Weave A Web Of Information Literacy

James A. Bradley, M.S.Assistant ProfessorInstruction Librarian

Wilmington University

Presented October 2008 at The Georgia Conference on Information Literacy

1

Importance of Information Literacy

Workers Caregivers Citizens

American CollegeStudents Today

Weak research skills Can’t identify sources Information overload Short attention span Don’t evaluate sources Focus on technology Multi tasking

Role of the Instructor

Teachers can greatly improve a student’s IL skills by:

Promoting the use of technology. Challenging students to search for information

in new ways. Requiring students to read and evaluate

information more often. Increasing opportunities for oral and written

communication.

My Role

Teach students› Database searching› Searching online Catalogs› Evaluating sources› Ethical use of information› Developing IL resources for students &

faculty

Previous PresentationsStudents

Advanced Internet Searching Finding Reliable Info on the Internet Plagiarism Prevention Intellectual Property, Copyright Law,

and Plagiarism

Previous PresentationsFaculty

The Syllabi Project The Google Generation & IL Copyright Law & Fair Use Locate, Evaluate, Communicate

› Teaching valuable workplace skills Classroom Strategies for the Net Gen Google in the Classroom Wiki Weaving

The Google Generation&

Information Literacy

JAMES BRADLEY, M.S.INSTRUCTION LIBRARIAN

Students

Self - perception – highly skilled searchers Large number results = success?

Everything is on the Web??? Subscription databases Little overlap between top search engines

Students respond to technology Can we educate and embrace?

Result

Without specific guidelines: weak research Bibliography

Fewer books & journal articles More web sites

Teenage Life Online: The Rise of the Networked Generation

Lee Rainie – DirectorYouth.Net Conference - SingaporeAugust 12, 2003

Student laments

Assignments don’t take advantage of the Internet Classroom work hardly ever exploits the Internet The hindrances students see:

Fear about “digital divide”Fear about the “dark side” of the InternetTechno-warinessLow level of support from school administrators

IT & IL

A comment

Infusing Information Literacy

into the Curriculum

James Bradley

Instruction and Reference Librarianjbrad@wilmcoll.edu

(302) 328-9441 x281

Main IL skills & teaching approaches

Skills Approaches

Reading Brief / non - graded

Writing Major assignments

Searching Indiv. or group

Evaluating Training & orientations

Synthesizing One-on-one attention

Communicating Presentations / debates

Information literacy categoriesTraditional resources

(print)

Electronicresources

(technology)

Communication skills & interactivemethods

Examine indexes Search the catalog Oral report / defense

Examine journals Search the databases Small group discussion or project

Browse the stacks Search the WWW Team or grouppresentations or research

projects

Reference materials Microfiche Classroom debate

Beginner level assignments

Search catalog or perform basic

database search

Explain differences /

nuances between online catalogs,

Internet, and databases

Locate specific article –

databaseor select print

article

Lecture about selecting a topic or types of formats &

their uses

Discuss plagiarism with your

class

Find subject specific search engine, portal,

or directory

Browse shelves and choose

another book

Domain searching exercise .gov, .edu

Lecture students on some of best

resources in their discipline

Discussion or lecture

about popular vs. scholarly

information

Intermediate level assignments

Written comparison /

evaluation two sources

(websites)

Product purchase decision

Brief annotated bibliography

(mid- semester)

Write research plan

Discipline focused

database search / library visit

Locate same fact or statistic – one

print & one Internet source

Web search strategies,Boolean

operators, criteria

evaluatinginformation

Short biography on expert and

his or her published works

Fill out and submit

preliminary search

results sheet or citations

Use Thesauri orcontrolled vocabularycreate list of keywords /

subject headings

Advanced level assignments

Create pathfinder -individual or group

project

Createannotated

bibliography or webliography

Write or discuss historical perspective

in literature

Advanced database searching

Compare bibliographies orwebliographies

Research journal,research portfolio,

or reflection assignment

Write about or discuss bias, perspective,

propaganda, censorship

Classroom debate

cite / quote sources

Google in the Classroom!What Next?

MC3

Teaching & Learning Conference 2006

James Bradley, MS

My Strategy

Engage don’t ignore

Teaching Strategies

• Engage students with technology–Use PowerPoint with hyperlinks–Use websites with audio/visual

materials

Slide taken from presentation made by James Bradley: Locate, Evaluate, Communicate “Teaching Valuable Workplace Skills 1.” Faculty of the Future 2006 Conference. Bucks County Community College, June 2006.

