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Course: Itroduction to Information Literacy
Department: Humanities / Fine Arts
While completing the table below, remember that the individual outcomes you list in the first column should answer this question: What must the learner know and be able to do at the end of the course? Items in the third column should answer the question: How do we know? The second column is where teachers can be most creative; it's for pedagogy. Each rectangle in column one should contain just one outcome; the corresponding rectangles in columns two and three, however, may contain more than one item. Using the code at the end of the matrix, indicate the core competencies being strengthened by the outcomes activities and the assessment tools.
| *COURSE OUTCOMES |
OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES |
ASSESSMENT TOOLS |
| Upon successful completion of this course, students should |
To achieve these outcomes, students may engage in the following activities: |
Student learning may be assessed by |
| To define and articulate the need for information |
Brainstorm a topic (CT)
Create a mindmap (CT, W)
Reflect on mindmapping (in a journal) (CT, W)
Formulate a research question (CT)
Discuss information seeking habits (OC)
Identify key words (CT, R) |
Complete exercises
(CT, W)
Peer evaluate mindmap (CT, R)
Complete journal exercise (W)
Participate in group discussion (OC) |
| To understand the organization of information in order to locate the information needed at the MCC library, other college/university libraries, public libraries, etc. |
Discuss major library classification schemes (OC, QS)
Explain the structure of resources at MCC library (CT, OC)
Describe and define the variety and scope of resources at MCC library (OC, CT)
Fill in library map (CT)
Retrieve materials at MCC library (CT)
Retrieve sources outside MCC(CT) |
Complete library map (CT)
Complete classification game (CT, OC)
Present retrieved items to class (OC) |
| To formulate, refine and efficiently use a search strategy in order to find information |
Develop an appropriate search strategy depending on format, research need, etc. (CT, TS)
Interpret strategy needed for a research assignment (CT) |
Complete exercises (CT)
Write in journal (W, CT) |
| To locate and retrieve information in a variety of formats |
Apply Library of Congress classification to locate materials (CT, QS)
Discuss and apply differences between primary and secondary sources (CT, OC)
Select sources among these formats: print, electronic, microform (W, OC)
Identify and use relevant sources/formats (CT, R) |
Complete exercises (W, QS)
Complete journal entry (W, CT)
Work in groups on case studies (CT, OC) |
| To interpret and analyze search results in order to select the most relevant sources |
Discuss value of using one format over another (CT, OS)
Research online using URL input, search engines, subscription services, online catalogs (CT, TS)
Compare results of searches (CT, W, OC) |
Complete exercises alone or in groups (TS, W)
Complete journal entry (W)
Compete in "Best Format" game (CT, W) |
| To critically evaluate information |
Compare good web sites to poor ones (CT)
Using evaluation criteria, work in groups and/or alone to determine the reliability, accuracy, authority, and currency of web sites (CT, W, OC)
Distinguish between scholarly and popular resources (R, CT) |
Complete exercises (TS, CT, W)
Complete journal entry (CT, W) |
| To understand public policy and ethical issues involved in the gathering and use of information |
Apply documentation methods (CT, W)
Investigate copyright responsibilities(CT) |
Annotate and correctly document an item (CT, W)
Complete exercises (W, R)
Complete journal entry (W) |
| To organize, synthesize and apply the information in order to understand what was gathered and to share with others |
Select a research problem and apply knowledge learned to create an annotated bibliography of sources on the topic (CT, W, TS) |
Complete bibliography (CT, W, TS, R)
Complete exercises and exam (R, W, TS, CT) |
| To strengthen Core Competencies** in order to increase success in this and other courses and in the workplace. |
Referenced above |
Referenced above. |
*Try to express an outcome as an infinitive phrase that concludes this sentence: At the end of the course, the students should be able to . . .. Finding the line between too general and too specific can be difficult. In an English Composition course, for instance, it is probably too general to say, "The student should be able to write effective essays." It is probably too specific to say, "The student should be able to write an introductory paragraph of at least 50 words, containing an attention-getting device, an announcement of the narrowed topic, and an explicit thesis sentence." Just right might read, "The student will write introductions that gather attention and focus the essay."
**Indicate the Core Competencies that apply to the outcomes activities and assessment tools: Critical Thinking (CT); technology skills (TS); oral communications (OC); quantitative skills (QS); reading (R); writing (w). |
