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Creating Avenues:
Partnerships in a Changing
Library Environment
Frostburg State University
Company
Katherine Jenkins &LOGO
Judith Pula
Lewis J. Ort Library & Department of English
Agenda
1. Mandates
2. Assessment
3. Partnerships
4. Tips and Lessons Learned
5. Q & A
Assessment Mandates
Background
Current push for
accountability
triggered by
legislatures
wanting to see
return on the
dollar.
Your University
Frostburg State
University
Middle States
Regional
accrediting
body
Regents
Academic
program
accreditors
Maryland Higher
Education
Commission
University System
of Maryland
Academic program
accreditors (NCATE)
Mandates
Mandates
Next Step
Get background
To learn more about
assessment, read
Regional
Accreditation and
Student Learning
Develop assessment
tools
Determine
benchmarks
How to get there
Read mission
statement for your
university and for
your library
Create learning
goals for session or
for program overall
Read ACRL’s
information literacy
standards
Your Campus
Define learning
outcomes
Determine
stakeholders
Regional Commissions
 Six regional commissions accredit over
3500 institutions.
 Guided by the Council of Regional
Accrediting Commissions.
Regional Accrediting Bodies
 Middle States
Association of
Colleges and
Schools
 Northwest
Commission on
Colleges and
Universities
 North Central
Association of
Colleges and
Schools
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FL, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, PR, VI
http://www.msche.org/
Standard 11: Educational Offerings
Standard 12: General Education
Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning
New edition of the Characteristics of Excellence in Higher
Education was implemented in 2003
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AK, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA
http://www.nwccu.org/
Standard 2:Educational Program and its Effectiveness
Standard 5: Library and Information Resources
Lists specific types of documentation which are required
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AR, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, OK, NM, SD,
WI, WV, WY
http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/
Criterion 3: Student learning and effective teaching
Lists examples for documentation
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Regional Accrediting
Bodies (cont’d)
 New England
Association of
Schools and
Colleges
 Southern
Association of
Colleges and
Schools
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CT, ME, MA, RI, VT
http://www.neasc.org/cihe/cihe.htm
Standard 4: The Academic Program
Standard 7: Library and Other Information Resources
New accreditation standards effective 1/2006
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AL, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX, VA
http://www.sacscoc.org/
Core requirement 2.12: Quality Enhancement Plan
Comprehensive Standard 3.8: Library and Other Learning
Resources
Provides report from Council of Regional Accrediting
Commissions about assessment of student learning
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 Western
Association of
Schools and
Colleges
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CA, HI, and Pacific Basin region
http://www.wascweb.org/
Standard 2: Achieving Educational Objectives through
Core Functions.
Lists questions about student learning; helpful link on
assessment
Middle States Standard 11
Educational Offerings
 The institution’s educational offerings display academic content,
rigor, and coherence that are appropriate to its higher education
mission. The institution identifies student learning goals and
objectives, including knowledge and skills, for its educational
offerings.
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Fundamental Elements—
 program goals that are stated in terms of student learning
outcomes;…
 collaboration between professional library staff and faculty in
teaching and fostering information literacy skills relevant to the
curriculum;
 programs that promote student use of information and learning
resources;…
Source: Middle States Commission. (2002).
Characteristics of excellence in higher education.
Middle States Standard 12
General Education
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The institution’s curricula are designed so that students
acquire and demonstrate college-level proficiency in general
education and essential skills, including oral and written
communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical
analysis and reasoning, technological competency, and
information literacy.
Fundamental Element—
 …assessment of general education outcomes within the
institution’s overall plan for assessing student learning, and
evidence that such assessment results are utilized for
curricular improvement.
Source: Middle States Commission. (2002).
Characteristics of excellence in higher education.
Middle States Standard 14
Assessment of Student Learning
 Assessment of student learning demonstrates that,
at graduation, the institution’s students have
knowledge, skills and competencies consistent with
institutional and appropriate higher education
goals.
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Fundamental Element —
 …a documented, organized, and sustained assessment
process to evaluate and improve student learning that
meets the following criteria:
•
…direct evidence of student learning…
Source: Middle States Commission. (2002).
Characteristics of excellence in higher education.
FSU’s Accountability Cycle
Evidence shared with
 external state agencies
 Middle States Commission
President’s
Cabinet
Deans’
Council
Learn from
results
Institutional
Assessment
Committee
Provide
evidence
Student Learning
Advisory
Group
Assessment
review at
Frostburg State
University
Assessment
Assessment
Information Literacy
Frostburg State Library Student Learning Goals
Students will- frame a research question and identify main concepts and
corresponding keywords that can be used during the search
process.
 learn to understand the differences among information sources.
 learn to use catalog USMAI (the online catalog of the University
System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions) to identify appropriate
books and items within the library and the University system.
 learn to use Research Port to identify and find appropriate articles
for their research.
 learn to efficiently and effectively access information and identify
credible sources, including information from the World Wide Web.
 understand that there are different documentation styles for citing
sources.
Instruction: Assessment
Formative
research
exercises
guided
practice
questions
Summative
Direct
short survey
survey
ORIE survey
short
assignment
(applying
their skills)
freshman
composition
survey (all
sections)
Indirect
student
self-report
Partnerships
Partnerships
Freshman Composition
Partnerships
Freshman composition sessions with
collaborating faculty.
Experience was new for faculty.
Librarian took faculty member to lunch to
discuss and plan the session.
Librarian drafted an outline and session
handouts to send to faculty for feedback.
Assignments
 Library Tools assignment
In 250 to 500 words, evaluate the presentation on library
tools. For instance--but not necessarily--consider the
presenter, the style of presentation, the kinds of tools to
which you were introduced, tools which you didn't know
about but which seem valuable in the light of your past
efforts to use the library, and so forth. In addition,
distinguish between scholarly and popular sources.
 Annotated Bibliography assignment
Assessment Cycle
Establish
learning
goals
Provide
learning
opportunities
Assessment as a Four
Step Continuous Cycle
Use the
results
Text
Assess
student
learning
Source: Suskie, L. (2004). Assessing
student learning: A common sense guide.
Tips and Lessons Learned
Tips and Lessons Learned
Tips
Start small
Review ACRL Info Literacy standards
Check out ACRL’s IL webpage
Create assessment binder
Assess by sample size
Participate in an assessment e-seminar
Join listservs: tlt-swg, ili, assess
Findings and Lessons Learned
 Collaborate with faculty in greater numbers.
 Conduct pre-test and post-test.
 Reinforce learning concepts across disciplines.
 Refine either the handouts or the instruction.
 Refine the information literacy assessment
process for freshman composition before
developing and assessing information fluency
standards for upper-level classes.
Assessment Alternatives
 Project SAILS
Tests students based on ACRL’s information literacy competency
standards. Cost: $3 per student up to $2,000.
Website: Projectsails.org
Email: [email protected]
 TLT-The Teaching, Learning, and Technology Group. Assessment tools
are available. Some resources are free, while other resources are by
subscription.
Website: tlcgroup.org
Email:[email protected]
 National Survey of Student Engagement- Web and paper version.
Note: Different levels of assessment. Sampling fee dependent on
enrollment.
Website: nsse.iub.edu/index.cfm Email: [email protected]
Further Research
 Conduct study about assessment experience
from several institutions from each regional
accrediting body.
 Conduct a longitudinal study of freshman
composition (5-10 years) to see whether
there is a significant increase in information
literacy as a result of instruction.
Question & Answer
Q&A
Questions?
 For more information:
Katherine Jenkins
Lewis J. Ort Library
[email protected]
Judith Pula
Department of English
[email protected]