Undergraduate Council recommends that the Faculty Senate approve an information literacy requirement for all undergraduate students at Florida International University. The model proposed expands upon the existing library instruction model to include a sequence of seven library class sessions integrated into specific courses in the curriculum. Individual faculty and program directors for those courses may work together with the Libraries and the Academy for the Art of Teaching to develop assignments that incorporate information literacy components.

This implementation of this proposal will not only support our efforts in meeting the SACS criteria, it will help us realize the vision represented in FIU's Reaching for the Top strategic planning document.

Background

Definition and Curriculum

Information literacy is more than computer literacy and more than library instruction. According to the American Library Association (ALA) an information literate person is able to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information."² The SACS criteria defines information literacy as "the ability to locate, evaluate, and use information to become independent life-long learners."³ Computer literacy is an important part of information literacy but the student who knows every database, every computer program and every keystroke may not be information literate at all. Thinking and reasoning are at the center of information literacy. (See Appendix A for an information literacy curriculum with criteria and outcomes)

Information Literacy and Accreditation

The section of the SACS criteria "Core Requirements for Undergraduate Programs," states that"the institution must demonstrate that its graduates are competent in reading, writing, oral communication, fundamental mathematical skills and the basic use of computers."
(see Appendix B for a list of Computer Skills Incorporated in Information Literacy)

In the section about the library, the SACS criteria states:

Libraries and learning resource centers must provide students with opportunities to learn how to access information in different formats so that they can continue life-long learning.Librarians must work cooperatively with faculty members and other information providers in assisting students to use research materials effectively...this should be consistent with the goal of helping students develop information literacy-the ability to locate, evaluate, and use information to become independent life-long learners.⁴

Additional related criteria is outlined in the section on Information Technology Resources and Systems:

There must be a reasonable infusion of information technology into the curricula so that students exit with the fundamental knowledge and basic ability to use these resources in everyday life and in future occupations. Institutions must provide the means by which students may acquire basic competencies in the use of computers and related information technology resources.⁵

The national trend indicates a movement to further revise the language of accreditation from the narrower computer literacy to the expanded information literacy. FIU can prepare for this inevitable evolution now by addressing the broader imperative to integrate information literacy into the curriculum. (See Appendix C for a summary of national efforts to develop information literacy requirements and changes in accreditation criteria in MACS and WACS - the Middle and Western States)

Neither a single class or workshop series will address such an overwhelming need in students' technological preparation and critical thinking performance. However, a cooperative, multi-year effort among faculty and professional staff involving changes in the way we teach information literacy to support their learning can make a significant difference in students preparation to compete professionally and to become self-directed lifelong learners.

Proposal for Integrating Information Literacy across the Curriculum

After considering various options, Undergraduate Council recommends a core sequence for the lower division and another sequence for the upper division. For the upper division, it is recommended that colleges, schools and individual academic departments work together with the Libraries and the Information Literacy Initiative (ILI) on an approach that works best for their curriculum. (See Appendix D for a description of the ILI)

Lower Division

Since all students are required to take the Freshmen Experience Seminar and the Freshmen Composition sequence, those two courses present an excellent opportunity to integrate an information literacy component to reach all freshmen. The content of these courses provides an excellent opportunity for students to apply their skills within the context of the course. The centerpiece of the current library instruction program is the sequence of three classes with Freshmen Composition (the Library Certification Program).

Recommendation:	One class linked to Freshmen Experience
	Three classes linked to Freshmen Composition
	Total - Four library sessions for lower division students

Infrastructure for Computer and Information Literacy Support for Transfer Students

A large percentage of our upper division students transfer to FIU. Transfer students will not benefit from the four-class sequence offered in the lower division. They may be ill prepared for the 2-3 class upper division sequence.

Recommendation:

Skills included in the lower division classes are a prerequisite for the upper division library sessions. The Libraries will offer open workshops and instructors of the upper division courses can work with librarians to encourage/require their students to attend these workshops as necessary.

