Reinforcing Information Literacy in the Classroom

Reinforcing Information Literacy in the Classroom

Steps for Reinforcement:

  1. Set up an information literacy session for a specific assignment or as orientation to the resources available to students.
  2. Invite librarians to collaborate with you on activities and lessons that extend information literacy into strategies and resources specific to your course content and discipline.
  3. Remind students to apply the strategies from the information literacy session to new assignments throughout the semester.
  4. Encourage students to make appointments with librarians from information sessions for individualized research assistance.
  5. Team with librarians to build on these beginnings. In upper-division courses, you might:
    • Remind students about subject specific resources in your field available through the library.
    • Teach students that using a search strategies learned in information literacy session is useful beyond their one assignment.
    • Recommend use of disciplinary reference sources recommended by librarians.
    • Use more advanced methods for evaluating sources (librarians can offer additional ideas).

Additional Steps:

  1. Read through “The Plan” Competencies & Progression Rubric to see what level is most relevant to your students as well as the skills associated with that level.
  2. With a librarian, discuss how the major-specific levels within the rubric can be incorporated within your major. Ask: are important concepts and skills being taught and reinforced where you intended? If not, help revise the plan.
  3. Work with the librarians to incorporate information literacy assessment into your capstone projects or tests.
  4. Make sure your adjuncts are familiar with “The Plan.” Encourage them to come to make an appointment to have a conversation with information literacy librarians.
  5. Make your own appointment for a consultation and develop a close partnership with a librarian!