1. Librarians and ESL Instructors Unite for Information Literacy!
Jennifer Shelton Senior Academic Coordinator
Rachael Muszkiewicz Assistant Professor of Library Services

2. Jennifer Shelton Senior Academic Coordinator
INTERLINK Language Centers

3. About INTERLINK
Project-Based Intensive English Program

4. Rachael Muszkiewicz Research Services Librarian,
Assistant Professor of Library Services
Christopher Center for Library and Information Resources,
Valparaiso University

5. About Valparaiso University
Small, private, Lutheran university
485 international students enrolled as of Fall 2015
annual international student increase of 3%

6. Common Goals Supporting International Student Success
Contributing to Internationalization Initiatives on Campus
Seeking Best Practices for Teaching Academic and Information Literacy Skills

7. What Does the Literature Say?

8. Students are interested in libraries for...
A Quiet Place to Study
In-Person Communication
Friends as Information Sources
Non-English Language Materials
Computers
Social Connection

9. Their learning preferences are...
Hands On
Specialized Instruction
Use of Illustrations
Step by Step Procedures
Small Teacher/Student Ratio

10. We asked IEP faculty and librarians about their experiences

11. We asked survey respondents to speak to:
The roles of IEP faculty and librarians in information literacy and academic skill instruction
The needed levels of research and information literacy skills
Curriculum mapping
Types of instructional sessions and interactions with librarians, IEP faculty and students
Resources and intersessions with librarians, IEP faculty and students
Collaborations and challenges among the three groups

12. IEP Survey Results Support services had been created
Facilities were adequate or even high quality
Resources were available
BUT
Faculty reported:
Students underused services and resources
A lack of comfort and effectiveness with services and resources
Students remained unprepared for academic expectations at the university

13. Comments from IEP faculty:
“I have some connections with a couple of the librarians which could be used for collaborative projects.”
“Class sessions with a librarian on how to use the library resources and how to find sources has proven to be useful.”
“I think what we're doing right now is excellent--our academic coordinator, along with the host librarian, have implemented new changes that will be highly effective.”

14. Librarian survey results
Half had a formal liaison role with the IEP, and the majority were the sole librarian
Vast majority reported a good working relationship with the IEP
Slightly over half had a specific Library Resource guide for their IEP
Most librarians teach basic library skills, some teach information literacy theory, some teach both
The majority reported that both the IEP instructors and the librarian teach information literacy
The vast majority believe that international students could benefit from multiple instruction sessions, yet most only get to do a one-shot
Their instruction sessions are a combination of lecture and interactive workshops
The majority do not have any sequenced approach nor do any curriculum mapping
The majority only see the IEP students in the upper levels, when there is a research assignment

15. Comments from librarians:
“It’s up to the instructors to arrange a library session. Some students may get a library day in all three levels. Some may never come in at all.”
“The relationship is rather inconsistent due to frequent turnover.”
“As far as we know, literally the only thing they get is a tour of the library and help finding leisure reading.”
“Although I do the ‘formal’ presentations...the instructors work ongoingly, I feel, with the students to improve those skills.”

16. Challenges for IEP Faculty and Librarians

17. Lack of Proficiency or Experience
Limited Computer Proficiency
Limited English Proficiency
A Lack of Background Experience with Libraries or Size of Library
“A challenge is the lack of previous experience/mindset in these areas.”
“Some students do not use libraries in their own language (or country), which makes it harder.”

18. Power Distance and Attitude Towards Uncertainty
“I suppose there could be a lot of potential in collaborating with the librarians. It would be beneficial to the students because they would not be so reluctant to ask people for help. I think many times students don’t know what or who to ask for help, so they don’t do anything.”

19. Cultural Nuances of the Idea of Intellectual Property
“...helping (students) to understand plagiarism and how to avoid it paraphrasing adequately”

20. Style Differences
Cognitive Style
Learning Style
Communication Style

21. Perceived Relevance Preconceived Notions of Librarians
Attitudes
Perceived Relevance
Preconceived Notions of Librarians

22. Communication and Partnering
“I think [IEP faculty] should reach out to the librarians more. [At our school], they are more than happy to give talks to classes and help them in any way that they can, but it's important for [IEP] staff/faculty to take the initiative to reach out to them.”
“Instruction sessions are solely scheduled on an as-needed basis by individual instructors contacting me, so I never know if students have perhaps been through other library sessions when they come. Though I am the formal liaison to that program, I find that I am constantly working to figure out who the new instructors are in order to market what the library has to offer them. I do not enjoy much support from their program director...and there is no formal library instruction program embedded in the [IEP] program.”

23. Same concepts, different names
Academic Preparation =
Information Literacy

24. The biggest challenge reported by librarians and IEP instructors
TIME
“This takes time and needs to be integrated into almost every aspect of learning here to be truly effective.”

25. So what needs to be done?

26. Integrate Language Learning and Information Literacy
“It could also be a two-way street; ILC instructors train librarians in how to speak to int'l students (slow down, repeat and paraphrase, watch those idioms, watch those obscure cultural references, etc.)”

