GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE PROPOSA

GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE PROPOSAL

WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

COMPUTER AND INFORMATION LITERACY

Requirement(s) (check all that apply):

_____Part A: Word Processing

_____Part B: Operating Systems, E-mail, and Graphic Presentations

_____Part C: Spreadsheets

__X___Part D: Information Literacy (Library and Internet Research Skills)

Date: September 6, 2011

College: Stewart Library

Department: Library Science

Catalog Abbreviation: LIBS

Catalog Title: Information Navigator

Course Number: LIBS TD1704

Credit Hours: 1

SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Substantive: ______

New: ______

Revised: ______

Renewal ___X__

Effective Date _________

Course description as you want it to appear in the catalog:

No change is requested in the catalog description as it currently appears.

COMPUTER & INFORMATION LITERACY GENERAL EDUCATION MISSION STATEMENT

The Weber State University Computer and Information Literacy (CIL) requirement provides students with the ability to use computers, the Internet, and library resources. Specifically it provides students with skills and knowledge to input, format, find, identify, retrieve, analyze, and evaluate information to support academic success and lifelong learning.

Course Title: Information Navigator

Department: Library Science

Provide justifications in Sections A-D for each of the CIL Part Requirements checked above.

A. Justification for Course Covering CIL Part A Requirement: Word Processing.

Part A Core Competencies:

A1. Create, edit, save/print, and retrieve a document.

A2. Move/copy, indent, space, find/replace, bold/underline/italicize, and center text.

A3. Number pages, format font, create references, insert headers and footers, place graphics, and spell check documents.

A4. Create, format, and edit tables.

Describe how the course prepares students to successfully complete tasks related to Word Processing. Cite specific lecture topics, written assignments, and/or lab projects that address each of the core competencies listed above. Refer to your attached syllabus as needed.

B. Justification for Course Covering CIL Part B Requirement: Operating Systems, E-mail, and Graphic Presentations.

Part B Core Competencies:

B1. Operating Systems: Use appropriate applications to create folders and subfolders, format storage medium, name, rename, copy, move, and delete files and folders.

B2. Internet: Fundamental knowledge of how to use the Internet as a source of information.

B3. E-mail: Delete, print, and attach files to e-mail messages as well as send, copy, forward, and save e-mail.

B4. Presentations: Use design templates to create slide presentations that include titles, bulleted lists, clipart, and animated gifs. Modify presentations by adding slides, changing their order, formatting text, correcting spelling, adding headers and footers, and applying animation effects.

Describe how the course prepares students to successfully complete tasks related to Operating Systems, E-mail, and Graphic Presentations. Cite specific lecture topics, written assignments, and/or lab projects that address each of the core competencies listed above. Refer to your attached syllabus as needed.

C. Justification for Course Covering CIL Part C Requirement: Spreadsheets.

Part C Core Competencies:

C1. Format and edit spreadsheets, retrieve spreadsheets, spell check spreadsheets, and save/print spreadsheets.

C2. Create and enter data, add/erase data cells, use absolute cell references, create column/row labels, adjust column width, format data.

C3. Enter/copy functions and formulas such as AVG, IF, MAX, MIN, PMT, SUM, Know basic formulas for percentages and markup.

C4. Create graphs.

Describe how the course prepares students to successfully complete tasks related to Spreadsheets. Cite specific lecture topics, written assignments, and/or lab projects that address each of the core competencies listed above. Refer to your attached syllabus as needed.

D. Justification for Course Covering CIL Part D Requirement: Information Literacy.

Part D Core Competencies:

D1. Identify Information Needs: Use the research process, construct a research question with a manageable focus, differentiate and apply different types and formats of information (scholarly/popular, primary/secondary, etc.).

D2. Find Information Effectively: Demonstrate how information is organized, use Boolean Logic and other search strategies to effectively use library catalogs, article databases, and Internet search engines.

D3. Critically Evaluate Information: Identify and apply evaluation criteria to assess the quality of information retrieved.

D4. Use Information Ethically: Demonstrate the importance of properly and correctly citing a source used. Identify what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it.

Describe how the course prepares students to successfully complete tasks related to Information Literacy. Cite specific lecture topics, written assignments, and/or lab projects that address each of the core competencies listed above. Refer to your attached syllabus as needed.

