ERIC EJ1103401: Creating an Engaging Library Orientation: First Year Experience Courses at UC San Diego

2016·0.84 MB·English

by  ERIC

Volume 10, Issue 1, 2016 [ARTICLE]
C E L
REATING AN NGAGING IBRARY
O
RIENTATION
First year experience courses at UC San Diego
Crystal Goldman This article focuses on the development of an
University of California, San Diego engaging library orientation module for UC
San Diego First Year Experience (FYE)
Dominique Turnbow courses. The library module included a brief in
University of California, San Diego -class presentation about research concepts and
library services, an online interactive library
Amanda Roth scavenger hunt given as an in-class activity,
University of California, San Diego and a homework assignment where students
created public service announcements
Lia Friedman highlighting their favorite library space or
University of California, San Diego resource. Over 400 FYE students completed
the library module, and many indicated a
Karen Heskett marked increase in comfort using the library
University of California, San Diego by the end of the module. Recommended
practices are included for those wishing to
create a similar module.

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Goldman, et al, Creating an Engaging Library Orientation Communications in Information Literacy 10(1), 2016
BACKGROUND students participating in a 20-30 minute
online interactive library scavenger hunt as

The organizational system at the University an in-class activity during their discussion
of California, San Diego (UCSD) is section. Finally, students completed a
relatively unique for an American homework assignment for which they had to
institution. All undergraduate students are create a public service announcement (PSA)
enrolled in one of six colleges located in its featuring their favorite library resource,
own “neighborhood” on campus, and space, or service.
students may choose to enroll in their
college’s newly created First Year LIBRARY ORIENTATIONS FOR
Experience (FYE) course. FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

In Fall 2013, the Council of Provosts was Students who receive an orientation to
charged with creating an FYE Program pilot library resources and services are more
in order to support all students’ transition to likely to seek needed research assistance
UCSD (About FYE, 2015). For the first with course papers, projects, and
year of the two-year pilot program, the FYE presentations (Brown et al., 2004;
was offered as a for-credit elective course Pellegrino, 2012; Vance, Kirk, & Gardner,
open to as many as 120 students from each 2012; Du Mont & Schloman, 1995; Boff &
college. In total, 472 students enrolled in a Johnson, 2002; Ury & King, 1995). Donald,
Fall 2014 FYE class (Guan, 2015). Harmon, and Schweikhard (2012) pointed
out the importance of introducing students
The library was asked to contribute to the early to the library space. Students are often
information literacy portion of the course, intimidated by the size of the library, feel
which was offered in the third week of the inadequate because they lack knowledge
10-week Fall quarter. The library shared the about where items and services are located
50-minute discussion section with another in the building, and are uncomfortable with
campus service, leaving 25 minutes for both the research process and asking
instruction. After many conversations with questions of library staff (Mellon, 1986;
the Provosts and other campus leaders, Gross & Latham, 2007; Jiao &
librarians successfully made the argument Onwuegbuzie, 1999; Cahoy & Bichel, 2008;
that the information literacy segment of Van Scoyoc, 2003). A library orientation
FYE should focus on library services and exercise designed so that students can
resources, rather than traditional database succeed can help combat these feelings.
instruction.
Unfortunately, scavenger hunts used as
The library’s contribution to the FYE library orientations have a poor reputation
Program was designed by Learning Services among academic librarians and can easily
Program (LSP) librarians and consisted of devolve into busy-work where dozens of
three distinct but connected elements. The students mob the reference desk with the
first was a brief 15-20 minute presentation same set of often badly-designed or out-of-
about library resources given during the date questions, frustrating both students and
FYE class lecture. The second element had librarians alike (McCain, 2007; Rugan &
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Nero, 2013; Ly & Carr, 2010; Giles, 2015). announcement assignments for
However, Rugan and Nero (2013) “hinted at undergraduate courses in raising student
the potential of such hunts if thoughtfully awareness of issues and services highlighted
constructed” (p. 7), and McCain (2007) in the PSAs (Artello, 2014; Truong &
found that well-designed library scavenger Zanzucchi, 2012; Kingston, MacCartney, &
hunts support their effectiveness as a Miller, 2014; Abrams, 2012; Koch &
teaching tool. Other studies regarding active Lomore, 2009). These studies encompassed
learning exercises such as scavenger hunts, PSA assignments in a wide variety of
treasure hunts, Amazing Library Races, subjects, and the reported cross-disciplinary
mysteries in the library, and self-guided usefulness of such projects fostered the
library tours on mobile devices have also desire for LSP librarians to test their
shown success in library orientations. They efficacy in a library setting. For example,
provide low-pressure games that introduce Kingston, MacCartney, and Miller (2014)
library locations and research concepts, found that a PSA assignment encouraged
without the high stakes of a graded class self-reflection and gave students a venue to
research assignment (Giles, 2015; Foley & apply their knowledge. Similarly, Koch and
Bertel, 2015; Broussard, 2010; Burke & Lai, Lomore’s (2009) students claimed that the
2012; Kasbohm, Schoen, & Dubaj, 2006; PSA assignment “helped them to gain a
McCain, 2007; Marcus & Beck, 2003; better understanding of the course material,
Cahoy & Bichel, 2008; Boss, Angell, & that it helped them to learn to apply…
Tewell, 2015). Additionally, Pike and Alpi concepts and theories, and that it was
(2015) found that students “prefer to have enjoyable” (p. 270). Multiple scholars also
the opportunity to experience library tools tout the effectiveness of PSA projects at
and resources on their own devices, which enhancing students’ motivation while
they were more likely to use in the simultaneously fostering creativity and
future” (para. 23). critical thinking (Abrams, 2012; Artello,
2014).
Ly and Carr (2010) noted that their support
“for effective scavenger hunts comes from By combining the games dynamic of a
student centered learning theory, Millennial scavenger hunt with a PSA about the
student characteristics, [and] the concept of students’ favorite part of the library, this
library as place” (p. 2). Indeed, Burke, Lai, library orientation module sought to
and Rogers (2013) found that their learning increase students’ awareness of and comfort
objectives-focused scavenger hunt provided level with the library and its resources,
students with more confidence in replicating while also stimulating creativity and
these real-life situations and further reported strengthening critical thinking skills.
that faculty agreed that the hunt “led to
increased understanding, deeper learning, MODULE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
and almost complete recall of important

