Week 1 Assignment, Step 2

STEP 2 - LEARNING GOALS

"A year (or more) after this course is over, I want and hope that students will remember that finding information is not a linear process...and that they can always get help from a librarian." :)

Foundational Knowledge

• Definition of Information Literacy (IL).
• Searching for information is a process and takes time.
• Learning to research is not about learning a specific tool, but rather how the information students need to find fits into the wider world of the information cycle.

Application Goals

• Ultimately, students will develop critical thinking skills in the areas of source evaluation, information literacy, and the research process.
• Students will develop research skills: using online resources, using print sources, understanding different types of information found in print and online, creating a research question and plan, etc.

Integration Goals

• As a paired class, in a learning community, students will make connections between information literacy and the paired, other discipline course. They will see how information literacy fits into other classes and disciplines.
• Students will make connections between the various aspects of the research process, understanding that how they begin their research (asking a research question, setting up a plan, etc.) influences the final product.
• Students will make connections to IL and their personal lives. By learning to evaluate information for a course, students will also learn to evaluate information in their personal lives.

Human Dimension Goals

• Students will learn that they are a part of scholarly communication and that by doing research for their classes, they are also a part of creating new information. They will see themselves as part of the information cycle.
• Students will understand that behind every type of information they seek or need, are people creating that information. Students will understand that information comes from people, not just "the internet" or "Google".

Caring Goals

• I hope that students will, at the least, develop some excitement around research. This may not be jumping up and down type of excitement but hopefully they will see how research can be fun. 
• I also think many students see research as a mundane thing they do in class but I hope they learn to see IL as part of  their every day lives.
• I want students to care about where information comes from and to care about using appropriate materials for each different information need.

"Learning-How-to-Learn" Goals

• Successful students will learn that they have the power to find the information they need and that a librarian is there to help them learn (not just find the answer for them).
• They will learn they need to patient when seeking information and that in order to be successful in IL and research, they may need to be willing to seek out multiple resources for their information needs.