Strengthening connections between information literacy, general education, and assessment efforts

Library Trends, Fall, 2002 by Ilene F. Rockman

The California State University system, under the guidance of its Information Competence Assessment Task Force, embarked on a different method of assessment--a multidimensional, multiyear qualitative and quantitative approach--utilizing the expertise of the Social and Behavioral Research Institute, affiliated with California State University, San Marcos (Dunn, 2002).

Such an approach is complex. As noted by Wright (1997), "judgments about the quality of an individual's performance are increasingly made on the basis of a wide variety of evidence, not merely test scores or other numeric data; and the evidence is evaluated narratively and multi-dimensionally for strengths and weaknesses not merely in command of factual information or concepts, but in terms of skill levels and qualities such as creativity, risk taking, persistence, meticulousness, ethical or social consciousness, empathy, cultural sensitivity, and the like" (p. 573).

The first phase of the CSU assessment study was conducted in spring 2000 and focused on the need to determine a baseline of information competence skills. A random sample of 3309 students from twenty-one campuses was selected for a telephone survey which lasted approximately twenty-five minutes. The centerpiece of the survey was a series of scenario questions that corresponded to the CSU information competencies.

This problem-based approach was designed to engage students in a verbal demonstration and explanation of how they would solve common questions such as informing the local city council about the state of homelessness in the community, or locating and evaluating information after receiving a medical diagnosis requiring surgery. Interviewers were trained to record both breadth (the number of different types of responses) and depth (the number of discrete ideas presented) of responses which were deemed as predictors of information competence. Data from a series of "research process" companion questions about the students' academic stares, comfort level with writing papers, self-rated library skills, computer use, and reading comprehension were also collected. After analysis, results showed that freshmen had underperformed the older students due to lack of experience in an academic setting. As students used library resources more and acquired better research-process skills, their responses improved (Dunn, 2002, p. 30).

A year later, in spring 2001, phase two of the CSU information competence assessment project began to shed light on students' information-seeking behaviors, and their abilities to evaluate, analyze, and use information. This aspect of the assessment project utilized qualitative methods to identify what students actually do when they search for information. As described by Dunn (2002), a series of questions framed the research:

* How do students approach and complete information tasks with a set time period using computer and library resources?

* How are strategies and resources students use related to the products of their work?