Object-Based Projects to Teach Information Literacy Skills Abby Clobridge Associate Director, Research & Knowledge Services Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government David Del Testa Assistant Professor, Department of History Bucknell University Information Literacy Workshop Trinity University, May 19, 2009

Background and context…How we got here… Object-based projects 3 sample projects: - The World War II Poster Project - Biography of an Object - Historical Mills Lessons learned

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Primarily an undergraduate institution. Approx. 3600 undergraduate students. 300 FTE faculty. Bucknell University

Emphasis on teaching & learning. Small class sizes. Active learning, service learning, problem-based learning.

Accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education History Department: Lack of sufficient introductory-level courses. Library: Need further evidence of information literacy integrated into the curriculum.

Faculty-Library Instruction Model Since the 1960s at least, librarians and faculty have worked closely together on faculty-generated courses. Ample literature on the topic: Bielema, C., D. Crocker, J. Miller, J. Reynolds-Moehrle, and H Shaw. "Faculty and Librarian Collaborations: A Case Study and Proposal for Online Learning Environments." Research Strategies 20, no. 4 (2003): 334-45. Grassian, Esther. "Do They Really Do That? Librarians Teaching Outside the Classroom." Change 36, no. 3 (2004): 22-27. Raspa, Dick, and Dana Ward, eds. The Collaborative Imperative: Librarians and Faculty Working Together in the Information Universe . Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2000.

Since the 1960s at least, librarians and faculty have worked closely together on faculty-generated courses.

Ample literature on the topic:

Bielema, C., D. Crocker, J. Miller, J. Reynolds-Moehrle, and H Shaw. "Faculty and Librarian Collaborations: A Case Study and Proposal for Online Learning Environments." Research Strategies 20, no. 4 (2003): 334-45.

Grassian, Esther. "Do They Really Do That? Librarians Teaching Outside the Classroom." Change 36, no. 3 (2004): 22-27.

Raspa, Dick, and Dana Ward, eds. The Collaborative Imperative: Librarians and Faculty Working Together in the Information Universe . Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2000.

New Model But this is new… Not mono-directional, in which instructional technologist or librarian provides supplementary support or only content management. Idea to show that many aspects of and many partners in the professional historical experience - they have their professional prerogatives as well.

But this is new…

Not mono-directional, in which instructional technologist or librarian provides supplementary support or only content management.

Idea to show that many aspects of and many partners in the professional historical experience - they have their professional prerogatives as well.

Revised Framework for Teaching Info Lit Skills Active learning Hands-on, experiential learning for students Embedded more deeply into course How professional historians DO research Work with objects, tools, technologies historians use. Work with librarians the way that historians do…

Active learning

Hands-on, experiential learning for students

Embedded more deeply into course

How professional historians DO research

Work with objects, tools, technologies historians use.

Work with librarians the way that historians do…

Object-Based Projects More tactile, kinesthetic learning. Forces students to engage, interact with something other than information from a book. Emphasis on original analysis, evaluation – no way to crib papers. More interesting…for students (and instructors!).

More tactile, kinesthetic learning.

Forces students to engage, interact with something other than information from a book.

Emphasis on original analysis, evaluation – no way to crib papers.

More interesting…for students (and instructors!).

Historical Mills Biography of an Object World War II Poster Project

The World War II Poster Project As part of the extensive study into the history of World War II, students were challenged to apply professional library research, image editing, and content management skills in the context of their course. The students explored the history behind authentic World War II Propaganda Posters available from the Bucknell University Archives. Members of the History 100 course used their knowledge of the history of the period to analyze their images and produce a research paper about their findings. -- Cassie Mastrostefano and Joanna Wheeler HIST100 – Fall 2008 Students

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning

Doing the work of historians Orientation to library services and staff Gauge students’ info literacy Work with digital images; build a digital image collection Historical research Hands-on work with archival materials

In-class exercise during Session 2 using personal response systems to discuss basics of finding and evaluating sources. Selected topics included: Understanding citations, finding materials in a university library, inter-library loan Address basic principles of finding and evaluating sources. Can be addressed via formal lectures, discussion sections, library visits, writing workshops, computer labs, or classroom management systems. Phase 2: Teaching Students to Find and Evaluate Sources During Session 2, instructors provide overview of project and intended outcome. At beginning of class, provide a clear presentation of: what students will learn in the course how information literacy relates to those learning goals Phase 1: Preparing Students for an Information Literacy Experience Integration into HIST 100 Selected Details of Phase MSCHE Phase

At beginning of class, provide a clear presentation of:

what students will learn in the course

how information literacy relates to those learning goals

Students will create digital surrogates of their posters, manipulate digital images, and use specialized information technology applications to create the digital library. The digital library, created over the course of several class sessions, requires students to create a new product. As a class, students will decide how to organize the content for their collection. P.I. 4.1: Applies new and prior information to the planning and creation of a particular product or performance. Organizes the content in a manner that supports the purpose and format of the product or performance. Manipulates digital text, images, and data, as needed, transferring them from their original locations and formats to a new context. Standard Four: The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose. Integration into HIST 100 Poster Project Performance Indicators (P.I.) – The information literate student.... ACRL Standard

