Catherine Fraser Riehle

Librarians in the Hall: Instructional Outreach in Campus Residences

There is an old proverb, “If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain.” It can be a challenge to reach out to incoming undergraduate students who are often overwhelmed by the high expectations of scholarship at the college level and the complexities of the modern information environment. Unconventional and creative approaches are needed to reach millennial learners where they are, both physically, in terms of where they reside on campus, and pedagogically, by employing innovative and engaging teaching methods that they can appreciate and understand. In the fall of 2007, two librarians with rather unique positions at Purdue University coordinated, developed, and implemented an instructional pilot program to reach out to and engage undergraduate students. Strategic partnerships among librarians, residence hall staff, faculty fellows, and the students themselves led to effective and well-attended educational sessions that were conducted in the study lounges of campus residence halls and addressed major concepts pertaining to research, information literacy, and critical thinking.

Inciting Curiosity and Creating Meaning: Teaching Information Evaluation through the Lens of ‘Bad Science’

Ability to evaluate information is a critical component of information literacy. This article provides strategies for engaging students in learning about information evaluation in the contexts of the scientific publication cycle and communication in the digital age. Also included are recent findings regarding undergraduate student research behavior and ideas for integrating constructivist learning theory in order to develop effective learning activities that encourage curiosity and critical thinking.

Chapter 8 – IMPACT Lessons: Strategically Embedding Media and Information Literacy Through Teacher Development in Higher Education

Embedding media and information literacy (MIL) meaningfully and thoughtfully into curricula is a powerful way to create richer learning experiences for students. Building on the relationship between MIL and learning, this chapter describes how librarians at Purdue University leverage opportunities afforded by the IMPACT (Instruction Matters: Purdue Academic Course Transformation) teacher development program. Through IMPACT, librarians work to empower higher education teachers to strategically embed MIL in foundational courses. The chapter discusses the shifting role of librarians, adopting the strategies of an information consultant working with teachers to develop shared goals across disciplinary boundaries. IMPACT librarians adopt an informed learning approach to MIL that focuses on how information is used to address a teacher’s goals for student learning. An instructional design process provides specific targets for conversations about how students can use information more creatively and reflectively to learn. The chapter concludes with two reflections from librarians working with teachers in IMPACT that demonstrate the use of these strategies to successfully embed MIL into a communication and a technology course.