Kacy Lundstrom

Creating effective staff development committees: a case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of staff development committees (SDC) in the motivation, morale and education of library staff by relying on previous research and by using Utah State Universitys (USU), Merrill‐Cazier Library SDC as a case study.Design/methodology/approach – Discussion and analysis emerge from the documented formation of USUs SDC, including its membership, goals, and evaluative practices, especially as it relates to current research in this area. Informal staff comments regarding benefits and limitations of the committee are included.Findings – Staff development has been approached from various perspectives. Most programs form as the results of formal or informal needs assessments. Goals for the program, or for the resulting staff development committee, vary and fluctuate depending on the time‐specific needs of the library. Successful elements of USUs SDC include its emphasis on building inter‐departmental relationships and its ability to elicit feedback from ...

An Information Literacy Snapshot: Authentic Assessment across the Curriculum

This paper outlines the process and results of an authentic assessment of student work using a revised version of the AAC&Us Information Literacy VALUE rubric. This rigorous assessment, which included the scoring of nearly 900 student papers from four different stages across the undergraduate curriculum, revealed much about the process of authentic assessment of student learning, the struggles and competencies of our students, and a clear path forward for improving practice. It also gave us a broad view of student learning, allowing us to immerse ourselves in student work and providing a stronger narrative to share with stakeholders.

Librarians and Instructors Developing Student Learning Outcomes: Using Frameworks to Lead the Process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper if to design a workshop that effectively facilitates the collaborative revision of student learning outcomes based on current research relating to competencies in information literacy (IL). Design/methodology/approach – This case study describes collaborations between librarians and writing instructors throughout an eight-week workshop. The workshop focused on using the results of assessments to revise learning outcomes and restructure instruction practices to help students in the areas they struggle with the most. Three significant frameworks, including threshold concepts, backward design and decoding the disciplines, were used to facilitate effective discussion and revise learning outcomes. Findings – The structure of the workshop based on three key frameworks stimulated innovation, fostered collegiality, prompted future collaborative opportunities and garnered buy-in for the importance and implementation of IL initiatives. This collaboration served as a pilot worksho...

Making Strategic Decisions: Conducting and Using Research on the Impact of Sequenced Library Instruction.

This study explores the relationship between course grades and sequenced library instruction interventions throughout psychology students’ curriculum. Researchers conducted this study to inform decisions about sustaining and improving program integrations for first- and second-year composition courses and to improve discipline-level integrations. Researchers began with transcript analysis but soon incorporated student surveys and a faculty focus group to supplement the data and influence future directions. Findings confirmed that students benefit from meaningful collaborations with the library at strategic, sequenced points in their curriculum, including at the discipline level. This research also provided concrete information that brought about change at the classroom and programmatic level.

Communal and student-centered: Teaching information creation as a process with mobile technologies

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how teaching information creation as a process in a decentralized library classroom impacts student learning and engagement. Design/methodology/approach By using mobile technologies (iPads) and a targeted lesson design, the authors explored how these devices can be incorporated into threshold pedagogy. The study took place in a second-year composition course and was taught by librarians during a class session. Findings The findings supported by pre- and post-test scores, textual analysis and observations show that iPads did add to the engagement and learning of some students. The discussion includes student responses to the iPads, the decentralized roles of the librarian and instructor, the use of social media as an engagement tool and possible adaptations to the lesson. Originality/value This paper provides practical ideas for using iPads in higher education to engage students, particularly in targeting learning outcomes that emphasize on the changing nature and impact of the information creation process.