TEACHING INFORMATION LITERACY WITH DISCOVERY TOOLSNancy Fawley, University of Alabama
Nikki Krysak, Norwich University
Introduction
About our presentation
Webinar Outcomes• Understand the unique qualities of discovery tools in order to better instruct students in the classroom
• Learn how to maximize discovery tool features in order to teach students to fully evaluate search results
• Understand how discovery tools integrate with subject-specific databases in order to meet upper-level course needs
• Acquire new ideas for teaching in order to fully capitalize on the benefits of teaching with a discovery tool
Poll #1: Understanding Our Audience
Does your institution have a discovery tool?
a. Yes, we have one
b. Not yet, but we will be implementing one
c. No, and we have no plans to implement one
Poll #2: Understanding Our Audience
If you have a discovery tool, when did your institution implement a discovery tool?
a. Less than 1 year ago
b. 1 to 2 years ago
c. 2 to 3 years ago
d. More than 3 years ago
Understanding Our Students
Digital Natives
• Love to customize and personalize• Often visual learners• Say what they think
Digital Natives
• Collaborative • Multitaskers• Crave speed and entertainment
“Google’s simplicity and single search box seems to have created the expectation among students of a specific search experience within the library”
Asher, Andrew D. and Lynda M. Duke. 2011. “Searching for Answers: Student Research Behavior at Illinois Wesleyan University.” In College Libraries and Student Culture: What We Now Know.” Ed. Lynda M. Duke and Andrew D. Asher. Chicago: American Library Association.
…Which means that they rely too much on simple keyword searches.
Digital Natives as Information Seekers
• Adept with technology as a tool, but lack critical thinking and evaluation skills
• Lack the methodological understanding to search for and evaluate resources in the library
Poll #3: Understanding Your Institutions
If you use a discovery tool, is it positioned as a main default search box on the library homepage?
a. Yes
b. No
Discussion
Benefits of Teaching with Discovery Tools
• One-stop shop model (also a drawback)• Unified search platform
• Intuitive, Google-like interface• Accommodates broad keyword searches
Benefits of Teaching with Discovery Tools
• Facets and limiters
Benefits of Teaching with Discovery Tools
• Interdisciplinary-friendly• Encourages critical thinking (also a drawback)
Benefits of Teaching with Discovery Tools
• Overwhelming number of retrievals• Relevancy rankings • Lack of controlled vocabulary between databases skews rankings
Challenges of Teaching with Discovery Tools
• Requires critical thinking (also a benefit)• One-stop shop model (also a benefit)
Challenges of Teaching with Discovery Tools
• Spotty interdisciplinary coverage• dependent on topic/subject area
• Obtaining buy-in (from faculty & library colleagues)
Challenges of Teaching with Discovery Tools
Getting others on board
• Include librarians in the decision-making process• Write the discovery tool into learning outcomes• Work with tech services to customize discovery tool
• Be ready for surprises!
Challenges of Teaching with Discovery Tools
Discussion
Teaching: Best Practices
• Focus on keyword development
Teaching: Best Practices
• Focus on facets and limiters
Teaching: Best Practices
• Emphasize critical thinking
Teaching: Best Practices
Teaching: Best Practices
• Use as a scaffold for discipline-specific databases
• Develop supplemental subject guides
Teaching: Best Practices
• Highlight link resolvers
Teaching: Best Practices
• Emphasize interlibrary loan
Teaching: Best Practices
Lesson Ideas
• Keyword development
• Evaluating sources
Lesson Ideas
• Flip the classroom
Lesson Ideas
Discussion
Selected Bibliography
Buck, Stefanie, and Margaret Mellinger. "The Impact Of Serial Solutions’ Summon™ On Information Literacy Instruction: Librarian Perceptions." Internet Reference Services Quarterly 16.4 (2011): 159-181.
Cmor, Dianne & Xin Li. “Beyond Boolean, Towards Thinking: Discovery Systems and Information Literacy.” Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences (2012): Paper 7.
Debonis, Rocco, Edward O'Donnell, and Cynthia Thomes. "(Self-) Discovery Service: Helping Students Help Themselves." Journal Of Library & Information Services In Distance Learning 6.3-4 (2012): 235-250.
Fagan, Jody, Condit. "Discovery Tools And Information Literacy." Journal Of Web Librarianship 5.3 (2011): 171-178.
Fawley, Nancy & Nikki Krysak. “Information Literacy Opportunities within the Discovery Tool Environment.” College & Undergraduate Libraries 19 (2012): 207-214.