Information Literacy Workshop	University of West Florida Libraries

Information Literacy Workshop:
May 2004

Workshop Introduction Application Details Application Form & Submission Requirements Date / Time / Location Stipend for College Faculty Workshop Goals & Activities

Selection Criteria Workshop Facilitators Expectations of College Faculty Participants What is Information Literacy? Benefits of Information Literacy for UWF

• Would you like to learn about state-of-the-art resources for research available to faculty and students at UWF?


• Would you like to help your students learn how to find the precise information they need to complete projects in your discipline?


• Would you like your students to be able to critically evaluate information for relevance, validity, and reliability?


• Would you like your students to write better papers and other projects that incorporate sound information?


• Would you like to help your students become more savvy researchers and lifelong learners?


• Do you need some extra income this summer?

If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, we encourage you to apply for this Information Literacy workshop.

Workshop Introduction

Integrating Information Literacy Through Collaboration Between College & Library Faculty:
An Interactive Workshop

Information Literacy (IL) concepts provide students with better information processing skills, helping them learn to access, assess, analyze, and apply information resources to their academic experience regardless of discipline. In a collaborative IL partnership, college faculty and library faculty work together on ways to integrate these concepts into course content and to design effective learning assignments which build students' information processing skills. Positive results should include improvement in a student's ability to identify appropriate information resources, assess the validity of information available, use that information to communicate persuasively and knowledgeably in research papers or other course assignments, and improve critical thinking skills.

To introduce UWF faculty to these concepts and their potential for enhancing our students' learning experiences, the UWF Library is seeking applications from college faculty to participate in an Information Literacy workshop, May 4-6, which will be presented by faculty from James Madison University where a very successful Information Literacy program is well established. Seven college faculty and seven library faculty will be selected for participation in this initial program. The goal is to design a core of courses, across disciplines, which will include Information Literacy as a significant graded component. Both course syllabi and research assignments will be revised to reflect the incorporation of IL concepts. The goal is not necessarily to alter the fundamental purpose of these courses, but rather to integrate information literacy into the fabric of the course through activities and assignments. This is a great opportunity to introduce or strengthen the active-learning component of a course. Each participating college faculty member will receive a $1,000 stipend for successful completion of a course revision.

Application Details

Applications are now being accepted for an Information Literacy workshop to be held from May 4-6, 2004, which will be co-sponsored by the UWF Libraries and the Center for University Teaching & Learning (CUTL). Stipends for each of the 7 slots open to full-time nine- and twelve-month faculty are $1,000 for attending the three-day workshop and revising the syllabi and assignments for one course to incorporate the principles of Information Literacy. The deadline for application is March 31, 2004. Those individuals selected to participate will be notified by April 10 of their acceptance. Non-selected participants will also be notified and are encouraged to apply again in the future should the library offer a similar training session.

Completed applications should be submitted to Kymberly Goodson (Head of Reference, John C. Pace Library, Bldg 32, Room 135). Questions can also be directed to Ms. Goodson by phone (850-474-2457) or email (kgoodson@uwf.edu).

Application Form & Submission Requirements

Applicants may complete the application form online or print out the form and mail it in. The deadline for submission of the form and the supplementary documents listed below is March 31, 2004.

Submission Requirements:

• Completed application form


• Current syllabus and assignments for course in question


• Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the selected course

After completing the application form, submit course syllabi, assignments, and SLOs by March 29, 2004 to:

• Kymberly Goodson ~ John C. Pace Library ~ Bldg 32 ~ Room 135

Selected participants will be notified by April 10 and will receive introductory reading materials with which to prepare for the workshop. Those who applied but were not selected will also be notified. Questions about the workshop or the application process can be directed to Ms. Goodson by phone (850-474-2457) or email (kgoodson@uwf.edu).

Date / Time / Location

The workshop will be held in the Foundation Room on the library's fifth floor from May 4-6 (the week that falls between the end of Spring classes and the beginning of Summer classes).

The workshop will begin at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, May 4 and conclude at 2:00 pm on Thursday, May 6. To achieve the workshop goals, the Thursday session will focus on hands-on activities and collaborative work between library and college faculty, guided by the facilitators. While the workshop will formally conclude at 2:00 pm on Thursday, teams of college and library faculty may choose to work together the rest of the day.