D1. Identifying Information Needs: The library research process is discussed in detail throughout the semester, beginning with how to construct a research question or thesis statement with a manageable focus. Students demonstrate their abilities related to this competency through one or more of the following options: a topic selection assignment; quiz questions on keywords, synonyms, and questions/theses; or reflective essay on the value of information literacy. The ability to differentiate and apply different types and formats of information is introduced in Module 2 and reinforced throughout the course; this concept is assessed through quiz questions; performance on the library catalog, article database, and web assignments; and performance on the final project, which may be an annotated bibliography, final exam, reflective paper, or class poster presentation. For instructors who use a pre/post test to assess overall student learning, questions regarding this competency are also included here. In addition to standard presentation of materials through either class lecture, online textbook, or online audio lectures (or some combination of the above), supplementary materials for the textbook have been developed to reinforce these concepts, and these include handouts on the Research Process, Developing Search Statements, and Popular vs. Scholarly vs. Trade Publications.)

D2. Find Information Effectively: The development of effective search strategies using search syntax (e.g., Boolean operators, truncation, phrase searching, field searching, etc.) are introduced in Module 2 and reinforced in Modules 3-5 through the textbook, audio lectures, demonstrations, and classroom practice. Student learning in this competency is assessed through assignments on Finding Books, Articles, and Websites, quizzes on search tools and search techniques, and performance on the final project, which may be an annotated bibliography, final exam, reflective paper, or class poster presentation. For instructors who use a pre/post test to assess overall student learning, questions regarding this competency are also included here. In addition to presentation of materials through either class lecture, online textbook, or online audio lectures (or some combination of the above), supplementary materials for the textbook have been developed to reinforce these concepts, and these include information on Developing Search Statements, Searching the Online Catalog, and Setting Google Scholar Preferences.

D3. Critically Evaluate Information: Evaluation of the quality of information is introduced in Module 2. Critical evaluation of materials found in the library catalog is discussed and demonstrated in Module 3. Similar coverage is given to articles in Module 4, and Web sources in Module 5. Student learning in this competency is assessed through in-class exercises, assignments requiring students to find, summarize, and evaluate books, articles, and websites, quiz questions on resource evaluation, and performance on the final project (annotated bibliography, final exam, reflective paper, or class poster presentation). For instructors who use a pre/post test to assess overall student learning, questions regarding this competency are also included here. Because this is one of the most difficult concepts for students to understand, detailed supplementary materials for the textbook have been developed to reinforce these concepts, and these include handouts on Evaluation Criteria; Evaluating Books- Step by Step; Evaluating Articles- Step by Step; Evaluating Websites- Step by Step. Each provides a step-by-step demonstration of this process. In the audio lecture portion of the course, walk-through demonstrations are provided.

D4. Use Information Ethically: Students are introduced to a variety of information ethics issues in the first Module of the course, including cheating, ethical group work, plagiarism, intellectual property rights, falsification and misrepresentation of data, fair use, public domain, and the WSU Student Code. This portion of the course highlights the importance of plagiarism and how to avoid it through the use of techniques such as summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting, and through the creation of complete and accurate citations. Students document the resources they find on their topics using either MLA or APA citation format. Many classes use real-life scenarios to illustrate the gray areas of this topic, and these scenarios are discussed either in-class or through threaded discussions or reflective essays. Hybrid sections may use TurningPoint to conduct anonymous online student polling on these issues, and group activities to discuss examples of plagiarism. These concepts are also addressed through quiz questions, through the final exam, and demonstrated through ethical documentation of sources on final projects (annotated bibliographies, class poster presentations, etc.). Supplementary materials for the textbook have been developed to reinforce these concepts, and these include handouts on Good Habits for Avoiding Academic Dishonesty, and several focusing on citation formats and the creation of citations. For instructors who use a pre/post test to assess overall student learning, questions regarding this competency are also included here.

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING

1. Has this proposal been discussed with and approved by the department?

Yes.

2. List those general education courses in other departments with similar subject matter and explain how this course differs.

There are no classes in other departments with similar subject matter.

3. If the proposed new general education course affects course requirements or enrollments in other departments, list the departments and programs involved and attach comments from each.

This is not a new course and it has had no effect on course requirement or enrollments in other departments.

4. Attach a syllabus of the course. Include the number of contact hours per week and the format of these hours (e.g., lecture, lab, field trip, etc.). The Fall 2011 syllabus is appended to this form.

New Courses Only:

5. Discuss how you will assess student learning outcomes associated with this course N/A

Current General Education Courses and Existing Courses Seeking General Education Status:

6. Discuss how you have assessed the applicable or identified student learning outcomes associated with this course.

All exercises, quizzes, in-class activities, and projects for this course have been designed to address one or more of the applicable or identified student learning outcomes for this course.

7. How has this assessment information been used to improve student learning?

At the end of each semester, this assessment information is reviewed in order to identify areas in which improvement is needed. Over the years, improvements in all aspects of the course have been made in response to this review.

