Online Discussion in a Hybrid Information Literacy Credit Course

Abstract

This article discusses how an instruction librarian created an online learning community of adult learners in a hybrid, credit-bearing information literacy course. The Blackboard course management system was utilized for weekly course discussion on ethical issues involving the use of information to promote student engagement in the critical evaluation of information, collaboration with members of the online learning community, and construction of new learning through the synthesis of course curriculum with prior learning. SSCI 3005In 1995, the CSU inaugurated the system-wide Information Competence Initiative to encourage the collaboration of teaching faculty and instruction librarians in the integration of information literacy skills into the learning outcomes of all academic courses (Curzon, 2000;Rockman, 2003;Roth, 1999). An annual competitive grant process results in an average grant of $5,000 to be used for faculty training, librarian release time, curriculum development, and the creation of credit courses, tutorials, and assessments (Curzon, 2000;Rockman, 2003;Roth, 1999).A partnership between the University Library and the Social Science department resulted in a successful collaboration in which instruction librarians teach SSCI 3005, a semester-long information literacy credit course open to any adult learner and required for all Social Science majors at CSU Stanislaus. Within SSCI 3005, students survey a wide range of research resources including article databases, print and online reference sources, statistical information, government documents, Internet search engines, and Web sites. Students learn to structure searches to enhance the relevance and precision of results, critically evaluate information, and utilize correct citation format to document sources. Stockton