Stipend for College Faculty

College faculty will receive a stipend of $1,000 for participating in the workshop and revising a syllabus and assignments for one course, in collaboration with a library faculty member, to incorporate information literacy components.

Workshop Goals & Activities

The goal of the workshop is to assist selected college faculty to better understand and appreciate the value and principles of information literacy, and to enable and encourage them to work with library faculty to incorporate the principles into their teaching.

Selected participants are requested to bring copies of one syllabus to be revised, along with its corresponding student learning outcomes and assignments. In the workshop, participants will be actively involved in performing the preliminary work necessary to accomplish the longer-term goal of fully incorporating information literacy education into their classes. For example, participants will develop and refine discipline-specific learning objectives, which will include working with the UWF library faculty to identify key discipline-specific resources available to students, as well as appropriate search strategies and evaluation skills. Each participant will also formulate an activity that will naturally fit into their chosen course for which information literacy skills are required and can be evaluated. Workshop participants will be given a charge and will work individually or in small discipline-specific groups, with one of UWF's Reference librarians serving as a member or a consultant to each group. Products that are developed will be shared with the larger group and discussed at the conclusion of each workshop session.

Selection Criteria

Selection decisions will be made based on the following:

• The availability of a library faculty subject specialist for the discipline of the course (Every attempt will be made to select at least one faculty member from each College to secure a broad range of participation.)


• Evidence of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the course


• Applicant's commitment and interest, as evidenced in the statement requested


• The level of potential for expanding Information Literacy within the discipline's curriculum


• The potential for experimentation with differing course levels, types, or methods of delivery


• The potential for experimenting with a variety of disciplines

Selection decisions will be made by a committee consisting of UWF Information Literacy library faculty and Dr. Gary Howard from the Center for University Teaching & Learning. This committee will submit its recommendations to the Library Director for final approval.

Workshop Facilitators

The workshop will be conducted by an outside team consisting of one college and one library faculty member experienced in developing assignments that promote information literacy. Similar workshops have been conducted in other universities such as James Madison University, Texas Tech University, George Mason University.

We have chosen the facilitators of this workshop for several reasons. JMU has integrated information literacy goals into the General Education curriculum and into the curriculum of many specific disciplines. The workshop facilitators have developed assessment-based strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of their programs. JMU was chosen as a Best Practices in Information Literacy institution by the Association of Colleges & Research Libraries (ACRL) in 2002.

• Lynn Cameron (Coordinator of Library Instruction & Liaison Librarian for Psychology)


• Michael Stoloff (Head of the Department of Psychology)

Ms. Cameron and Dr. Stoloff began their collaborative approach to incorporating information literacy into psychology courses at JMU nearly 20 years ago. Dr. Stoloff has been heavily involved in the evolution of the instruction program in his department, while Ms. Cameron has collaborated with departments across the JMU campus in their development of information literacy goals, activities, and assessment. Resumes for each individuals are available upon request (Kymberly Goodson: kgoodson@uwf.edu or x2457).

Expectations of College Faculty Participants

• Participants are expected to attend the complete workshop and to revise the syllabus and assignments for one class that will be taught during 2004-2005, in conjunction with the appropriate subject-specialist librarian, to incorporate information literacy principles throughout the length of the course; the revised syllabus should be used to teach the course the first time that it is offered following the workshop (either Fall 2004 or Spring 2005) and should continue to be used regularly thereafter. While participants are only required to revise one course during this workshop, they may wish to apply what they've learned to their other courses.


• A copy of the revised syllabi (and other relevant course materials) should be submitted to the library upon completion and may be placed on the library's Information Literacy Web site.


• It is hoped that the participants will informally encourage others in their departments and across campus to embrace and implement information literacy principles; participants may be asked, but not required, to serve as speakers, panelists, or resource persons for future events promoting Information Literacy at UWF.


• Close collaboration with a library faculty member is expected during all phases of the project.


• Receipt of the stipend implies a commitment on the part of the faculty member to carry out the project and teach the course involved.


