Week 1 – Fink Exercise

1. Specific Context of the Teaching/Learning Situation

A series of self-paced, online modules will be available online to an any number of students. Participants will largely be made up of 1st and 2nd year students and may include those taking remedial courses.  Modules will be taken either voluntarily or assigned by an instructor.

2.  General Context of the Learning Situation

Learning expectations of students is that they leave the course with a basic understanding of how to locate and evaluate sources of information they find online and in the library.  They will also learn how to use the library website to get help research and with writing and citing papers.

3.  Nature of the Subject

The subject is primarily practical.  The are numerous access points to locating information in the library and online, but the process is similar across these points.  With the move from The Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education to the soon to be released Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education by ACRL, there are some possible changes or alternative methods for teaching this subject.

4.  Characteristics of the Learners

A large percentage of the learners will be first-time in college, first generation college students.  Most will also be working, many with family responsibilities and will either be aiming to earn an associates or a bachelor’s degree.  Their prior knowledge on the subject will be minimal and they may feel intimidated or apathetic.  Learning styles and expectations will vary across the learners.

5.  Characteristics of the Teacher

As a teacher I believe that most learners have the ability to be inspired and motivated to learn a subject, if the information is presented in a way that they can relate to their life or if they can see how it impacts them directly.  Beyond basic information finding skills, being information literate has impacts for students in their education and throughout their life.  I have nearly 9 years of experience teaching the subject in a face to face environment and a graduate degree in the field.  I believe my strengths in teaching are a willingness to try new approaches to teaching a topic and being open to feedback.

Answers to worksheet on pages 11-12:
“A year (or more) after this course is over, I want and hope that students will…”

Foundational Knowledge

Information is everywhere.  Be proactive in evaluating the source and content of the information you find so that you can make informed decisions.

Application Goals

Critical thinking is the most important, as it will help them professionally and personally.

Integration Goals

Students should be able to connect the idea that taking the time to evaluate the information they find will impact their grades, their personal decisions and their career decisions in the future.

Human Dimension Goals

Students should learn that they are capable of making informed decisions, if they are willing to put in the effort to gather the information they need.

Caring Goals

I hope that students will feel more confident in their ability to locate information and develop an interest in using information to make informed decisions in their life.

“Learning-How-To-Learn” Goals

I would like students to learn that putting into practice what they learn will increase their confidence and that there are many tools in place within the library to aid them in expanding their knowledge on the subject.