ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 6 1 6 / C&RL News ■ O cto b e r2003 A C R L S T A N D A R D S & G U ID E LIN E S Approved by the ACRL Board, June 2003 by th e Policy C om m ittee o f ACRL's Instruction Section P ream ble Academic libraries work together with other mem­ bers of their institutional communities to partici­ pate in, support, and achieve the educational mis­ sion of their institutions by teaching the core com­ petencies of information literacy—the abilities involved in identifying an information need, ac­ cessing needed information, evaluating, manag­ ing, and applying information, and understanding the legal, social, and ethical aspects of informa­ tion use. The systematic delivery of instructional programs and services should be planned in con­ cert with overall strategic library planning, includ­ ing the library’s budgeting process. Such planning may also involve strategizing with other campus units to deliver collaboratively designed program­ ming. To best assist academic and research librarians in preparing and developing effective instructional programs, the following guidelines are recom­ mended. I. Program design A. Statement of p urpose The library should have a written mission state­ ment for its instructional program that; • articulates its purpose for the instruction pro­ gram in the context of the educational mission of the institution and the needs of the learning com­ munity; • involves its institutional community in the formulation of campus-wide information literacy goals and general outcomes; • aligns its goals with the “Information Lit­ eracy Competency Standards for Higher Educa­ tion,” and clearly states a definition of informa­ tion literacy; • recognizes the diverse nature of the learning community, including the varieties of learning theory, attitudes, educational levels, life experi­ ences, cultures, technology skill levels, and other learner variables, such as proximity to the campus itself (distance learning students); • recognizes that instruction programs prepare learners not only for immediate curricular activi­ ties, but also for experiences with infomiation use beyond die classroom—in work settings, careers, continuing education and self-development, and lifelong learning in general; and • reflects changes in the institution and learn­ ing community through regular review and revi­ sion when appropriate. B. Identification o fc ontent o f instruction While each institution will determine instruc­ tional content based on the needs of its learning community, the library should have a clearly ar­ ticulated set of learning outcomes. The institu­ tion- or campus-wide set of learning goals should be congruent with the “Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education,” which provide the framework for institutional planning for information literacy content through a carefully delineated set of standards, perfor­ mance indicators, and outcomes. The library’s specific learning outcomes should be aligned with the “Objectives for Information Literacy Instruc­ tion,” which are designed to assist instruction librarians in expanding upon the more generic “Competency Standards,” and in specifying dis- Guidelines for instruction programs in academic libraries C&RL News ■ O ctober 2003 / 617 Finally, guidelines! For the past two years, the Instruction Section’s (IS) Policy Committee has been charged with updating die “Guidelines for instruction programs in academic libraries.” This process involved dis­ cussions on the purpose of the document and the intended audience. When the guidelines were originally written in 1996, the “Information Lit­ eracy competency standards for higher educa­ tion” had not been revised and the “Characteris­ tics o f programs o f information literacy that illustrate best practices: A guideline” had not been created. It was decided that the guidelines should be a “read-me-first” document for librarians and ad- crete, assessable outcomes in the context of both the library’s and the institution’s infor­ mation literacy goals. The “Competency Stan­ dards” and the “Objectives” should be used together: the “Competency Standards” for dis­ cussions o f information literacy content with campus administrators and academic profes­ sionals outside the library; and the “Objectives” for programmatic planning and design within the library itself. The “Characteristics o f Programs of Infor­ mation Literacy That Illustrate Best Practices: A Guideline” offers the possibility for mea­ surement in developing content for programs, while these guidelines offer the basic theoreti­ cal outlines for programs. C. Identification o f modes o f instruction Instruction takes place in many ways using a variety o f teaching methods. These may in­ clude, but are not limited, to providing: • advice to individuals during the reference interview process; • in-depth research consultations and ap­ pointments; • individualized instruction; • electronic or print instruction aids; • group instruction in traditional or elec­ tronic classrooms; • Web tutorials and Web-based instruction; • asynchronous modes o f instruction (e- mail, bulletin boards); • synchronous modes o f instruction (chat software, videoconferencing); • course management software; and ministrators interested in setting up or formaliz­ ing