KICKING IT UP A NOTCH!   INFORMATION LITERACY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF BLACK STUDIES View the Tutorial

For the last decade, the University Library at CSU Long Beach has been actively engaged in developing and implementing information competency standards and programs. Information competency (IC) is defined in this proposal as the ability to:

The development of information competent students depends on collaborate efforts of classroom faculty and library faculty. Information literacy includes both a set of generic skills and concepts, as well as skills and concepts, which are specific to the discipline of Black Studies. What is common to both is critical thinking. 

This proposal, in essence, requires the creation, development, and implementation of an online information competence course for CSULB, Department of Black Studies faculty using Beach Board instructional course software. This pilot project is a collaborative effort between the Department of Black Studies and three California State University, Long Beach reference librarians. The project’s primary goals are to enhance the information literacy skills of participants, instruct faculty about information competence, to develop faculty IC skills, and to provide models for integrating information competence skills into Black Studies class assignments and curriculum. 

The project is being funded by a CSU Information Competence Initiative Grant and a CSULB, Educational Innovation Award. The instruction will be centered on eight modules to be conducted in January 2002. Two modules will be taught in a traditional classroom format. The other 6 modules will be presented using Beach Board software. 

Once completed this project may be adapted for other CSULB departments and at other CSUs using the same or similar instructional course software. Black Studies faculty who complete the tutorial will serve as mentors to other ethnic studies faculty interested in information competency pedagogy.

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This project will create, develop, and implement a pilot online class for and with the Department of Black Studies faculty. The purpose of the project is to instruct the faculty participants on information competency and then guide them on how to integrate information competency skills seamlessly into assignments and the curriculum. Three librarians will work with the 6-8 faculty participants. Two hands-on sessions will be held prior to the class to review and enhance the computer literacy skills of participants.The class will be offered over a 3-week period. There will be eight distinct modules. The project will systematically review all key components of IC. Two in-person “live” group sessions will be included: one at the beginning and one at the end of the program. The other six on-line modules will be conducted at the users discretion during the three-week
session.

Sessions Instructional Goal
Module 1 Course Overview; What is IC? Pre-test
Module 2 Core Competency, *ACRL Standard 1
Module 3 Core Competency, *ACRL Standard 2
Module 4 Core Competency, *ACRL Standard 3
Module 5 Core Competency, *ACRL Standard 4
Module 6 Core Competency, *ACRL Standard 5
Module 7 Core Competency, *ACRL Standard 6
Module 8 Course Summation; Post-Test
*ACRL=Association of College & Research Libraries

Each module will have an assignment attached to the instructional goal. These assignments will be used for discussion purposes only. Pre- and post- testing will be used to assess the success of the project. In addition, project participants will complete a detailed evaluation form.

This program will serve as a pilot for others wishing to use instructional course software to promote IC among ethnic studies faculty and students. It is anticipated that the project may be adapted for use at other CSUs or offered to faculty at other campuses and that participants will share learned skills with other ethnic studies faculty.

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March 2001 –October 2001 Develop instruction models and assignments
November 2001 Confirmation of participation of BST faculty
Winter Session 2002 Conduct course & supplemental training sessions
Jan.-Feb. 2002 Present faculty with certificates of completion
Assess the success of the course
March-April 2002 Report learning outcomes of the course

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Total Amount of Funds Received from CSU: $6,000 for Faculty Stipends,materials and supplies
Black Studies Faculty will receive stipends for:

• Participation in two face to face meetings (pre & post)
• Completion of online course
• Participation in assessment of course

Total Project Budget: $10,000*
*Project library faculty team have secured University funding to hire part-time librarians for 160 hours @ $25/hr ($4,000.) to fund release time for 3 librarians to focus on the following activities:

• to receive training in CourseInfo BeachBoard platform
• to create online course in CourseInfo BeachBoard platform
• to create promotional materials as web pages (application form and description of project)
  

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Susan C. Luévano
Susan Luévano, the CSULB Ethnic, Women’s & Multicultural Studies Librarian, is a graduate of the University of Oregon, School of Library Science. She has worked in academic libraries in California and Texas for 26 years. Ms. Luévano is a tenured full librarian. Susan regularly conducts information competency classes for students and faculty at CSULB. She participated on the Curriculum Team, which developed the CSULB Information Literacy Minimum Standards in 1997. In addition, she regularly attends workshops and conferences to update her knowledge and skills in this area. She is the liaison librarian with the Black Studies Department.

Tiffini Travis
Tiffini Travis is the Psychology & Communications Librarian at CSU Long Beach. She received here MLS from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1998. As a librarian at CSULB, she has been involved in online as well as traditional bibliographic instruction. Ms. Travis attended ACRL’s Immersion Program at Kent State University and has been an instructor at the General Education Institute. She has already successfully created an online course using Blackboard Instructional Software.

Eileen Wakiji
Eileen Wakiji received her library degree from the University of Southern California. She has been a reference librarian for over 20 years. In her current position, she is responsible for the following disciplines: communicative disorders, health care administration, health science, nursing, and physical therapy. Information literacy is Ms. Wakiji’s strongest area of continuing education. She was one of the first library faculty to provide information literacy workshops to CSULB faculty through the Center for Faculty Development.

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This page created
 by
 Tiffini Travis
University Library
Last modified May 2, 2002