Basic computer skills are an important prerequisite for information literacy. FIU students possess a wide range of computer literacy competencies. There is no single required course that teaches computer skills to FIU students, however there are options in the core for electives, and many lower division students take these electives. However transfer students demonstrate a wide range of computer competencies. Since basic computer skills are required by SACS and as a prerequisite for upper division information literacy class sessions, these skills can be addressed as a developmental set of skills and an appropriate infrastructure designed to provide support for students in need of assistance.

Recommendation:

• Provide open workshops for students through the libraries.
• Provide online self-paced tutorials for students in computer labs.

A sequence of information literacy classes for lower division students is important in providing a foundation of skills, but insufficient in meeting the overall objectives for two important reasons:

• Students must become information literate in the resources for their discipline.
• Transfer students are excluded.

If we want to include every FIU student, and if we want to introduce students to information seeking strategies within their field, we recommend continuing the sequence of classes linked to upper division courses in each major. Many departments offer a required course for all majors. Some have a limited number of required courses from which the student may select. A few have a large number of electives. The library sessions can be linked to any combination of these courses.

Recommendation:

Each school or department consider 2 or 3 library sessions linked to one or more upper division courses.

(See Appendix E for an example of learning objectives for a seven class sequence)

Assessment

Two levels of assessment need to be considered: at the program level and at the classroom level. ILI staff will work together with faculty and library staff to develop assessment methodologies.Models for performance-based assessment will be developed and applied.

Resources

Expanding information literacy across the curriculum will have implications for staff resources as well as for space and equipment. The Libraries will require additional staffing to increase their current class load. Staff resources for ILI are currently "donated" by the Libraries and by the Academy for the Art of Teaching with existing staff. (The Director of the Academy and the Head of Reference in the Libraries) In order to implement the kind of faculty development effort required by this proposal, ILI needs additional staff. Library sessions incorporate active learning with students working on activities in groups and/or at workstations. The new library at University Park will have two wired "Instruction Centers" for teaching. The Library at North Campus requires comparable facilities.

Implementation

Despite the need for additional resources, there is considerable infrastructure for this program already in place. The libraries have an extensive instruction program and a commitment to teaching that extends back to the founding of FIU. Last year the library staff taught 600 classes reaching 15,000 students. The newly created ILI combines the skills of the Libraries with the talent and experience in classroom teaching and faculty development provided by the Academy for the Art of Teaching. Wired classrooms are appearing across campus, and there are several faculty initiatives underway to address the applications of technology to teaching, into which the learning theory of critical thinking for information literacy can be added. (See Appendix F for details of respective responsibilities for the Libraries, Schools and Departments, and the ILI)

In Sum

This proposal has presented background information about national information literacy efforts and a recommendation for integrating information literacy across the disciplines at FIU. Although the impetus for this proposal was the SACS accreditation review, the review merely presents an opportunity for faculty and staff to work together to build an information literacy curriculum that can benefit students for the rest of their lives. If we succeed, students will benefit from a sequence of information literacy instruction that spans their academic career. Please accept this invitation to engage in a campus wide dialogue and planning effort to incorporate information literacy across the curriculum at FIU.

Undergraduate Council Members

Gerardo Alladro, Committee Chair (Arts and Sciences)	Valerie George (Health)
Patricia Iannuzzi (Library)	Claudia Busch (Architecture)
Deborah Cohen (Business)	Jodi Reiss (Education)
Esther Sherman (Nursing)	Shonali Laha (Engineering)
Nestor Portocarrero (Hospitality)	Norma Threadgill (CUPA)
Don Sneed (Journalism)

¹Florida International University. Reaching for the Top. (FIU Strategic Plan) 2nd ed.

December 20, 1996. P 12.

²American Library Association Presidential Committee on Information Literacy, Final Report.

