ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 192 / C&RL News ■ March 2000 ACRL: PARTNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION M o r e t h a n f a c u l t y t r a i n i n g In te g ra tin g in fo rm a tio n com petence in to the d is c ip lin e s by liene F. Rockman I learned more than I ever imagined.” “I realized how careful structuring of in formation can lead to less anxiety and stress for both the instructor and the students.” “One of the best workshops I took." “A class act.” Are these comments from student course evaluations? Responses to a recent ALA pre conference? On the contrary, they are repre sentative of the enthusiastic reactions received from faculty members after attending a week- long summer workshop at California State University (CSU), Hayward, on “Integrating Information Competence into the Disci plines,”1 which reaffirmed the important teaching role of librarians on campus. Decades of faculty library instructional ex periences have reinforced the belief that if undergraduate or graduate students are to be information literate and competent, then librar ians must reach and teach faculty members in a sustained learning environment so that these important skills can be systematically incorpo rated into the classroom. In addition, in today’s higher education environment, it is wise to promote information competence outreach efforts as a desirable campus-wide learning outcome, rather than as a “library issue.” Taking these perspectives to heart, CSU created and presented a highly successful fac ulty information competence workshop from July 12-16, 1999. Conceived by the university library, in part nership with the campus Faculty Develop ment Center, the Faculty Center for Excel lence in Teaching, and Information and Com puting Services, the workshop was under written with support from both the local Of fice of the Provost, and CSU’s Commission on Learning Resources and Instmctional Tech nology. The workshop was the campus’s first comprehensive, university-wide effort to of fer a supportive, nurturing, relaxed, team- based approach to faculty education on in formation competence. Workshop goals The goals of the workshop were simple—to provide discipline-based faculty members with the knowledge and skills they need to incorporate information competence prin ciples into their coursework. Within a fo cused setting, faculty members worked closely with subject specialist librarians to revise a course syllabus, reshape an assign ment, or redesign teaching materials accord ing to information competencies principles defined by CSU.2 These core competencies can best be sum marized by the ability to state a research ques tion or problem, and then to find, organize, evaluate, use, and communicate information in all of its various formats. Imbedded in the competencies are computer literacy, respon- A b o u t t h e a u t h o r llene F. Rockman is deputy director of the university library at California State University, Hayward; e-mail: irockman@csuhayward. edu C & R L N e w s m M a r c h 2 0 0 0 / 193 s ib le a n d e th ic a l u s e o f r e c o r d e d k n o w le d g e , a n d r e in fo r c e m e n t o f c ritic a l th in k in g . Planning and participant selection F u n d s w e r e s e c u r e d in th e fa ll o f 1998, a n d p r o m o tio n a l m a te ria ls w e r e d is trib u te d in th e w in t e r o f 1999. F a c u lty m e m b e r s w e r e s e le c t e d in th e s p r in g o