MEDICAL INFORMATICS @ TCMC: COLLABORATING WITH FACULTY TO

INTEGRATE INFORMATION LITERACY WITHIN THE

CURRICULUM

Joanne Muellenbach, MLS, AHIP

The Commonwealth Medical College

Scranton, Pennsylvania

June 26, 2012

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SITUATION AT TCMC

The Library wants to integrate information literacy content into the curriculum more systematically.

Collaborating with faculty has been a strategic goal.

In May 2012, I was asked to serve as co-chair of the Medical Informatics thread, that is woven throughout our MD curriculum;

Information Literacy content is a part of the Medical Informatics thread.

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END RESULTBenefits: information literacy training will become

more meaningful it will result in more positive learning

outcomes

Consequences: failure to develop information literacy

skills failure to reach their full potential as

lifelong learners.

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OBJECTIVES

Medical Informatics @ TCMC

What is Information Literacy?

Information Literacy Standards

Collaborating with Faculty – Challenges

Collaborating with Faculty - Strategies

Final Thoughts

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PURPOSEIf you remember just three things as you leave here today, remember these:

Librarian – Faculty partnerships are vital to the world of academia.

Our goal is to help our students become more IL and to develop lifelong learning skills.

Lifelong learning skills will lead to student success!

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NEXT STEPS / ACTION PLAN

Ramp up our efforts to collaborate with faculty.

Identify challenges of collaborating with faculty.

Implement strategies for collaborating with faculty that will result in success.

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WHAT IS MEDICAL INFORMATICS

An interdisciplinary science that is focused on biomedical information, its structure, acquisition and use;

Focus: on the application of computer technologies and information science in clinical medicine;

Systematically woven throughout the 4 years.

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MEDICAL INFORMATICS4 COMPETENCY AREAS

Introduction to biomedical informatics

Evidence-based practice

Safety

Community health informatics

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INTRODUCTION TO BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS

Y1-2: definitions; impact of biomedical informatics on healthcare outcomes; clinical transformation; introduction to clinical applications;

Y2: creating a digital record of a clinical encounter; introduction to EHRs;

Y3-4: clinical informatics; EHRs.

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EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

Y1: library & information skills; CHRP literature search project (3 phases); Ovid MEDLINE; PubMed; EndNote; searching for the evidence; USMLE resources.

Y2: mobile technologies & point of care resources; image resources & copyright.

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SAFETY

Y2: protecting individual patients from medical errors;

Y3-4: human-computer interaction and health information technologies.

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COMMUNITY HEALTH INFORMATICS

Y1-2: using technology to improve clinical communications; health literacy;

Y3-4: improving the health of the public through biomedical informatics.

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WHAT IS INFORMATION LITERACY?

“… the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information.”

“… a key component of, and contributor to, lifelong learning.”

“Developing lifelong learners is central to the mission of higher education institutions.”

Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, ALA, 2000.

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INFORMATION LITERACY STANDARDS

Standard One: KNOW

The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information.

Information literacy competency standard for higher education. (2000). Retrieved 14 February 2012 from http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/standards.pdf

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INFORMATION LITERACY STANDARDS

Standard Two: ACCESS

The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.

Information literacy competency standard for higher education. (2000). Retrieved 14 February 2012 from http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/standards.pdf

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INFORMATION LITERACY STANDARDS

Standard Three: EVALUATE

The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.

Information literacy competency standard for higher education. (2000). Retrieved 14 February 2012 from http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/standards.pdf

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INFORMATION LITERACY STANDARDS

Standard Four: USE

The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.

Information literacy competency standard for higher education. (2000). Retrieved 14 February 2012 from http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/standards.pdf

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INFORMATION LITERACY STANDARDS

Standard Five: ETHICAL / LEGAL

The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.

Information literacy competency standard for higher education. (2000). Retrieved 14 February 2012 from http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/standards.pdf

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COLLABORATION WITH FACULTY - CHALLENGES

Faculty may have a different understanding of the importance of information literacy.

Faculty may be unaware of the diverse talents of librarians and the roles that we could play in undergraduate education.

Faculty may lack information literacy training themselves.

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COLLABORATION WITH FACULTY - CHALLENGES

Large class sizes and low level of classroom support.

There is so much essential material to cover that students could not be expected to do much beyond the textbook.

Faculty assume that students already have the skills they need, or that they will learn the necessary skills on their own.

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COLLABORATION WITH FACULTY - STRATEGIES

Get involved! attend college-wide meetings; learn more about the major initiatives of the college and consider how information literacy training could play a part in those initiatives.

Develop a library liaison service; meet with other library liaisons; view their libguides and learn more about their experiences and strategies.

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COLLABORATION WITH FACULTY - STRATEGIES

Build a professional collection of resources focusing on the issues related to Information Literacy.

Get to know your faculty and offer faculty development sessions.

Develop and showcase examples of superior use of technology in teaching and learning.

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COLLABORATION WITH FACULTY - STRATEGIES

Strive for curriculum integration; develop “just in time” information literacy sessions, such as this session for Pharmacology students.

In light of growing class sizes, develop online tutorials and user guides, such as a Copyright libguide.

Offer House Calls, whereby a librarian visits a faculty member’s workplace and provides an individualized consultation to suit his or her information needs.

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COLLABORATION WITH FACULTY - STRATEGIES

Celebrate! Plan an activity, presentation, party, or event that celebrates the student projects. Invite faculty, staff, librarians, students, families, community members, the press, etc.

Write an article in the library blog, Facebook page, or newsletter, highlighting special events.

Seek out opportunities to conduct research and publish with faculty.

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FINAL THOUGHTS – REMEMBER THE 3 KEY POINTS?

Librarian – Faculty partnerships are vital to the world of academia.

Our goal is to increase the information literacy of our students so that they will develop lifelong learning skills.

Lifelong learning will lead to student achievement.

Thank you