TEACHING INFORMATION LITERACY WITH DISCOVERY TOOLS Nancy Fawley, University of Nevada Las Vegas Nikki Krysak, Norwich University
Sep 01, 2014
TEACHING INFORMATION LITERACY WITH DISCOVERY TOOLSNancy Fawley, University of Nevada Las VegasNikki Krysak, Norwich University
Introduction
About our presentationhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/SS_Aquitania.jpg
Webinar outcomes• Understand the unique qualities of discovery tools in order to better instruct students in the classroom
• Learn how to maximize discovery tool features in order to teach students to fully evaluate search results
• Understand how discovery tools integrate with subject-specific databases in order to meet upper-level course needs
• Acquire new ideas for teaching in order to fully capitalize on the benefits of teaching with a discovery tool
Poll #1: Understanding our audience
Does your institution have a discovery tool?
a. Yes, we have oneb. Not yet, but we will be implementing onec. No, and we have no plans to implement one
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Poll #2: Understanding Our Audience
If you have a discovery tool, when did your institution implement a discovery tool? a. Less than 1 year agob. 1 to 2 years agoc. 2 to 3 years ago d. More than 3 years ago
Understanding our students
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Recent research findings
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Recent research findings (cont.)
• Project Information Literacy Report (2013):• Students struggle with keyword selection & forming search queries,
filtering & sorting search results, identifying & selecting potential sources
Recent research findings (cont.)
• ERIAL Study (2012)• Students lack methodological understanding of effective searches,
expend the minimum effort needed, rarely look past the first page of results
Recent research findings (cont.)
• Asher, Duke & Wilson (2013)• Students rely on default relevancy ranking for best sources
Recent research findings (cont.)
• Maid & D’Angelo (2013)• Students need to be aware of the danger in forming snap
judgments when gathering information in unfamiliar subject areas
Poll #3: Understanding your institutions
If you have a discovery tool, is it the only way to search your OPAC?
a. Yesb. No
Poll #4: Understanding your institutions
If you use a discovery tool, is it positioned as a main default search box on the library homepage?
a. Yesb. No
Discussion
Benefits of teaching with discovery tools
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Benefits of teaching with discovery tools
• One-stop shop model (also a drawback)• Unified search platform (also a drawback)
• Intuitive, Google-like interface• Accommodates broad keyword searches
Benefits of teaching with discovery tools (cont.)
• Facets and limiters (also a drawback)
Benefits of teaching with discovery tools (cont.)
• Interdisciplinary-friendly• Encourages critical thinking
Benefits of teaching with discovery tools (cont.)
Challenges of teaching with discovery tools
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Challenges of teaching with discovery tools
• Overwhelming number of retrievals• Relevancy rankings • Lack of controlled vocabulary
• One-stop shop model (also a benefit)• Unified search platform (also a benefit)
Challenges of teaching with discovery tools (cont.)
• Spotty interdisciplinary coverage• Inconsistent use across high-impact classes
Challenges of teaching with discovery tools (cont.)
Getting others on board
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Getting others on board
• Write the discovery tool into learning outcomes, when applicable to course content
• Communicate tool changes & updates to instruction team
Discussion
Teaching: Best practices
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• Higher order skills: • Search strategies• Evaluating sources
Teaching: Best practices
• Consider the context• Go beyond your comfort zone
Teaching: Best practices (cont.)
• Develop supplemental subject guides• Highlight link resolvers• Emphasize ILL
Teaching accessories
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Lesson ideas
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Lesson ideas
• Integrate primary resource materials
• Databases have structure
Lesson ideas (cont.)
• Experiment with flipped learning
Lesson ideas (cont.)
Lesson ideas (cont.)
• Unmediated searching
Discussion
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Selected Bibliography Asher, A.D. & Duke, L.M. (2012). Searching for answers: Student research behavior at Illinois Wesleyan University. In L.M. Duke & A.D. Asher (Eds.), College libraries and student culture: What we now know (pp. 71-85). Chicago: ALA Editions.
Asher, A.D., Duke, L.M., & Wilson, S. Paths of discovery: Comparing the search effectiveness of EBSCO Discovery Service, Summon, Google Scholar, and conventional library resources. College & Research Libraries 74(5), 464-488.
Cowan, S.M. (2014). Information literacy: The battle we won that we lost? portal: Libraries and the Academy 14(1), 22-32.
The Flipped Learning Network. (2014). The four pillars of F-L-I-P™. Retrieved from http://fln.schoolwires.net/cms/lib07/ VA01923112/Centricity/Domain/46/FLIP_handout_FNL_Web.pdf
Godbey, S., Wainscott, S. & Goodman, X. What is a database? An understanding of the underlying structures and common features of databases. In Teaching Information Literacy Threshold Concepts: Lesson Plans for Librarians. American Library Association. (Accepted book chapter).
Head, A.J. (2013, December 5). Learning the ropes: How freshmen conduct research once they enter college. Project Information Literacy Research Report: The Passage Studies. Retrieved from http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_2013_FreshmenStudy_ FullReport.pdf
Hofer, A. R. & Townsend, L. & Brunetti, K. (2012). Troublesome concepts and information literacy: Investigating threshold concepts for IL instruction. portal: Libraries and the Academy 12(4), 387-405.
Maid, B.M. & D’Angelo, B.J. (2013). Teaching researching in the digital age: An information literacy perspective on the new digital scholar. In R. McClure & J.P. Purdy (Eds.) The new digital scholar: Exploring and enriching the research and writing practices of nextgen students. (pp. 295-312). Medford, New Jersey: American Society for Information Science and Technology.
Mutra, Sugata. (2011). Hole-in-the wall: Lighting the spark of learning. Hole-in-the-Wall Education, LTD. Retrieved from http://www.hole-in-the-wall.com/MIE.html