The Assessment Buffet, Coming Back for Thirds

The Assessment Buffet, Coming Back for Thirds

Every year we use assessment to bake a better batch of library instruction for freshman English students.  This presentation addresses the universal challenge that many instruction librarians face, “How can we assess student learning outcomes in a one-shot instruction session?”  LMU’s Reference Department created a standardized introduction to the research process which could apply to any topic, developed learning objectives, and measured them for the three years.  The presenter will highlight assessment successes and what went back to the Test Kitchen.  Our assessment buffet consists of a variety of sweet dishes:  a worksheet and grading rubric, interactive online LibGuide, keyword self-quiz, pre-lesson poll, peer teaching evaluation, and several surveys.

The English 110 Instructors bring their classes to the library because the Director of the Freshman English Program tells them that they have to!  We are lucky.  However not everyone makes an appointment.  Last year 97% of all English 110 classes participated in library instruction.  The year before it was 83%.  I think that the low is 81%.  We use the same worksheet and LibGuide for all English 110 classes.  Most do not have a research assignment.  Some do.  If they have a research assignment, sometimes the librarian will change the search examples (used during the demo) based on the assignment.

I make photocopies for all the English 110 Instructors and put the worksheets on their mail shelf by the second week of the semester.  Most instructors teach two classes so I give them  2 bundles of 22 worksheets (44 total) and a cover sheet.  Some instructors give out the worksheet 1 week before the library visit and some give out the worksheet 2 nights before.  Of course some student lose them, or forget to do the homework. Most students read the worksheet and get started.  Some classes even finish the whole worksheet before their library visit!