f 1999 th r o u g h an a p p lic a tio n p r o c e s s th at a s k e d th e m t o id e n tify th e c o m p e t e n c ie s m o s t a p p r o p r ia te f o r th e ir c o u r s e (s ), a n d h o w th e le a r n in g e x p e r ie n c e s a n d a c a d e m ic o u t c o m e s o f t h e ir s tu d e n ts m ig h t b e s tr e n g th e n e d , e n h a n c e d , a n d e x p a n d e d b y in c o r p o r a t in g s u c h c o m p e t e n c ie s in to a s s ig n m e n ts , p ro je c ts , o r o th e r c o u r s e w o r k . F o u r te e n fa c u lty m e m b e r s w e r e s e le c t e d fr o m 29 a p p lic a n ts , a n d r e p r e s e n t e d a w i d e r a n g e o f d is c ip lin e s , ran k s, a n d y e a r s o f s e r v i c e at th e u n iv e r s ity . B o th te n u r e d a n d p r o b a tio n a ry , ju n io r a n d s e n io r, a n d u n d e r g r a d u a te a n d g r a d u a te p r o fe s s o r s w e r e s e le c te d . D is c ip lin e s in c lu d e d art, b u s in e s s , c o m p u te r s c ie n c e , E n g lis h , e th n ic s tu d ie s, h u m a n d e v e lo p m e n t , m o d e r n la n g u a g e s a n d lite ra tu re, n u rs in g , p u b lic a d m in is tr a tio n , s o c i o l o g y , te a c h e r e d u c a tio n , a n d th e a tre arts. H a v in g a m ix o f s u b je c t area s, as w e l l as fr e q u e n t a n d in fr e q u e n t lib r a r y users, a d d e d t o th e d is c u s s io n s , s y n e r g y , a n d ric h n e s s o f th e w o r k s h o p e x p e r ie n c e s . A ft e r th e s e le c tio n p r o c e s s w a s c o m p le te d , a n d b e f o r e th e w o r k s h o p b e g a n , p a rtic ip a n ts w e r e s e n t a le tte r o f w e l c o m e a n d a p a c k e t o f m a terials. T h e y w e r e a ls o a d d e d to a n e w ly c r e a te d , u n iv e r s it y - w id e m a il list s o th at th e y c o u ld g e t b e t te r a c q u a in te d w it h th e c o m p e te n c ie s , th e w o r k s h o p g o a ls , a n d w it h e a c h o th e r. W orkshop participants learn about inform ation competence, adult learning theory, and problem- based learning. … in today's higher education environm ent, it is w ise to prom ote inform ation com petence outreach effo rts as a desirab le cam pus-wide learning outcom e, rath er than as a "lib rary issue." T h e w o r k s h o p w a s s c h e d u le d f o r J u ly 1999. A t th is tim e , e a c h p a rtic ip a n t r e c e iv e d a b in d e r o f m a te ria ls , w h ic h in c lu d e d in fo r m a tio n h e lp fu l to th e a c q u is itio n o f s k ills a n d th e c u ltiv a tio n o f k n o w le d g e . E x a m p le s o f m a te ria ls in c lu d e d B lo o m ’s T a x o n o m y t o o f f e r a c o n c e p tu a liz a tio n o f le v e ls o f in te lle c tu al b e h a v io r im p o r ta n t in le a r n in g , s a m p le a s s e s s m e n t t o o ls a n d te c h n iq u e s , c h a ra c te r istics o f s itu a te d le a r n in g , a n d r e c o m m e n d a tio n s f o r d is c o u r a g in g / h a n d lin g p la g ia ris m . In a d d itio n , th e w o r k s h o p W e b s ite w a s e x p a n d e d t o in c lu d e a d d itio n a l lib r a r y r e s o u rc e s , s u c h as lin k s t o in fo r m a tio n c o m p e te n c e p r o je c ts a n d re p o rts , s u p p o r t m a te ria ls f o r le a r n in g th e o r ie s , c rite ria f o r e v a lu a tin g In te r n e t re s o u rc e s , a n d g e n e r a l s u p p o r t in fo r m a tio n , s u c h as th e W o r ld L e c tu re H a ll.3 W orkshop activities