The West Virginia University Libraries have selected six faculty members to participate in the second year of an information literacy initiative designed to help faculty enhance their courses.
The Information Literacy Course Enhancement Program, a collaborative effort between the WVU Libraries and the Provost’s Office, is focused on fulfilling the University’s 2010 Plan for information literacy to become a curriculum component across all disciplines.
“We have learned a great deal this year about designing discipline-specific lessons that address critical research components through active learning. I look forward to sharing our learning with the next group of participants in this program,” said Carroll Wilkinson, WVU Libraries’ director of instruction and information literacy.
This year’s participants are Brian Ballentine, assistant professor of English, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences; Louis McDonald, associate professor of plant and soil sciences, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design; Beth Nardella, instructor of exercise physiology, the Department of Human Performance and Applied Exercise Science, School of Medicine; Melissa Olfert, assistant professor of human nutrition, Davis College; Kate Staples, assistant professor of history, Eberly College; and Barbara Douglas, senior lecturer, nursing, WVU Institute of Technology.
The six were chosen from among a field of applicants who submitted detailed plans for integrating information literacy into their classrooms.
Participants will work with Wilkinson and their librarian liaison to create discipline-specific active learning assignments that incorporate information literacy concepts. They will also earn a $3,000 stipend or, if a 12-month faculty member, other relevant professional remuneration.
This year’s librarian liaisons are Susan Arnold, Kevin Fredette, Grace Gmeindl, Noel Kopriva, Jessica Tapia and, from WVU IT, Jewel Rucker.
Expectations are for faculty to begin teaching the revised courses during fall 2010 or spring 2011 and then take part in a showcase of information literacy learning progress forum during the 2010-2011 academic year.
Courses to be enhanced include Exercise Physiology 370: Writing for Exercise Science (fall 2010 and spring 2011); History 346: Women, Family, and Gender in Pre-modern Europe (fall 2010); Human Nutrition 610: Nutrition and Fitness (fall 2010); Plant and Soil Sciences 410: Soil Fertility (fall 2010); English 303: Multimedia Writing (spring 2011); and WVU IT Nursing 442: Advanced Clinical Problem Solving (spring 2011).
Last year, five faculty members and five librarians participated in the program. Course enhancement grants will be offered again in the spring of 2011.
-WVU-
04/27/10
CONTACT: Monte Maxwell, WVU Libraries
304-293-0306, Monte.Maxwell@mail.wvu.edu