NOTE: This course is taught by a number of instructors and adjunct instructors in both online and hybrid formats. Included here are examples of TWO course syllabi. The first is a hybrid syllabus, and the second is an online syllabus.

Students completing this course will be able to use an academic library and the internet to successfully identify, access, evaluate, and use information resources to support academic success and lifelong learning. Successful completion of this course with a C- or higher meets Part D of the WSU Computer and Information Literacy Requirement.

A desire to LEARN a little more about how to access information using Library Resources and the Internet. If you take it seriously, this class WILL help you with library research and information searching for other classes and in life!!! The course textbook is located within the course in WSU Online. Please PRINT THE TEXTBOOK (preferably in color), so that you can read and take notes on the material.

There are 3 take-home assignments in this course. Completing these assignments will increase your understanding of the material covered. Each of the assignments has a deadline and is due by midnight on the due date stated. Late assignments ARE NOT accepted, BUT I give one "free” pass. You can miss the deadline for ONE assignment and turn the assignment in without providing a reason. Since each assignment builds on the previous one, you must submit the late assignment within 5 calendar days of the missed deadline. This “free” pass CANNOT be used for the Module 1 assignment, Module 5 assignment, quizzes, poster presentation, or final assessment. Your assignments will be provided in Microsoft Word format and you will save them as Word documents, with your first and last name and the assignment number. If you do not have Microsoft Word, please let me know. Save ALL of your assignments on your computer's hard drive or some other storage device. The assignments build on each other, so you will need the previous one to complete the next one. Plus, you will need a backup copy in case WSU Online goes down. I will grade and return your submitted assignments within 5 calendar days of the submission deadline. Resubmissions are accepted only in rare cases. I will email you if this applies to one of the assignments you submit.

There are 2 in-class assignments. The first will cover Module 1 and the second, Module 5. To receive full points for these assignments, you must fully participate in the class discussion and work session.

This is a hybrid class meaning the course materials are online, but the class also meets in-person once a week. All written assignments will be submitted through the WSU Online system. Contact me if you have trouble attaching assignments.

To increase your learning, you need to be prepared to discuss the information you read about in the textbook. To encourage you to read the material, I have created quizzes for each learning module in WSU Online. Please take the quizzes AFTER you have read the assigned reading. You may take these twice BEFORE the deadline. Quizzes WILL NOT be accepted after the deadline found in the schedule below.

To assess what you learned in class during the course of the semester, a final assessment will be taken in class on October 5. This assessment will be multiple choice and cover the concepts and skills you learned during the semester.

To sum up what you learned about your research question over the course of 8 weeks, you will present a poster on your research question during one of the last two days of class. More details on this poster will be provided in a separate handout.

Course materials and the course textbook are available within the WSU Online system at http://online.weber.edu. Please log-in to WSU Online on a regular basis (at least every other day) to receive important announcements and updates about the course, including updated grades in the grade book and extra credit opportunities.

Please use the EMAIL in the WSU Online system for this class. If WSU Online is down, please wait until it is back up. If you must get in contact with us when the system is down, call (801-626-6093-JaNae or 801-626-7820-Misty) or use our Weber email addresses (jkinikin@weber.edu or mallen4@weber.edu). We will respond to email within 3 calendar days. If you do not hear from us within that time frame, please call or send another email.

If after receiving a grade for an assignment or quiz you feel a mistake has been made, please email us using the course email within 5 calendar days stating what your questions are and noting references that back your stance. Within 5 calendar days, you will receive a response and a grade adjustment, if necessary.

Students are expected to abide by the Student Code which is found at http://www.weber.edu/ppm/Policies/6-22_StudentCode.html. Cheating, plagiarism or any other form of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Proof of academic dishonesty will result in a final grade of E for the course, and a formal report will be made to appropriate University authorities.

E. Spelling and Grammar. Writing is an important skill in school and in life. For this reason, the use of proper PUNCTUATION, SPELLING, and GRAMMAR in ALL of the assignments/extra credit is required. Points may be deducted for incorrect English usage (e.g. the use of small "i" for the proper pronoun "I"). To assist you in writing correctly, please use the spelling or grammar check feature of a word processing program to type your assignments before saving and submitting them. You might also consult a style manual for questions about grammar. If you need additional assistance in writing correctly, please use the Writing Center on campus in room 210 in Elizabeth Hall. Points may be taken off for incorrect spelling and grammar.

F. Students with Disabilities Any student requiring special accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in rm. 181 of the Student Services Center. SSD can arrange to provide course materials in alternative formats, if necessary.

