Description of Instructional Technology Project:

The Instructional Services Librarian, Linda Blowers, and the Information Literacy Librarian, Frank Bridges, and are in the process of designing and developing web-based, interactive library instruction guides to support Instructional Services and the Information Literacy Pilot Program.

For Instructional Services, these tutorials are clear, concise instructional/informational guides describing existing library resources individually. In addition to providing an overview of a source, the tutorials offer example queries and the ability for students to practice using various tools.

The Information Literacy Librarian, under the auspices of the Salem State College Library Program Area, and in collaboration with classroom faculty from across the disciplines, is implementing an Information Literacy Pilot Program in the Fall 2002 semester. Information literacy is a broad area of competence, closely related to the research process. It encompasses the content, analysis, and communication of information. The Association of College and Research Libraries is the author of nationally recognized standards for information literacy. The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE) is preparing a mandate for the assessment of information literacy competency for all undergraduates. Our pilot project proposes to address the BHE mandate by introducing the College community to methods of teaching and assessing information literacy in a variety of ways. The pilot program seeks to collaborate with selected classroom faculty to adopt a diverse, multi-disciplinary approach to teaching and learning. Our aim is to demonstrate that a fully integrated, campus wide program, can serve the needs of our students most successfully. The project also includes the development of Web-based interactive tutorials. Additionally, we are developing Web-based assessment tools, for individual measurement of competency, and for gathering statistics. Our goal is to provide a completely interactive online course about information literacy. By developing a classroom program for information literacy and by making instruction available online, we intend to reach the broadest spectrum of the Salem State College community.

The development of these tutorials began with extensive evaluation of existing programs; we assessed several online guides/tutorials and Linda Blowers visited academic campuses where librarians are in different phases of online instructional development.

Using Macromedia Authorware 6.0, we have developed web-based tutorial applications that support instruction at the Salem State College Library. Library instruction refers to the following types of encounters:
" classes arranged by a faculty member with a librarian that address the specific needs of a course - these are most usually accomplished in one class meeting
" sequences of classes on library research methods, taught in collaboration with classroom faculty, as part of the Information Literacy Program
" one-on-one instruction, either by chance at the reference desk, or by appointment with a librarian.

Additionally, the web-based applications are to function as assessment tools to gather statistics regarding student outcomes in order to improve instruction content and methods. Furthermore, we aim to develop ways to report information literacy competency to the Board of Higher Education, in anticipation of the pending mandate.

For the purposes of the Faculty Instructional Technology Workshop, our goal was to complete the first three levels of the application as follows: a title page, an introduction/main menu page, and two submenu pages, one for Information Literacy, and the second for Instructional Services. Additionally, we have completed (and attached) one tutorial unit, "Searching the Library Catalog".