Team Teaching Toward Information Literacy Tom Dow, Writing Guy Troy Swanson, Library Guy Innovations 2002 March 19, 2002

Definition #1: Research noun, A painful form of torture utilized by the educational field originating from dead Greek people. verb, A painful action that requires the communication of useless information on useless subjects.

Definition #2: Research Paper noun, A pointless exercise used by teachers in the process of torture known as research (see definition #1). This exercise requires students to gather pointless information and organize this information in writing.

Definition #3: Library 1. noun, Place of dust and cobwebs where good-times go to die. 2. noun, outmoded storage system for pre- Internet forms of information—made obsolete by the Information age.

Definition #4: Information noun, Knowledge handed down from a benevolent and omnipotent higher-power in the universe. This higher-power creates the holy script known as PRINT.

Obstacles to Overcome Bad research experience in past View of research as a purely academic exercise that has no use in the real world View that the Internet has replaced libraries Misconception that all information has the same value and trustworthiness

Our Approach Two talking heads are better than one. Constant room switching keeps students on their toes. Multiple research papers prolong the agony. Calling these essays “source-based” is a way to trick students into writing research papers.

Ok, Ok, Our Real Approach Source-Based Writing Project Objectives 1. Written communication skills 2. I nformation literacy Actions, Students learn to 1. write clear, well-organized college level prose 2. focus related ideas into a pair of manageable and meaningful theses 3. evaluate their information needs, making appropriate choices to satisfy their needs 4. use a variety of information gathering tools to locate information to support each of the essays 5. support each thesis with well chosen, effectively framed, accurately represented, and properly documented materials from a variety of academic and professional sources

Information Literacy Standards 1. Determine extent of the information needed 2. Access the needed information effectively and efficiently 3. Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge 4. Use information to accomplish specific purpose 5. Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding information --Information Literacy Standards, Association of College and Research Libraries

Source-Based Writing Essay #3, Duties of chosen job Sources: of two required, one must be either a book or an article from a journal or other periodical; one source may be a reliable web site. Essay #4, Skills to succeed in chosen job Sources: of four required, one must be a book, one must be an article from a journal or other periodical,and no more than one may be a reliable web site. Sources may be re-used from essay #3.

Information Literacy Prepare students for a future as information users Discuss methods of information evaluation Give library a familiar face Cover research tools common to academic libraries Broaden discussion to include research on the Internet

The Research Sessions Thinking About Information – Overview of project. Gives students an introduction to the spectrum of information. Using the Library – Discuss planning research. Review what libraries do and the services they provide. Researching the Internet – Discuss the difference between surfing the Web and researching on the Web

Results Majority of students felt confident that they could successfully repeat the critical elements of the project: write, research, integrate sources into their writing, find books, and find articles Collaborative effort adds continuity to the overall teaching and learning experience for both faculty and students

A Few More Definitions…Why not? Research, verb, Activity that is not as painful as we thought Research Paper, noun, My ideas with sound support…go figure! Library, noun, Useful and usable…again, go figure! Information, noun, Runs the gamut from the Enquirer to the Economist…who knew?!

Thank You Thomas Dow, Assistant Professor of Communications, Moraine Valley Community College Troy Swanson, Teaching & Learning Librarian, Moraine Valley Community College The materials included on our CD-ROM are also available at