This article reports the findings and implications of a qualitative exploratory study of writing composition instructors' approaches to teaching research skills and designing research assignments. The authors present the common learning goals, instructional approaches, and research teaching challenges that surfaced through semi-structured,…

Three dimensional (3D) design and printing are customizable and cost-effective approaches to developing small equipment and other items for use in various interdisciplinary applications. However, many pedagogical approaches to 3D printing focus more on the generation of artifacts than on the involvement of students as creators. Moreover, library…

Universities have been spending money on the acquisition of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enable online library research support platforms. Such acquisitions can be justified if they are effectively utilized for what they are intended for. A quantitative research approach was employed in the study to investigate the use of…

This exploratory case study discusses how information literacy elements are presented in first-year composition assignments developed by teaching assistants. The study used content analysis of the instructions accompanying research assignments to understand research projects and their information literacy elements. The analysis found the library…

This study explores the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) community college faculty's perspectives on the Association of College and Research Libraries' (ACRL) "Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education" ("Framework"). Previous studies of the "Framework" implementation have…

Although information literacy has been fundamental to the work of teaching librarians for decades, the ways in which students develop their information literacy is not well understood. In addition, the sociocultural nature of information literacy is often neglected when attempting to assess students' information literacy development. The purpose…

This article showcases an instructor-librarian collaborative model for teaching critical information literacy (CIL) skills in a higher education course by incorporating interactive workshops into a sequence of required course assignments. Using an asset-focused design, this assignment sequence allows students to first demonstrate their existing…

Assignment design provides a potential niche for librarians to fill in improving research assignments and in providing opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration on teaching, but this can be difficult work to claim as librarians. In the 2016-2017 academic year, a team of three librarians at Utah State University, a mid-size research…

Based on in-person, task-based usability testing and interviews, the authors' library Web site was recently overhauled in order to improve user experience. This led to the authors' interest in additional usability testing methods and test environments that would most closely fit their library's goals and situation. The appeal of card sorting…

Using the Information Literacy VALUE Rubric provided by the AAC&U, this study compares thirty final capstone assignments in a research course in a learning community with thirty final assignments in from students not in learning communities. Results indicated higher performance of the non-learning community students; however, transfer skills…

This case study discusses an assessment project in which a rubric was used to evaluate information literacy (IL) skills as reflected in undergraduate students' research papers. Subsequent analysis sought relationships between the students' IL skills and their contact with the library through various channels. The project proved far longer and more…

To get the best sense of how graduating students demonstrate information literacy skills and how the institution can improve student learning, the Assessment in Action (AiA) project at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) deployed a combination of indirect measures and authentic assessment of student work, utilizing assessment tools flexible…

Several components of a campus culture affect learning, yet assessments regularly neglect some of them. Academic librarians should evaluate how they impact courses and student learning through their support of these neglected components. Assessment goals to address some of the components include measuring the level of support for courses with…

This article covers how an interdisciplinary course was developed using the expertise and resources of a history professor, the history and psychology subject librarians, and the university's writing center. The course, supported by a grant, was aimed at helping students improve their research, information literacy, and writing skills across…

In this study, researchers evaluate a homework exercise assigned before a standalone information literacy session. Students in a Master of Education program completed a worksheet using the ERIC database thesaurus. The researchers conducted pre- and posttests within a single library session to assess student learning, using a control group for…