G. Students' Rights and Responsibilities Please look at the following Web site which is part of the Student Code which lists students' rights and responsibilities http://www.weber.edu/ppm/Policies/6-22_StudentCode.html.

Note: Although listed, not all of the information listed in the table above will be discussed in class. You are expected to read ALL of the material outside of class, so that you will have a better understanding of the information presented in class and be able to complete the quizzes, assignments, and final exam.

Office Hours: By appointment. If I’m not available, librarians at the WSU reference desk can help you with general course questions. They can be reached at 801-626-6415 or 1-800-306-3140 (toll free). The Stewart Library also has an online chat service. Click on the Ask- a-Librarian button located on most of the library Web pages. The library’s Website address is: http:// library.weber.edu

Students completing this course will be able to use an academic library and the Internet to successfully identify, access, evaluate and use information resources to support academic success and lifelong learning. Completion of this course with a C- or higher meets part D of the WSU Computer and Information Literacy requirement. Note: This is NOT a computer course, and is very different from Parts A, B, and C of the Computer and Information Literacy requirement.

Students will gain an understanding of the research process and the effective and ethical utilization of various information resources in order to achieve academic success and promote lifelong learning skills. Since this course is about information literacy- skills needed to access and use information both now and in the future- students will be able to:

· identify criteria to critically evaluate, select, and use information for a particular information need or audience

· demonstrate an understanding of library collections, resources, and services in order to access information

If you feel you already possess these skills, you may elect to test out of this course by registering for the .5 credit exam TBE 1504 through the Telecommunications and Business Education department. To test out instead of taking the course:

· Sign up for the TBE1504t est(For more information, see http://library.weber.edu/il/infolit/infolitcomp/sample.cfm)

· Get help at the Stewart Library reference desk. Librarians working at the WSU reference desk can help you with general course questions; they can be reached at 801-626-6415 or 1-800-306-3140 (toll free).

· Chat with a librarian online. To chat with a librarian online, click on the Ask-a-Librarian button located on the library web pages when the library is open. The library’s web address is library.weber.edu

· For technical help (e.g., you can’t attach files or are having trouble downloading something), contact WSU Computer Support at 801-626-7777.

· To get help in person, feel free to attend one of the drop in labs (see course calendar for dates and times.) You may also make an appointment with me via email.

· If you are having trouble understanding specific concepts, take a look in the “Supplementary Materials” portion of the text. There are lots of examples here that will help you on the assignments.

All of the assigned readings, quizzes, and assignments are available through the Information Navigator course modules via the WSUOnline course system. There are two ways to access the system:

Please log into the system at least three times per week) to receive important announcements, updates to the course schedule, assignments that have been returned to you, due date changes, and grades. It is your responsibility to go online regularly and keep yourself up to date.

Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary.

It is your responsibility to go online regularly and check for emails and announcements such as assignment reminders and due date changes. Check for class emails at least three times per week. Use the WSUOnline email system for all correspondence in this course. If WSUOnline is down for some reason, you can also email me at my regular WSU email: shaunjackson@weber.edu

To access course email, click on the Profile link on the top right bar, then click on the Write a Message button below:

Please be sure your assignments are ready to submit before you submit them. You will not have a chance to resubmit. However, you DO have every opportunity to ask question and ask for a review of an assignment BEFORE the due date. Assignments are due by 11:59pm on the date stated in the syllabus. I do not accept late work. I grade all assignments within one week of submission, or sooner. I grade in the order the assignments are received. If you haven’t received a grade on an assignment after 7 days OR an email saying I’m running late, let me know immediately.

Q: Do you accept late work? A: NO! I do not accept late work. With that said, I understand that things happen, people get sick, etc. As long as you contact me BEFORE the assignment is due to ask for an extension, I don’t have a problem with that. All of the assignments and quizzes in this course are time and date stamped. If you are uncertain of the specific requirements for any assignment, it is your responsibility to clarify with the instructor prior to the due date and submission of the assignment.

Q: When can I expect a grade on my assignment? A: I grade all assignments within one week of submission, or sooner. I grade in the order the assignments are received. If you haven’t received a grade on an assignment after 7 days OR an email saying I’m running late, let me know immediately.

Q: How do I get an ‘A’ on my assignments? A: Read the instructions. Ask questions. Submit them on time. Please read the instructions on assignments! You need to answer the question that was asked, using the required resources. Many of the questions will require you to use very specific resources. If you don’t use the resources listed in the instructions, you lose points even if the resource you use is a good one. Read all instructions carefully and ask if you have any questions. Do all assignments thoroughly and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS PROVIDED. Ask if you have questions about anything. Be sure to submit all coursework by due dates. I do not take late work.

