instructional designers and librarians to enhance their digital storytelling facilitation skills.

• Participate in Center for Digital Storytelling workshops to furnter enhance professional development

Learning Commons Technology Training

Technology training and information literacy are intertwined and can be considered part of the multiple literacies that students need to demonstrate.  We will continue to develop on ongoing series of workshops and training sessions, both scheduled and informal, to provide technology and software training for students within the Learning Commons as part of this effort.