Information Literacy

Danielle Drasser and Holly Heller-Ross, Plattsburgh State University of New York.

Introductions Danielle Drasser: Graduate Assistant

(Internet Research and Data Organization)

Holly Heller-Ross: Associate Librarian (Research Design and Syllabus Reviewer)

Dr. Robert Karp: Director of Institutional Research (Research Consultant and Statistical Analyst)

Overview Quick overview of what this is all about

SUNY Trustees approved a new General Education Requirements, including Information Management Competencies

CHE/MSA and other accrediting bodies also include information literacy outcomes

Information Management

“These competencies should be infused throughout the General Education program” http://www.sysadm.suny.edu/provost/Genedguidelines.pdf

perform the basic operations of personal computer use;

understand and use basic research techniques;

locate, evaluate and synthesize information from a variety of sources

Research Questions Are these competencies already present in

SUNY courses? To what extent and in what manner are

they present?How frequently?In which Disciplines?In upper/lower levels?

Why is this Important?

Students should be aware of competencies they are developing

Faculty deserve credit for work we are already doing

Librarians need to know where to concentrate information management integration efforts

Research Methodology

Searched campus websites for syllabi twelve (12) from each campus

Selected two (2) subjects in each disciplineSelected two (2) courses in each subject: one (1) lower level and one (1) upper level.

Excluded library and computer courses

Close up Example

Plattsburgh State

University

Humanities

Social Sciences

Sciences

History 121

History 323

Theatre 101

Theatre 306

Psychology 101Psychology 321

Sociology 101Sociology 316

Geology 101

Geology 310

Env.Science 101Env. Science 321

Methodology continued

Reviewed each syllabus for the three information management competencies Explicitly stated (use adobe photoshop for

final assignment or use three journal articles in your research paper)

Implied (list of web sites students expected to access for course materials)

Close up Example “Protein Structure Project. Each student will select

a protein to study using the program RasMol. Using RasMol and the primary literature on the protein, the students will write a 5-page paper describing the molecule in detail. An appendix of at least 3-5 RasMol images of the protein will be handed in with the paper. This project is due in class on Friday, November 10. A web page with necessary links will be available for student use(www.fredonia.edu/department/biology/lee/protein-project.htm).”

Dr. T. Lee, SUNY Fredonia, used with permission.

Caveats Non-random sample Subject variation in disciplines and

campuses Limits of generalizing within disciplines

(physics may not be representative of biology)

University centers and some university colleges

Data Analysis Coded data into an Excel spreadsheet Descriptive statistics using SPSS Frequency distributions Cross tabulations

Findings 81% of courses required one or more

competencies (116 of 144) 8% required all three 56% required basic computer use 32% required basic research techniques 39% required

location/evaluation/synthesis of information sources

Case Processing Summary

80 55.6% 64 44.4% 144 100.0%

56 38.9% 88 61.1% 144 100.0%

46 31.9% 98 68.1% 144 100.0%

Discipline * Performbasic operations ofcomputer use

Discipline * Locate,evaluate, synthesizeinformation

Discipline * Understandand use basic researchtechniques

N Percent N Percent N Percent

Valid Missing Total

Cases

Courses by Subject

The

atre

Phi

loso

phy

Mus

ic

Lite

ratu

re e

t al

His

tory

Com

mun

catio

ns e

t al

Soc

iolo

gy e

t al

Psy

chol

ogy

Pol

itica

l Sci

ence

Geo

grap

hy

Eco

nom

ics

Bus

ines

s et

al

Ant

hrop

olog

y

Phy

sics

Mat

hem

atic

s

Geo

logy

Env

ironm

enta

l Ear

th

Eng

inee

ring

Che

mis

try

Bio

logy

Ast

rono

my/

Met

eoro

log

Fre

qu

en

cy

30

20

10

0

Perform basic operations of computer use

Discipline

SciencesSocial SciencesHumanities

Co

un

t18

16

14

12

10

8

Level

100-200 inclusive

300-400 Inclusive

Understand and use basic research techniques

Discipline

SciencesSocial SciencesHumanities

Co

un

t9.5

9.0

8.5

8.0

7.5

7.0

6.5

6.0

5.5

Level

100-200 inclusive

300-400 Inclusive

Locate, evaluate, synthesize information

Discipline

SciencesSocial SciencesHumanities

Co

un

t16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Level

100-200 inclusive

300-400 Inclusive

Use at your own Campus

This research approach could be used to assess your own courses for Information Management competencies

Could be used to establish a developmental sequence of competency inclusion within a major

Group Practice!

Further Research Expand to include SUNY two year

colleges Change research design to a stratified

proportionate random sample of courses Focus on General Education courses

Thank You!!!!!