library functions” in their students (p.74). Considering the participants in the FYE
Program—a self-selecting, small percentage
Several studies have also shown the of UCSD students with little to no
effectiveness of using public service experience with university libraries—and
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because there was no research assignment Appendix A) with one of the knowledge
tied to the library orientation, LSP librarians practices under “Searching as Strategic
felt strongly that traditional information Exploration” in the Association of College
literacy instruction would not be suitable. & Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework
Information literacy in a vacuum has been for Information Literacy for Higher
shown to have little impact on students Education; this states that “learners who
(Seamans, 2002; Glenn, 2001). Thus, the are developing their information literate
orientation module had a more general abilities understand how information
learning goal: to introduce students to systems (i.e., collections of recorded
library spaces and resources. information) are organized in order to
access relevant information” (ACRL, 2016,
While traditional information literacy p. 9). The purpose behind these particular
instruction was not an aim of this module, scavenger hunt questions was to have
the general learning goal did tie to students learn how information is organized
dimensions of information literacy as in and accessed through the UCSD library.
defined by the Association of American
Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) Consideration was also given to the revised
Information Literacy VALUE Rubric Bloom’s Taxonomy when pairing the online
(AAC&U, 2013). This rubric was used scavenger hunt with the PSA project. This
because UCSD is accredited by the Western combination of assignments was meant to
Association of Schools and Colleges help students go beyond remembering and
(WASC) Senior College and University understanding information about the library,
Commission (WSCUC). In 2013, WSCUC which is at the lower end of the six
included information literacy and critical cognitive processes described in the
thinking in their core competencies for taxonomy, to analyzing and critiquing what
accreditation, and the Commission they had learned, which is at the higher end
recommends institutions make use of the (Bloom, 1956; Anderson & Krathwohl,
AAC&U VALUE rubrics (WSCUC, 2015). 2001). In both assignments, students were
The learning goal of the UCSD library required to acquire or construct three of the
orientation module aligned with the four of types of knowledge used in
AAC&U Information Literacy VALUE cognition, including factual knowledge (of
Rubric under Dimension 2: Access the the terminology used in academic libraries),
Needed Information, where one of the conceptual knowledge (of the classification
milestones states that the student “accesses system used to shelve books in the library
information using simple search strategies, stacks), and procedural knowledge (of how,
retrieves information from limited and when, and where to ask questions in a
similar sources” (AAC&U, 2013, p. 2). This library, as well as the procedures used to
is the most basic information literacy access course reserve materials) (Anderson
milestone for Dimension 2, which LSP & Krathwohl, 2001; Armstrong, n.d.;
librarians deemed appropriate for freshmen. CELT, n.d.).