T h e w o r k s h o p its e lf t o o k p la c e in th e lib ra ry ’s e le c tr o n ic te a c h in g c la s s ro o m . E a c h o f th e d a y ’s a c tiv itie s w a s o r g a n iz e d a b o u t s p e c ific c o m p e t e n c i e s . M o r n in g s e s s io n s c o v e r e d p r in c ip le s o f in fo r m a tio n c o m p e te n c e , s tim u la tin g s tu d e n t c u rio s ity , a d u lt le a r n in g t h e o ry , s tu d e n t-c e n te r e d in te r fa c e d e s ig n , d e te r m in in g th e lite r a c y c o m p o n e n t s in s p e c ific d is c iplines, a n d p r o b le m - b a s e d le a rn in g . T a lk s w e r e p r e s e n t e d b y lib r a r ia n s a n d / o r g u e s t le c tu re rs , s u c h as e d u c a tio n a l te c h n o lo g is ts . In c lu d e d in th e p re s e n ta tio n s w e r e e x a m p le s o f s a m p le a ssign m en ts, w h ic h g e n e r a te d m u c h e v a lu a tiv e d isc u s sio n in la r g e a n d s m a ll g ro u p s . T h e c a te re d lu n c h p r o v id e d a d d itio n a l tim e t o c o n tin u e th e c o n v e r s a tio n s o r t o r e fle c t o n th e m o r n in g session s. A fte r n o o n s w e r e s p e n t c o lla b o r a tin g w ith lib rarian s t o r e s h a p e as s ign m en ts o r c o u rs e o ffe rin g s . O n th e fifth a n d fin a l d a y o f th e 194 / C&RL N e w s ■ M a r c h 2 0 0 0 w o r k s h o p , p a rtic ip a n ts t o o k c e n te r s ta g e. T h e y b e c a m e th e “te a c h e rs ” b y s h a rin g th e ir “b e f o r e " a n d “a fte r” ass ign m en ts, e x p la in in g th e ra tio n a le f o r c h a n g in g th e ir c o u rs e s to in c lu d e in fo rm a tio n c o m p e te n c e p rin c ip le s , a n d p r o v id in g tim e f o r q u e s tio n s s o th at all o f us c o u ld sh a re to g e th e r in th e d is c o v e r y a n d le a rn in g e x p e r ie n c e s . Why a success? W h a t m a d e this w o r k s h o p s o successful? S e v e ra l fa c to rs w e r e m e n tio n e d b y th e p a rtici p an ts — th e u n in te r r u p te d s u m m e r tim e to d e v o t e t o t h e to p ic ; th e c o lla b o ra tiv e, a c tiv e , a n d r e s o u r c e - b a s e d l e a r n in g e x p e r i e n c e ; th e settin g o f th e h a n d s-o n e le c tr o n ic c la s s r o o m in th e lib ra ry ; th e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r fa c u lt y m e m b e r s t o m e e t a n d w o r k w i t h e a c h o t h e r ( s i n c e s e v e r a l w e r e n e w to th e c a m p u s o r r e c e n tly re tu rn e d fr o m sa b b a tic a l le a v e s ); th e in fo rm a tio n e x p lo s io n , w h ic h has m a d e e le c tr o n ic in fo r m a tio n u b iq u ito u s , e v e r - c h a n g in g , a n d h as o v e r w h e lm e d m a n y o f th e s e n io r fa c u lty m e m b e r s n e w t o t e c h n o lo g y , in c r e a s in g th e ir d e s ir e t o le a rn ; th e r e c o g n i tio n that e le c tr o n ic re so u rce s h a v e an in crea s in g im p a c t o n a n d im p o r ta n c e t o th e le a r n in g p ro c e s s ; a d e s ir e t o in te llig e n t ly h arn ess th e p o w e r o f th e In tern et, e s p e c ia lly f o r th o s e fa c u lty m e m b e r s w h o te a c h in d is trib u te d le a rn in g/ d ista n t e d u c a tio n e n v iro n m e n ts , in c lu d in g o v e r s e a s a n d o n lin e p ro g ra m s ; th e re c e n t c h a n g e in th e c a m p u s G e n e r a l E d u c a tio n p r o g r a m , w h ic h e n c o u r a g e s c r e a tiv ity a n d re th in