Keywords for Students

• Bibliography or webliography• Pathfinder, (subject or research) guide• Links, Internet, websites• Online, electronic resources, digital• Virtual (library or museum)• Gateway, directory, portal• Virtual library or museum• Digital images or image collection

Keywords for Teachers

• Pathfinder / subject guide• Internet / electronic resources / webliography• Online, websites, links, webcast• Animated, animation• Interactive or online activity• Free, downloadable

– Music, news, video, audio, movie• Lesson plans, assignment

Slide taken from presentation made by James Bradley: Locate, Evaluate, Communicate “Teaching Valuable Workplace Skills 1.” Faculty of the Future 2006 Conference. Bucks County Community College, June 2006.

web 2.0

wiki weaving

using wikis to spread information literacy

James Bradley, MSAssistant ProfessorInstruction Librarian

Wilmington University

social

commentdiscuss

post picturesblogs/diary

inviteparticipatecustomizecollaborate

Wikipedia

• controversial• 2.4 million articles• user contributed• not always updated/edited• almost as good as Encyclopedia

Britannica?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Waleshttp://en.wikpedia.org/wiki/Wikiwww.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2005/12/69844

Citizendium & Knol (Google)

Encyclopedia Britannica may accept reader

contributions!

corporations

online collaboration

• accelerate• anytime• immediate• ideas• global

• Wikinomics, Don Tapscott

how i use it

• easy to post / control• saves paper• engages students• distance learning

how can it also be used

• project teams– collaborate on documents, presentations

• calendar– plan meetings

uses continued

• assignments – classroom teachers– brainstorming– post questions, comments– post study notes– in class polls – progress– personal pages

• contributions by students– (security issues)

Where do we go from here?

Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.

John Cotton Dana

October 2008 37

Change

“Teachers must become comfortable as co-learners”

“….today is less about staying ahead and more about moving ahead as members of dynamic learning communities”

“The digital-age teaching professional must demonstrate a vision of technology infusion and develop the technology skills of others”

Don Knezek, ISTE CEO, 2008International Society for Technology in EducationOctober 2008 38

Online Technologies

Websites Blogs Wikis Pod casting Music Video Social Sites / Bookmarking

Millenials

Collaboration / Interaction

Technology› it’d be hard not to know how to use it› learn about any topic as much as we want› easy to connect› teachers are vital to the learning process› computers can never replace humans› learning is based on motivation

without teachers that motivation would cease to exist

The Center for TeachingUniversity of Iowa

www.centeach.uiowa.eduOctober 2008 40

Relevant?

“71% of teens say they relied mostly on Internet sources for the last big project they did for school”

The Bright Zone Institute, Incthat we A Florida based non-profit education technology research and development

organization

October 2008 41

I Want my MTV

› I Want My Online Captured Lecture 82% of 7500 students survey would prefer

courses that offer online captured lectures

The Kept-UP Academic Librarian

October 2008 42

My Recommendations

Be relevant Keep things moving Use technology Involve students in creating / posting

the final project Attempt collaborative projects Learn & share Attend all of the technology classes

you can

October 2008 43

recommendations cont.

Read/watch online if you can’t attend classes

Use free tools online› blogs, wikis, podcasts, polls, tutorials, vids

Create alerts on your subject › free Google, News, Research Dbases

October 2008 44

Recommendations cont.

Don’t be afraid to use humor Bookmark your favorite sites

› delicious Create a Zoho Poll for classroom use Create a class research alert

› Check & demo during class Google & news services

Top 10easy activities for students

Confirm fact both print & electronic Read & group discussion / evaluation Keyword generation Have a guest speaker

› online video / tutorial on IL topic Take them to a library orientation

October 2008 46

activities cont.

Research journal – post online Social book marking – delicious Graded discussion board Advanced searching techniques

› domains Have students demonstrate use of tech

› classroom blog

October 2008 47

Keep updating your skills

What am I currently doing?› Reading reports

Pew Internet & American Life Horizon Report

› Learning Captivate & SchoolVue› Building my wiki page

Wilmington University Wiki

Resources for students and facultyDiscipline Specific

Research AssistanceCitationLibrary

http://wilmingtonuniversitywiki.pbwiki.com

October 2008

49

How to get their attention

Use online resources It’s what they like and expect!

Bring the classroom alive

Use technology to start a conversation› Audio, video, live searching, tutorials

Use the keywords provided earlier to locate information on your subject

Examples of Free Online Resources to Enhance Classroom Learning

Five Criteria http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/webcrit.html

APA Style http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

English Class Blog http://millersenglish10.blogspot.com/

YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/sciencentral

Science Animation http://bio-alive.com/animations/DNA.htm

Advanced Google Searching - Crime Statistics

http://www.google.com/ig/usgov

Google Alerts http://www.google.com/alerts

Delicious Bookmarking - Math http://delicious.com/

Plagiarism Court http://www.fairfield.edu/documents/libr

ary/plagicourt.swf

Zoho Polls http://polls.zoho.com/

Slideshare.net (search on classroom wiki)

http://www.slideshare.net/

Open Culture – Pod Cast Library http://www.oculture.com/2006/11/arts_

culture_po.html

END