A survey of evaluation practices used to assess the effectiveness of library instruction at 44 colleges and universities found that "reaction data" was used most often, although it provided little evidence of what the students learned. Argues that subjective data alone are inadequate to measure student learning, guide program…

Defines discovery learning and explains five learning architectures, or models, including case-based learning, incidental learning, learning by exploring, learning by reflection, and simulation-based learning. Discusses obstacles in applying discovery learning to library instruction and outlines strategies for overcoming the obstacles. (LRW)

Provides an introduction to this theme issue by reviewing the status of bibliographic instruction, particularly in academic libraries, over the past decade. Topics include criticism, the need for evaluation, practical and theoretical viewpoints, the need for collaboration, the impact of technology, the need to recognize cultural diversity; and…

Considers the need for renewal of library instruction and provides 10 sample assignments. Topics include the reaffirmation of the goals of library instruction; the use of the real world for examples; collaboration with faculty, students, and other librarians; and relevance. (Author/LRW)

Assessing students' information literacy skills can be difficult depending on the involvement of the librarian in a course. To overcome this, librarians created an assignment called the Paper Trail, where students wrote a short essay about their research process and reflected on what they would do differently. Through reviewing and grading these…

The issue of live bibliographic instruction (BI) versus electronic BI is a matter many libraries are facing as more technology becomes available to afford such an option. At the University of Oklahoma Government Documents Collection, a study was administered in March 2001 to determine the relative advantages between these two teaching techniques.…

The article presents a faculty-librarian collaborative course model for information literacy instruction for liberal arts students. Information literacy was integrated seamlessly into a master's thesis seminar, and the faculty member and librarian worked together to teach students effective research skills while helping them make personal…

This article describes Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (TRAILS), a freely available, online tool designed to measure the information literacy skills of high school students. It is based on information literacy competencies for ninth-graders found in the "Ohio Academic Content Standards" (Ohio Department of Education…

In order for patrons to make the wisest use of the library, they must be both computer and information-literate. Librarians are faced with the challenge of designing programs that fit the literacy needs of the community. Academic and school librarians may find that their users are mostly students who are familiar with computers, but need help with…

Discusses the incorporation of CD-ROM technology into Georgia State University's William Russell Pullen Library, and considers its impact on reference services and bibliographic instruction. Concludes that technology increases the need for critical thinking skills, faculty-librarian interaction, and human resources for reference and technical…

Describes a high school library orientation program, based on research and writing, that is centered on the curriculum and integrates the subjects of science and English. Discusses class assignments, the library orientation manual and steps in the library instruction process, and writing as an effective learning tool across the curriculum. (AEF)

Preservice teachers enrolled in the first portion of an undergraduate education program at the Florida State University were assigned to develop case studies based on their experience working in local elementary schools. The case studies were to include research from the scholarly literature of the field using a rubric developed by the instructor…

Information literacy instruction is integrated into the distance education program in library and information science (LEEP) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). This article describes the LEEP program and the library services provided to its students. Published research on LEEP and related topics in librarianship is reviewed.…

This article details the development of the Library Instruction Wiki (http://instructionwiki.org): an effort to develop a web-based, knowledge-sharing resource. Though some library instruction is specific to a given institution or class, much of what instruction librarians teach is similar. Library instructors have repeatedly expressed the desire…

During the Enlightenment of eighteenth-century France, the encyclopedists created a systematic compilation of all human knowledge in order to dispel current disinformation imposed by kings and clergy. The resultant Encyclopedie has been considered the turning point of the Enlightenment, where knowledge became power and the power was made…