(Chicago: American Library Association, 1989)

³Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Criteria for Accreditation. 10th ed. Dec. 1996. Section 4.2.2.6

⁴Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

(SACS). Criteria for Accreditation. 10th ed. Dec. 1996. Section 5.1.2.4

⁵Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

(SACS). Criteria for Accreditation. 10th ed. Dec. 1996. Sections 5.3.3 and 5.3.4

Appendix B

Computer Skills Incorporated in Information Literacy

The following outcomes for basic skills in the use of computers are included in the information literacy curriculum. Skills listed here are technical skills and do not include the conceptual and critical thinking skills associated with some of these functions.

Keyboard/Mouse
Students will be able to:

• use a keyboard to enter information into a computer, including special features such as caps lock, insert, delete, directional arrows, backspace, alt tab, print screen, etc.
• use the right and left click functions of a mouse, including single and double clicking
• combine mouse and keyboard activities for various applications

Windows
Students will be able to:

• open and use multiple windows sessions
• cut, copy and paste between windows sessions
• minimize, maximize, and resize windows
• use Start and Desktop to find desired applications
• save files to desktop and to a: drive:
• use toolbars, and menu bars with pop down windows

Internet
Students will be able to:

• describe the different services provided over the Internet (ftp,http,smtp)
• establish Internet accounts at FIU and/or through local Internet service providers
• use advanced search techniques for various search engines on the WWW
• evaluate the search strategy and the search results
• apply criteria to select and evaluate search engines

E-Mail
Students will be able to:

• describe various e-mail applications
• perform basic e-mail functions
• subscribe to listservs
• search archives of listservs
• send, open, and append files
• practice basic e-mail netiquette

Web Browser
Students will be able to:

• skim and scan for information on a web page by scrolling, using pop up windows, frames, icons, and clickable images and text (in at least one web browser)
• navigate efficiently using toolbar and commands
• set options and preferences to customize desktop download and use plug-ins such as Adobe Acrobat Reader and RealPlayer for Digital Library Collections
• navigate within documents in pdf format
• clear cache
• select sites to bookmark
• use mail function to send documents to email account
• select and save images
• download information to a floppy disk
• print selected text

Database Structure
Students will be able to:

• identify fields in a record
• develop efficient search strategies using field limits
• interpret citations in index, abstract and full text records
• use databases of text, numeric data, and/or multimedia

Information Retrieval
Students will be able to:

• select keywords and related terms for a search strategy
• use truncation appropriately for more efficient searches
• combine keywords using Boolean connectors
• apply date, language, format and other types of limits to searches as appropriate
• choose between keyword searching and use of controlled vocabulary
• perform searches using controlled vocabulary
• develop search strategies and perform searches in a wide variety of search engines
• select records to download, print or email
• use internal navigation for various information services (icons, pop-up windows, toolbars, etc)

Appendix C

Information Literacy, Professional Associations, and Accreditation

The American Library Association (ALA), the American Association of Higher Education (AAHE), the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) and the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) are but a few of the education associations that have joined the National Forum on Information Literacy (NFIL). A major activity of NFIL members is to internalize the concepts of information literacy within their own organizations, incorporating the goals of information literacy into organizational planning, policy development, and programming. For example, the American Association of Higher Education (AAHE), has established an Information Literacy Action Community.

Increasingly, accreditation criteria include information literacy competencies. The Commission on Higher Education, Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MACS), was the first regional accrediting group to include criteria for information literacy. In 1994, the Council on Higher Education, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), and NFIL conducted a nationwide survey of 830 institutions of higher education to assess the "status of initiatives to promote information literacy." The overall survey results show that 31% had a "functional" program, 27% offered a course, and 19% integrated efforts into the curriculum for all majors. Three hundred and eight five institutions provided staff/faculty development.

