Draft Recommendation to WASC on Information Literacy Standard

Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997

From: Bonnie Gratch Lindauer, Chair, CARL Task Force

Subject: Draft recommendations to WASC on an Information Literacy Standard

The following drafts were prepared by the CARL Task Force to Recommend Information Literacy Standard to WASC (B. Gratch Lindauer, Chair, San Francisco Community College; Esther Grassian, UCLA; Ellen Meltzer, UC-B; Linda Goff, CSU-Sacramento; Gabriela Sonntag, CSU-San Marcos; and Lakshmi Ariaratnam, CSU-Chico).

This initiative was proposed at CARL's Fourth Annual Conference (October 1996) in San Diego as part of efforts to strengthen information competency in academic institutions. President Sandra Vella appointed the Task Force and provided its charge in February. This CARL Task Force prepared the draft texts below for submission to both of WASC's higher education accrediting commissions. A first draft was reviewed by Executive Director of WASC, Ralph Wolff, whose suggestions have been incorporated.

Senior College/Universities Commission
Community and Junior Colleges Commission.

SEND COMMENTS TO:

Sandra A. Vella, CARL President, Shields Library, UC-Davis, Davis, CA 95616;
e-mail: savella@ucdavis.edu

Recommended Texts For Consideration Related to Information Literacy

I. WASC Accrediting Commission of Senior Colleges and Universities

Statement of Principles for Information Literacy Criteria

THE TEACHING-LEARNING LIBRARY

Libraries, computing, information and learning resources are an integral part of the institution's instructional program. They support and expand the teaching and research missions of the institution by providing an excellent teaching-learning environment.

The Library's contribution to the teaching-learning environment includes the development of various collections, learning and information resources, and services which are made accessible, regardless of physical location or format, to all the institution's students, faculty and staff. Many of these collections, resources and services are integrated into the curriculum by the required use of a wide variety of non- textbook resources in the educational program.

An equally important contribution is the systematic learning opportunities created by librarians, disciplinary faculty and other academic staff that teach students to become information literate.

INFORMATION LITERATE LEARNERS

An institution fosters optimal use of its library and learning resources through strategies designed to help students become information literate. Information literacy is the ability to effectively identify, access, evaluate and make use of information in its various formats, and to choose the appropriate medium for communication. It also encompasses knowledge and attitudes related to the ethical and social issues surrounding information and information technology.*

An institution ensures that all graduating students are information literate through a sytematic and course-integrated campus-wide information literacy program. Information literacy learning opportunities are part of general education, academic majors, and graduate/professional programs. Educational program requirements or goals include statements about students' use of libraries, computing, information and learning resources and how course assignments contribute to their becoming information literate. Professional staffs with appropriate expertise are available to teach information literacy skills and develop collections, learning resources and information literacy curricula and learning experiences. The institution provides support for maintaining and improving the quality of information literacy instruction.

PARTNERSHIPS

An environment that encourages the growth and development of an information literacy program is built on collegial partnerships of librarians, disciplinary faculty and other appropriate staff and founded on collaboration and articulation with the community college and K-12 sectors. Communication and cooperative agreements are developed among the units of an institution that provide information literacy instruction and training so that each contributes to campus-wide goals of teaching information literacy competencies.

ASSESSMENT

The institution's asessment plan should include:

1. a description of expected learning outcomes for general education and other academic programs that describes what students will know and be able to do related to information literacy and how competency or proficiency is determined;

2. performance indicators for measuring the extent of student progress or achievement in fulfilling specific information competencies;

3. a description of the process and methods for collecting data; and

4. a statement of how assessment results are incorporated into information literacy program planning and improvement.**

*While specific information literacy competencies are not detailed here, institutions will find useful national and state documents that describe these skills and abilities, such as the Association of College and Research Libraries-Instruction Section's document "A Model Statement of Objectives for Academic Bibliographic Instruction."

**See "Supporting Documentation For Outcomes Assessment"

II. WASC Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges***

Standard Four: Educational Programs

B. Degree and Certificate Programs

B.5. Students completing degree programs demonstrate competence in the use of language, (and) computation AND BASIC INFORMATION LITERACY, WHICH IS THE ABILITY TO IDENTIFY, ACCESS, EVALUATE AND MAKE EFFECTIVE USE OF INFORMATION IN ITS VARIOUS FORMATS.

C. General Education

C.3. The general education program introduces the content and methodology of the major areas of knowledge: the humanities and fine arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The general education program provides the opportunity for students to develop the intellectual skills, AND BASIC INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS, affective and creative capabilities, social attitudes, and an appreciation for cultural diversity that will make them effective learners and citizens.

C.4. Students completing the institution's general program demonstrate competence in oral and written communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, (and) critical analysis/logical thinking, AND BASIC INFORMATION LITERACY.

Standard Six: Information and Learning Resources

THE LIBRARY/LEARNING RESOURCE PROGRAM IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE INSTITUTION'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO ITS INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS. THE LIBRARY/LEARNING RESOURCE PROGRAM'S PRIMARY ROLE IS TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION AND TEACH BASIC INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND SERVICE UNITS.

4. The institution has professionally qualified staff to provide appropriate support to users of information and learning resources, including training in the effective application of information technology to student learning AND TEACHING STUDENTS BASIC INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS.

7. The institution plans for and systematically evaluates the adequacy and effectiveness of its learning and information resources and services and makes appropriate changes as necessary. LINKED TO AN INSTITUTION'S MISSION AND GOALS, THE LIBRARY/LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER'S ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES PRIMARILY ADDRESS THE RELATIONSHIP OF SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO THE TEACHING-LEARNING FUNCTION.

***New text is in ALL CAPS. Recommended deleted text is indicated by parenthesis. Only those sections from the 1996 standards affected by recommended additions/changes are included above; all other text is left intact.