Treading New Paths: How Creative Collaboration Transformed Teaching the Research Process to USC Upstate’s First-Year Students Andrew Kearns Coordinator.

Treading New Paths:

How Creative Collaboration Transformed Teaching the Research Process to USC

Upstate’s First-Year Students

Andrew Kearns

Coordinator of Library Instruction

University of South Carolina UpstateLOEX 37th Annual Conference

Albuquerque, New Mexico

May 2, 2009

University of South Carolina Upstate

• Spartanburg, SC (along the I-85 corridor between Charlotte and Atlanta)

• Enrollment: 4,500 – 5,000

• Freshman class rapidly growing – approx. 730 in Fall 2008 (+50 students per year)

• Approx. 40% first generation

First-Year Information Literacy Program

Louise Ericson – Center for Student Success

Brenda Davenport – First-Year Composition

Andrew Kearns – Coordinator of Library Instruction

University 101

• Fall semester college success course• 3 credit hour elective• Approximately 75% of Freshmen

Louise Ericson and University 101 Instructors

• Concerned about the quality of student research paper.

• Questioned appropriateness for a research paper without any focus on students’ research preparedness.

• Felt that students needed a foundation in research through learning information literacy skills.

• Provide students with tools to complete class assignments and support work in other courses.

English 101/102

• Transition from Fall Semester “learning to write” and Spring Semester “writing about literature” courses to two-semester composition sequence.

• 90-95% of all freshmen• Common reading and writing program (Preface)• Learning research skills, how to use the library,

library instruction sessions in both courses.• Research process identified by English faculty

for greater emphasis in courses.

Librarians

• How should the University 101 and English 101 library sessions be differentiated?

• Concerns about the quantity of material they were expected to cover in one period.

University 101Sessions will include the following elements:1. Username/Password (logging on to system and finding Library pages)2. Asking for Help Ask a Librarian (where to find, form) Reference Desk Call to Reference Desk3. Searching for a Known Item Library Catalog (Title, Author) Call Number / Availability (from results list and bibliographic record) LC Classification (introduction to system as distinct from Dewey) Periodical Search (Title in TDNet) Citation (parts of) Periodical Location (, Bound, Electronic Databases) EBooks (how to find) Current4. Searching for an Unknown Item Books and Media in Library Catalog (Keyword, Subject [subject heading links from full bibliographic record]) Periodicals: popular vs. scholarly journals Periodical indexes and databases (searching, Full Text availability) Finding article if not available as Full Text link from database (TDNet) Inter-Library Loan (What it is, how to find on Library home page, show form)

English 101•Tour of the Library Basic Functions of the Library Library First Floor Reference; Circulation; General Circulating Collection; Periodicals; Newspapers; Computers in the Library; Audiovisual Area; Study Rooms Library Second Floor General Circulating Collection; Quiet Study Area•Types of Materials Found in a Library Reference Collection; General Circulating Collection; Periodicals; Audiovisuals•Library Home Page Basic Information about the Library, which can be obtained through the library’s home page •Library Catalog•Electronic Databases, including TDNet

English 102•Review of some of the information, including the Library’s web site, that was covered during the English 101 library instruction session.•Review of electronic databases including TDNet Database Descriptions.

What databases are available for the students to access. Citations — Elements of a citation will be covered. Abstracts — What are abstracts?•Distinguishing between different information formats, such as full-text, PDF, microfilm, bound periodicals, reference books, etc.•Brief description of Interlibrary Loan.

What are the needs of our first-year students in learning

the research process?

The iPod® (mp3) Tour

Students complete iPod tour assignment for U101 and provide proof to English 101/102 instructors

Goal is to get students familiar with the library’s resources and layout in a hands-on learning environment

Library Instruction SequenceUniversity 101 = Library 101• Students will be introduced to the concept of

information literacy (research process), library resources, services and organization, and will be able to find a book or an article using the library catalog and databases.

• Partially covered in required iPod Tour and Library Assignment.

Library Instruction Sequence

English 101 = Research 101• Students will understand the stages in the

research process necessary for completing a class assignment and will develop the skills needed to find and use library resources appropriate for that assignment.

• Focus on online searching and search strategies.

• Reference sources may be covered by a pre-session assignment.

Library Instruction Sequence

English 102• Students will refine and expand their research

skills and understanding of the research process through the completion of a class assignment using appropriate library resources.

• Builds on English 101 skills, with more focus on advanced search techniques, finding scholarly articles, subject-specific databases, evaluating search results.

How do we get students to see the process of research?

Information Literacy is . . .•a way of defining and thinking about the Research Process•a life skill needed for your college career and beyond•above all, a PROCESS!

The information literate student . . .

1. Knows the nature and extent of the information needed.•Chooses and focuses a topic.•Develops a thesis statement or research question for a topic.•Reads background information on the topic.•Distinguishes and chooses information intended for scholarly or popular audiences published in books, journal and magazine articles, or on the Internet as appropriate to the topic.2. Accesses the needed information.•Knows how to use the library catalog, article and reference databases, and the Internet to find and retrieve print and electronic books and articles, web pages, and other documents.•Knows how to refine searches by using subject terms, search strategies incorporating Boolean logic and truncation, advanced search screens, and other aids available in an online catalog or database.•Understands the organization of information in the physical Library and online.•Analyzes results of searches to find best information for research need regardless of format.

How can we better bind the library session to the course of

which it is a part?

University 101 Sequence

The Great Cell Phone Search

Starting Your Annotated Bibliography

English 101

• Session has a focus on “online searching, with an emphasis on finding full-text articles in Academic OneFile.”

• Includes search strategies, refined searching in library catalog, other topics as needed.

• Still assignment-based.

Pre-Library Session Assignments

• Create Your Own Pathfinder

- Students use the library catalog and Internet to find books and websites relevant to their topic

• Reference Books

- Students select reference books and do background reading to help focus topic

Keeping On Track

• Teaching information literacy is collaborative by nature.

• Many skills will be taught by classroom instructors.

• Challenge: deepening the integration of information literacy instruction in the three courses.

• Challenge: Assessment

Faculty Comment

• “This year’s library session seemed more focused and easier for the students to navigate (compared to last year). The written feedback I received from the students was very positive. . .” (comment regarding Fall 2008 University 101 session)

Student Survey Results

The iPod (mp3) Tour and Library Assignment worked together with my University 101 library orientation session to give me a good introduction to the library.

Student Survey Results

• I thought the iPod tour was valuable in knowing where resources are in the library, but it was way too long. By the time I finished I had lost all interest in learning about the library.

• The most valuable thing I learned from the iPod tour and library assignment is information about the reference desk and obtaining help and also pulling up journals and database resources.

• Make the tour more interesting by making the recording more real and interactive, not boring and script like.

• I learned my way around the library and how I can use each resource.

Student Survey Results

• Making copies was a waste of our money.• Thank you for taking your time to give the tour.

Your resources at the library have been very valuable to me during my first semester!

• Try not to make it so long and time consuming.• The tour was a good opening tool for the library,

but I believe it should be done at an early date.• I think this assignment should be continued,

especially for freshmen, so they can learn the resources they need now and in the future.

Collaboration

• Communication – keep in touch!

• Listen!

• Articulate common concerns, goals

• Be creative!

• Know where you are going!

Thank You !

Andrew Kearns

Coordinator of Library Instruction

University of South Carolina [email protected]

Special Thanks to

Louise Ericson

Brenda Davenport