Information Literacy Course (EDT 110)

Since our class ended in early March, I've been reflecting on how we can improve the research portfolios. As it stands now, the students include annotated bibliographies in the portfolio, along with recommendations for the agency. The recommendations were a new requirement this past quarter. Our aim was to get students to synthesize the information they were finding, rather than just summarizing it. In most classes, they would write a paper. However, our class is only 2 credits, and the focus is supposed to be on the research process, not writing the research paper.

Next week, March 8, our students will turn in their completed research portfolios to Project READ.  So this week (week 9), the groups were working fast and furious to continue compiling their portfolios and write appropriate recommendations based on their research.  This is the part where the students apply critical thinking skills by synthesizing the research they found. Students also took a very brief 5-question review "quiz."  The quiz covered the big concepts we covered, like evaluating information and the invisible web.

Since our service learning experience (the book sorting activity) was cancelled yesterday, we created an alternate service project for our students.   And with only 3 weeks left in the quarter, we consulted with Dr. Sarah Twill to craft an acceptable alternative.  She offered the following project that she has used in her own classes.  This is worth 14 points, as was the original project (book sorting).

Homework due today, 1/25:  Students viewed the Information Cycle tutorial, produced by Penn State University Libraries; Students also submitted three articles related to their research topic (reading/writing assessment for K-8 students) to a dropbox in the learning management system.

Week 1 was full of logistics and housekeeping.  An experienced SL instructor and faculty liaison to the Office of Service Learning, Dr. Sarah Twill (Social Work), presented "What's this service learning thing Cheryl and Maureen are making me do?" The students also met Becky Garvin, the interim director of Project READ, who explained to them what the agency does for our community.  She thanked them for the work they are about to do for Project READ and our community.