Week 2: Part 1 - Educative Assessment

1. Forward looking assessment

Imagine that you work for X company. Your boss wants you to do research on a competitor. How do you go about finding unbiased information?

2. Criteria & Standards

There are many learning outcomes that I have for my students, and I often have to pick just one or two to deal with in class. For this assignment I'll use the following learning outcome:

Student identifies significant concepts within their topic and generates a flexible list of keywords in order to find a relevant scholarly article

Criteria: Student determines topic keywords.

High Achievement: Student determines multiple keywords that accurately reflect all aspects of their topic.

Proficient Achievement: Student determines some keywords but they do not reflect all aspects of their topic.

Beginning Achievement: Students does not determine keywords that accurately reflect the topic.

3. Self-Assessment

I can have students write a one-minute paper expressing what they learned or what they still need to know.

4. FIDeLity Feedback

I can use different technology so that I can assess in real-time. For example, I can have students fill out a Google Form, and as they are filling it out, I can comment on their work. Or I could use Padlet to have students display scholarly articles or keywords, and again, I can comment on their work immediately.

Week 1: Intro to Instructional Design

I'm doing my assignment based on a one or two-shot model for English 161, which is our first-year composition course. I work at a large research university with a diverse student population, many of whom are commuters, and/or first generation college students. 

Part I: Situational Factors

1. Specific context of the teaching/learning situation
Much of my instruction revolves around English 161, a one-semester composition class that is required of all students. Classes can have anywhere from 16 to 24 students, most of whom are first-years. Classes come to the library for an information literacy session either twice a semester, for 50 minute classes, or once a semester, for 75 minute classes. (A few instructors like to have two library sessions for their 75 minute classes, but this is not the norm.) The library sessions are held in the library computer classroom, which is a large room with 40 computers; generally, we divide the room in half with a partition, so that we can have two classes at a time. The 20 computers per side are along tables which cannot be moved, which sometimes affects what we can do in the class. 

2. General context of the learning situation
The first-year writing program revolves around the idea that writing is crafted in response to a particular situation, within a certain context, and for a specific audience. English 161 revolves around academic writing, and expects that students will learn academic conventions of writing, such as how to create an argument and back up that argument with evidence. This works well withe the library, as research is a main component of the class. The instruction coordinator has worked with the first-year writing program to develop learning outcomes to help students become more information literate. Skills such as developing effective search strategies, determining an information need and finding resources to fit that need, using library research tools such as databases, and evaluating sources are all skills that we try to instill in our students.

3. Nature of the subject
Since we only see these students once or twice, there is always the tension of how much practical information to teach versus more theoretical ideas, ideas which might encourage more critical thinking. I think this is a dilemma that many librarians face, and I'm excited to learn more about critical library pedagogy, to see if there is a way to encourage more critical thinking among my students. 

4. Characteristics of learners
Most students are first-year students, and many are first-generation college students. We do, however, have a number of older, non-traditional students, who are coming back to school after a long hiatus. Students juggle many outside responsibilities, from work to family. Students also have varying degrees of prior experience with library research.

5. Characteristics of teacher
I believe that every student can learn, but not everyone learns in the same way. I also think that what we as librarians teach is important for students to be successful in college. Although it might not be the most exciting content-wise, I do think it is useful and helpful for students. I enjoy working with students and love seeing when they finally start making connections.

Part II: Formulating Student Learning Goals
What do I hope my students will know a year or so after this course is over?
I hope that my students will know that they can ask a librarian for help! If this is the one thing they learn, I'll be happy with that. I'd also like them to know how to evaluate sources for certain contexts. I've been trying to get away from the scholarly = good/popular = bad binary, but I have to admit it's difficult. What I'd like them to know is that there is a time and place for them to use certain types of materials. 

Foundational Knowledge
Key information and ideas: I'd like students to learn how to develop a researchable topoic, how to construct effect keyword searches and how to use the library databases. I'd also like them to understand that certain databases are better for certain subjects, that there are different types of information out there, and that these sources are created in certain ways with certain biases.

Application Goals
It's important for students to learn critical, creative, and practical thinking; all three are useful when doing research to help with everything from topic development, to finding sources, to evaluating sources. I'd also like them to learn these skills for their lives after college. Learning to critically evaluate sources is so important for people to be engaged and informed citizens. I want them to be able to feel confident in their information decisions: everything from deciding where to take their car to be fixed to whom to vote for in an election. 

Integration Goals
I'd like students to make connections between evaluating websites and evaluating other types of sources. Often I'll hear, "Well, I found it on the library website, so it must be useful" when really, it's a source that isn't useful for their paper at all. I'd also like them to make connections about when we talk about "scholarship as a conversation" and their writing instructors who talk about writers writing in response to one another. And finally, I'd like them to remember that research skills can be very important in their work life, and that they will often have to make a good argument and back it up with relevant information.

Human Dimension Goals
I hope that students will become confident in their research skills and also in knowing that if they don't know, it's okay, they can get help. I'd also like them to know that people have varying perspectives and that not everyone shares their world view.

Caring Goals
I hope that after our library sessions students won't be scared/frustrated/anxious about doing research. I'd also like them to learn that their interests have value; school and their outside lives don't have to be two separate things that never intertwine.

Learning-How-To-Learn Goals
I'd like students to learn that there are people (ie librarians and professors) who can help them with their research. I'd also like them to learn that there are certain habits they can develop that will help them become better students (ie not waiting until the last minute to do write their papers.) I think first-generation college students have an especially hard time, because they don't have anyone that they can go to for help. I want them to know that we can help them navigate the world of the "university".