k in g o f c u rric u la r o ffe r in g s , has re s u lte d in th e in tro d u c tio n o f in te g ra te d th e m a tic c o u r s e clu s te rs f o r a ll e n t e r in g fre s h m e n (s u c h clu s te rs in c lu d e an in fo rm a tio n c o m p e te n c e c re d it class tau gh t b y lib ra ria n s ); a n d th e a w a r d in g o f a la p t o p c o m p u t e r to e a c h fa c u lty p a r t ic ip a n t u p o n t h e s u c c e s s f u l c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e w o r k s h o p . F ro m th e p e r s p e c tiv e o f th e p la n n e rs (t w o lib raria n s, an e d u c a tio n a l te c h n o lo g is t, a n d th e d ir e c to r o f th e F a cu lty D e v e lo p m e n t C e n te r ), th e w o r k s h o p ’s s u c ce ss e s c a n b e tra c e d t o th e s tro n g c o lla b o r a tio n a n d p a rtn e rs h ip b e t w e e n th e lib ra ry a n d o th e r c a m p u s units; th e u n w a v e r in g c o n v ic t io n that su c h a w o r k s h o p c o u ld m a k e a d iffe r e n c e in th e life o f a stu d en t; th e v a r ie ty o f w o r k s h o p s p e a k ers, in stru c tio n al stra te gies , c o u rs e m a terials, a n d e x a m p le s o f “w h a t’s p o s s ib le t o a c h ie v e ” ; an d th e c lo s e p r o fe s s io n a l a n d p e rs o n a l fr ie n d s h ip s o n th e c a m p u s b e t w e e n d is c ip lin e - b a s e d fa c u lty a n d lib ra ry fa c u lty m e m b e rs ( l i b rarian s h a v e fa c u lty status). A t th e c o n c lu s io n o f th e w o r k s h o p , p articip an ts a g r e e d to s e r v e as m e n to r s t o th e ir d e p a r t m e n t a n d s c h o o l c o l le a g u e s ; t o fa c ili ta te a n in fo r m a tio n c o m p e te n c e w o r k s h o p la t e r this y e a r f o r th e ir p e e rs , s p o n s o r e d b y t h e F a c u l t y C e n te r f o r E x c e l le n c e in T e a c h in g ; a n d to a tte n d a “class r e u n io n ” to sh a re e x p e r ie n c e s a b o u t th e resu lts o f th e ir r e v is e d c la s s ro o m m aterials. In a d d itio n , s e v e r a l p articip an ts t o o k th e in itia tiv e to w r ite le tters t o th e p r o v o s t p rais in g th e w o r k s h o p o rg a n iz e rs a n d s tro n g ly e n c o u ra g in g s u p p o rt f o r a n o th e r w o r k s h o p n e x t su m m er. A s n o te d in th e A C R L In fo r m a tio n L ite ra cy S ta n d a rd s f o r H i g h e r E d u c a tio n ,4 fa c u lty m e m b e r s in s p ire th e ir stu d e n ts t o e x p lo r e th e u n k n o w n a n d to o f f e r in itia l g u id a n c e o n h o w b e s t to fu lfill in fo rm a tio n n e e d s . T h is w o r k s h o p h as in c r e a s e d th e ir a b ilitie s t o d o s o , a n d w it h lib ra ria n s as c o lla b o r a tiv e p art n ers, o u r students w ill re a p th e b e n e fits m a n y tim e s o v e r f o r y e a r s to c o m e . Notes 1. h ttp :/ / im c tw o .cs u h a yw a rd .e d u / fa cu lty_ d e v / in fo c o m p w e b / c o m in fo .h tm . 2. h ttp ://w w w . c a ls ta te . e d u / IT P A / D o c s / h tm l/ in fo _ c o m p _ r e p o r t.h tm l). 3. h ttp :/ / w w w .u tex as.ed u / w o rld / lectu re/ . 4. h ttp :/ / w w w .a la .o rg/ a crl/ ilin tro .h tm l. ■ Workshop participants and facilitators liked the collaborative learning experience. http://imctwo.csuhayward.edu/faculty_ http://www http://www.utexas.edu/world/lecture/ http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilintro.html C& RL N e w s ■ M a r c h 2 0 0 0 / 19 5