instruction programs. Notable changes in­ clude removing the background section, adding language on collaborating and new educational technologies, and providing a reference list. Many thanks are extended to the 2001-02 and 2002-03 IS Policy Committee members: Craig Gibson, Janet Brewer, Jan Guise, Sheril Hook, Barbara Kern, Jo Ann Calzonetti, Jenni­ fer Cox, Valerie Feinman, Paula McMillen, Rocco Piccinino, and Phillip Powell. A Web version of the guidelines is available at: www.acrl.org (click on “Standards & Guide­ lines”). • hybrid or distributed learning or distance learning, employing combinations of the previous methods. The modes selected should be consistent with the content and goals of sound informa­ tion literacy instruction. Where appropriate, more than one mode of instruction should be used based on knowledge of the wide variety o f learning styles o f individuals and groups. For suggestions and explanations of modes of instruction, see the Sourcebook o f B iblio­ graphic Instruction. When possible, instruction should employ active learning strategies and techniques that require learners to develop critical thinking skills in concert with information literacy skills. Planning such active learning strategies and techniques should be carried out collaboratively with faculty in order to increase overall stu­ dent engagement in the learning process and to extend opportunities for a more reflective ap­ proach to information retrieval, evaluation, and use. For useful examples o f course-specific active learning exercises, see Designs fo r Ac­ tiive Learning: A Sourcebook o f Classroom Strategies fo r Information Education. Planning an instruction program should chaw on the expertise of a wide variety of personnel, depending on local needs and available staff. Ex­ amples of available expertise may include: • instructional design/teaching methods: fac­ ulty development offices, teaching/learning cen­ ters; • technology integration: technology support centers; http://www.acrl.org 6 18 / C&RL News ■ O ctober 2003 • assessment, surveys: teaching/learning centers, institutional research/assessment of­ fices; and • student demographics/characteristics: insti­ tutional research, campus/student life offices. D. Program structures Each institution will develop its own overall approach to instruction programming, but a suc­ cessful comprehensive program will have the fol­ lowing elements: • a clearly articulated structure, described in readily available documents, showing the rela­ tionships among various components of the pro­ gram; • an integral relationship with key institutional curricula and initiatives (e.g., general education, writing programs, etc.) so that there is horizontal breadth to the program; and • a progression of information literacy learn­ ing outcomes matched to increasingly complex learning outcomes throughout a student’s aca­ demic career so that there is vertical integration in the program. Information literacy program­ ming should reach beyond the first year or gen­ eral education courses and be present in disci­ pline-specific coursework or courses in the ma­ jors. To meet these general guidelines, instruction programs should identify curricular structures al­ ready in place or under development on their campuses that support an evolving, “tiered” ap­ proach to information literacy programming. In­ struction librarians themselves should also seek opportunities for collaborative engagement in new institutional initiatives and redesigned cur­ ricula that allow for a deeper interplay between the library’s instruction program and the total campus learning environment. Examples of curricular and program struc­ tures with which instruction programs can be­ come engaged include (but are not limited to): • first-year seminars, writing-across-the-cur- riculum programs; • general education core requirements; • research methods courses in disciplinary ma­ jors; • capstone courses, learning communities, and cohorts; • undergraduate research experiences/intern­ ships; • linked credit courses; and • experiential learning/service learning courses. E. Evaluation and assessment Evaluation and assessment are systematic on­ going processes that should gather data to inform decision-making regarding the instruction pro­ gram. Data gathered should give an indication that the instruction program supports the goals set forth in its mission statement or statement of purpose. • There should be a program evaluation plan addressing multiple measures or methods of evalu­ ation: such measures may include needs assess­ ment, participant reaction, learning outcomes, teaching effectiveness, and overall effectiveness of instruction. • The criteria for program evaluation should be articulated in readily available documents per­ taining to the program’s mission, description, and outcomes. • Specific learning outcomes should be ad­ dressed and specific assessment methods should be identified. • Coordination of assessment with teaching faculty is important because learning outcomes are a shared responsibility. • Data for both program evaluation and as­ sessment o f specific learning outcomes should be gathered regularly and brought into the pro­ gram revision process so that the program can be improved continuously, and specific learning defi­ cits addressed in an ongoing, formative