The Framework Is Constructed and Contextual: Context as a Starting Point for Instructional Planning LOEX Fall Focus 2015 Andrea Baer

Learning Outcomes Recognize ways in which the ACRL Framework foregrounds the contextual and social nature of research and information use. Explore a context-oriented approach to instructional and curricular planning that draws on ideas from the ACRL Framework and from Decoding the Disciplines. Reflect on possible applications of this approach for conversations with course instructors.

Photo by Julien.Belli - Creative Commons Attribution License with Haiku Deck “Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities… “reflective discovery of information” “how information is produced and valued” “use of information in creating new knowledge” “participating ethically in communities of learning” - ACRL Framework, 2015

“Threshold Concepts”: The Core of the Framework “Core or foundational concepts that, once grasped by the learner, create new perspectives and ways of understanding a discipline or challenging knowledge domain.” (Land, Meyer, & Baillie, 2010)

“Neither the knowledge practices nor the dispositions that support each concept are intended to prescribe what local institutions should do in using the Framework; each library and its partners on campus will need to deploy these frames to best fit their own situation, including designing learning outcomes.”

ACRL Framework “Threshold Concepts” Authority Is Constructed and Contextual Information Creation as a Process Information Has Value Research as Inquiry Scholarship as Conversation Searching as Strategic Exploration

DISCUSSION Has the Framework influenced your approach to teaching and learning? If so, how and in what contexts?

Contextuality: Examples from the ACRL Framework

Authority as Constructed and Contextual Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required. Select knowledge practice: 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;

Information Creation as a Process Information in any format is produced to convey a message and is shared via a selected delivery method. […] Experts recognize that information creations are valued differently in different contexts, such as academia or the workplace. Select knowledge practices: articulate the traditional and emerging processes of information creation and dissemination in a particular discipline monitor the value that is placed upon different types of information products in varying contexts

Concepts, Context, & Process How do we bring together the conceptual and the practical? Where/how do we highlight conceptual understandings? How do we foster conceptual and metacognitive thinking?

Decoding the Disciplines: An Approach to Instructional Planning

Decoding the Disciplines: Foundational Ideas Mental operations that are expected of students differ greater from one discipline to another Lack of explicit instruction in disciplinary practices and thinking Lack of opportunities for students to practice and get feedback on specific skills/tasks Lack of systematic assessment of students’ understandings of disciplinary ways of thinking (Middendorf & Pace, 2004, p.4)

Decoding the Disciplines & “Bottlenecks of Learning” Bottlenecks as “points in a course where the learning of a significant number of students is interrupted” (Anderson, 1996, cited in Middendorf and Pace, 2004, p. 4)

7 Steps of Decoding (paraphrased) 1.Identifying “bottlenecks” 2.“Unpacking” a process 3.Modeling 4.Student practice and feedback 5.Motivation 6.Assessment 7.Sharing results

Decoding Steps 1-4 (paraphrased) 1.Identify “bottlenecks”: Where are students getting “stuck”? 2.“Unpacking” a process: How does an expert do this task? 3.Modeling: How can the task be demonstrated explicitly? 4.Student practice and feedback: What opportunities can students have to engage in the task and get feedback?

Contextualizing Concepts & Practices Connecting Concepts & Process Encouraging Active & Reflective Learning Prioritizing Instructional Goals Decoding “Bottlenecks” (Challenging Task) “Unpacking” a Process Modeling Student Practice and Feedback ACRL Framework Highlighting Conceptual Understandings Fostering Metacognition

Decoding & the ACRL Framework Instructional Planning Bottlenecks (Decoding #1) Unpacking a Process (Decoding #2) Identifying Relevant Conceptual Understandings Modeling & Practice & Feedback (Decoding #3-4)/ Highlighting Conceptual Understandings & Fostering Metacognition Complementary Functions: Contextualizing Concepts & Practices Connecting Concepts & Process Encouraging Active & Reflective Learning Prioritizing Instructional Goals

Bottlenecks (Decoding #1) Where do students get stuck? Is your instruction focused on a course assignment/research task? What are students being asked to do? What are the likely stumbling blocks for students? Are you determining your own instructional focus? What is task people in a relevant discipline or community of practice do? What stumbling blocks would students likely face in their research process?

