Graduates´ Information Training; An Experience Foro Transfronterizo de Bibliotecas: México-EUA College Station,Texas March 28-30, 2003 MC Miriam Ríos Morgan Coordinadora de Biblioteca Virtual, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Culiacán, Sin., México Dr. Jesús Lau Director USBI Veracruz / Coordinador del Proy. de Biblioteca Virtual, Universidad Veracruzana / Sabático UACJ México

Objetives The role of information literacy standards Share information literacy experiences with middle school teachers as students Describe challenges ¿How can we colaborate and face our common information literacy challenges?

Background Request of the course by Graduate Studies Department An opportunity to put into practice previous experiences First credit-course ever offered at UAS University Challenge: course requirements to organize it Collaboration of information vendors

Participants Teachers with limited information experience Trained in teaching-centered education Dedicated mainly to teaching Little o no research experience No experience in paper writing or academic publishing

Conceptual framework Course based on information literacy standards México: Standards for Information Literacy for Higher Education, 3th. DHI Conference, UACJ, Ciudad Juárez, 2002 International: EUA (ACRL), Australia, and UK

Mexican Standards: Competencies to: 1. Understand structure of knowledge and of information 2. *Assess the nature of the information need 3. *Develop effective strategies to look y find information 4. *Retrieve information 5. Analize and evaluate information 6. Integrate, sintethize and use information 7. *Know how to present results of gathered information 8. Respect intellectual property and authors´ rights

MX Competencies Covered at the Course 2. *Assess the nature of the information need 3. *Develop effective strategies to look y find information 4. *Retrieve information 7. *Know how to present results of gathered information

Identification of different information formats: monographs, journals, portals and websites, online databases Develop search strategies Location and use of information resources Use of EndNote software to compile bibliographies of search results Especific Objectives

Program Ctructure Course objectives and content Learning strategies Exercises Homework Evaluation process Bibliography

Course Topics 1. Information: A vital resource for teaching (10 hours) 2. Search and retrieval of remote OPACs (5 hours) 3. How to access UAS Digital Library (15 hours) 4. Use EndNote 6.0 software as a bibliography compiling tool (20 hours)

Learning Strategies Student-centered educational process Active participation through several actitivities Systematic evaluation of student learning Permanent advising and assistance to students

Students Participants: Master´s degree students A big grup: 42 participants Similar background: High school teachers working at UAS University or at local similar institutions Little information technology skills (IT): Only 25% had them Constant advising was required to level up IT competencies u nderstand structure of knowledge and of information

Course Characteristics Facilities: UAS Main Library - Culiacán Time: 50 classrom hours, plus advising and indivual tutoring practice Dates: Nov. 15 – Dec. 17, 2002 Sessions: 5 hours, Fridays and Saturdays Most used databases: Ebsco (fulltext) and Isiweb (Bibliographic)

Conclusions Standards a great reference help to set course framwork Ideal to have covered all competencies of Mexican Standards Time is a limiting factor if a single course is implemented Information competencies: vital for teachers Important: student-centered learning strategies, especially if students are teachers Previous computer related skills a must: , office software, search engines, etc.

Conclusions Similar student job background helped student team work Facilities: Electronic classrom is needed, improvised laboratory space limits training efficiency Course lenght: Time was not enough, a second one is needed Cooperation of information vendors to provide demo passwords is of great importance Evaluation of the course by students was highly positive

A Foro Proposal Set up institutional agreements between USA and Mexico on Information Literacy in higher education Develop a shared website to upload information literacy materials Share experiences: –Learning materials –Papers –Listservs – communication –Promote conferences and meetings from both sides of the border

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