Creating & Maintaining Information Management Courses in the Digital Age

Lisa Santucci

Rob Withers

Challenge #1: Keeping Up with Changes

SMIL

Compression

XML 1.0AvidCinema

OCR ScanningFlash/Shockwave

HTML 4.0 Transitional

SingingFish

Kartoo

Open Source

TCP/IP

Packet Switching

UCITA

Deep Linking

Blogs

RSS

Acid Pro/ Garage Band

Challenge #2:Keeping up with Students

Historical Overview:(Messes we’ve gotten into over

the years)

Courses Taught before 2000

1 Credit Hour/ Credit-No Credit (Miami University)• Beyond the WWW: Research• Finding Information on the Internet• Web Page Construction

2 Credit Hours/Letter Grade (McDaniel College)• Creating Web Pages • Finding Information on the Internet

Before 2000: Successes

• Filled perceived gap in curriculum

• Enthusiastic response from students

• Demand for 17 sections every semester

Before 2000: Issues

• Content split into multiple courses• Unable to work with students over course

of entire semester• Not allowed to teach during semester, only

experimental January term (McDaniel)• Not allowed to teach for letter grade,

despite requests from students (Miami)• Staffing issues (demand for multiple

sections)

Course Taught Since 2000

Introduction to Information Studies in the Digital Age

• Semester-long/letter grade• Begun with one section/semester, expanded to

four sections/semester• Combines seeking & creating information• New hires integrated into assisting/teaching

http://staff.lib.muohio.edu/~rwithers/ims201/

Course New Elements

• Statistical Literacy

• Geographical lnformation Systems

• Digital Media:

Photoshop/Fireworks

Digital Audio/Video

Scanning/OCR/PDF

Course Under Development

E-Learn, an electronically-delivered course• Minimize need for classroom facilities• Eliminate “talking heads” time needed to

deliver instruction• Minimize schedule conflict for students• Enable students to work at own pace

http://elearn.lib.muohio.edu

Issues, Responses & Challenges

Asserting the Right to TeachIssues• Departmental affiliation• The “easy A” reputationStrategies• Use studies to demonstrate gaps (NSSE,

SAILS)• Rigorously collect student evaluations• Partner with faculty to create and assess

assignments with quantifiable outcomes• Promote ALA-MLS as terminal degree

Classroom Space

Issues• Negative reaction to reserved spaces for classes /

classrooms off-limit to use• Limited $$$/software

Strategies• Credit versus One-shot demands for classrooms• Separate locations for demo and hands-on• Ask departments to kick-back space/money for BI

Sessions

Staffing

Issues

• HELP! I can’t do this all myself!!

Solutions

• Support from administration

• Seek adjuncts

• E-learning: lessen amount of time required per student?

Assessing & Enhancing Topics

• Survey incoming students/First Day Survey

• Ask students for feedback

• Monitor library-related assignments for which students are unprepared

• Monitor cutting edge students: What new toys are they using? How are they using them?

Assessing & Enhancing Assignments

• Monitor outcomes of students: Are they learning? Has assignment become too easy?

• Specify multiple levels (basic/intermediate/advanced)

• Ask students how they would change assignment?

• Group projects: let students use/critique individual strengths

• Duplication: I already know Lexis-Nexis!• Watch for assignments that overlap

Keeping Up with Changes

• Rotate instructors for individual sessions to capitalize on strengths

• Incorporate learning new skills into yearly goal-setting process

• Instructor meetings and collaboration

Questions

Lisa Santucci

santucle@lib.muohio.edu

Rob Withers

rwithers@lib.muohio.edu