Information Literacy and Research Guide

Resources for Faculty
 

Integrating Information Literacy Concepts into Course Curriculum

Thinking about incorporating information literacy concepts into your course curriculum?  Information literacy skills are valuable lifelong learning tools that will benefit students throughout their academic and professional lives. Information literacy is not just for general education and lower division students!  It is vital that these concepts be emphasized throughout the general education curriculum and beyond into discipline-specific upper division coursework. 

Whether you are thinking about adding information literacy concepts to your course curriculum, or modifying current assignments to reflect these objectives, below is a short list of recommended steps to follow.  Feel free to contact the library's Information Literacy Program Coordinator, Laura Wight, (605)688-5955 if you have any questions along the way.  In addition, Reference Librarians are available to collaborate in the creation of assignments incorporating these skills.  Start by setting up an appointment to meet with a Reference Librarian today!

1. Analyze current broad course objectives.  Consider incorporating 1 or more of the broad Student Learning Outcomes from General Education Goal #7 - the Information Literacy Goal as course objective(s). 

Goal #7:  Students will recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, organize, critically evaluate, and effectively use information from a variety of sources with intellectual integrity.

Student Learning Outcomes:  Students will:

1.      Determine the extent of information needed;

2.      Access the needed information effectively and efficiently;

3.      Evaluate information and its sources critically;

4.      Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose

5.      Use information in an ethical and legal manner.

2. Think about specific assignments you currently use or would like to use that would require students to demonstrate information literacy skills.  Ask the question:  "What do I want the students to learn, and how will I know that they have learned?"  In terms of the specific performance indicators students should demonstrate, there are multiple resources available to consult.  The Association of College and Research Libraries has a Step-by-Step Guide online listing specific performance indicators for each of the Information Literacy Standards.  In addition, the University of Connecticut Libraries lists skills by year of study online:  First Year, Second Year, Third Year, Fourth Year. 

For example - Student Learning Outcome #1 of the General Education Information Literacy Goal states that "Students will be able to Determine the extent of information needed."  Listed below are a few examples of performance indicators for students who have successfully mastered this skill:

• Confers with the instructor, peers and independently researches ideas for a topic

• Develops a topic question, thesis or research statement

• Lists questions to research related to the topic statement and explores general background information sources, revising topic as necessary

• Begins to identify appropriate research sources

3. Modify current assignments or develop new assignments incorporating these performance indicators.  In creating an effective Information Literacy Assignment:

• Assume students have minimal knowledge of the library and its services. 

• Communicate specific learning objectives so students see the practicality of the assignment.

• Specify the level of research and results you expect.

• Try the assignment yourself - print and electronic resources available through the library change daily.

•  Clearly communicate the Academic Dishonesty/plagiarism policy.

• Provide the Reference Librarians with a copy of the assignment.

• Schedule a library instruction session for your class if needed.

• Incorporate critical thinking skills into the assignment in as many places as possible.

Need Assistance?  Contact us!

• By Phone:  (605)688-5570, or toll-free at:  1-800-786-2038

• E-mail the SDSU Librarians

• In Person:  The Information Desk is staffed during the semester Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Saturday Noon-5:00 p.m., and Sunday 1:00-9:00 p.m.