Transcript Drafting: what’s information literacy got to do with it? Salomón Dávila, Pasadena City College, Engineering and Technology Division and Hema Ramachandran, Access Services Librarian, PCC.

Drafting: what’s information
literacy got to do with it?
Salomón Dávila, Pasadena City College, Engineering and Technology
Division
and
Hema Ramachandran, Access Services Librarian, PCC (now Engineering
Librarian at Cal State-Long Beach)
Please see http://tinyurl.com/ypkd3k for a copy of this presentation, examples of
orientation handouts, survey results, evaluation of assessment, pretest and Lab 10
library assignment (posttest)
Drafting
Drawing, drawing and more drawing and never
reaching program objectives of spatial visualization
and sketching graphical solutions.
Underestimating work and time required for
assignment completion.
Presentation of course material separate from its
contextual use
Relying mostly on demonstrations and lectures for
material presentation.
Initial Contact
Email to coordinators in Engineering Program
(November 2005)
Response from the Coordinator of the Drafting program
January 2006 (Winter Intersession):
 Discussions on scope of library resources
 Incorporating information literacy assignments into the
Drafting classes (8A, 8B, 8C 117)
But HOW to incorporate IL into Drafting?
First Library assignment
Objectives:
Introduction and overview of library information tools
Perform searches in the online catalog, periodical databases etc.
Introduction to other library services (e.g. Inter-Library Loan)
Preparation and delivery of a professional presentation
Share industry knowledge with colleagues
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course, students will be able to use a variety of library
and information tools to support research assignments and deliver a
professional presentation
Assignment:
Prepare and deliver a 5 minute professional presentation
Cite at least three different sources of which one has to be a recent
periodical article
Content of orientations
Searching online catalog for books
Searching periodical databases: highlighting the significance of
trade journals for assignment and professional development
Use of encyclopedias, dictionaries and handbooks
Use of internet resources including critical evaluation
Citing resources
Challenge:
Students had difficulty narrowing topics for their presentation
(Examples: stereolithography, history of the metric system,
parametric solid modeling, nanotechnology, CAD/CAM)
Rubrics
3
Highly Competent
2
Competent
1
Not Successful
Organization
Presented highly
organized content
with relevant text
and graphics
Presented a
series of
disconnected text
and graphics
Lack of material to
relate the
complete
information of
topic
Oral Presentation
Well rehearsed
Read from notes
delivery of content and did not
explain material
Adlibbing and
notable pauses
between
sentences
Resources
Presented
material from an
array of sources
cited correctly
Presented
material from a
sole source
Limited number of
resources and not
cited correctly
Summer 2006: Discussions
Lengthy discussions lead to redesign of classes to
incorporate more information literacy seamlessly into
design projects for 8A, 8B and 17
8C: New Product Development: major redesign over the
summer to incorporate more non-engineering aspects
(marketing and business focus)
Fall 2006
Each library orientation was targeted towards the specific
projects/assignments
Demonstrations, examples and handouts reflected the projects
Handouts included online databases, print resources, internet and
other libraries
Relevant print sources (mostly handbooks) were brought into the
classroom
Added as “Designer” to the course management system (WebCT)
but did not fully exploit this
Some things we discussed but didn’t implement:
 Mandatory appointments with librarian/research clinics/virtual
consultation
 Research logs/portfolios
8C: New Product Development
Problem Statement: Noise in the library
Possible solution: “A bubble” that can be checked
out
Explored the concept (types of materials, design considerations,
existing products, manufacturers…)
Used this idea as a springboard to explore resources
Three orientations plus added some material to WebCT
Please see http://tinyurl.com/ypkd3k for Powerpoint
presentations
.
8C: LIBRARY RESOURCES
Has someone already come up with a solution?
USE PROQUEST/SCIENCE FULL-TEXT/PATENTS
Are there similar products on the market?
USE PROQUEST/SCIENCE FULL-TEXT/PATENTS
Who would use such a product?
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA/CONTACT ASSOCIATIONS
The market for the product?
USE PROQUEST/CONTACT ASSOCIATIONS
Who are the major competitors?
USE PROQUEST/COMPANY INFO/HOOVERS.COM
Finding manufacturers
THOMASNET
Please see http://tinyurl.com/ypkd3k for handouts
.
8C: STUDENT LEARNING
OUTCOME
Present the development of a product justifying design
methods through information research and
prototyping
8C: RUBRICS
5
The student
demonstrated
strongly the use
of appropriate
information
resources and
applied superior
critical thinking
skills to make
informed
arguments to
develop the
product and its
marketability
4
The student
demonstrated
the use of
some
information
resources
and applied
some critical
thinking skills
to make
informed
arguments to
develop the
product and
its
marketability
3
The student
demonstrated
use of some
information
resources but
failed to use
critical thinking
skills to apply the
development of
the product ……
2
The student
attempted to
use some
information
resources but
did not use
any critical
thinking skills
or apply
them..
1
The student
did not use or
show any
attempt to
use any info
resources
Fall 2006: Design Projects (8A,
8B, 17)
Incorporated IL into design projects (mousetrap vehicle, robotic arm,
dorm room, prefabricated housing)
Students collaborated in teams
Final deliverables included: model, graphical representation of
design/product, a report and a presentation
Please see http://tinyurl.com/ypkd3k for examples of handouts
.
Spring 2007
Continued with the program that was developed in Fall
Incorporated results from an industry survey: added more instruction
on codes, standards and handbooks
Experimented with pre and post tests (library assignment)
Developed survey to elicit info on IL component of class
Library Assignments
Adapted some general library pretests for engineering
Professor Davila designed a library assignment (Lab 10) which
was substituted for the post-test designed by Hema!
Examples:
o Human dimensions when sitting including seating angles (range)
male vs female reach, leg space and sight line angles
o Find the inch dimensions for a (you pick) hexagonal socket head
cap screw and its drill and counterbore size. Sketch the screw.
Please see http://tinyurl.com/ypkd3k for copy of Pretest, Lab
10 (Post Test)
1
SLO #1
SLO #2
0
SLO #3
O
rg
an
1
SLO #4
0
SLO #3
O
rg
an
iz
at
io
n
SLO #2
ul
e
Views
he
d
SLO #1
Sc
Problem
Statement
ra
w
in
gs
ra
w
in
gs
Problem
Statement
D
Drawings
Prototype
DRFTG 8A SLO Evaluation
Fall '06
Team
Work
ul
e
D
Views
he
d
2
CAD
n
Sc
Drawings
3
Analysis
at
io
iz
Team
Work
CAD
Prototype
2
Analysis
Rubrics: Spring 2007
DRFTG 8A SLO Evaluation
Spring '07
3
SLO #4
Survey
Please see http://tinyurl.com/ypkd3k
Common themes
Each session also emphasized:
Information skills are useful beyond the class
Career resources: job seeking, preparing for the
interview etc.
Keeping up with current developments in the field
Using information resources on the job to solve problems
Beyond the classroom
Assessing Lifelong Learning is a challenge
Alumni Surveys
Industry/Employer surveys
Longitudinal survey is the only complete way to
assess
Create the environment conducive to lifelong learning
(information literacy)
Did we succeed?
Each student will hopefully recognize the need for information
literacy/lifelong learning
Anecdotal: we observed as behavior and habits changed
Requirements for the course, demanded that students had to
engage in information literacy
Embedding IL into the curriculum reinforces these skills in their reallife context
Alumni survey would be the only way to study long term effects
Conclusions
Benefits for librarian – obvious!
Benefits for engineering faculty member?
Collaboration takes time
Would we have done anything differently?
(Salomon: Hema shouldn’t have left PCC!)