Transcript “Once More Unto the Breach”… Closing the Gap Between High School & Higher Education Megan Oakleaf, MLS, PhD [email protected] NEAISL at Deerfield Academy April 11, 2008

“Once More Unto
the Breach”…
Closing the Gap
Between
High School &
Higher Education
Megan Oakleaf, MLS, PhD
[email protected]
NEAISL at Deerfield Academy
April 11, 2008
Agenda
• The Challenge
• Current Efforts
– SLMS
– Academic Librarians
• The Continuing Problem
– Skills Students Lack
– Skills Students Need
• Future Efforts
– Tailoring IL Focus Areas for Your Students
– Working with Academic Librarians
• Q&A
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
The Challenge
COLLEGE FACULTY & STUDENTS
HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS
• Faculty assume first-year students have
adequate research skills and are able to
conduct sophisticated information gathering
(Jackson & Hansen).
• Entering students believe their high school
preparation is adequate for success in
college (Hartman).
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
The Challenge
IN REALITY, STUDENTS FALL SHORT
• Students today are less able to tackle difficult questions, much
less curious, and less willing to engage in difficult thinking
(Fitzgerald).
• “Students expect information to be immediately available and
presented in a USA Today format — short and devoid of detail”
(Barefoot).
• Estimated 2/3 of first-year students cannot adequately analyze
information or arguments (Fitzgerald).
• Estimated 2/3 of first-year students cannot adequately
synthesize information from multiple sources (Fitzgerald).
• “Few first-year college students can easily distinguish fact from
fiction in online and print sources, and even fewer have ever
been exposed to the scholarly resources that can be found in a
college or university library” (Barefoot).
• A minority of first-year students can evaluate online resources
(Fitzgerald).
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
The Challenge
FALLING SHORT HAS CONSEQUENCES
• Half the students entering college in the 21st
century will fail to earn a degree (Carr &
Rockman).
• A contributing factor of that failure is inability to
find and use information effectively (Carr &
Rockman).
• Students who drop out of college, do so
predominantly in the first year (Fitzgerald).
• College retention rates are declining, and levels
of remediation are rising (Burhanna & Jensen).
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
The Challenge
SLMS & ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS
ANTICIPATE PROBLEMS & SEEK TO SOLVE
THEM
• Only 51% of SLMS believe students are
achieving desired levels of information
literacy (Islam & Murno).
• University librarians complain that first-year
students are unable to use resources well
(Daniel).
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Current Efforts
SLMS
What SLMS Teach
in descending order from most to least
Islam & Murno
Ethical Use - ACRL Standard 5 (most taught)
• Avoiding plagiarism & documenting sources
• Applying copyright & fair use
• Privacy, censorship, & freedom of speech
Evaluating Information - ACRL Standard 3
• Recognizing authority, accuracy, timeliness, & bias
• Using sources representing a variety of viewpoints
• Investigating footnotes & “suggested resources”
Defining Info Need - ACRL Standard 1
• Selecting appropriate resources to satisfy an information
need
• Brainstorming research questions for a topic or thesis
statement
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
What SLMS Teach
Islam & Murno
Finding Information - ACRL Standard 2
• Identifying keywords, synonyms
• Constructing Boolean searches
• Revising search strategies
Using Information - ACRL Standard 4 (least taught)
• Synthesizing information (prior & new knowledge)
• Communicating information in a final product or
presentation
• Using technology to manipulate media in multiple formats
NOTE:
This list includes what is TAUGHT, not what is LEARNED.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Why SLMS May Not Teach Skills
Islam & Murno
• Lack of support for information literacy
instruction
–
–
–
–
Administrative apathy
Lack of inquiry-based learning environment
Lack of information literacy skills among teachers
Lack of collaboration with teachers
• Teachers not prepared to partner with SLMS at pre-service
level
• Teachers assume responsibility for teaching skills
– Staffing/budget shortages = not enough time or
workload too heavy
• Too few opportunities for consistent instruction
• Skills do not need to be taught
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Current Efforts
Academic
Librarians
What Academic Librarians Teach
First-Year Students
in descending order from most to least
Finding Information – ACRL Standard 2
– Finding information via databases, OPAC
– Creating Boolean searches
– “Putting hands on” articles & books
Ethical Use – ACRL Standard 5
– Avoiding plagiarism
Evaluating Information – ACRL Standard 3
– Evaluating sources, especially websites
Defining Info Need – ACRL Standard 1
– Determining the information need
Using Information – ACRL Standard 4
– Analyzing, incorporating, using information to create
projects, papers, presentations
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Why Academic Librarians
May Not Teach Skills
• High student/librarian ratios due to staffing/budget
• Lack of access to students
– Lack of academic faculty interest in face-to-face
IL instruction
– Lack of administrative commitment to online IL
instruction
– Structure of majors and/or required courses
• Few classes that all students take
• Best students place out of many courses where 1st
year IL instruction takes place
• Lack of inquiry-based or research-based learning
environment
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Current Efforts
SLMS,
Academic Librarians,
& Current Collaborative
Efforts
Basis for Collaboration
Muronga & Harada qtd in Jackson & Hansen, Jackson & Hansen
•
•
•
•
•
Shared vision
Common goals (AASL/ACRL Standards)
Overlapping user populations
Similar need to work with classroom faculty
Similar desire to support student academic
work
• Climate of trust & mutual respect
• Personal value for all parties
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Current Collaborative Efforts
in the Literature
• Workshops (for students, teachers, other
librarians)
• Lesson plans
• Site visits (to high school & college libraries)
• Representation on library advisory groups
• Assessment
• Circulation policies
(Nichols, Jackson & Hansen)
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
The
Continuing
Problem
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Your Turn
• GREEN CARD: List one
information literacy skill your
students excel at.