manner. π. Human resources To achieve the goals set forth in the library’s mission statement for instruction programs, the library should employ, develop, or have access to sufficient personnel with appropriate education, experience, and expertise to: • teach individuals and groups in the campus community; • use instructional design processes and design a variety of instruction programs and services; • promote, market, manage, and coordinate diverse instruction activities; • collect and interpret assessment data to evalu­ ate and update instruction programs and services; • integrate and apply instructional technolo­ gies into learning activities when appropriate; • produce instructional materials using avail­ able media and electronic technologies; • collaborate with faculty and other academic professionals in planning, implementing, and as­ sessing information literacy programming; and • respond to changing technologies, environ­ ments, and communities. C&RL News ■ O ctober 2003 / 619 Many instruction programs will have a desig­ nated program manager, or a coordinating/over­ sight group, with expertise in pedagogy, instruc­ tional design, assessment, and other instructional issues. Those with primary managerial/coordina­ tion oversight for instructional programs should have clearly written and delineated position de­ scriptions setting forth the scope of their respon­ sibilities. III. Support Support for a successful instruction program has many interdependent facets. The level of support necessary will depend on the scope and size of the program, as well as its connection with other in­ stitutional units. A . Instructionalf acilities The library should have, or should have ready access to, facilities of sufficient size and number that are equipped to meet the goals of the instruc­ tion program and reach the instructional learning community. The instructional setting(s) should dupli­ cate the equipment and technology available to users. At minimum, the facilities should al­ low the instructor to demonstrate information systems in a designated teaching space, with the appropriate technology, to a variety of au­ diences. It is desirable that the facilities pro­ vide individual hands-on experience for those being instructed. It should be flexible enough to accommodate active learning and student collaboration when appropriate. B. Instm ctional support facilities The library should provide convenient access to the equipment and services necessary to design, produce, reproduce, and update instructional ma­ terials in a variety of formats. There should be sufficient space for the preparation and storage of instructional materials. C. Financial support • The instructional program should have ad­ equate funds identified to attain the stated goals o f the program. • The funding for an instruction program should cover all personnel costs connected with the pro­ gram, including but not limited to student, cleri­ cal, and technical assistance. • The funding should cover supplies and mate­ rials; equipment or access to equipment; design, production, reproduction, and revision of mate­ rials; promotion and evaluation of the instruction program, as well as other identified costs. • The budget allocation process should allow for equipment and software replacement and en­ hancement as changes occur. • The funding should provide for training and continuing education o f those involved in the instruction program. • Collaborative instructional projects with other campus units should involve sharing of bud­ getary responsibilities when appropriate. • Whenever possible, instructional personnel should use the expertise of development officers and those institutional staff persons with exter­ nal fundraising responsibilities to further expand or enhance die program. D. Supportfor ccmtinuing education, training, and development Support for continuing professional develop­ ment helps to establish an atmosphere conducive to innovation and high morale. It is recommended that the library: • provide a structured program for orientation and training of new instruction personnel; • develop a program of continuing education or make available continuing education opportunities; and • whenever appropriate, identify opportuni­ ties for release time for staff to engage in continu­ ing education and/or project development in tech­ nology applications, surveys, and other instruc- tion-related projects. B ib lio g ra p h y Supporting documents of ACRL and ACRL’s Instruction Section. ACRL’s Institute for Information Literacy. “Characteristics of Programs of Information Lit­ eracy That Illustrate Best Practices: A Guideline.” www.acrl.org, click on “Standards & Guidelines.” Gradowki, Gail, Snavely, Loanne, and Dempsy, Paula, eds. Designs fo r Active Learning: A Sourcebook o f Classroom Strategies fo r Informa­ tion Education (Chicago: American Library Asso­ ciation, 1998). ACRL’s Instruction Section. “Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model State­ ment for Academic librarians.” www.acrl.org, click on “Standards & Guidelines.” Branch, Katherine, et al., eds., Sourcebook fo r Bibliographic Instruction (Chicago: Ameri­ can Library Association, Association o f Col­ lege & Research Libraries, Bibliographic In­ struction Section 1993). ■ http://www.acrl.org http://www.acrl.otg