Further, LSP librarians aligned certain The LSP librarians designed these
questions in the mobile scavenger hunt (see assignments to serve as a foundation for
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undergraduates’ further information literacy (DLs) to prepare them to instruct students
-related learning. The purpose was to make on the scavenger hunt activity and the PSA
students comfortable coming into library homework assignment.
spaces and using library resources and
services. TECHNOLOGY SELECTION

TIMELINE Scalability of the scavenger hunt activity
was an important consideration in the event
The LSP librarians and the Council of the pilot was ultimately adopted for all
Provosts planned the form of the library incoming freshmen, which is a goal of the
module throughout Spring and Summer Council of Provosts. The technology
2014. The LSP librarians then had platform needed to be mobile and flexible,
approximately six weeks in late summer to allowing students to use their own devices.
select a technology option, and to design Additionally, the platform needed to be easy
and beta test the scavenger hunt activity to learn and maintain so that it could be
before the start of the Fall quarter. Within used by a librarian with little or no
that same timeframe, content for the lecture programming knowledge and supported by
and the public service announcement the library’s Information Technology
assignment needed to be created. Services department.

The library module was slated for Week 3 The first platform considerations were
of the ten-week quarter, with the PSA traditional GPS-enabled scavenger hunt
assignment due before the Week 4 applications. LSP librarians decided to forgo
discussion section (see Figure 1). During GPS technology, as the geographic area of
Week 2, LSP librarians conducted train-the- the activity was limited to the library
trainer sessions with discussion leaders building, which does not lend itself well to
FIGURE 1—TIMELINE OF THE TOPICS COVERED DURING THE FYE
COURSE
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Goldman, et al, Creating an Engaging Library Orientation Communications in Information Literacy 10(1), 2016
GPS locating. Furthermore, activities in large software investment. Additionally, a
which students were required to use the tiered license pricing structure will enable
library’s website would not have had a LSP to scale use to meet increased numbers
corresponding GPS location. of student participation if needed in the
future.
Next, educational gaming applications were
considered. The Edventure Builder platform DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
that was ultimately selected for the FYE

program because it met the requirements for Although the scavenger hunt was designed
mobile readiness, scalability, ease of use, to be mobile and could be completed using a
and lack of GPS; it also had the additional variety of phones and tablets, a paper option
benefit of completion reporting. Created by was made available. The LSP librarians and
Green Door Labs, Edventure Builder is an
the Council of Provosts desired to eliminate
online tool that enables mobile location- any technology barriers from this library
based educational game creation (Edventure activity. To limit librarians’ workload,
Builder, 2016). The platform uses a students who completed the activity on
WYSIWYG interface similar to blogging paper were still required to use library
applications. This makes it user-friendly and computers to input their results. Students
easy to learn for activity creators and were also given the option to complete the
designers. The application allows for the scavenger hunt using photo capture or no
creation of customized content and question photo capture to account for different
types, and the use of image and video links. mobile device technologies. Finally,
Activity creation occurs in real-time and is students were able to connect their mobile
coupled with unlimited editing capabilities, devices to the library’s Wi-Fi network,
which gives developers the ability to create permitting them to complete the activity
and test simultaneously during the building without having to incur data charges.
phase. Included in the platform is the option
to create branching logic that facilitates The overall objective to introduce students
“choose your own adventure” style gaming. to library spaces and services was
The branching logic feature provides accomplished by creating two types of
students with the opportunity to participate questions. The first directed students to
in self-directed learning paths that helps physical spaces, for example the reference
increase engagement (Roth, et al., 2016). desk. To limit potential service point
Assessment of the activity or game is disruption, LSP librarians posted signs in
available using built-in analytics. Activity front of key areas with validation codes that
creators and designers can also obtain would enable students to report visiting
feedback on how students answered those points. The second type of question
individual questions.
asked students to use a service: for example,
looking up a course reserve item or
As a hosted software service, the pricing consulting a LibGuide. In these ways,
model is based on a per-month, per-game students gained familiarity with the library
structure. This model allows for test-driving building and its services, and they gained
the platform without the need to make a the skills that LSP librarians deemed
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appropriate for freshmen. that was due the next week. The following
prompt instructed students on what to create
The LSP librarians created the initial list of for their assignment:
activity questions based on the resources or
services they believed would be most A public service announcement
crucial in a college student’s first year. The (PSA) is a message that seeks to
questions and their wording were vetted by raise awareness or change attitudes
other UCSD librarians and library student and behaviors. In this assignment,
workers during the activity’s testing you will be creating a PSA about
process. As a result, language revisions your favorite feature or service of the
were made and several questions were UCSD Geisel Library. Your PSA
added to include library programs as a will be targeted toward other first
“stop” on the activity. The UCSD library year UCSD students and should
has a strict policy that prohibits explain what this feature or service is
photographing people without a signed and why you like it.
consent form. Therefore, questions
involving photo capture needed to highlight There are three ways that you can
objects rather than people, such as
equipment or art displays. Appendix A
includes the final list of the questions used FIGURE 2—SCREENSHOT OF
in the library activity. LIBRARY SCAVENGER HUNT

SAMPLE QUESTION
To create a positive learning experience, the
activity was designed to record completion
and to allow students to move on to the next
question after two attempts, whether or not
their answers were given correctly. Each
question included hints to help students
obtain the correct answer the first time.
Feedback was given for wrong answers to
help students answer correctly during their
second attempt. To encourage full
participation, student completion was
captured by having them input their name
and course section number at the end of the
activity.

PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENTS

After completing the library scavenger hunt
during their discussion section, students
were given a PSA homework assignment
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Goldman, et al, Creating an Engaging Library Orientation Communications in Information Literacy 10(1), 2016
complete this PSA assignment. to submit the assignment, students needed to
email a file with their PSA or post it to a
1. Create a video about your social media account, tag it with
favorite library feature or service #UCSDFYE14, and email a link to their
(no more than 3 minutes in post. The PSA was a credit/no credit
length). assignment. Students were not scored on the
2. Create a poster or photo collage content of their PSAs; they received full
about your favorite library credit for simply completing and submitting
feature or service. You may the assignment.
create this in either electronic or
paper format, but paper will need LSP librarians created several examples of
to be scanned or photographed. all three options for students to use as
3. Write a poem (haiku, limerick, models or inspiration for their PSAs. The
sonnet, etc.) about your favorite most common PSA students turned in were
library feature or service. haiku poems (see Figure 3), followed by
poems in other styles, photo collages, hand-
You should spend no more than 30 drawn posters, and a very few videos.
minutes completing your PSA.
The PSAs highlighted a wide variety of
The assignment had to be submitted online, services, resources, and spaces within the
so if students elected to construct a paper library, including the helpful library staff,
poster or collage, they were asked to digitize extended library hours, compact shelving,
it using a camera or scanner. Not study rooms, walking desks in the Learning
coincidentally, the library’s large format Commons, and puzzles available for stress
scanner was featured as a “stop” on the relief. A theme emerged in the results
scavenger hunt (see Appendix A). In order showing student appreciation of the unique,
FIGURE 3—A SELECTION OF STUDENT HAIKU
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Goldman, et al, Creating an Engaging Library Orientation Communications in Information Literacy 10(1), 2016
geometric architectural form of the library librarians asked students about their comfort
building; many likened it to a spaceship (see level using the library; however, the
Figures 3 and 4). remainder of the pre- and post-evaluation
was coordinated and disseminated by the
The objectives of the public service FYE Program, not the LSP. Creating
announcement assignment were to integrate evaluation questions about the library will
creativity into the library orientation be a more collaborative process for the
module, allow students to apply the second year of the pilot program, so the LSP
knowledge they had gained, and encourage can garner additional information to assess
students to reflect on their experiences and the library portion of the FYE course.
critically analyze what they had learned.
Students were asked at the beginning of the
EVALUATIVE FEEDBACK FYE course if they desired to learn about
the library; 80% agreed or strongly agreed.

In total, 411 out of 472 FYE students At the end of the course, 77% of those
finished the scavenger hunt, giving the students felt satisfied with what they had
activity an 87% completion rate. The largest learned.
number of students completed the activity
using a smartphone (72%). Another 21% Students were also asked to rate their library
completed the activity on paper, with only -related knowledge and skills pre- and post-
4% using a tablet and 3% using a laptop course. Overall, students reported an
(see Figure 5). increase in their knowledge and skills after
the library activity (see Figure 6). In the pre-
Both before and after the activity, LSP survey, only 12.5% rated their library skills
FIGURE 4—HAND-DRAWN POSTER OF THE LIBRARY BUILDING AS A
LAUNCHING SPACESHIP
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FIGURE 5—DEVICES USED TO COMPLETE SCAVENGER HUNT
as high, 62.72% rated their abilities as 2.62% believed their library skills remained
neither high nor low, and 24.78% rated their low.
abilities as low. Their experience in the FYE
Program resulted in a statistically significant Finally, students were asked to rank their
increase (P<0.001) in students’ self-analysis comfort with using the library on a scale of
of their knowledge and skills. The post- 1-5; the change in the perceived level of
survey showed that 61.12% now ranked comfort was statistically significant
their library knowledge and skills as high, (P<0.001) with a 27% overall increase in
36.26% were neither high nor low, and only comfort after the FYE library activity (see
FIGURE 6—STUDENT SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF LIBRARY KNOWLEDGE AND
SKILL
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