• PINK CARD: List one information
literacy skill your students lack.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
The Continuing
Problem
Skills Students Lack
Skills Students Lack
SEARCHING
• Lack ability to define a search topic (Daniel) or generate a research question
(Dunn Study in Fitzgerald)
• Have difficulties conducting search strategies (Daniel)
• Lack understanding of searching principles (keywords, alternate search terms,
controlled vocabulary) (Daniel)
• Don’t know what to do with the volume of information produced by searches
(Jackson & Hansen)
• Assume they’ve found all available information (no results = no information
available) (Daniel)
• Unsure of what to do when first attempts don’t work (Daniel)
• Underestimate time to search for materials (Daniel)
• Lack skills to find different types and formats of materials (Daniel)
• Unaware of the differences between OPAC and online database (Islam &
Murno)
• Unfamiliar with elements of catalog records and citations (Daniel)
• Unfamiliar with controlled vocabulary (Daniel)
• Lack ability to obtain full-text of periodical articles (Daniel)
• Unfamiliar with LC call numbers & classification (Daniel)
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Skills Students Lack
EVALUATION
• Dismiss useful print resources (Matorana)
• Do not understand basic reference sources (Quarton qtd in
Fitzgerald)
• Are uncritical of found resources (Daniel)
• Use inadequate or inaccurate materials (Matorana)
• Lack skills to evaluate scholarly resources (Matorana)
• Can neither effectively evaluate nor appropriately use information
they find (Islam & Murno)
GENERAL
• Unfamiliar with library jargon (Daniel)
• Unfamiliar with steps of the research process (Daniel)
• Unaware of types and formats of materials (Daniel)
• Unsure who to ask for help (Daniel)
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Other Behaviors
• Not knowing when they don’t know.
• Emulation of “cool” upperclassmen who “have never been to the
library”.
• “Lost” without former librarians/teachers who are trained in
educational strategies.
• Avoidance of academic librarians (anxiety and selfconsciousness).
• Tendency toward plagiarism, accidental or otherwise.
Special Internet Issues
• Preference for web searching and emailing people before visiting
library (Dunn Study in Fitzgerald).
• Overconfident use of Internet for:
– Rigorous academic tasks (Quarton qtd in Fitzgerald)
– Choosing research topics, resulting in “shallow, pop” topics
(California Study in Fitzgerald)
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
The Continuing
Problem
Skills Students Need
What Higher Education Expects
SKILLS
• Experience with computer technology & internet research
• Sophisticated reading skills including criticism, analysis, &
inquiry
• Ability to analyze data, information, & personal beliefs
• Ability to conduct disciplined, planned inquiry
• Evaluation skills using criteria such as “clarity, accuracy,
precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logic, significance, &
fairness”
• Synthesis skills & ability to relate prior knowledge to new
information
• Ability to formulate, communicate, and argue an assertion
with evidence
• Ability to represent, analyze, & criticize the ideas of others
ethically & with proper documentation
• Ability to work alone, drawing on helpful resources
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
(California Study in Fitzgerald)
Lit Reviews & Synthesis
“Synthesis is one of the most difficult of
research tasks because it requires evaluation
and analysis of individual resources,
deconstructing resources into component parts,
and then reconstructing ideas into a new,
organized creation with value added by the
author. Thus, it requires creativity and most of
the higher-order thinking skills, along with
responsible use of authors’ ideas. Faculty feel
that only about 1/3 of students come to college
prepared to perform this task.”