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Project Kick-Off

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Project Kick-Off

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Project Kick-Off First Impressions

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Brainstorming Project Kick-Off First Impressions

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Brainstorming Project Kick-Off First Impressions Pre-Test

Personal Response Systems “ Clickers”

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Brainstorming Project Kick-Off First Impressions Pre-Test Library Tour

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Brainstorming Project Kick-Off First Impressions Pre-Test Library Tour Advanced Research Methods

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Brainstorming Project Kick-Off First Impressions Pre-Test Library Tour Advanced Research Methods Displaying, Preserving, & Archiving Objects

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Brainstorming Project Kick-Off First Impressions Pre-Test Library Tour Advanced Research Methods Displaying, Preserving, & Archiving Objects Working with Digital Images

Working with Digital Images Image file types: TIFFs and JPGs Pixels per Inch (PPI) Photoshop: rotating images, cropping images

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Brainstorming Project Kick-Off First Impressions Pre-Test Library Tour Advanced Research Methods Displaying, Preserving, & Archiving Objects Working with Digital Images Building the Digital Collection

Standards Digital preservation Access points Copyright Metadata

Inscribe – Cataloging Interface

http://luna8.bucknell.edu LUNA Insight

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Brainstorming Project Kick-Off First Impressions Pre-Test Library Tour Advanced Research Methods Displaying, Preserving, & Archiving Objects Working with Digital Images Building the Digital Collection Final Papers Project Wrap-Up

World War II Poster Project Timeline Project Planning Start of Classes Poster Selection Brainstorming Project Kick-Off First Impressions Pre-Test Library Tour Advanced Research Methods Displaying, Preserving, & Archiving Objects Working with Digital Images Building the Digital Collection Final Papers Assessment Project Wrap-Up

Clickers

83%

Digital Images & Digital Library 92% 78%

83%

Lessons Learned Changes for 2008 What’s next?

When do we talk about the war?

82% -- For future classes, I would recommend assigning a project such as this to students rather than giving them a traditional research paper. 83% -- I believe that I learned more from this project than I would have from a traditional research paper. 72% -- Compared to a traditional research paper, I enjoyed this project much more.

By the end of the semester… Understand the varieties of information sources available (UNDERSTAND) Access information efficiently and effectively (ACCESS) Evaluate information and its sources (EVALUATE) Understand the concept of intellectual property and the economic, legal, and social contexts of information, and use information ethically (USE ETHICALLY) Incorporate and synthesize information to create individual and group products (CREATE) Information Literacy Skills Emphasized:

Biography of an Object Each student selects an object they own that was produced in the Pacific Rim. During the course of the semester, they research and analyze the “life” of the object – where it was produced, what company produced it, how this product fits into the overall industry, etc. The end result: a ten-page written paper.

Selected Objects Dell Laptop Lithium battery American Apparel clothing Gap clothing Kirin beer Bottle of FIJI Water

Dell Laptop

Lithium battery

American Apparel clothing

Gap clothing

Kirin beer

Company Research Publicly-traded co. or privately held? Ticker symbols, company filings, annual & quarterly reports (10Ks) EDGAR, Hoover’s Key individuals at the company Competitors Place of the company within the broader market Analyst reports

Publicly-traded co. or privately held?

Ticker symbols, company filings, annual & quarterly reports (10Ks)

EDGAR, Hoover’s

Key individuals at the company

Competitors

Place of the company within the broader market

Analyst reports

Industry Research What industry/industries does this product fall into? Key players in the industry Analyst reports, news reporting Non-profits, NGOs, watchdog organizations

What industry/industries does this product fall into?

Key players in the industry

Analyst reports, news reporting

Non-profits, NGOs, watchdog organizations

Country Research Country’s demographics EUROPA, CIA Factbook, statistics from almanacs Modes of transportation, primary routes Main imports/exports Natural resources

Country’s demographics

EUROPA, CIA Factbook, statistics from almanacs

Modes of transportation, primary routes

Main imports/exports

Natural resources

By the end of the semester… Understand the varieties of information sources available (UNDERSTAND) Access information efficiently and effectively (ACCESS) Evaluate information and its sources (EVALUATE) Incorporate and synthesize information to create individual and group products (CREATE) Final papers – contextualizing the products within the broader economic, geographic landscape. Information Literacy Skills Emphasized:

Historical Mills Project Students worked together as a group to research, analyze, and collectively write a significant report on a mill in the local area. Del Testa intended this project to introduce history majors to detailed archival research methods in county, state, and private archives; help them prepare for taking oral histories in a professional manner; and encourage good analysis based on careful research on historical context and primary sources in comparison.

By the end of the semester… Understand the varieties of information sources available (UNDERSTAND) Access information efficiently and effectively (ACCESS) Incorporate and synthesize information to create individual and group products (CREATE) Evaluate information and its sources (EVALUATE) Group papers – synthetic reports on the mill they researched. Their reports will serve as the basis for a future online database about the local water-powered mills. Information Literacy Skills Emphasized:

David Del Testa Assistant Professor, Department of History Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA 17837 [email_address] (570) 577-3779 office (805) 427-6429 cell/mobile Abby Clobridge Associate Director, Research & Knowledge Services Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government [email_address] (617) 496-1772 Twitter: aclobridge