A Disciplinary Blueprint for the Assessment of Information Literacy

Book excerpt: Have you ever worried that literature on library instruction deals more with methods of assessing student attitude than student learning? If so, you'll be glad to know someone is doing something about it! Eight unique disciplinary modules are presented, each identifying a series of information literacy objectives developed in accordance with Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives. A substantive curriculum map embedded within each module lists the sequence of courses required for the disciplinary major and the level at which the course is taught (sophomore, junior, etc.), notes whether information literacy instruction is currently taught by the library for that particular course, and delineates the specific information literacy learning objectives the students must master in order to fulfill the course assignments. Collaborative responsibility for teaching the information literacy skills is also outlined, with specific recommendations for ways the library can strengthen its support for the specific discipline. In addition, assessment methodologies are identified; including scoring rubrics designed specifically for the disciplinary information literacy objectives. An indispensable resource for academic librarians ready to take the leap from episodic reactive response to programmatic sequenced integration into the curriculum.