Information Literacy Skills for
College Success
Bridging the High School Gap to College
Cindy Fisher, First-year Experience Librarian
University of Texas Libraries
Understanding IL from the Student
Perspective
Defining IL
At its most basic, information literacy can be
defined as the ability to think critically about
information
-adapted from ACRL IL Standards
IL Across Standards & Grade
Levels
Eisenberg, M. (2008). Information Literacy: Essential Skills for
the Information Age. Journal of Library & Information
Technology, 28(2), 39-47.
IL & Cognitive Development
Upon entering college
Upon exiting college
Dualistic or early multiplistic
Able to deal with differing points of
view
Rely on Authority
Still rely on Authority
Difficulty recognizing differing
points of view
Difficulty relating evidence to
argument
”What is the right answer?” or
”Everyone has a right to his or her own
opinion”
“Recognition that in some areas
knowledge will never be certain.”
Jackson, R. (2007). Cognitive development: The missing link in teaching information literacy skills. Reference &
User Services Quarterly, 46(4), 28-32.
How Does this Translate for You?
Some things you already know...
Students who have grown up with the Web have
become accustomed to having more
information available to them, with less effort,
than their parents and grandparents did.
- John Palfrey, Smart Talks
How Does this Translate for You?
Some things you likely already know...
Digital natives are extraordinarily sophisticated
and strangely narrow”
- John Palfrey
Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives
How Do You Integrate IL Into Your
Classes?

Pros/Cons of using Wikipedia

Evaluating websites, domains

Using library databases

Finding books in the library (a given, it seems)
Question: how do you incorporate information
technology or computer literacy with IL?
Assigning Inquiry:
Project Information Literacy
“Despite the seismic changes in the way that
information is now created and delivered, 83% of
handouts in our sample called for the standard
research paper.
Few handouts asked students to present findings
using other formats, including multimedia and
oral presentations.”
Head, A. and Eisenberg, M. (2010). Assigning Inquiry: How Handouts for Research Assignments Guide Today's College Students.
University of Washington's Information School. Available at: http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_Handout_Study_finalvJuly_2010.pdf.
Assigning Inquiry:
Project Information Literacy
Six in 10 handouts recommended students consult
the library shelves―a place- based source―more
than scholarly research databases, the library
catalog, the Web, or, for that matter, any other
resource.
Only 13% of the handouts suggested consulting a
librarian for assistance with research.
Head, A. and Eisenberg, M. (2010). Assigning Inquiry: How Handouts for Research Assignments Guide Today's College Students.
University of Washington's Information School. Available at: http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_Handout_Study_finalvJuly_2010.pdf.
Assigning Inquiry:
Project Information Literacy
Few of the handouts (14%) that directed students to
use the library's online scholarly research databases
specified which database to use by vendor or file
name from the hundreds that tend to be
available.
Head, A. and Eisenberg, M. (2010). Assigning Inquiry: How Handouts for Research Assignments Guide Today's College Students.
University of Washington's Information School. Available at: http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_Handout_Study_finalvJuly_2010.pdf.
Assigning Inquiry:
Project Information Literacy
Details about plagiarism, if mentioned at all, were
scant and tended to emphasize the disciplinary
recourse instructors would take against students
who were caught in acts of academic dishonesty.
Head, A. and Eisenberg, M. (2010). Assigning Inquiry: How Handouts for Research Assignments Guide Today's College Students.
University of Washington's Information School. Available at: http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_Handout_Study_finalvJuly_2010.pdf.
So what's a librarian to do?
Research and assessment, of course!
The syllabus study:
Owen & Oakleaf's approach


Analyzed freshman course enrollment and corresponding
syllabi
Noted syllabi requiring “inquiry-based research
assignments” to determine research tasks
The syllabus study:
Owen & Oakleaf's approach

Found a huge gap between expectations listed on firstsemester, freshman syllabi and the skills they were taught
in high school
→ side note: not playing the blame game ←



“... [D]emonstrate flexibility by adapting their traditional
information seeking strategies.”
“… [D]isplay emotional resilience by persisting despite
challenges.”
Comparison of AASL standards, ACRL IL Standards, and
Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

The syllabus study:
Owen & Oakleaf's approach
Oakleaf, M. and Owen, P. (2010) Closing the 12-13 Gap
Together: School and College Librarians Supporting 21 st
Century Learners. Teacher Librarian, 37(4), 52-58.

