1. Redesigning a FYE library module: Cleveland Based Learning
Ben Richards, Cleveland State University

2. Agenda Reasons for redesign Goals Library module design Implementation
Feedback and assessment
Lessons learned

3. Background

4. Cleveland State University
Young and urban institution
Commuter reputation
World class experience
(Cleveland State University)

5. Freshman Year Seminar College skills Orientation
Student retention and Success (Tinto, 1975; Pierard & Graves, 2002).
(Cleveland State University)

6. Prior library module Common Reading Evaluating sources
Annotated Bibliography

7. Conversations about replacement
Annotated bibliography was not popular 
Disconnected from course
Feedback indicated FYE needed a redesign
Common Reading put on hiatus
Committee to redesign ASC formed
(Pixabay)

8. Information literacy
Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education (ACRL, 2015)
Shift from IL as discrete skills  to interconnected practices and habits of mind
More emphasis on IL's integration into disciplines and other learning experiences

9. Cleveland Based Learning takes shape
High impact – increase student engagement and retention (AAC&U, 2008)
Request for local history aspect, “city-university connection”
(Cleveland Memory Project)

10. Cleveland Historical

11. Lesson Plan and design

12. Using Information as a Springboard to Research
(Frigo & Richter, 2015)
Starter article provides a topic
Students evaluate article
Students use article to “springboard” their research
Concepts
Keywords
Sources
(Pixabay)

13. Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to generate keywords, concepts, and main ideas from a piece of information or topic in order to build a search strategy and locate relevant sources.
Students will understand that a single source of information is one piece of a larger conversation

14. Lesson Plan Students visit a historical site
Students evaluate their assigned article
Students attend library session
Students present on their research topic
Students write a reflective essay

15. Developing Topics
Sites could be close or far, depending on your campus and students
Topics and articles should accessible for first year students
Topics should be highly relatable to “springboard” article
Articles should be full of substance 
(Pixabay)

16. Worksheets Evaluating Articles – critical evaluation
Making Connections – brainstorming search strategy
Source Profile – recording sources found during library session

17. Assessment
Rubrics made to measure quality of searches and sources found
Our assessment did not show growth of IL outcomes
Student reflection measured modules impact on their connection to Cleveland and campus
(Pixabay)

18. Research Guide  

19. Implementation

20. Summer Transition Enrichment Program
STEP library module takes place in half a day
Accelerated pace showed us importance of ample preparation for students
(Pixabay)

21. Training Instructors
One training session is “big picture” – our time slot focused on information literacy and engagement
One training session was detail oriented – our time slot had instructors walk through assignment

22. Semester Timeline
Timeline varied for sections; bulk of 70 sections came to library in weeks 5-10.
Weeks 1-4 : Introducing assignment, site visits
Weeks 5-10 : Library sessions
Weeks : Presentations, Reflections

23. Assessment, feedback, and observations

24. Assessment Results
Percent of students identifying concepts and supplying appropriate keywords: 87.18% (n=351)
Percent of students identifying key sources in their “Springboard” article: % (n=317)
Percent of students who wrote an appropriately narrowed follow-up question for their research topic: 72.19% (n=302)
Percent of students who selected a quality source appropriately matched with their research question: 82.46% (n=325)
Percent of students who gave an in-depth evaluation of their source: % (n=320)
Percent of students who wrote effective and appropriately narrow searches: 80.88% (n=319)

25. Feedback from instructors
Instructors said…
Assignment was complex
Some students struggled to make connection between site and research topic
However…
Students were more engaged with assignment
Module fit with the context of the course

26. Reflections from librarians
Librarians said…
Not all classes were equally prepared
Worksheets were difficult to complete in session
However…
Students were on task and engaged
Students seemed to find the activities valuable

27. Results of student reflections
Of (n=143) students, 82% wrote that they perceived their relationship with Cleveland as positively developing because of the assignment
Many students directly cited the assignment as contributing to a positive connection with Cleveland and campus
(Pixabay)

28. Improvements for next year
Streamlined library session with less individual tasks
New site-topic pairs
Working with learning communities to develop discipline specific versions of CBL
More emphasis on research topics; less on historical significance
Streamline and expand assessment process; online worksheets, collect presentations

29. Personal reflections
CBL was an opportunity for the library to try something entirely new
Students benefitted from information literacy instruction and an out- of-classroom experience in downtown Cleveland
Other skills built in to the assignment included working in groups, presenting, and reflective learning

30. Questions for the group:
Does your campus have any unique circumstances that required something out of the ordinary for first year instruction?
How have you made your first year instruction more engaging for students? 
Has anyone incorporated an aspect of community engagement in to their information literacy programs?

31. References
ACRL. (2015). Framework for information literacy in higher education. Retrieved from 
Frigo, E., & Richter, J. (2015). Using information as a springboard to research. In P. Bravender, H. McClure, & G. Schaub (Eds.), Teaching information literacy threshold concepts: Lesson plans for librarians (pp. 19–22). Chicago, Illinois: Association of College and Research Libraries, A division of the American Library Association. 
AAC&U. (2008). High-Impact Educational Practices. Retrieved from  
Pierard, C., & Graves, K. A. (2002). The greatest problem with which the library is confronted: A survey of academic library outreach to the freshman course. In M. C. Kelly & A. Kross (Eds.), Making the grade: Academic libraries and student success (pp. 71–89). Association of College and Research Libraries, American Library Association, 50 East Huron St. 
Tinto, V. (1975). Dropout from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recent research. Review of Educational Research, 45(1), 89–125.