(California Study in Fitzgerald)
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
What Higher Education Expects
HABITS OF MIND
• Curiosity & spirit of inquiry
• Ability to ask questions & maintain healthy
skepticism
• Willingness to experiment
• Willingness to participate in intellectual
discussions
• Respect for other perspectives & ability to
challenge personal beliefs
(California Study in Fitzgerald)
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
What Students &
Their Instructors Think
• 40% of college students say there are “gaps”
in their ability to do research.
– 10% say they are “struggling”
• 59% of college instructors are dissatisfied
with the preparation of public high school
graduates to do research.
– 24% are “very dissatisfied”
(Rising to the Challenge Study)
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Future
Efforts
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Future Efforts
Tailoring IL Focus
Areas for Your
Students
Tailoring IL Instruction
1. Identify the top 5 colleges your students attend.
2. Make contact with key librarians at those colleges.
–
–
–
Instruction Coordinator
First-Year Experience Librarian
Head of Reference
3. Discuss common first-year assignments. Get
copies of assignment sheets if possible.
4. Analyze assignments for required IL skills.
5. Assess your students skills (formally or informally)
in required skill areas.
6. Tailor instruction to address skill gaps.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Syllabus Studies – A Step Further
1. Collaborate with academic librarians at top 5 colleges to
gather syllabi from first-year courses.
–
–
–
Academic librarians request schedules of a random sample
of first-year students from registrar.
Work together to create master list of first-year student
courses for sample.
Email course instructors to obtain course syllabi/assignment
sheets.
2. Analyze syllabi for required IL skills.
3. Share required skill areas with students, parents,
teachers, administrators.
4. Assess your students in required skill areas.
5. Tailor instruction to address skill gaps.
Example: VanScoy, Amy and Megan Oakleaf. "Evidence vs. Anecdote: Using Syllabi to Plan
Curriculum-Integrated Information Literacy Instruction." College and Research Libraries.
2008.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Students (%) Required to Find Resources
Based on Partial Course Information
(n=350)
100
90
87
84
74
80
70
60
% 50
40
29
27
reference books
data & statistics
30
20
10
0
articles
websites
books
VanScoy, Amy and Megan Oakleaf. "Evidence vs. Anecdote: Using Syllabi to Plan Curriculum-Integrated Information
Literacy Instruction." College and Research Libraries. 2008.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Students (%) Required to Find Resources
Based on Complete Course Information
(n=139)
100
94
95
85
90
80
70
60
% 50
40
40
reference books
data & stats
40
30
20
10
0
articles
websites
books
VanScoy, Amy and Megan Oakleaf. "Evidence vs. Anecdote: Using Syllabi to Plan Curriculum-Integrated Information
Literacy Instruction." College and Research Libraries. 2008.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Students Not Enrolled in English 101
Required to Find Resources
(n=197)
100
90
82
83
80
74
70
60
% 50
40
30
28
reference books
data & stats
30
20
10
0
articles
websites
books
VanScoy, Amy and Megan Oakleaf. "Evidence vs. Anecdote: Using Syllabi to Plan Curriculum-Integrated Information
Literacy Instruction." College and Research Libraries. 2008.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
In the 1st Semester…
STUDENTS MUST:
• Find websites (84-95%)
• Find articles (87-94%)
• Find books (74-85%)
• Find reference books (29-40%)
• Find data/statistics (27-40%)
VanScoy, Amy and Megan Oakleaf. "Evidence vs. Anecdote: Using Syllabi to Plan Curriculum-Integrated Information
Literacy Instruction." College and Research Libraries. 2008.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Finding Websites…
MINIMUM SKILLS REQUIRED:
• Choose search engines
• Construct sophisticated searches
• Evaluate websites using criteria
• Incorporate information into paper/project
• Cite according to required style guide
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Ability to Evaluate Websites
Megan Oakleaf, “Assessing Information Literacy Skills: A Rubric Approach”, Dissertation, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Ability to Evaluate Websites
68%
32%
78%
93%
50%
Megan Oakleaf, “Assessing Information Literacy Skills: A Rubric Approach”, Dissertation, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Finding Articles…
MINIMUM SKILLS REQUIRED:
• Navigate library website (or set up Google
Scholar preferences for academic library)
• Choose an appropriate online database
• Construct sophisticated searches
• Distinguish popular & scholarly articles
• Evaluate articles using criteria
• Incorporate information into paper/project
• Cite according to required style guide
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Finding Books…
MINIMUM SKILLS REQUIRED:
• Navigate library website
• Identify OPAC
• Construct sophisticated searches
• Evaluate books using criteria
• Use call numbers (LC)
• Incorporate information into paper/project
• Cite according to required style guide
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Finding Reference Books…
MINIMUM SKILLS REQUIRED:
• Navigate library website
• Identify OPAC
• Construct sophisticated searches limiting to Reference
• Evaluate reference books using knowledge of reference
book types & evaluation criteria
• Use call numbers (LC)
• Incorporate information into paper/project
• Cite according to required style guide
OR…
• Locate reference area in library
• Use call numbers (LC) to browse subject area
• Cite according to appropriate style guide
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Finding Data & Statistics
MINIMUM SKILLS REQUIRED:
• Identify sources of data & statistics
“Who would care about this information enough to
keep statistics on it?”