27. What information literacy skills are found in the academic preparation goals of IEPs?

28. Library Information Literacy Framework
Scholarship as Conversation
Research as Inquiry
Authority is Constructed and Contextual
Information Creation as a Process
Searching as Strategic Exploration
Information has Value

29. However...
American students have/are assumed to have basic library skills when they enter university
They have been raised in this library system
International students don’t have this advantage
The library world is currently focused on the larger theoretical concepts of the Framework
The IEP students still need the library skills
Adaptation of Framework theory to skills
Go from low level → high level = skills → theory

30. Meanwhile... IEPs are trying to train students in:
Finding and Evaluating Information
Choosing and Communicating Appropriate Information
Managing the Reading Load that Accompanies Research
Supporting the Development of Critical Thinking Skills
Sequencing Information/Analysis, Structure, Order
Avoiding Plagiarism/Using Appropriate Citations
Adjusting to American Academic Rhetorical Conventions
Writing Academic Papers/Effectively Supporting a Position
Content-Based Problem Solving
Decision-Making through Informed Public Discussion, Debate, and Free Speech

31. Solutions we found for integrating into the INTERLINK program
information literacy
into the INTERLINK program

32. Collection Development of Physical Resources
Issue: The collection was static with no input from the IEP and students couldn’t find the books
Solutions:
After discussions with IEP faculty, suggestions were made for graded readers and audiobooks
The librarian moved the graded readers to a more favorable location and
Made a list of each level of graded reader to make it easier for students to find
The librarian will be tracking circulation data for assessment

33. Development of Digital Resources
Issue: Librarian had created an online resource guide, but it was overwhelming, and the IEP faculty didn’t regularly use it
Solutions:
Both parties wanted to make this resource better but didn’t know how until communication
As more instruction sessions were tailored to the levels, class pages emerged

34. Improving Library Instruction Sessions
Issues: Library Instruction sessions were not focused or experiential enough
Solutions:
Pre-planning and post-debriefing
Figuring out scaffolding of skills is essential, manageable bites
One skill/focus per session
This would require more than one session; no one shots
Time to try the skill
Direct application to an authentic project
Continual Assessment

35. Addressing Plagiarism Issues
Issue: Students only learned about plagiarism as a concept during the original one-shot library session, not with hands-on, experiential learning
Solutions:
After communicating issues, collaborated on students’ interests
Librarian placed plagiarism games onto the online resource guide
Librarian designed hands-on session where students deconstructed a former student’s bibliography page
Evaluated the resources
Determined which resources were appropriate

36. Citations and Paraphrasing
Issue: Trouble with the concepts of creating citations and paraphrasing
Solutions:
The librarian created a session explaining the hows and whys of creating a bibliography
IEP faculty will reinforce in class and in the grading of the assignment
Both parties should allow the students to be a part of the discussion
The students can learn paraphrasing though a hands-on workshop
practice makes perfect

37. Training Students in Search Strategies
Issue: IEP faculty are sometimes daunted by what
becomes a very challenging task in helping students
learn search skills
Solutions:
Identify how many skills are involved in effective searching
Understand and remember the emotional hurdles for a native speaker, let alone a non-native speaker
Recognize the strategies that have become unconscious
Reach out to librarians to teach/learn search strategies
Librarians are taught how to teach this
Once it’s taught to the students, reinforce the ideas in class/assignments

38. The Politeness Factor
Issue: IEP faculty feel like they cannot make suggestions on a librarian’s instruction session
Solutions:
Effective communication and collaboration
You understand your students and know how they learn
You can teach information literacy concepts as well
Constant evolution and improvement
The librarian wants an effective session as much as you do!
But, the librarian doesn’t see the after effects of the instruction, and has to guess without communication and collaboration

39. Information Literacy and all Levels of the IEP
Issue: The lower levels of the IEP’s program are ignored
Solutions:
Scaffolding of the curriculum
Create meaningful, focused sessions on information literacy concepts
Match up new tools and techniques to each level
Create assignments that require knowledge of specific databases
Further levels can reinforce these lessons
Create a curriculum map with the librarian

40. Curriculum Mapping

41. Continuing Challenges
International population is continually growing
And INTERLINK students enter the program at different levels
Requires enthusiasm on both sides
Something that one party cannot control
Logistics
Specific to our collaboration: maternity leave
Will need to have another librarian carry on with the program

42. Future Plans
Relationship-building opportunities between librarians, IEP students and international students at the university
Curriculum mapping and assessment for all levels
Evolution of the instruction sessions
Breaking the sessions down to even more focused activities
Sharing more space
Providing support for students who have skipped levels
Sharing the information literacy
More professional development
IEP faculty learning information literacy
Librarian learning the best ways to teach ESL students

43. What can a librarian do for you?
Provide research instruction that teaches:
How to find and evaluate credible resources
The research process and formulating a research question
How not to plagiarize
And much, much more!

44. So what can YOU do? Get in contact with your librarian!
Invite the librarian to be a part of your program
See information literacy as part of academic skills
Know that teaching information literacy in your IEP is not insurmountable
Be tenacious
Share the burden
Create experiential learning opportunities for information literacy
Learn how to tap into the students’ interests
Create opportunities to build a relationship with a huge support service

45. Questions?