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Cunningham Memorial Library: Faculty Information and Resources: Library Instruction: Student Learning Outcomes

Our information literacy curriculum is premised upon several key concepts that have helped us articulate a robust set of outcomes for our students.

Essential to all work at ISU is the University's strategic plan. Our information literacy programming will expand the university's capacity by incorporating inclusive excellence in sustainable, high quality pedagogical practices.

Basing our work in inclusion and equity provides the realization that information literacy is a basic necessity for full participation in a democracy.  Information is created with privileged sources that mediate the messages we receive. (Saunders) As a basic necessity, all of our students should learn how to navigate truth, information  and mediated sources in the 21st century. As describled in the library's DEI plan,  we prioritize our learner's needs and abilities by meeting them where they work and learn, both physically and intellectually.As such, our curriculum uses social justice to inform the outcomes we’ve developed for ISU students.

The core of our information literacy practices are based on the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The framework contains six frames, or concepts, which are used to developed information literacy practices.  Basing our work in the framework has led us to incorporate the ACRL's 'knowledge practices" and "dispositions" as our learning objectives. For a more full discussion, visit the ACRL's framework page. 

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Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education" https://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework

Saunders, Laura. “Information Literacy Frameworks & Social Justice”. https://slis.simmons.edu/blogs/lsaunders/information-literacy-frameworks-social-justice/

Sauders, Laura. (2017) “Connecting Information Literacy and Social Justice: Why and How.” Communication in Information Literacy. 11:1. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1148869.pdf

Strategic Plan: There’s More to Blue. https://www.indstate.edu/strategic-goals#section=2

Authority Is Constructed and Contextual

Learners will

  • define different types of authority, such as subject expertise (e.g., scholarship), societal position (e.g., public office or title), or special experience (e.g., participating in a historic event);
  • use research tools and indicators of authority to determine the credibility of sources, understanding the elements that might temper this credibility;
  • understand that many disciplines have acknowledged authorities in the sense of well-known scholars and publications that are widely considered “standard,” and yet, even in those situations, some scholars would challenge the authority of those sources;
  • recognize that authoritative content may be packaged formally or informally and may include sources of all media types;
  • acknowledge they are developing their own authoritative voices in a particular area and recognize the responsibilities this entails;
  •  examine the ways that information can be used to persuade, promote, misinform, or coerce.

Learners will

  • develop and maintain an open mind when encountering varied and sometimes conflicting perspectives;
  • motivate themselves to find authoritative sources, recognizing that authority may be conferred or manifested in unexpected ways;
  • develop awareness of the importance of assessing content with a skeptical stance and with a self-awareness of their own biases and worldview;
  • question traditional notions of granting authority and recognize the value of diverse ideas and worldviews;
  • are conscious that maintaining these attitudes and actions requires frequent self-evaluation;
  •  question traditional constructions of authority;
  • value information and sources from different perspectives;
  • recognizes the impact of the filter bubble/echo chamber and actively seeks out diverse sources of information.

Research as Inquiry

Learners will

  • formulate questions for research based on information gaps or on reexamination of existing, possibly conflicting, information;
  • determine an appropriate scope of investigation;
  • deal with complex research by breaking complex questions into simple ones, limiting the scope of investigations;
  • use various research methods, based on need, circumstance, and type of inquiry;
  • monitor gathered information and assess for gaps or weaknesses;
  • organize information in meaningful ways;
  • synthesize ideas gathered from multiple sources;
  • draw reasonable conclusions based on the analysis and interpretation of information.

Learners will

  • consider research as open-ended exploration and engagement with information;
  • appreciate that a question may appear to be simple but still disruptive and important to research;
  • value intellectual curiosity in developing questions and learning new investigative methods;
  • maintain an open mind and a critical stance;
  • value persistence, adaptability, and flexibility and recognize that ambiguity can benefit the research process;
  • seek multiple perspectives during information gathering and assessment;
  • seek appropriate help when needed;
  • follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information;
  • demonstrate intellectual humility (i.e., recognize their own intellectual or experiential limitations).

Information Creation as a Process

Learners will

  • articulate the capabilities and constraints of information developed through various creation processes;
  • assess the fit between an information product’s creation process and a particular information need;
  • articulate the traditional and emerging processes of information creation and dissemination in a particular discipline;
  • recognize that information may be perceived differently based on the format in which it is packaged;
  • recognize the implications of information formats that contain static or dynamic information;
  • monitor the value that is placed upon different types of information products in varying contexts;
  • transfer knowledge of capabilities and constraints to new types of information products;
  • develop, in their own creation processes, an understanding that their choices impact the purposes for which the information product will be used and the message it conveys.

Learners will

  • be inclined to seek out characteristics of information products that indicate the underlying creation process;
  • value the process of matching an information need with an appropriate product;
  • accept that the creation of information may begin initially through communicating in a range of formats or modes;
  • accept the ambiguity surrounding the potential value of information creation expressed in emerging formats or modes;
  • resist the tendency to equate format with the underlying creation process;
  • understand that different methods of information dissemination with different purposes are available for their use.

Searching as Strategic Exploration

Learners who are developing their information literate abilities

  • determine the initial scope of the task required to meet their information needs;
  • identify interested parties, such as scholars, organizations, governments, and industries, who might produce information about a topic and then determine how to access that information;
  • utilize divergent (e.g., brainstorming) and convergent (e.g., 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 how information systems (i.e., collections of recorded information) are organized in order to access relevant information;
  • use different types of searching language (e.g., controlled vocabulary, keywords, natural language) appropriately;
  • manage searching processes and results effectively.

Learners who are developing their information literate abilities

  • exhibit mental flexibility and creativity
  • understand that first attempts at searching do not always produce adequate results
  • realize that information sources vary greatly in content and format and have varying relevance and value, depending on the needs and nature of the search
  • seek guidance from experts, such as librarians, researchers, and professionals
  • recognize the value of browsing and other serendipitous methods of information gathering
  • persist in the face of search challenges, and know when they have enough information to complete the information task

Information Has Value

Learners will

  • give credit to the original ideas of others through proper attribution and citation;
  • understand that intellectual property is a legal and social construct that varies by culture;
  • articulate the purpose and distinguishing characteristics of copyright, fair use, open access, and the public domain;
  • understand how and why some individuals or groups of individuals may be underrepresented or systematically marginalized within the systems that produce and disseminate information;
  • recognize issues of access or lack of access to information sources;
  • decide where and how their information is published;
  • understand how the commodification of their personal information and online interactions affects the information they receive and the information they produce or disseminate online;
  • make informed choices regarding their online actions in full awareness of issues related to privacy and the commodification of personal information.

Learners will

  • respect the original ideas of others;
  • value the skills, time, and effort needed to produce knowledge;
  • see themselves as contributors to the information marketplace rather than only consumers of it;
  • are inclined to examine their own information privilege.