Not surprisingly, institutions in the middle states had the highest percentage of information literacy programs. At the time of the survey, MACS was the only regional accreditation association that had incorporated information literacy criteria. MACS also offers workshops to educate educators and actively promote the information literacy agenda.⁷

More recently, the California Association of Academic and Research Libraries (CARL) has joined the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) to craft information literacy language for their criteria. Their document includes a "Statement of Principles of information literacy criteria," definitions of the "Teaching-Learning Library", and of "Information Literate Learners"and new language included in the general education requirements.⁸

⁷Ratteray, O.M.T. & Simmons H. L. "Information Literacy in Higher Education: A Report

on the Middle States Region." (September 1995) Washington: ERIC Clearinghouse, ERIC Document 388136.

⁸California Association of Academic and Research Libraries. Draft Recommendation to

WASC on an Information Literacy Standard. 29 Sept. 1997 http://www.carl-acrl.org/Reports/rectoWASC.html 25 Jan. 1998

Appendix D

Information Literacy Initiative

Attached are materials from the Information Literacy Initiative (ILI) at FIU. The ILI is a collaborative service between the FIU Libraries and the Academy for the Art of Teaching.

Appendix E

Information Literacy Library Component

Sample Sequence

Class 1 - Link to Freshman Experience

GOAL: Have an introductory understanding of the ever-changing world of information resources
The student will:

• Understand that among the innumerable information resources throughout the world some will provide general information or may cover many areas of knowledge and that most information covers a specific area or discipline
• Recognize the need to evaluate a resource's credibility.
• Describe the differences between as well as the ways information is reported (primary, secondary, tertiary).
• Identify information/data which is available in various formats including print, audiovisual, and electronic.
• Understand that access to information may require their using a variety of resources including print and electronic computer databases.

• Recognize that a library's catalog only identifies items it owns.
• Understand that when they use information resources, other than the library catalog, to identify what is available throughout the information universe, they must then use the library catalog to identify the item's availability within their library.
• Understand that resources not owned by the library are usually available through interlibrary loan.
• Utilize a computer which is connected to the Internet to access the FIU Online Computer Catalog to search for information resources.
• Use basic Netscape features to access the FIU Online Computer Catalog.
• Use the LUIS search engine (not Netscape) to perform their search.
• Search for information by using the author's last name, the exact title of a work, keywords and Library of Congress Subject Headings
• Identify the parts of a bibliographic record as well as the location and call number of the item.
• Identify various locations throughout the library where different resources are locate.

Class 2 - Link to ENC 1101

GOAL: Understand the diversity of subject areas covered by periodical index and abstract databases
The student will:

• Determine the difference between general and subject indexes and abstracts
• Identify indexes/abstracts that cover broad areas of knowledge (e.g., social sciences, humanities, general science) as well as individual subject areas (e.g., law, criminal justice, biology)
• Recognize that index/abstract databases may be access individually through a networked CD or the FIU Libraries Homepage; or may be accessed via a service provider or aggregator.
• Identify a specific online index/abstract databases that may include information on a particular research topic.

GOAL: Perform simple subject searches using a variety of databases
The student will:

• Use the FIU Libraries Homepage to access databases provided by FirstSearch.
• Utilize the FirstSearch search engine to locate information on a specified topic.
• Compile a list of resources (most of which will be periodical articles) they have located using the FirstSearch databases.

GOAL: Verify FIU ownership of specific periodical titles
The student will:

• Use the FIU Online Catalog (on WebLUIS) to identify periodicals owned by the FIU Libraries.
• Recognize that FIU does not own all the periodicals covered by all the databases available to them.
• Access the holdings record to identify specific dates owned as well as the various formats and locations of periodicals within the FIU Libraries.

• Recognize the availability of resources that are not owned by the FIU Libraries.
• Locate an interlibrary loan while online or in print form.
• Understand that it will usually take 2 to 3 weeks to receive an Interlibrary loan request.

