I nformation literacy a ssessment

1. Information literacy assessment Sheila Webber, Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield, UK September 2003

2. “It has long been recognised that probably the biggest influence on a student’s approach to their studies is theassessment regime of the course” Rust, C. (2001) A briefing on assessment of large groups. York: Learning and Teaching Support Network.(p11) http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=17152&prompt=yes&filename=ASS012

3. “the crucial thing, I think, is that you do have to tie the literacy exercises to application to the discipline which is assessed in some way, frankly, because if not, the ones who need it most will do it less” Civil Engineering lecturer, interviewed for our project

4. Information literacy is the adoption of appropriate information behaviour to identify, through whatever channel or medium, information well fitted to information needs, leading to wise and ethical use of information in society (Johnston & Webber 2002)

5. No simplistic model for IL assessment • Assessment of student learning • Assessment in context of teaching, learning and course design • Complex assessment as befits the definition of IL

6. Learning design Learning purposes Information rich Proactive Alignment T/L/A for IL Design of Learning & Teaching Evaluation/ redesign Constructivist Relational Developmental Assessment of learning Bill Johnston & Sheila Webber, 2002 Credit bearing Complex

7. Designing assessment in practice • Common factors • Modes of assessmentexpressed by • Tasks, activities and products of assessment: individual and group

8. 4 Common factors 1. Assessment should address a blend of purposes • Diagnosis • Formative feedback for improvement • Summative feedback for judgement • Course evaluation, quality audit (but you may need to address different purposes through different exercises)

9. 2. Assessment regime should display certain conditions e.g. • relevance, consistency, authenticity, practicality N.B it might be "practical" but meaningless!

10. 4 aspects of authentic assessment • "Assessments sample the actual knowledge, skills, and dispositions desired of teachers [professionals] as they are used in teaching and learning contexts, rather than relying on more remote proxies. • "Assessments require the integration of multiple kinds of knowledge and skill as they are used in practice. • "Multiple sources of evidence are collected over time and in diverse contexts. • "Assessment evidence is evaluated by individuals with relevant expertise against criteria that matter for performance in the field." Darling-Hammond & Snyder, cited by: Elton, M & Johnston, B (2002) Assessment in universities: a critical review of research. York: Learning and Teaching Support Network. http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=17161&prompt=yes&filename=ASS013

11. 3. Recording of assessment should take variety of forms e.g. • transcripts of test results, portfolios, learning diaries 4. Assessment should address the learner’s concept of, & approach to, learning e.g. • Quantitative/qualitative; Surface/deep

12. “Be suspicious of the objectivity and accuracy of all measures of student ability and conscious that human judgment is the most important element in every indicator of human achievement” Ramsden, quoted in: Biggs, J. (1999, p159).

13. Modes of assessment • Expert assessment • Self assessment • Peer assessment Need to develop self-critical and reflective capacity in the student to be able to engage in self and peer assessment through life

14. "Critical self-evaluation and self-assessment of performance is an essential quality of the lifelong learner. Unless students are encouraged to take at least some responsibility for their own assessment they are unlikely to reach their full potential as creative, productive learners in the workplace or community” Candy, P.C., Crebert, G. and O‘Leary, J. (1994, p154)

15. Example • Module taken by students on BSc Information Management - 25 this year • Level 1 semester 1 • 20 credits (i.e. a third of what they do in this semester) • 3 hours most weeks: 1 hr lecture followed by 2 hours in computer lab • WebCT to support class

16. SCONUL 7 pillars of information literacy Recognise information need Distinguish ways of addressing gap Basic Library Skills & IT Skills Construct strategies for locating Information Literacy Locate and access Compare and evaluate Organise, apply and communicate Synthesise and create http://www.sconul.ac.uk/

17. (10%) Review of a website, article or book • (50%) Reflection on achievement in each of SCONUL 7 pillars (1,500-1,750 words) plus portfolio of evidence including • Before/after mindmaps * • Bibliography produced for student client * • Presentations • Feedback from student client • Anything else (e.g. other classes) • (40%) Examination

18. Reflection/ portfolio • Aims • To reflect on your understanding of information literacy • To improve your information searching skills by carrying out and evaluating a search for a real-life client • To provide the client with relevant information • To familiarise yourself with specific information sources • Standard coursework feedback sheet + individual comments

19. What they don't get marks for includes • Feedback on ppt presentation on infolit strengths/ weaknesses in week 2 (from teaching staff & peers) • Feedback on ppt presentation of group search task in week 6 (from teaching staff) • Feedback from peer and lecturer on reference interview in week 5/6 • Feedback on "bibliography" from student client in week 10 • It can be used as evidence in their portfolio

20. Exercises identifying & evaluating websites in pairs ppts of evaluations posted to discussion list, some presented Short talk about evaluating information 1 Further material on evaluating, including "Internet Detective" 2 Examining how other people evaluate or review Short review of a website, article or book on information literacy (marked) 3 etc. etc. 4 Group exercise searching & evaluating information on MMR vaccine

21. I and a colleague play 2 scenes in which a librarian and information scientist do poor interviews Students asked for feedback on what went well/badly Short lecture on interviewing techniques 1 Further reading on interviewing given After each interview, interviewer, interviewee & tutor write down comments, then give verbal feedback Written comments copied to interviewer Tutorial: Interview a fellow student "client" to find out what information the client wants 2 Student reflects on interview in portfolio (marked) 3

22. Over to you! (1) • 10 minutes to think individually about an assessment or assessment task you currently use, or would like to use. Fill out as much of the form as is helpful

23. Over to you! (2) • 20 minutes in groups. Choose a theme for your group presentation e.g.: • Ideas for using peer, self and expert assessment • Bringing more variety into assessment - your ideas for particular assessments you have used or would like to use • Collaborating (with teachers, students, administrators, IT experts…) for changes in assessment

24. Over to you! (3) • 20 minutes for (some?) groups to feedback to everyone

25. Contacts • Sheila Webber s.webber@sheffield.ac.uk • http://ciquest.shef.ac.uk/infolit/ - weblog • http://dis.shef.ac.uk/literacy/