This project aims to assess information literacy as a core competency for graduating students at Anne Arundel Community College. The college's assessment plan requires evaluating all ten core competencies, including information literacy, over three semesters. For information literacy, the assessment will analyze student work samples using a rubric, survey faculty about how they teach and assess these skills, and examine the curriculum map to see where opportunities exist for students to develop these abilities before graduating. The results are intended to identify any changes needed to research assignments, curriculum mapping, programs, or broader use of assessment tools and library resources to strengthen students' information literacy.

1. FINDING THE COCKED HAT: TRIANGULATING ASSESSMENT FOR INFORMATION LITERACY AS A COLLEGE-WIDE CORE COMPETENCY
Professor Brandy Whitlock, Instruction Librarian & Team Leader, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, Maryland
Dr. Nassim Ebrahimi, Director of Learning Outcomes Assessment
Professor Marjorie Paoletti, English Department Faculty
This project is part of the program “Assessment in Action: Academic Libraries and Student Success” which is undertaken by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) in partnership with the Association for Institutional Research and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. The program, a cornerstone of ACRL's Value of Academic Libraries initiative, is made possible by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Assignment Checklist
+
Faculty Survey
Authentic Assessment of
Student Work
Curriculum
Map
Assessment of
Information Literacy
as a
College-Wide Core
Competency
Where in the curriculum do
students develop information
literacy skills?
What evidence can we find
that graduating students have
developed appropriate
information literacy skills?
How are faculty teaching
and assessing information
literacy skills?
Question: Do we have mechanisms in place at Anne Arundel Community College that allow students to develop appropriate information literacy skills by the time they graduate?
AACC’s Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan calls for the assessment of all of the college’s ten
core competencies, including information literacy, among graduating students. Each core
competency will be assessed three semesters in a row. The first assessment of information
literacy was in Spring 2014.
Though it’s not possible at AACC to assess all relevant information literacy skills among
graduating students, we can use student artifacts to assess some skills, and we can gather
information from the college’s curriculum map and from faculty to get a better picture of when
and how information literacy skills are taught and assessed.
BACKGROUND
EXPECTED RESULTS OF ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Among students enrolled in those courses, identify students
who have also applied for graduation. Choose a random,
statistically-significant sample.
Once identifying features are removed from each
assignment, a librarian scores it using an assignment
checklist. Thirty percent are double-scored.
Ask instructors to complete a survey about how they teach
and assess information literacy skills, including how they and
their students use library resources and services.
Ask instructors to send relevant artifacts of student work to
the Office of Learning Outcomes Assessment and to include
the assignment directions.
Once identifying features are removed from each student’s
work, a librarian scores it for evidence of appropriate
information literacy skills. Thirty percent are double-scored.
Query the college’s curriculum map to identify courses in
which students have the opportunity to develop
information literacy skills.
METHODS ASSESSMENT TOOLS QUESTIONS FOR DATA ANALYSIS
Changes to Research Assignments
Changes to the Curriculum Map
Changes to Program Curriculum
Wider Use of the Assignment Checklist
Wider Use of IL Scoring Rubrics
Wider Use of Library Resources & Services