Unpacking a Process (Decoding #2) Identify likely steps in the process. Example Task: Narrow a research topic. Process: Identify a broad issue/topic of interest and related keywords. Do background research. Identify related issues and themes. Explore who does research on the topic. Identify themes and debates related to the topic through exploration of various research tools/sources/venues.

Conceptual Understanding(s) How do concepts from the Framework relate to this task? Example: Task: Narrow a research topic. Conceptual understandings: topic development as recursive: exploring related sources, testing different keywords and strategies, evaluating search results, revising search and topic Frames: Searching as Strategic Exploration Research as Inquiry Scholarship as Conversation

Highlighting Conceptual Understandings & Fostering Metacognition Where in the process will conceptual understandings be highlighted and how? How will students be encouraged to reflect on their learning process?

Task: Develop a research topic. Process/Possible Activities: Identify a broad issue/topic of interest and related keywords. Do background research. Identify related issues and themes. Explore who does research on the topic. Identify themes and debates related to the topic through exploration of various research tools/sources/venues. Modeling (Step 3) & Practice & Feedback (Steps 4) Highlighting Conceptual Understandings & Fostering Metacognition Where/how might you highlight concepts or encourage metacognition?

Group Discussion What connections did you make between processes and conceptual understandings? Where/how might you highlight concepts or encourage metacognition? In what ways does your instruction plan highlight conceptual understandings or metacognition?

Ideas for Highlighting Concepts & Encouraging Reflective Learning Example: Develop a research topic. Small and large groups discuss their approaches to the task. Targeted prompts are given Students annotate a source in order to illustrate where they identified themes and relevant sources. Students write a short reflective essay on their process and on their emerging research questions. Possible question prompts: themes identified, evolution of students’ questions or interest in topic, challenges or things learned

Thank You!

References Anderson, J. A. “Merging Teaching Effectiveness, Learning Outcomes, and Curricular Change with the Diverse Student Needs of the 21st Century.” Paper presented at the 21st annual conference of the Professional and Organizational Development Network, Salt Lake City, Oct Association of College and Research Libraries. (2015 Feb.) Framework for information literacy for higher education: The information literacy competency standards for higher education. (Final version). Middendorf, Joan, and David Pace. “Decoding the Disciplines: A Model for Helping Students Learn Disciplinary Ways of Thinking.” In Decoding the Disciplines: Helping Students Learn Disciplinary Ways of Thinking: New Directions for Teaching and Learning, Number 98, by David Pace and Joan Middendorf, 1–12, 1 edition. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass, Miller, Sarah. “Thinking through Information Literacy in the Disciplines: Using the Framework to Make Expert Processes Visible.” Indiana University Information Literacy Colloquium. Indiana University-Kokomo, Townsend, Lori, Silvia Lu, Amy R. Hofer, and Korey Brunetti. “What’s the Matter with Threshold Concepts?” ACRLog, January 30, matter-with-threshold-concepts/. Meyer, J. H. F., and R. Land. “Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge: Linkages to Ways of Thinking and Practising within the Disciplines.” edited by C. Rust, 1–12. Improving Student Learning; Improving Student Learning Theory and Practice - 10 Years on. Oxford, Oxford Centre for Staff & Learning Development, Meyer, J. HF, Land, R. & Baillie, C. (2010). Editors' preface. In Meyer, J. HF, Land, R. & Baillie, C. (Eds.), Threshold Concepts and Transformational Learning. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. Shopkow, Leah. “What Decoding the Disciplines Can Offer Threshold Concepts.” edited by J. Meyer, R. Land, and C. Baillie, 42:317–32. Threshold Concepts and Transformational Learning. Rotterdam, Sense Publishers, 2010.