The syllabus study:
Owen & Oakleaf's approach
Oakleaf, M. and Owen, P. (2010) Closing the 12-13 Gap
Together: School and College Librarians Supporting 21 st
Century Learners. Teacher Librarian, 37(4), 52-58.
Owen & Oakleaf's approach
Head's Up Lessons & Checklist




Collaboration between teacher, school librarian & academic librarian
Course-integrated research assignment created by English teacher +
school librarian
Three research sessions in the library:

Translate concepts they are familiar with to those that
maybe foreign (database selection, etc)

Know what you don't know
Checklist is used throughout senior year to monitor student skills &
guide assignments
Owen & Oakleaf's approach
Head's Up Lessons & Checklist
Checklist is used throughout
senior year to monitor student
skills & guide assignments
Owen, P. (2010). A transition checklist for high school
seniors. School Library Monthly, 26(8), 20-23.
Owen/Oakleaf's Approach
Issues & things to keep in mind

Students learn best at point of need



Summer can take it's toll
Course integrated instruction takes time
Cognitive development may be at different
stages
Let's Cross this Bridge Together
Learning Outcomes for First-year Students in
Signature Courses at UT-Austin
• Create and execute a research strategy
• Critically evaluate information
• Use Citations
Let's Cross this Bridge Together
Course-Integrated Instruction:
Signature Course Faculty Toolkit

Search based on learning outcome

See what other instructors have done

Tailor materials based on discipline or
research needs
Let's Cross this Bridge Together
How to Generate Keywords tool

Helps to define a task (Big6)

Create/define a research strategy (ACRL)

Access information efficiently and &
effectively (AASL)
Let's Cross this Bridge Together
Remind your students that research is a recursive process!
Eisenberg, M. (2008). Information Literacy: Essential Skills for the Information Age. Journal of Library &
Information Technology, 28(2), 39-47.
Sources Cited
Eisenberg, M. (2008). Information Literacy: Essential Skills for the Information Age. Journal of Library & Information
Technology, 28(2), 39-47.
Head, A. and Eisenberg, M. (2010). Assigning Inquiry: How Handouts for Research Assignments Guide Today's College
Students. University of Washington's Information School. Available at:
http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_Handout_Study_finalvJuly_2010.pdf.
Jackson, R. (2007). Cognitive development: The missing link in teaching information literacy skills. Reference & User
Services Quarterly, 46(4), 28-32.
Oakleaf, M. and Owen, P. (2010) Closing the 12-13 Gap Together: School and College Librarians Supporting 21 st Century
Learners. Teacher Librarian, 37(4), 52-58.
Owen, P. (2010). A transition checklist for high school seniors. School Library Monthly, 26(8), 20-23.
Owen, P. (2010) Heads Up!: A checklist for transitioning to college. School Library Monthly, 26(8), 8-9.
Palfrey, John. (2008). Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives. New York: Basic Books.
Project Information Literacy Smart Talk, no. 3, John Palfrey, "Rethinking Plagiarism in the Digital Age?" September 1,
2010.
Understanding Information Literacy through the Lens of the Student Experience. 2009. Available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfjyYW5yju8&feature=youtube_gdata_player [Accessed October 17, 2010].
Questions?
Cindy Fisher // First-year Experience Librarian
cynthfisher@austin.utexas.edu // 495-4333
http://lib.utexas.edu/signaturecourses