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Course Policies Course Description: Information Literacy is a course that prepares students for instructional work as information professionals. This work is complex and somewhat different from "traditional" library work. In addition to bibliographic knowledge, it involves instructional design, curriculum development, learning theory, and pedagogy. In practice, it means that librarians are working in more extensive relationships with those outside the library than they have historically done. This work is challenging but it can be exciting and rewarding. Information literacy has been referred to as a "Revolution in the Library," (see Brevik and Gee, Information Literacy: A Revolution in the Library), and, as with most revolutions, the transformative power of information literacy comes with some controversy. This course is designed to prepare students for careers in Instructional Services, but it should be noted that effective instructors are always avid learners, and you should consider this course an introduction to teaching in the library. You will never stop learning to teach. Goals:
Assignments Midterm Essay Roughly the first third of the class will be devoted to a set of common readings. These will be designed to introduce successive concepts to help you build an understanding of literacy and information literacy. On March 24, you will spend the class session writing an in-class essay, which will be the culimating exercise of this first part of the course. Observation As part of the class, you will observe two instructional sessions and analyze the teaching practices you see there. You should keep a journal that reflects your response to the this experience. Observations and journal entries should be done by October 6. You should use the journal to ask questions about what you see and to begin to use the concepts in the readings. Final Paper Teaching Presentation You will present one fifteen minute teaching session to the class. You will choose the material to present, and you will design and execute the session. The class will provide a critique of each teaching session. Your presentation should represent your thinking about effective classroom instruction and should stretch your abilities to create an effective learning environment for students. Midterm Essay : 30% Grading: Grades will be assigned from A+ through F. It is assumed that you can do graduate level work, and you will be graded on that standard. In general, that means that you can do independent research, and that you can write up the results of that research in acceptable, professional style. It also means that you can convey sophisticated content in a clear and accessible manner, both writing and speaking. Finally, it means that you can treat the class as a pre-professional experience, which means that you will attend class regularly and participate in an engaged and mature way. Class Participation During the course of the semester, we will discuss readings, do presentations, and make excursions out into the library. You will do assignments both in class and out of class. You will work individually and in groups. These activities will comprise the class participation component of the grade. Your participation should be considered a service to the rest of the class, and the quality of class participation depends on how useful your presence is to class as a whole. Excessive absences (more than three) will affect the class participation component of the grade. A Note on Creating a Positive Classroom Environment- Each classroom is a collective effort on the part of the students and the instructor(s) to do meaningful work. In the best classrooms, students and teachers learn together. These classrooms don't just "happen:" they are the result of commitment to the process and the work we are here to do. Your instructors for this class are committed to this approach. We ask specifically for your attention to the following
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