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Library instruction assessment in upper-level courses.

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Abstract

Librarians can improve one-time library instruction in graduate and upper-level courses by implementing information literacy standards. Since instruction at this level is much more subject-and discipline-specific, it requires greater collaboration between librarian and professor than at the lower course levels. Assessment may be done primarily through observation and student self-assessment, and the results should be shared with the professor.

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Librarians and teaching faculty in higher education are facing a growing pressure to integrate information literacy into their instructional goals (ACRL, 2003). Several accrediting bodies in the United States now recognize information literacy as a key student outcome; the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, for instance, stated in their standards that, "information literacy is vital to all disciplines and to effective teaching and learning in any institution" (2002, p. 33). Instruction librarians are also becoming more involved in assessment, often because of institutional pressure for accreditation purposes (Merz & Mark, 2002). This assessment can occur on several different levels, including in the classroom, at the campus-wide level, or beyond the campus (ACRL, n.d.).

In this article, I share my own efforts in implementing information literacy standards and assessing student outcomes in graduate and upper-level one-time library instruction in hopes of making assessment more practicable to those new to it. In doing so, I follow the advice of Barbara Cambridge, an editor of Learning Through Assessment: "The best ways to alienate or intimidate persons new to assessment as a topic are to refer to complex, large-scale studies; employ jargon such as validity, reliability, and chi squares; and flaunt empirical data. On the other hand, positive ways to encourage persons new to assessment are to offer practical experiences, provide examples, and refer people to their own goals and objectives" (Gardiner, Anderson & Cambridge, 1997, para. 6).

Why, when, and how to assess

My first experience with assessment came when I began my tenure-track position, and I was asked to document my teaching effectiveness. I initially used a "Presentation Evaluation" form and tabulated the results for my annual self-report. The form asked students to rate the extent to which I, as the presenter,

1. clearly stated the purpose of the presentation,

2. introduced myself and explained how I could be contacted for further help,

3. was well organized and easy to follow,

4. spoke with expressiveness and variety in tone of voice,

5. used demonstrations and visual aids to clarify what was being said,

6. provided handouts that will help in using the library's resources.

Additionally, the form also asked students to rate the extent to which my presentation increased their understanding of how to use the library's resources and to list what was most beneficial and least beneficial about my presentation as well as what could be done to...

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