• Evaluate an author's expertise, educational background or affiliations with educational institutions or organizations when determining the author's credibility.
• Assess the date of publication when identifying the timeliness of the information.
• Recognize that information resources that are "peer reviewed" are determined to be credible within the research community.

Class 3 - Link to ENC 1102

GOAL: Prepare a search strategy for individual paper topics
The student will:

• Prepare their thesis statement.
• Identify types of information they will need to complete their research assignment (e.g., background, statistics)
• Plan the sequence in which they will locate information (e.g., 1st - background information, 2nd - books, 3rd - periodical articles, 4th - statistics)

GOAL: Identify keywords, synonyms and related terms
The student will:

• Identify keywords within their thesis statement that will represent the topic.
• Identify synonyms and related terms, possibly using a background resource to locate appropriate terms.

GOAL: Utilize simple search techniques using Boolean logic including combining concepts / terms, nesting, proximity and truncation
The student will:

• Use Boolean operators to control the relationships between words in a search and, consequently, have better control of the outcome of their search.
• Understand the differences between the various operators.
• Develop search statements utilizing Boolean operators

GOAL: Determine appropriate databases for the research assignment
The student will:

• Select databases that most closely cover the subject area of their topic.
• Consider dates of coverage when selecting an appropriate database.

GOAL: Execute a search in an appropriate online index
The student will:

• Perform searches on suitable databases using appropriate Boolean operators and syntax.
• Identify articles available at FIU and those they will need to order through interlibrary loan.

Class 4 - Link to ENC 1102

GOAL: Use the Internet as a research tool
The student will:

• Understand the evolution of the Internet.
• Recognize the benefits of using non-traditional resources.

GOAL: Understand the Internet in contrast to traditional electronic databases
The student will:

• Access index/abstract databases through the library webpage differently than searching or "surfing" for information on the world wide web.
• Understand that anyone can put information on the Internet.
• Experience the different functions of a web browser, a search engine, and a directory or web guide.

GOAL: Execute a search using appropriate Boolean operators on world wide web search engines
The student will:

• Use Boolean operators when searching for information on the web.
• Understand that each search engine or directory uses different searching parameters.
• Utilize "help" screens supplied by the search engine or directory to identify proper Boolean operators and correct syntax.

GOAL: Apply standards for authority, timeliness, and reliability for world wide web sites
The student will:

• Apply criteria to establish the authority of the site (e.g., is an author given, author's qualifications, is edu part of the URL, if org is part of the URL - is the organization reliable?)
• Evaluate the relevance of the information for their need.
• Identify the date of the webpage to establish timeliness.
• Evaluate whether the information is fact or opinion.
• Compare the consistency of the information with other sources.

Upper Division Example - Biology Majors (Ecology)

Class 5 - Possible Link to Ecology - PCB 3043

GOAL: Locate background information, data and statistics for the topic
The student will:

• Identify and locate preliminary information at the start of the research process.
• Use specific reference sources that provide basic data and statistics specific to their field of study.

• Compare the difference between general and specialized encyclopedias in print or electronic formats.
• Use a biology/ecology encyclopedia to locate background information.
• Compare the difference between general and specialized dictionaries.
• Use a biology/ecology dictionary to define terminology from that field.
• Use almanacs to find facts and data.
• Use handbooks written for the practitioner that provide the primary information one may need to practice in that field.
• Find statistical information in statistical reference sources.
• Use directories for biology / ecology (e.g., directory of environmental agencies, directory of graduate programs).

Class 6 - Possible Link to Ecology - PCB 3043

GOAL: Understand the literature of the discipline (range and type of publications and databases)
The student will:

• Describe the specific methods of scholarly communication for their field.
• Recognize that scientific research is the foundation of this discipline and the scientific journal will provide a majority of information for their research needs.
• Select and use index/abstract (print and online) resources from related fields including biology, environmental studies, and geography.

