Comments on: Mandatory Information Literacy http://acrlog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/ Blogging by and for academic and research librarians Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:32:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ursula Zyzik http://acrlog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-24075 Ursula Zyzik Fri, 05 Jan 2007 02:36:42 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/#comment-24075 I agree with Barbara and Steven's commentary. It is easy to sidetrack whenever the topic of IL is brought up, but I'd like to add that as long as students and classroom faculty perceive the IL as a set of broadly defined, and to some, common sense skills and not a body of traditionally defined academic knowledge, the librarians will struggle to legitimize it. It is the mindset of classroom faculty, students and administrators that needs to be changed first. However, it is gratifying to read many success stories in this respect. I agree with Barbara and Steven’s commentary. It is easy to sidetrack whenever the topic of IL is brought up, but I’d like to add that as long as students and classroom faculty perceive the IL as a set of broadly defined, and to some, common sense skills and not a body of traditionally defined academic knowledge, the librarians will struggle to legitimize it. It is the mindset of classroom faculty, students and administrators that needs to be changed first. However, it is gratifying to read many success stories in this respect.

]]> By: Barbara Fister http://acrlog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-24073 Barbara Fister Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:14:05 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/#comment-24073 The other common way of "mandating" IL is to have some chunk of a required composition course include an introduction to the library and the traditional research paper. One problem with both required intro courses and standardized pieces of comp courses is that they are introductory. Students who are doing advanced work in a discipline need something very different than what they need to take first year courses. They need to keep grafting an understanding of how information works to their increasingly sophisticated subject knowledge and their deepening understanding of the way knowledge is made. (First year students also have very little intrinsic motivation to learn how to use libraries or how to write research papers.) That's why I still support the idea of increasing faculty ownership of and facility with the concepts - because it should be one of those issues that is owned and promoted by all departments, as writing and critical thinking are. You can't mandate that students learn by mandating that teachers teach. But learning how to find and use information is valued right across the curriculum. Where we come in (it seems to me) is helping faculty figure out how to help students learn those skills - particularly in an information environment that is constantly changing. The other common way of “mandating” IL is to have some chunk of a required composition course include an introduction to the library and the traditional research paper. One problem with both required intro courses and standardized pieces of comp courses is that they are introductory. Students who are doing advanced work in a discipline need something very different than what they need to take first year courses. They need to keep grafting an understanding of how information works to their increasingly sophisticated subject knowledge and their deepening understanding of the way knowledge is made. (First year students also have very little intrinsic motivation to learn how to use libraries or how to write research papers.) That’s why I still support the idea of increasing faculty ownership of and facility with the concepts – because it should be one of those issues that is owned and promoted by all departments, as writing and critical thinking are.

You can’t mandate that students learn by mandating that teachers teach. But learning how to find and use information is valued right across the curriculum. Where we come in (it seems to me) is helping faculty figure out how to help students learn those skills – particularly in an information environment that is constantly changing.

]]> By: steven bell http://acrlog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-24067 steven bell Thu, 04 Jan 2007 13:36:06 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/#comment-24067 Perhaps the middle ground between mandating and capitalizing on "windows" (of opportunity) is to work on having Il acknowledged by the governance structure as a desirable student learning outcome. This can then lead to a collaborative working group of librarians, faculty, and other academic professionals that determine how and where IL best fits into the curriculum. With faculty having a role in making those determinations it can lead to greater feeling of being a part of the process, rather than having it forced on them or their students. From my perspective a mandatory program would be something along the lines of a "library 101" course for all freshmen - where they earn a credit. You can make it a requirement for freshmen, but what happens after that? Do faculty assume that all students are now information literate since they took the course? Where's the follow-up in latter years? Those are perhaps some other reasons why a mandatory freshmen course along may not be the most desirable option. Perhaps the middle ground between mandating and capitalizing on “windows” (of opportunity) is to work on having Il acknowledged by the governance structure as a desirable student learning outcome. This can then lead to a collaborative working group of librarians, faculty, and other academic professionals that determine how and where IL best fits into the curriculum. With faculty having a role in making those determinations it can lead to greater feeling of being a part of the process, rather than having it forced on them or their students.

From my perspective a mandatory program would be something along the lines of a “library 101″ course for all freshmen – where they earn a credit. You can make it a requirement for freshmen, but what happens after that? Do faculty assume that all students are now information literate since they took the course? Where’s the follow-up in latter years? Those are perhaps some other reasons why a mandatory freshmen course along may not be the most desirable option.

]]> By: Ursula Zyzik http://acrlog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-24062 Ursula Zyzik Thu, 04 Jan 2007 02:31:49 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/#comment-24062 "Mandatory" is, of course, an unfortunate word here. Rather, librarians would like to see institutionally supported and recognized program of information literacy. The problem with the "windows in the curriculum" approach is that it is dependent on individual classroom faculty and thus eliminates groups of students outside that teaching framework. Secondly, those professors when they move to other instututions leave a vacuum in the already established link. The cultivation and building the presence of information literacy in such context is, to say the least, inefficient and erratic. In its philosophy and approach it does not differ much from the previous century's bibliographic instruction. “Mandatory” is, of course, an unfortunate word here. Rather, librarians would like to see institutionally supported and recognized program of information literacy. The problem with the “windows in the curriculum” approach is that it is dependent on individual classroom faculty and thus eliminates groups of students outside that teaching framework. Secondly, those professors when they move to other instututions leave a vacuum in the already established link. The cultivation and building the presence of information literacy in such context is, to say the least, inefficient and erratic. In its philosophy and approach it does not differ much from the previous century’s bibliographic instruction.

]]> By: Rob Darrow http://acrlog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/comment-page-1/#comment-24061 Rob Darrow Thu, 04 Jan 2007 01:16:07 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/2007/01/03/mandatory-information-literacy/#comment-24061 I would agree with you. I don't think we want to "mandate" information literacy instruction. I consider part of the "philosophy" of information literacy being that it is integrated with instruction/learning that already exists. And, I agree, that, whenever we mandate anything, we then end up with instructors and students who feel forced into participating. On the other hand, if a faculty supported this overall direction, a gradual phase-in would be helpful for all. This would give librarians time to plan with faculty members about how to integrate information literacy with their curriculum. I would agree with you. I don’t think we want to “mandate” information literacy instruction. I consider part of the “philosophy” of information literacy being that it is integrated with instruction/learning that already exists. And, I agree, that, whenever we mandate anything, we then end up with instructors and students who feel forced into participating. On the other hand, if a faculty supported this overall direction, a gradual phase-in would be helpful for all. This would give librarians time to plan with faculty members about how to integrate information literacy with their curriculum.

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