• Locate sources via web, online databases,
OPAC, or reference sources
• Interpret data & statistics
• Evaluate data & statistics using criteria
• Incorporate information into paper/project
• Cite according to required style guide
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Future Efforts
Working With
Academic
Librarians
Ideas for Collaborating with Academic Librarians
FOCUS ON STUDENTS
• Create a one-page handout summarizing expectations of first-year
college students & share it with students and parents (Burhanna &
Jensen).
• Give students practice dealing with unstructured assignments
requiring use of complex resources (Daniel).
• Connect instruction to specific information needs in discipline
contexts (Jackson & Hansen).
• Create planned, systematic, and cumulative IL instruction programs
(Jackson & Hansen).
• Share resources aimed at smoothing the transition.
http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/infosrv/lue/pal/ or
http://www.transitioning2college.org/
• Remember that high school library use is a predictor of college
library use (Jackson & Hansen).
• Encourage positive library attitudes (Boatman in Fitzgerald).
• Plan
long term!
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Ideas for Collaborating with Academic Librarians
FOCUS ON TEACHERS
• Inform teachers about the role of information
literacy in national & state academic content
standards (Bielich & Page qtd in Islam & Murno).
• Identify classroom teachers who incorporate
inquiry-based learning or other types of research
projects & create finding aids that include local
college resources. If possible, partner with
teachers to design field trips to academic libraries.
• Work to train pre-service teachers (Islam & Murno).
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Ideas for Collaborating with Academic Librarians
FOCUS ON ADMINISTRATORS
• Emphasize benefits to administrators (Hull & Taylor
qtd in Islam & Murno).
– Recruitment/admission
– Community relations
– Enhanced public image
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Ideas for Collaborating with Academic Librarians
FOCUS ON COLLEGE COLLABORATIONS
• Introduce yourself to your college counterparts!
• Communicate (Martorana, Daniel) & create shared physical
& virtual discussion spaces (Jackson & Hansen).
– Site visits
– Meetings & conferences
– Representation on library advisory groups
– Listservs
– Websites
• Collaborate to develop IL partnerships (Nichols).
– Lesson plans
– Finding aids (Jackson & Hansen).
– Workshops (for students, teachers, other librarians)
– Videos
– Assessment
– Borrowing privileges
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
Questions?
For More Information
ACRL/AASL Blueprint for Collaboration
http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/acrlaaslblueprint.cfm
Barefoot
“Bridging the Chasm: First-Year Students and the Library”
Chronicle of Higher Education 2006
http://www.webster.edu/~kennelbr/FreshmanTransferSeminars/BridgingTheChasm.pdf
Carr & Rockman
“Information Literacy Collaboration: A Shared Responsibility”
American Libraries 2003
Daniel
“High School to University: What Skills do Students Need?”
Information Rich but Knowledge Poor? Emerging Issues for Schools and Libraries Worldwide 1997
Fitzgerald
“Making the Leap from High School to College”
(includes California, Dunn, & University Success study summaries)
Knowledge Quest 2004
Hartman
“Understandings of Information Literacy: The Perceptions of First Year Undergraduate Students at eh
University of Ballarat”
Australian Academic & Research Libraries 2001
Islam & Murno
“From Perceptions to Connections: Informing Information Literacy Program Planning in Academic
Libraries Through Examination of High School Library Media Center Curricula”
College & Research Libraries 2006
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008
For More Information
Jackson & Hansen
“Creating Collaborative Partnerships: Building the Framework”
Reference Services Review 2006
Martorana, et al
“Bridging the Gap: Information Workshops for High School Teachers”
Research Strategies 2001
Nichols, et al
“Building a Foundation for Collaboration: K-20 Partnerships in Information Literacy”
Libraries Beyond Their Institutions: Partnerships that Work 2005/6
Oakleaf
“Assessing Information Literacy Skills: A Rubric Approach”
Dissertation UNC-CH 2006
Pathways to Academic Libraries
http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/infosrv/lue/pal/
Rising to the Challenge
http://www.achieve.org/node/548
Transitioning to College
http://www.transitioning2college.org/
VanScoy & Oakleaf
"Evidence vs. Anecdote: Using Syllabi to Plan Curriculum-Integrated Information Literacy
Instruction”
College and Research Libraries 2008
M. Oakleaf, NEAISL 2008