EGCC Libguides: Information Literacy: Information Literacy at EGCC

Mission of Information Literacy Program

The mission of the EGCC Library's Information Literacy program is to create high quality resources and collaborate with faculty and staff to educate students on how to access, evaluate, and utilize information effectively and ethically to achieve academic success. The EGCC Library provides synchronous and asynchronous instruction options and resources, including:

EGCC Library's Information Literacy Program empowers students by equipping them with the information literacy skills needed to be independent and self-sufficient in locating, selecting, evaluating, and using information sources. The overarching goals of the Information Literacy Program at EGCC are to:

Collaborate with faculty and staff to provide information literacy instruction at the introductory level and beyond
Offer a range of learning opportunities beyond in-class instruction, such as live workshops, tutorials, and appointments
Foster critical thinking skills and encourage students to become lifelong learners

Applying the ACRL Framework and Competency Standards at EGCC

Authority is Constructed and Contextual

"Information resources reflect their creators’ expertise and credibility, and are evaluated based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used. Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required" (American Library Association, 2015).

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students at EGCC should be able to:

Understand why it is important to evaluate information in terms of authority and credibility
Use research tools and markets of authority to determine credibility of sources
Critically examine all evidence, no matter what the source, and ask relevant questions about origins, context and suitability for the information need
Articulate and apply initial criteria for evaluating both the information and its sources

EGCC Librarians developed these Learning Outcomes using the following sources:

American Library Association. (2015, February 9). Framework for information literacy for higher education. Association of College & Research Libraries. https://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework

American Library Association. (2000). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. American Library Association Institutional Repository. https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/7668

Information Creation as a Process

"Information in any format is produced to convey a message and is shared via a selected delivery method. The iterative processes of researching, creating, revising, and disseminating information vary, and the resulting product reflects these differences" (American Library Association, 2015).

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students at EGCC should be able to:

Use information effectively, as an individual or in a group, to accomplish a specific purpose
Apply new and prior information to the planning and creation of a particular product or performance
Communicate the product or performance effectively to others (through class discussion, giving presentations, etc.)

EGCC Librarians developed these Learning Outcomes using the following sources:

American Library Association. (2000). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. American Library Association Institutional Repository. https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/7668

Information Has Value

"Information possesses several dimensions of value, including as a commodity, as a means of education, as a means to influence, and as a means of negotiating and understanding the world. Legal and socioeconomic interests influence information production and dissemination" (American Library Association, 2015).

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students at EGCC should be able to:

Understand plagiarism and many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information
Access and use information ethically and legally
Give credit to the original ideas of others through proper attribution and citation
Articulate the purpose and distinguishing characteristics of copyright, fair use, open access, and the public domain
Make informed decisions regarding their online actions in full awareness of issues related to privacy and the commodification of personal information

EGCC Librarians developed these Learning Outcomes using the following sources:

American Library Association. (2000). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. American Library Association Institutional Repository. https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/7668

Research as Inquiry

"Research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field" (American Library Association, 2015).

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students at EGCC should be able to:

Formulate and narrow the scope of their research question
Vary their research methods and tools to best meet their information needs
Develop a critical eye toward evaluating sources
Begin to understand the basics of synthesis and paraphrasing

EGCC Librarians developed these Learning Outcomes using the following sources:

American Library Association. (2000). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. American Library Association Institutional Repository. https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/7668

Scholarship as Conversation

"Communities of scholars, researchers, or professionals engage in sustained discourse with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of varied perspectives and interpretations" (American Library Association, 2015).

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students at EGCC should be able to:

Contribute to scholarly conversation at an appropriate level (e.g., local online community, guided discussion, etc.)
Validate understanding and interpretation of information through discourse with other individuals (e.g., faculty and other students)
Recognize that a given scholarly work may not represent the only or even the majority perspective on the issue

EGCC Librarians developed these Learning Outcomes using the following sources:

American Library Association. (2000). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. American Library Association Institutional Repository. https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/7668

Searching as Strategic Exploration

"Searching for information is often nonlinear and iterative, requiring the evaluation of a range of information sources and the mental flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding develops" (American Library Association, 2015).

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students at EGCC should be able to:

Utilize divergent (brainstorming) and convergent (selecting the best source) thinking when searching
Match information needs and search strategies to appropriate search tools
Design and refine needs and search strategies as necessary, based on search results
Understand that first attempts at searching do not always produce adequate results
Recognize the value of browsing

EGCC Librarians developed these Learning Outcomes using the following sources:

American Library Association. (2000). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. American Library Association Institutional Repository. https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/7668

Examples of IL Competencies Addressed at Different Levels

The following six competencies are informed by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. We have outlined what these competencies look like at a Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced level.

1. Navigation of library resources and services

Beginner: Becoming familiar with EGCC Library's facilities and website as a way to learn about and use library resources and services
Intermediate: Reviewing search results and synthesizing those most relevant to the research question
Advanced: Using Interlibrary loan (ILL) to obtain items the library does not have.

2. Understanding the research process

Beginner: Identifying an information need and developing a research question
Intermediate: Using library tools to find information on subjects/topics in library resources like books/ebooks, databases, and journals
Advanced: Sharing the results of your research via essays, posters, presentations, publications, etc.

3. Identification of types of sources

Beginner: Being able to distinguish among different types of sources like books, journals, and articles as well as websites, primary and secondary sources, patents, etc.
Intermediate: Being aware that different types of sources are useful for different types of research needs and recognizing how their importance and use can vary by discipline
Advanced: Applying different types of sources to various research needs appropriately

4. Construction of search strategies

Beginner: Constructing search strategies by identifying concepts and keywords, then connecting them with Boolean operators, and refining strategies based on search results
Intermediate: Employing advanced search techniques like using subject headings and field codes (e.g., Author, Title, Subject, etc.)
Advanced: Using Interlibrary loan (ILL) to obtain items the library does not have.

5. Evaluation of sources

Beginner: Being aware of different types of authority such as subject expertise and societal position
Intermediate: Using critical thinking to determine the quality of sources based on criteria such as Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose
Advanced: Developing and applying appropriate evaluation criteria to sources for your research

6. Avoidance of plagiarism

Beginner: Identifying and avoiding different types of plagiarism
Intermediate: Citing sources in accordance with style guides (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)
Advanced: Using citation management techniques to organize research and generate citations and bibliographies

This information is based on Wichita State University's LibGuide: https://libraries.wichita.edu/libraryinstruction/curriculummapping