Information Literacy Instruction

Remote Information Literacy Instruction during COVID-19

While courses are running primarily in remote formats, information literacy instruction is also being provided remotely. All of the Options below are available for any course modality.

Option 1: Include a Librarian in your Canvas Course

Steps to implement this option:

1. Complete the Information Literacy Instruction Request form and we will contact you to let you know who your librarian will be
2. Add that librarian to your Canvas courses in the "Librarian" role
3. Discuss with your librarian what asynchronous options you would like included, for example
   • Create a Canvas module with course guide and/or relevant library content
   • Include a graded Canvas quiz based on the content of the course guide
   • Facilitate a discussion forum
   • Offer Librarian office hours

Option 2: Schedule a remote synchronous workshop with a librarian

A librarian can attend your remote synchronous meeting time to facilitate a research workshop. Preparation for the workshop is required of you and your students so that the time can be productively spent answering questions, providing search demonstrations, and assisting students with their research. The librarian will expect your active participation in the workshop to keep students engaged and facilitate discussion. 

For a successful remote synchronous session, you will need to:

1. Distribute the research assignment prior to the day of the workshop
2. Assign mini-lecture videos which will be provided by the librarian OR assign the online course guide for students to complete
3. Ensure that students have, at least, broad topic ideas before the day of the workshop
4. Participate in the synchronous session to prompt students to participate, provide search suggestions for demos if needed, and reinforce expectations for the students' research

Students should:

1. Have already received the research assignment with all expectations and requirements
2. Watch pre-recorded mini-lectures or complete the online course guide prior to the workshop
3. Prepare topics or research questions to conduct searches during the workshop (broad or unrefined topics are fine)

To schedule a remote synchronous workshop session, complete the Request for Information Literacy Instruction form. You will receive confirmation and the name of the librarian who will provide the workshop. You and the librarian will coordinate how and when the students will complete the "pre-work" (course guide or video series) and discuss how the synchronous session will run. 

Option 3: Assign course guides or video series - no librarian

Choose one method of implementing this option:

1. Assign your students to complete the online course guide, with or without an accompanying assessment 
   • English Composition I course guide
   • English Composition II course guide
2. Assign your students to view the course video series, with or without an accompanying assessment
   •  

Assessment options 

If you'd like to include an assessment of the guide or video series content, choose one option:

1. Assign the Assessment that is linked on the course guide. Provide your students with these instructions:
   • Go to [insert url for course guide] to complete the information literacy course guide. Click the Begin Assessment button from the right side of the screen. The assessment will open in a small window overlaying the course guide. Be sure to select [faculty member's name] from the Instructor option on the assessment. Answer the questions on the assessment as you read through the course guide. Submit the assessment when you finish and I will receive a copy of your results.
2. Include the Canvas Quiz for information literacy for your course
   • Go to Canvas Commons and search for "Introduction to Information Literacy Assessment" for ENGL 111 or "Advanced Information Literacy Assessment" for ENGL 112.
   • Import the appropriate quiz into your course and make any adjustments to the settings needed for it to work in your grading system.

Additional resources that can be included in your Canvas course to give students librarian support are:

• Link to our Help page where students can start a chat with a librarian during normal operating hours: https://library.raritanval.edu/help
• Link to our Appointment Scheduler where students can make an appointment for one-on-one help from a librarian, in person or on zoom: https://raritanval.libcal.com/appointments

Best practices for remote ILI

A few best practices we've identified for including an asynchronous librarian

• Require or incentivize interaction with the librarian. For example, if the librarian participates in a discussion forum, make it a graded discussion. If you want students to visit librarian office hours, consider offering extra credit for doing so. 
• Include the librarian at the point in your course when students will most need the assistance. 
  • For English Composition I, this should be as they are researching for their annotated bibliography
  • For English Composition II, this should be as they are researching or writing rough drafts for one of the essays that requires research. Consider including the librarian for the assignment that requires more complex research, rather than for simply finding one or two news articles.

• A few best practices for remote synchronous information literacy instruction we've identified are:

• Using zoom breakout rooms (or MS Teams group calls) to facilitate small group discussion
• Make the librarian the Host of the meeting once the session starts, so that we have full capabilities for managing breakout rooms and other features
• Using non-verbal reactions for participation (yes/no buttons; raise hand; screen annotations; etc)
• Requiring completion of the course guide, an assessment, the video series or any aspect of the information literacy session increases student participation in the session and engagement with the librarian. Consider attaching points or a grade to some element of the instruction.
• Connect the information literacy session to a specific assignment and make that clear to students. They see more value in the session if they recognize its relevance to their coursework and occurs at the time they need the information, rather than scheduling the session early for an assignment in the future.