Integrating
Information Literacy
into Blackboard
Pamela Jackson
San Diego State University
CARL Conference
April 22, 2006
Asilomar
Agenda



Brief Overview of Learning Management
Systems (LMS)
Results of a California State University Librarian
LMS Survey
Ideas for Integrating Information Literacy into
LMS
What Are Learning Management
Systems (LMS)?

Collaborative Online Learning Environments

Blackboard, WebCT, Moodle, Sakai
CSU LMS Summit
Beginning a system-wide strategic planning
process around LMS
 Key Issues that Emerged:

Single Sign-On
 Better Integration of Library Resources
 Shift from Course Management to Outcomesbased Learning Environment

Library Concerns




Lack of Library Presence
Copyright Violation Concerns
Course Content Cartridges Offered Directly to
Instructors by Publishers
Limited Seamless Integration of Any Library
Resources
Why Should Librarians Get Involved?


Additional Method for Reaching Students
Student Demand






NetGen Students
Social Networking
Collaboration
Multimedia Environment
Mobile
Growing Academic Trend
Growth of Courses and Instructors Using
Blackboard at SDSU
1600
1400
1200
1000
Instructors
Courses
800
600
400
200
0
Fall 00
Fall 01
Fall 02
Fall 03
Fall 04
Growth of Students Using Blackboard at
SDSU
30000
25000
20000
15000
Students
10000
5000
0
Fall 00
Fall 01
Fall 02
Fall 03
Fall 04
Survey of CSU Librarians




All California State University (CSU) librarians
serving in Reference and Library Instruction
(familiar with a LMS or not)
Conducted in December 2005 and January 2006
86 Respondents
20 of 23 campuses responded
What LMS does your campus use?
Number of campuses: 20
70%
70%
60%
50%
Blackboard
50%
WebCT
40%
Moodle
Other
30%
Don't know
20%
10%
0%
5%
5%
5%
Rate your proficiency level in using a learning
management system
3.49%
11.63%
40.70%
Low or Very Low
Average
High
Very High
44.19%
Proficiency Using a LMS Based on Whether or Not
Training was Received
0.6
0.5
0.4
Yes
No
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Very Low
Low
Average
High
Very High
Is a librarian assigned to coordinate information
literacy instruction endeavors for your LMS?
12.79%
41.86%
45.35%
Yes
No
I do not know
Frequency Collaborating with Faculty to Incorporate
Information Literacy into Courses on LMS vs.
Collaboration on In-person Instruction
90.00%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
80.2%
76.7%
Collaborate on
In-Person
Sessions
Collaborate on
LMS Courses
15.2%
Fairly or Very
Frequently
21%
Infrequently or Never
Frequency Collaborating with Faculty
to Include Information Literacy in LMS If
Librarian Received LMS Training
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
Yes
No
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
Very
Frequently
Fairly
Infrequently
Frequently
Never
How Librarians Help Faculty Include the Library in LMS
Number of Respondents: 86
12.00%
11.6%
10.00%
9.3%
8.00%
6.00%
4.00%
2.00%
0.00%
5.8%
3.5%
2.3%
Provide Links to Library
Resources
Provide Web-based Digital
Learning Objects
Participate in Discussion
Boards
Outreach / Offer to Assist
Faculty
List Librarian's Contact
Info in LMS
Does your library have webpages or handouts specifically
designed to assist departmental faculty in linking to library
resources from the learning management system?
45.00%
40.00%
40.7%
35.00%
30.00%
Yes
32.6%
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
No
26.7%
I Do Not Know
Marketing Strategies
70.9 %
of respondents reported having
no marketing strategy
What do you perceive as barriers to the successful
incorporation of information literacy into LMS?
Librarian-Faculty
Relationship
Cost and Time to
Develop Content
Librarian Learning
Curve
Technical Barriers
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
30.4%
22.8%
18.5%
15.2%
10.00%
7.6%
5.00%
0.00%
5.4%
Think LMS is a Bad
Idea
Student Motivation
Do you think librarians should be involved in providing
information literacy support in LMS?
18.60%
2.30%
Yes
No
Maybe
79.10%
Additional Survey Comments
“I leave this to younger librarians who like to learn
new things.”
“Librarians need to really start thinking of
themselves as instructors and adopt any tool—
online; in person; chalkboard—that helps students
truly learn about the many facets of
information…”
Integrating InfoLit
into Blackboard
Ideas
Create Partnerships

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Campus LMS Administrators
Center for Teaching and Learning or a Faculty
Development Office
IT Departments (campus and library)
Academic Program Directors
Department Faculty
Library Colleagues (on and off campus)
Encourage Librarian Training
“If librarians are not proficient in a LMS; it is
hard to conceptualize how information
literacy can be integrated into a LMS.”
--Anonymous Survey Respondent
Linking to Library Resources



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Electronic Course Reserves
Live Reference Help
Library Catalog
Articles and Databases
Content Packaging




Pull Together Resources
Create New Content Where Needed
Package Content for LMS
Map to ACRL standards
Information Literacy Student Learning
Activity Packets for LMS
Packets Available
Inside Each Packet
Discussion Board Topics

Discerning between Scholarly and Popular Literature
Both scholarly and popular materials can be good sources of information. Discuss some information
needs that may be met by popular or trade/professional journals.

Identifying Primary Research in the Sciences
Why is it important for primary research to give enough detail for another researcher to duplicate the
experiment? Can you think of specific examples?

Developing a Research Strategy
Discuss some of the challenges you faced in developing a research strategy. How did you overcome or
triumph over the difficulties? What would you do differently next time?

Evaluating Information
We constantly analyze information for reliability, accuracy, and ability to fill our current information
needs. Discuss how you evaluated information to accomplish a purpose using an example from your
life (it need not be related to academia or writing a research paper).

Avoiding Plagiarism and Learning to Paraphrase
Discuss the ethical use of information. Who is hurt by academic dishonesty (plagiarism, cheating, etc)?
You might also consider discussing issues related to intellectual property and file sharing.
The Billion Dollar Question
How can we include the library in
learning management systems without
making departmental faculty work?
Customizable WebPages
Modeled on Online Communities (i.e. MySpace,
Tribe, most ISPs, Blogs)
 Allow Users to Select Library Content
 Allow User to Change Page Layout
 Host Pages on Library Server

Blackboard Shells


Discipline Specific
Customizable
Blackboard Communities


Student “Homerooms”
Instructor Support Groups
Building Blocks




Turnitin.com
Respondus
Learning Objects – Blogs, Wikis, Tutorials
Horizon Wimba (classroom collaboration
software)
Blackboard Academic Suite



Learning System
Content System
Community System
Blackboard Content System

Content Management System



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E-Reserves
E-Portfolios
Learning Objects Catalog
Personal File Space
Library Content
Simple, Seamless Integration of Many Library
Resources
Sentient Learning

Digital Resources Management System

Integrates Library Resources into LMS
Solutions Are Out There

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Get Involved
Develop Partnerships
Ask Questions
Investigate Options
Encourage Widespread Librarian Involvement
Reach Out to Faculty
Thank You
Questions/Comments?
Pamela Jackson, Information Literacy Librarian
San Diego State University
pjackson@rohan.sdsu.edu
https://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~pjackson/#Presentations