Badging for Information Literacy

Type of Presentation

Panel

Conference Strand

Media Literacy

Target Audience

Higher Education

Second Target Audience

K-12

Location

Session 4 Papers

Relevance

Our presentation will discuss our process for creating a self-enrolling information literacy course using the Canvas LMS. Students who complete the course earn a micro-credential (badge) in information literacy. The presentation addresses how we aligned our course objectives with FSCJ's A.A. pathway and the ACRL Framework.

Abstract

During the spring of 2021, library faculty at FSCJ began investigating how to leverage technology to improve information literacy instruction for students. We were responding to three main trends/issues: students’ continuing preference for online instruction, the lack of a formal information literacy requirement at FSCJ, and growing interest in micro-credentialing (badging). Without a formal information literacy requirement, we found that student exposure to information literacy instruction was inconsistent. Some students never saw a librarian, while some students received the same library orientation in their First Year Experience, English Composition, and even higher-level courses. In response, we began to investigate ways to differentiate instruction among the various courses and to support faculty whose students have such wildly varying exposures. Our answer was to create a self-enrolling Canvas course on information literacy. Students who complete the series of 8 course modules earn a micro-credential in information literacy. We designed the modules through a careful analysis of syllabi from various courses in the A.A. pathway, the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy, and a series of faculty focus groups representing various disciplines. Faculty are able to assign their students the modules that best align with their course objectives. Self-motivated students are also able to complete the course and earn the micro-credential at their discretion. Currently we are wrapping up the beta-testing phase and will go live with the program in January of 2022.

Presentation Description

Learn how Florida State College at Jacksonville built an information literacy micro-credentialing course using the Canvas LMS. Attendees will discover the following: • how we aligned the course’s learning objectives with both FSCJ’s A.A. curriculum and the ACRL Framework • How we conducted virtual focus groups with teaching faculty and analyzed the data • How we beta tested our course modules and launched the program in spring of 2021 • How we structed the badge requirements to encourage maximum student participation

Keywords

Badging, Badgr, Information Literacy, micro-credential, Canvas, Community Colleges, Library, ACRL Framework, library orientations

Publication Type and Release Option

Event

Share

COinS
 
Apr 1st, 11:30 AM Apr 1st, 12:00 PM

Badging for Information Literacy

Session 4 Papers

During the spring of 2021, library faculty at FSCJ began investigating how to leverage technology to improve information literacy instruction for students. We were responding to three main trends/issues: students’ continuing preference for online instruction, the lack of a formal information literacy requirement at FSCJ, and growing interest in micro-credentialing (badging). Without a formal information literacy requirement, we found that student exposure to information literacy instruction was inconsistent. Some students never saw a librarian, while some students received the same library orientation in their First Year Experience, English Composition, and even higher-level courses. In response, we began to investigate ways to differentiate instruction among the various courses and to support faculty whose students have such wildly varying exposures. Our answer was to create a self-enrolling Canvas course on information literacy. Students who complete the series of 8 course modules earn a micro-credential in information literacy. We designed the modules through a careful analysis of syllabi from various courses in the A.A. pathway, the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy, and a series of faculty focus groups representing various disciplines. Faculty are able to assign their students the modules that best align with their course objectives. Self-motivated students are also able to complete the course and earn the micro-credential at their discretion. Currently we are wrapping up the beta-testing phase and will go live with the program in January of 2022.