GOAL: Ability to use sophisticated searching techniques within databases and using different search interfaces, focusing on relevant databases for the discipline (e.g., combining previous sets, using controlled vocabulary)
The student will:

• Identify and select several appropriate index/abstract databases they can use for ecological research including BasicBIOSIS on FirstSearch, BIOSIS on CD-ROM, Ecology Abstracts on Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, and Science Citation Index on Web of Science.
• Develop advanced search strategies using sophisticated searching techniques which will provide greater control of their research using online databases.
• Develop controlled vocabulary (often listed in a separate thesaurus) which will enable them to use more precise terminology for searching in that database.
• Identify controlled vocabulary within a record.
• Search on a variety of fields in order to have more specificity when searching (e.g. searchable fields in BasicBIOSIS on FirstSearch include taxonomy, major concept, author, source)
• Use previous search statements combined with new terminology to create new search statements.
• Apply sophisticated search techniques in a wide variety of search engines and databases.
• Use help screens for advanced searching to identify correct syntax and functions in each system.
• Use specialized search functions such as citation searching.
• Identify and use databases for specialized sources of information such as technical reports, pre-publications, legal and government information.

GOAL: Learn appropriate forms of citations
The student will:

• Recognize that each discipline develops a form of citation which is acceptable for publication in that discipline.
• Use the appropriate form for citation in biological sciences.

Class 7 - Possible Link to Research Methods - SYA 3300

GOAL: Learn advanced strategies for WWW searching
The student will:

• Develop advanced search strategies using advanced search techniques that may be available on web search engines.
• Select the search engine, directory or meta-index most appropriate for their need.

GOAL: Learn Internet sources for the discipline
The student will:

• Identify and use web directories for specific subject areas.
• Search for collections of Internet sites from universities with large programs in ecology (valuable sources for locating information and additional links).
• Identify and use Internet sites from governmental agencies, as well as independent organizations covering scientific and environmental concerns.

GOAL: Use the WWW to access specialized digital library collections
The student will:

• Access e-reserves, courseware and other FIU specific digital library collections.

Sample Sequence

This is sample outline of content for seven sequenced library sessions. Actual class content with detailed objectives would be developed by librarians and faculty with assistance from ILI staff.

Appendix F

Information Literacy Responsibilities

The role of the ILI is to reinforce the purpose and guide the practice of faculty toward meeting requirements for information literacy. The ILI will fill this role in a number of ways:

• make information available to all faculty members so that they can make informed decisions about how to incorporate information literacy into their classrooms.
• Consult with interested faculty members on issues of course design and on the development of appropriate assignments.
• Provide a series of workshops on topics related to information literacy, that departments and schools can have on request. Some examples of workshops are: Information Literacy and Active Learning, Assessing Information Literacy, and Information Literacy and Academic Integrity.
• Work with faculty, program administrators, and library staff to help develop assessment methodologies.

The libraries will expand their library instruction program further into the core curriculum. Library staff will:

• work together with ILI staff and faculty to develop a sequence of classes appropriate for each major.
• schedule and teach library sessions, incorporating active learning techniques and hands-on activities.
• continue and expand open workshops in order to provide developmental support, especially to transfer students.
• continue to provide faculty workshops on research skills and resources to help faculty keep their skills current and to alert them to the complexities of the contemporary information environment and the need for information literacy for students.

Role of Department/Schools/Programs

Departments and schools play a vital role in the success of this initiative. Faculty members will be more likely to engage the strategies of information literacy if the curriculum of their department takes information literacy principles into account. Specifically then, department chairs and school deans can move the initiative ahead by:

• organizing discussions among their faculty, graduate students and undergraduates on the principles of information literacy.
• including an information literacy focus in departmental requirements and in requirements for individual courses.
• organizing opportunities for faculty members who teach upper division courses to develop guidelines for information literacy based assignments or information literacy competencies.
• identifying successful integration of information literacy principles in the classroom as part of what counts as evidence of quality teaching.