Get ‘Em Coming and Going:

An Interactive Information Literacy

Workshop for Pre-Service Teachers

Jenny InnesRuth Haas Library

Western Connecticut State UniversityJune 2006

My Question:

How can I turn a run of the mill b.i. into something new and

different?

This was the time to offer…

an

information literacy

workshop!

** note the scintillating new branding concept ☺**

Featuring:

1. A fun and engaging information literacy online tutorial

2. An exciting presentation on information literacy/Big6™

3. Group activities and lots of sharing

The Course

Curriculum Strategies for Elementary Education (required for B.S. degree in Elementary Education)

Two sections: 1. social studies 2. science

Course assignment: develop a thematic unit in chosen area

Goals of the Workshop

• To ensure that pre-service teachers have information literacy skills they need

• To provide them with ideas and tools to incorporate information literacy into their own classroom instruction.

But how can this workshop offer a learning experience that’s new and different?

Dr. Idahlynn Karre, proponent of cooperative learning, to

the rescue!

What is Cooperative Learning according to Idahlynn?

Classroom experiences that stress:

Individual student responsibility within a framework of positive

interdependence focus on small group learning

Further, she defines it as a:

• Learner-centered instructional process in which…

Small intentionally selected teams Work together on a well-defined Learning task for the primary

purpose of Increasing mastery of course

content. (Karre,

1996)

Benefits of Cooperative Learning: Academic Achievement

• Reinforces learning and information processing

• Active instead of passive learning• Knowledge is created, not just

transferred• Empowers students to be responsible

for their own learning.

Benefits of Cooperative Learning: Social and Affective

• Turns emotional passivity into emotional energy

• Builds relational support among students• Develops group processing and social skills• Increases student self-esteem• Creates a sense of classroom community• Provides opportunities for understanding

and appreciating diversity among students.

Active Learning is critical.

• “In general, people retain little of what they hear in a classroom or other learning environment unless they become actively involved in the learning process and apply the new knowledge to specific problem solving.”

(Rader, 1997)

Get ‘Em Coming…(engage students from the start)

Students required to complete TIP tutorial before attending workshop

Scenes from TIP: Tutorial for Information Power…

Information Literacy

• To be information literate is…

to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.

(ALA, 1989)

Why is IL important? Let the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus tell you why!

More reasons why information literacy is critical

• Students need to learn how to think• Students need to become

information problem solvers• Technology is a means, not an end.

Big6™: Information Skills for Student Achievement

Why introduce Big6™?

• Provides a fun, memorable and accessible framework for K-12 students to follow

• Can be used in the library, media center, classroom or computer lab

• An easy way to incorporate information literacy standards into instruction.

Big6™ Skills

1) Task Definition2) Information Seeking Strategies3) Location and Access4) Use of Information5) Synthesis6) Evaluation(Thank you, Mike & Bob!)

Get ‘Em Going…

Workshop goals match institutional goals:

Graduate lifelong learners ready to work cooperatively to solve the

world’s problems.