• A faculty member participating in this workshop is expected to submit a brief report to the library within one month after the course has been taught for the first time. The report should address the ways in which information literacy goals were incorporated into the course, the nature and extent of librarian involvement in collaborating in the development and teaching (if applicable) of the course, the approximate amount of time devoted to the project's development, and the faculty member's assessment of the overall success of the project based on the initial teaching experience. The report should address relevant class sessions and assignments as well as the faculty member's overall assessment of student success in mastering the information literacy content.

What is Information Literacy?

Information Literacy constitutes the ability to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate, effectively use, and communicate information in its various formats. In the contemporary environment of rapid technological change and proliferating information resources, information literacy is becoming increasingly vital.

Information is everywhere. It is available through a wide array of sources and in multiple media, including graphical, aural, and textual. Increasingly, it reaches individuals in unfiltered formats, raising questions about its authenticity, validity, and reliability. Because of the escalating complexity of the information-rich environment, individuals are faced with diverse, abundant information choices--in their academic studies, in the workplace, and in their personal lives. Like many of the rest of us, UWF's students can be overwhelmed and frustrated by the information explosion that characterizes the digital age. As a result, many of them are unaware of the vast resources available to them and of how to use such resources effectively. Many of them turn to the Internet not only for its convenience, but because they simply don't know where else to turn.

The expanding quantity and uncertain quality of information pose significant challenges not only to individuals, but to society as a whole. The sheer volume of information will not in itself create a more informed citizenry. The Internet can be a remarkably good source of information, and sometimes a remarkably bad source. Informed citizens, need to be able to effectively evaluate information acquired through the Internet, as well as through all other sources. As educators we are challenged to provide students with a more effective set of skills that they can use when they are exposed to new information over their lifetime.

The paramount information literacy skills include the ability to:

• Recognize a need for information


• Identify and locate appropriate information sources


• Understand how to effectively access and utilize the information contained in those sources


• Evaluate the quality of information obtained


• Organize the information


• Use the information effectively

Desired student-centered outcomes of implementing an information literacy program include:

• Students' learning appropriate library resources


• Students' ability to evaluate Internet sources


• Students' ability to understand issues such as plagiarism, citation styles, copyright, intellectual property, the research and publishing process


• Students' ability to appropriately and effectively use technology


• Students' ability to apply critical thinking skills to personal, professional, and educational information needs


• The promotion of life-long learning among students


• The application of research skills to scholarly and personal information needs


• Helping students succeed in an increasingly complex and ever-growing information age


• The development of students into engaged and informed members of society

Additional information about information literacy, including links to related programs at other academic institutions and sample assignment revisions, is available online here.

Benefits of Information Literacy for UWF

How does information literacy apply to UWF's courses and programs?

Information literacy skills align with countless student learning outcomes which have been established for numerous UWF programs and courses. If your courses or programs have any of the following student learning outcomes (SLOs), you should find this workshop to be helpful. Is one of the goals of your course or program to help students develop the skills necessary to:

• Know when additional information is necessary


• Know how to find needed information


• Effectively evaluate and challenge information


• Communicate persuasively and knowledgeably


• Collect and use data gathered from a variety of sources


• Continue their professional development and educational growth throughout the lifespan and career path


• Demonstrate skill in the selection, evaluation, and use of reading materials in both print and non-print format


• Effectively integrate critical thinking into planning, instruction, and assessment


• Understand the theories prevalent in current research


• Use technology effectively


• Analyze current professional educational issues and best practices


• Explain, critique, edit, solve problems, innovate, lead, reason

Faculty who participate in this workshop will play a vital new role in the educational mission of UWF.

The workshop will help you:

• Develop innovative pedagogy


• Lead other faculty to think in new ways about their role as teachers


• Integrate critical thinking into planning and instruction


• Incorporate assessment into instructional methods


• Analyze current professional issues and best practices

For more information about Information Literacy in general and for links to resources on the topic, please visit UWF's primary Information Literacy page.

Page created by Kymberly Goodson: Social Sciences Librarian/Head of Reference, in March 2004
Page currently maintained by Kymberly Goodson: Social Sciences Librarian/Head of Reference
John C. Pace Library: University of West Florida Library
Date Last Updated: July 2004