Cheryl Knott Malone, Ph.D.

Office Hours Via email, ckmalone@u.arizona.edu, or by phone 520-621-3957 or by appointment in the chatroom

Esther Grassian and Joan Kaplowitz, Information Literacy Instruction: Theory and Practice. Neal Schuman, 2001.

Additional required readings will be linked to the class schedule on the course Website.

Moving beyond the notion of bibliographic instruction or library use instruction, this course takes a broad view of information professionals’ teaching responsibilities. Students will explore the historical background and current issues, trends, policies, and practices related to the notion of information literacy and its instruction in diverse settings. Additionally, students will have opportunities to assess existing Web-based instruction and/or design new Web-based learning modules.

By the end of the semester, students will

• be able to discuss effectively various aspects of information literacy, learning theories and styles, and modes of instruction;
• be acquainted with the range of organizations and resources supporting information literacy instruction;
• demonstrate the ability to plan and implement a Web-based instructional module or demonstrate a mature understanding of a significant issue related to information literacy instruction through research and writing.

Asynchronous discussion, reading critically, writing, evaluating existing instructional materials and modules, planning and implementing a final project, peer evaluation.

Evaluation of student performance will be based on contributions to class discussions, assessment of an existing Web-based instructional module, completion of a final project of your choice, and peer evaluation.

Students are expected to post to the discussion boards at least once every two weeks. Your contribution to the asynchronous discussion will be evaluated on the basis of quantity and quality. Quantity does not necessarily mean more, however. Quantity should be approached with the understanding that it’s important in the online environment to be succinct and to refrain from posting if you have nothing substantive to add. Quality means that each post should offer an insight, an assessment, new information, or additional elaboration of the topic. Posts that are merely descriptive are not helpful. But a brief story based on your own experience can move the discussion along a productive path if it is explicitly tied in to the topic being discussed. Posts also should refer in a concrete rather than vague way to specific points in the readings.