Revising the Researched Essay Assignment: Reaching Information Literacy Goals in a First-Year Experience Course Through Collaboration with University Librarians

Type of Presentation

Workshop (1 hour and 15 minutes)

Target Audience

Higher Education

Location

Room 210

Abstract

Southern Oregon University students are required to enroll in a year-long series of courses called University Seminar. These courses combine to form our first-year experience sequence that meets goals in writing, public speaking, critical thinking, and information literacy. One assignment in particular, the F.U.S.E. (Final University Seminar Essay), has been a common, shared assignment required at the end of the University Seminar sequence. Used for programmatic as well as university assessment, this assignment is fraught with issues. Last year, we set aside valuable faculty time throughout the year to redesign this assignment and conduct a systematic review and revision of this assignment, including a revision of the shared rubric for assessment.

Originally proposed as an individual presentation, this project expanded after the conference was cancelled last September, now including several of my colleagues and our administrative assistant who has been the organizer for this project, preparing the writing samples, redacting personal information, and developing an online format for assessment.

Now developed into a workshop, this interactive session will provide a detailed plan for assignment redesign that can be adapted by other programs and disciplines. Our group has attended two regional conferences focused on transparent assignment design, and we collaborated to present an assignment design workshop for SOU faculty from all disciplines.

This workshop will include a discussion of how to develop assignments leading up to the F.U.S.E. with input from a university librarian. We have maximized the benefits of library instruction, moving students’ experience of the library from a “one shot” visit to a relational experience where they get to know one of the university librarians. This relationship makes students more willing to seek help from librarians on future projects. We encourage participants to bring sample research project assignments to the session for discussion

Presentation Description

This workshop will be facilitated by three faculty members and one administrative assistant from SOU's University Seminar program, along with a Government Publications librarian from SOU's Hannon Library. Our program has recently undergone a year-long assignment redesign process to improve the F.U.S.E. (Final University Seminar Essay). This assignment, used for programmatic as well as university assessment, is required to demonstrate a student's proficiency in information literacy. Participants will leave with a step-by-step plan that they can adapt to redesign assignments in any discipline.

Session Goals

  • To explain how transparent assignment design works
  • To take participants through the process SOU's University Seminar has used to improve its F.U.S.E. project
  • To help participants understand how they can do this same process in their own departments and disciplines.

Keywords

Assignment Redesign, Shared Assignments, Researched Essays

Publication Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

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Sep 29th, 12:15 PM Sep 29th, 1:30 PM

Revising the Researched Essay Assignment: Reaching Information Literacy Goals in a First-Year Experience Course Through Collaboration with University Librarians

Room 210

Southern Oregon University students are required to enroll in a year-long series of courses called University Seminar. These courses combine to form our first-year experience sequence that meets goals in writing, public speaking, critical thinking, and information literacy. One assignment in particular, the F.U.S.E. (Final University Seminar Essay), has been a common, shared assignment required at the end of the University Seminar sequence. Used for programmatic as well as university assessment, this assignment is fraught with issues. Last year, we set aside valuable faculty time throughout the year to redesign this assignment and conduct a systematic review and revision of this assignment, including a revision of the shared rubric for assessment.

Originally proposed as an individual presentation, this project expanded after the conference was cancelled last September, now including several of my colleagues and our administrative assistant who has been the organizer for this project, preparing the writing samples, redacting personal information, and developing an online format for assessment.

Now developed into a workshop, this interactive session will provide a detailed plan for assignment redesign that can be adapted by other programs and disciplines. Our group has attended two regional conferences focused on transparent assignment design, and we collaborated to present an assignment design workshop for SOU faculty from all disciplines.

This workshop will include a discussion of how to develop assignments leading up to the F.U.S.E. with input from a university librarian. We have maximized the benefits of library instruction, moving students’ experience of the library from a “one shot” visit to a relational experience where they get to know one of the university librarians. This relationship makes students more willing to seek help from librarians on future projects. We encourage participants to bring sample research project assignments to the session for discussion