IDE Week 1: For Credit Information Literacy Course

The focus of my work in this course will be to design a for-credit information literacy course. My institution does not have anything like this right now, but I think it would work well as a freshman experience/first year student course. As an outreach tool, I think teaching a freshman experience course like this could be a boon to the library! 

Situational Factors

1. Specific context of the teaching/learning situation

This course is taught at the freshman level -- all freshman are required to take what is called a KSU 1101 first year experience course. I expect enrollment of 20 - 25 students. The course would be delivered in person, most likely in a computer lab so students could get hands-on practice. I'm not sure what time of day the course would be scheduled, this is up to the university. However, a factors that may affect the class is the room set up. Our lab rooms, especially in the English Building, are awkwardly set up so that the computers hug the walls, and the students face the teacher one way and face the projector in a total opposite direction. 

2. General context of the learning situation

The university expects this to be an introduction to the academic experience for the students. The professor is expected to teach students about college life, study habits, typical college assignments, etc.  These courses have different themes, and my theme would be information, because I think this would tie into the idea of an introduction to the academic experience very well. My main goal is to teach transferable, life-long information literacy skills and concepts. The university doesn't have much to say about info lit; however our profession and society are clear advocates of these types of skills. 

3. Nature of the subject

Again, the theme is information and I want to teach about various aspects, including ubiquity of information, the information economy, ethical use of information, etc. I would base my course content off of the new ACRL Framework. I think the Framework lends itself to more divergent thinking -- or using information to think of multiple solutions to a problem or issue, rather than converging onto one solution. I expect this to be a combination of theory and practice; however I will focus mostly on practical applications of the information. I think controversies within the nature of this subject are information can be overwhelming, false, difficult to understand, hard to analyze, and difficult to make an argument. Students are too often consumers of information, and they don't understand that they are also creators, and contribute to the information economy. 

4. Characteristics of the learners

These students are freshmen, and they are usually the same age (17-19). I could expect to get a few returning or older students in my course; however this is unlikely for this type of course. These students were born in the "digital" age, so they may feel they already know about information, about technology, and so on. However, they may have never been asked to critically evaluate information, or challenged to think about it in new ways. Their goals are probably to take the course, and get it over with -- it's often seen as a "blow off course" by students. Preferred learning styles are definitely working with technology, working with groups. 

5. Characteristics of the teacher

I believe teaching and learning is a group effort -- collaboration. I am not the expert by any means, and I believe we have a lot to learn from each other. I am deeply passionate about the subject, and I desire to create responsible citizens, courageous creators, and a fun learning environment. Although I said I am not an expert, I do have advanced knowledge of the subject with a desire to keep learning and evolving. My strengths include a willingness to ask questions, unafraid to say I don't know something, engaging/outgoing, and hopefully humor! 

Formulating Significant Learning Goals

A year (or more) after this course is over, I want and hope that students will apply skills and ideas learned in this course to their current coursework, and use these skills to solve real-world problems. 

Foundational Knowledge

Key Information: students will need to remember specific skills such as searching, research skills, research as an iterative process, how to analyze information, what to do when you have information, what to do when you don't have it. 

Key Ideas: information is power and currency; it's ubiquity in our lives means we have the power to consume, not consume, etc.; we have the responsibility to act ethically when using/creating/sharing information; students are a part of the scholarly conversation, and have the power to communicate/create their own information; students have the power to change the conversation as well. 

Application Goals

This course will engage students in all modes of thinking, especially critical thinking and evaluation of information as a commodity. The course will explore how to creatively use information to solve problems. Students will need to gain skills in multiple areas, including research on the open and closed web, evaluating resources for credibility and authoritativeness, and determining the value of information. Finally, students will need to be able to critically analyze information in order to make decisions and create information products of their own. 

Integration Goals

Students should be able to see the ubiquity of information in their life, and see the connection between how they research, evaluate, and analyze information in the "real-world" and in the academy. They should be able to see how they use information, exchange it, and make decisions. The skills and ideas they learn can be integrated into their daily lives, and into future courses they pursue at university. 

Human Dimensions Goals

Students should learn that they are already using the skills in this class in their own lives. They are already creating information, crafting stories, and using this to influence others. I want them to know that they have power, and can be empowered by information. 

Caring Goals

I hope that students start to care more about being responsible with information -- what they share, post, create, write, etc. I want them to care about creating and putting "good stuff"  out into the world instead of consuming. 

"Learning How to Learn" Goals

I hope students will become better informationists -- they will take charge of their own skill development and use these skills to better themselves and their lives.