Q: How do I access and submit assignments? A: From the course homepage, click on the Modules link from the main page or from the left hand menu. This will provide links to the assignments.

· Save the assignment to your computer, flash drive, etc. Complete the assignment and upload it.

· Start your work well before the due date so you have plenty of time to ask questions if needed.

· Each semester I have optional ‘drop in sessions’. These are open labs and I have scheduled them at different times and days to accommodate a variety of schedules. You are welcome to come in to ask questions about the assignments, or just use the time to work on assignments while I (or another instructor) is there to help you and answer questions. Times and dates for these are listed in the course calendar. All sessions are held in the Stewart Library, room 106.

· If you would like to come to a drop in session but are unable to make it, I am happy to meet with you individually at another time- just send me an email or give me a call.

· You may also stop by the reference desk in the Stewart Library and ask questions. Many faculty who teach the course work at the reference desk, and most are familiar with the assignments.

A: I do not take late work. I give extensions only for medical and similarly urgent problems. I define what’s “urgent”. Acceptable reasons may include family emergencies, deployments, and business trips. Reasons that are unacceptable include: marriages, alien abductions, vacations, skiing/snowboarding, hunting season etc.

· This semester, I’m giving everyone the opportunity to work in groups if you choose.

· If you would like to work in groups but don’t know anyone taking the course, you will have the opportunity to find people interested in whatever topic you choose to work on in this course through the threaded discussion boards.

A: Yes. There are 5 extra credit mini-quizzes. This is a LOT of extra credit points, so please do not ask for more.

Q: I’m having trouble understanding some of the material. What should I do?

A: If you are having trouble understanding specific concepts, take a look in the “Supplementary Materials” portion of the text. There are lots of examples here that will help you on the assignments.

Students are expected to write clearly and completely, at a level appropriate for undergraduate course work. You need to use correct spelling and grammar, complete sentences, and language appropriate for a written assignment. I will take points off for excessive misspellings, typos, grammatical errors, etc. Be sure to proofread your work! Take advantage of the writing center if you need help in this area.

· Use the Class Café as an informal discussion board to introduce yourself, or ask questions about or discuss aspects of the course with your peers. This is also a great place to find others to work with if you like to work in groups.

· Use the Questions for Dr. Jackson space to ask general questions about the course. By asking them here, it will serve to help others who might have similar questions. I will check this board each time I log into WSUOnline.

· If you would like to work in groups but do not know anyone taking the course, use the Working in Groups discussion board to find others who might be interested in working on the same topic.

· For the required discussions (Assignment 1), review the Threaded Discussion link under Supplementary Materials for detailed information on how to participate in the discussion boards.

The grade you earn in this course is your responsibility. Keep an eye on the online grade book in the WSUOnline system and make sure that all of your assignments and quizzes have been submitted and graded (the grades will show up in the grade book, along with a tally of your final grade for the course).

It is assumed that all students will engage in ethical conduct. All assignments and written work turned in for credit must be the student’s own work. Any form of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, collaboration on assignments, quizzes or exams, etc.) will not be tolerated. Disciplinary action for students found in violation of this standard may include a failing grade for the assignment, a failing grade for the course, or expulsion from the university. If you have ANY questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty, PLEASE ASK! This topic is covered in Module 1 of this course.

Assignments	Points	Total Points Received	Due by midnight on…
Module 1 Assignment (Discussion)	10		In-class discussion on Aug. 31 (you must attend and participate to receive points)
Module 2 Assignment	10		Friday, September 9
Module 3 Assignment	30		Friday, September 16
Module 4 Assignment	40		Friday, September 30
Module 5 Assignment (In-class)	10		In-class assignment on Sept. 28 (you must attend and participate to receive points)
Total Points	100

Quiz	Points	Points Received	Due by 10:00 am on….
Module 1	5		Wednesday, August 31
Module 2	5		Wednesday, September 7
Module 3	5		Wednesday, September 14
Module 4	5		Wednesday, September 21
Module 5	5		Wednesday, September 28
Total Points	25

	Points	Points Received
Assignments	100
Quizzes	25
Final Assessment (in-class)	25
Poster Presentation	50
Total	200

Percentage	Points	Grade
93-100	>185	A
89-92	178-184	A-
85-88	170-177	B+
82-84	164-169	B
78-81	156-163	B-
75-77	150-155	C+
71-74	142-149	C
68-70	136-141	C-
64-67	128-135	D+
61-63	122-127	D
57-60	114-121	D-
below 60	<114	E