Digital Classroom: Teaching Information Literacy

Syllabus

There are nine modules with required activities and discussions. Each module is structured around an Introduction, Resources/Readings, Activities, an Activity Checklist, and Discussion. Some modules will require reading journal articles. Some activities will be instructor directed, and all students will explore the same resources. Other activities will be student directed; you will select the resources you wish to explore and design your own learning.

You are encouraged to explore resources you can use in your teaching and create student learning activities to use in your classroom or media center. Ongoing discussion participation and completion of module projects are course requirements.

Learning Outcomes

Course Outline

Module 1. Introductions
Become comfortable with the course delivery and discussion tool. Meet your classmates, share goals and previous experiences with primary sources.

Module 2. What are primary sources?
Round robin discussions, sharing ideas about primary sources.   Identifying standards for your content area and grade level that address primary sources. Background reading; complete a self-assessment rubric to evaluate your application of Information literacy skills using primary sources.

Module 3.  Introduction to the Library of Congress American Memory Collections
Guided searching of the Collections and The Learning Page. The National Digital Library Program (also known as the American Memory Collection( will be the framework for our course. American Memory is a vast collection of several million primary source documents in all formats. You will learn how to access the collections and get a general idea of what resources are available. Complete a search activity.

Module 4.  Photos, maps, sound files. and movies
Apply search strategies to search American Memory for photos, maps, sounds and movies. Discuss background reading and information literacy. Complete "What do you see" and "What do you hear" photo and sound document analysis activities. Develop a mini-lesson that incorporates primary sources and information literacy in current curriculum.

Module 5.   Documents, manuscripts
Search for and examine printed resources and apply techniques for document analysis. Relate the use of primary sources to reading and information literacy. Develop a document analysis student activity. Create a document display.

Module 6.   Exploring additional primary source web sites appropriate to your curriculum area 
Select sites and resources you can use; share ideas with peers; summarize and reflect on your findings.

Module 7.  State and local history on the web
Explore state and local history sites, online and physical. Search for resources you can use in your instruction. Share ideas with peers; create a project; reflect on what you learned.

Module 8   Engaging students and planning teaching activities
Examine the American Memory Learning Page and other sites to search for teaching ideas and resources. Share methods and activities for using online primary sources in the curriculum, technical considerations, copyright issues, and using online resources offline.

Module 9.  Final Project
The final project is a mini-portfolio which will include multiple components.

Discussion Participation

Much of your learning and professional growth will come from the ongoing discussions and exchanging ideas with other participants. You will be asked to post messages and participate in an active, engaged discussion for each module. These will include reactions to readings, discussing the current topic/issue, sharing information and resources, or responding to a problem/case study posted by peers or your instructor.

You are expected to participate in the discussion several times a week to check for new postings and to react to other's discussion points throughout the week.  The criteria is not to post four messages (all at one sitting), but to interact several different times during the week and be engaged in the discussion.

Your grade for discussion participation will be based on both frequency and quality of your contributions during our discussions.

Quality participation is considered as thoughtful and concise contribution that demonstrates critical thinking moving discussions forward as related to the course material

While online education is highly flexible and designed to meet your schedule, you will need to set and meet deadlines as part of your weekly assignments and collaborative work. Your instructor has developed a week-by-week calendar of learning activity and project due dates. Additionally, your peer learners will depend on you for timely feedback and ideas about class projects. This is not an independent study class.

Discussion Rubric

Top

Final Evaluation

Your course grade will be based on:

• 30% Discussion interaction/participation
• 50% Completion of assignments and projects
• 20% Final project
  
  A -- Meets or exceeds the standard
  B -- Meets 90% of the standard
  I -- Incomplete (Work must be resubmitted.)

Late Policy

Due dates are listed on the course calendar for each module’s assignments. If the assignment is late, either partial or no credit will be given if the instructor is not informed in advance. A MINIMUM 10% point value will be deducted for late assignments.

ALL assignments must be completed to pass the course.

Complete the checklist provided at the end of each module to self-monitor the completion of all module activities.

ADA Statement

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), students are encouraged to register with UW Stout Disability Services for assistance with instructional accommodations due to disabilities. The phone number of the Disability Services office is 715-232-2995 or contact the staff via email at this website: http://www.uwstout.edu/disability/contact.shtml

UW-Stout Academic Honesty & Misconduct

Academic misconduct in the University of Wisconsin System is defined by UWS Chapter 14. “
Student Academic Misconduct / Disciplinary Procedures - UWS Ch. 14
http://www.uwstout.edu/stusrv/dean/facstaff/chp14.shtml

From the university policy: “Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect of others’ academic endeavors. Students who violate these standards must be confronted and must accept the consequences of their actions.

Definitions of academic dishonesty as provided by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators include:

• Cheating. The use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
• Plagiarism. The use of others’ ideas and words without a clear acknowledgement of the source.
• Fabrication. The intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in any academic exercise.
• Assisting. The facilitation or assistance in academic dishonesty.

UW-Stout also considers academic dishonesty to include forgery of academic documents, or intentionally impeding or damaging the academic work of others.

Resources and Time Zones

There is no required textbook. The resource page lists several web sites, journal articles, and books for your reference. Additional required and optional resources will be listed for each module. These resource lists will grow as participants share the resources during the course.

Class members often live in more than one time zone. These world time tools may be helpful when you are communicating with participants who live in different time zones.

The World Clock - Time Zones
WORLDTIME

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On this page:

Content Outline Discussion Participation Evaluation Late Policy ADA Compliance Resources and Time Zones

© COPYRIGHT 2006-2008Mary Alice Anderson All Rights Reserved.
Credits: Logo design by Carlo Vergara
Last Updated: May 2008