Integrating information and academic literacy into research methods courses: a collaborative approach

Claudia Adams, Neda Zdravkovic, Josta Heyligers,

EBLIP88 July 2015

Content

• Context

• Methodologies

• Postgraduate course - Experience

• Undergraduate course - Experience

• Outcomes

“The word research is used to cover a whole range of activities including very high level professional focused research … right through to a quick search for references…and everything inbetween”(Johnstone cited in Lane 2006 Lane, B. (2006). Cheating study dismays dons. The Australian.p.23)

Townsend, Brunetti & Hofer 2009, p.1

• Transformative

• Irreversible

• Integrative

• Bounded

• Troublesome

Research skills=Threshold concepts

Meyer, J., & Land, R. (Eds.). (2003).  Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: linkages to ways of thinking and practicing within the disciplines in Improving student learning – ten years on C. Rust (Ed) OCLSD, Oxford.

Context

Intra-curriculum

Assessment integrated

Assessment for learningTesting

skills

Context

Postgraduate

• Foundation course

• Online

• International cohort

• Cohort returning from workplace

• Academic integrity module

Wang’s IL integration modelWang 2011

Method

Wang’s IL Integration Model

Reproduced with permission: From Wang, X. (2011). An information literacy integration model and its application in higher education. Reference Services Review 39 (4): 703-720.

Mapping

30%

Search journey

Outcomes

• Students achieved well

• Low level of support requested

• High use of online resource indicated engagement &

usefulness

• Terminology addressed

Photo courtesy Natasha WakefieldSpindriftCollectionshttp://www.spindriftcollections.com/

UG Competencies

INTERPERSONAL COGNITIVECommunication & Presentation Thinking ModesProject Design, Management, Intervention, Evaluation

Academic Argument & Debate

Collaboration Team Work Information & Data ManagementChange Management Research

Problem Solving SkillsINTRAPERSONAL CARINGSelf & Time Management EthicsSelf-Reflection & Resilience AdvocacyLeadership Decision MakingProblem Solving Global Awareness

Cultural SafetyUsed with permission Petersen, L. (2014). BHSc Curriculum Attributes & Competencies Map. School of Population Health. Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. University of Auckland. Unpubl.

INTERPERSONAL COGNITIVECommunication & Presentation (H) Thinking Modes (H)Project Design, Management, Intervention, Evaluation

Academic Argument & Debate (H)

Collaboration Team Work (M) Information & Data Management (H)

Change Management Research (H)Problem solving skills

INTRAPERSONAL CARINGSelf & Time Management Ethics (NC) Academic IntegritySelf-Reflection & Resilience AdvocacyLeadership Decision MakingProblem Solving Global Awareness

Cultural Safety

Used with permission Petersen, L. (2014). BHSc Curriculum Attributes & Competencies Map. School of Population Health. Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. University of Auckland. Unpubl.

E-learning design – collaborative

Carpe Diem

“… to enable fast, effective and fully embedded, learner-ready, future-proofed learning.” Salmon & Wright 2014, p. 52

15%

Research Question

Research skills

- Thinking modes (Critical thinking skills)

- Evaluation

Research skills

- Information skills

- Evaluation skills

Finding

Research skills

- Thinking modes (critical thinking)

- Academic arguments & debate

Writing

Interactive

Outcomes• IT issues – with downloading

• Clarity around instructions & timing

• Examples of what was required was helpful

• Marking rubrics requested

• Use of resource was obligatory

Photo courtesy Natasha WakefieldSpindriftCollectionshttp://www.spindriftcollections.com/

Outcomes

•Research questions - better formulated

•Literature review structure improved and consistent across group

•Quality of submission improved – having examples

•Quality of ideas (thinking skills)

•Writing improved - tighter and better summarised

Issues & risks• Key collaborators

• Engagement with institutional policy, AIL principles & key documents

• Sustainability / staffing

• IT support

• Add to workload for students/academics

• Timeliness

What next?

Postgraduate research methods course:

Evaluate effectiveness of resource - examine knowledge, skills and attributes of learners to measure effectiveness.

•Ethics approval for pre and post test surveys

•Longitudinal study planned to collect data through focus groups to examine whether learning is retained and reused

•Include writing support

What next?

Undergraduate research methods course:

•35% allocated to the online activity (replaces literature review)

•Use online module to generate 350-500 words for each activity

– Compose research question,– Find select and critically analyse literature, – Compose key structure of literature review and – Write synthesis of one of identified key themes

Converging theory, evidence & practice

Conclusion

References

• Booth, C. & Mathews, B. (2012). Understanding the learner experience: threshold concepts and curriculum mapping California Academic & Research Libraries Conference. Presentation available http://www.slideshare.net/charbooth/understanding-the-learner-experience-threshold-concepts-and-curriculum-mapping

• Fields, A. (2015). Engaging learner support: an investigation of faculty – library collaboration to provide live course-specific learner support in the online classroom. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning 18(1): 46 -57

• Meyer, J., & Land, R. (Eds.). (2003).  Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: linkages to ways of thinking and practicing within the disciplines in Improving student learning – ten years on C. Rust (Ed) OCLSD, Oxford.

• Lane, B. (2006). Cheating study dismays dons. The Australian. • Salmon, G. & Wright, P. (2014). Transforming Future Teaching through ‘Carpe Diem’ Learning Design. Education

Sciences 2014, 4, 52-63; Retrieved 18/6/15 http://www.gillysalmon.com/uploads/1/6/0/5/16055858/_salmon__wright_transforming_future_teaching_through_carpe_diem_learning_design_2.pdf

• Shumaker, D. & Tally, M (2012). Models of embedded librarianship. Final report, Special Libraries Association. http://hq.sla.org/pdfs/EmbeddedLibrarianshipFinalRptRev.pdf

• Wang, X. (2011). An information literacy integration model and its application in higher education. Reference Services Review 39 (4): 703-720.

• Wilison, J & O’Regan, K. (2007). Commonly known, commonly not known, totally unknown: a framework for students becoming researchers. Higher Education Research and Development 26(4): 393-409.

• Woodward, K.M. (2015). Information literacy in competency-based education. College and Research Libraries 76(3): 118-121.

Acknowledgements

Assoc Prof Stephen BuetowMegan ClarkDale-Cormack PearsonDr Richard EdlinSue FogginDerryl HaymanWen-Chen HolVanda IvanovicDr Lynne PetersenDr Li Wang

Questions?Thank you