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71 significant role in the revision of the General Education curriculum. These involvements affect all areas discussed in this report, from budgeting for learning resources, to information literacy instruction and assessment, the design of virtual environments, and appropriate staffing. Information and Technological Literacy The Library’s information literacy program is geared toward addressing the need of students to find, evaluate and use appropriate learning resources. Recognizing that generic “library use” sessions, detached from meaningful context, are quickly forgotten, Library faculty are attempting to determine the best means of assessing and meeting the information literacy needs of first‐year students. Course‐specific sessions, which provide appropriate context, will continue to be promoted by Library faculty members. Longitudinal data for the purpose of assessing the growth of student competencies is now being gathered. The Library faculty’s projects in this area have included: • Assessment of new student information literacy to inform pilot credit‐bearing offerings in information literacy. • A pilot, stand‐alone credit‐bearing course in Library Research Methods, offered in Fall 2006. • A Community of Inquiry investigation involving Levin Library faculty in AY2009, focused on the effectiveness of embedding LibGuides in specific courses to achieve information literacy student outcomes. • Coordination, as of Fall 2010, of library instruction across First Year Seminar, AC1000, and Writing Workshop sections, to minimize redundant student exposure to the same material offered through a one‐credit learning community course linked to a First Year Seminar course • A one‐credit course offered in Fall 2010, taught as part of a learning community with linked courses in First Year Seminar and Communication. • Creation of a robust set of department‐specific resources to increase information literacy and critical thinking skills. • Implementation of Project SAILS, administered in the Fall of 2011 to entering members of the class 2015 (A description of the SAILS assessment appears in Standard Two). • Explicit integration of Information and Computer Literacy in the revised description of AC1000, the introductory Applied Computing class. • Organization of “Transitioning to Higher Education: A Grade 9‐16 Librarian Collaborative,” a group of high school and academic librarians committed to raising competency in all literacies for grade 9‐16 students. The group explores strategies, and makes recommendations to help high school students prepare for and adapt to higher education research tasks. clv • The ongoing development of a curriculum for teacher educators based on the May 2011 Information Literacy Standards for Teacher Education, published by ACRL. clvi As indicated, neither the Library nor individual degree programs have, to date, actually assessed the extent to which students attain levels of proficiency appropriate to their degree, subject or professional field of study. That goal, along with determining measures to assess changes in students’ sophistication in evaluating the quality of information sources, is addressed within Curry College 2012 Self-Study Standard Seven
72 the Appraisal section. Students at Curry use Information Technology as an integral part of their instruction. Over the past few years, several factors have had an impact on the technology training provided through the Technology Center: • Students and faculty have become more adept in using technology. The vast majority adapt to changes very quickly; • Improvements in infrastructure have brought more information to one single place, making it easier to access; • Online documentation and help utilities now use audio and video to enhance text‐based forms of help. With these factors in mind, the Technology Center provides just‐in‐time additional resources to assist those in need. In the computer labs, students are able to work in groups, seek help from peers, or consult with the lab manager, who is often familiar with the software products used. The Technology Center also provides services for students, as well as for faculty and staff, to solve laptop problems and connectivity and security issues, as well as to answer basic questions about the College’s software and hardware products. Students’ acquisition of technology skills is reinforced through: • An articulation of Technology Literacy Goals by the Educational Technology Committee • A credited course entitled “Living on the Digital Highway” (a first year learning community integrating information literacy instruction with first year curricula). • The recent purchase of Atomic Learning to provide “just‐in‐time” instruction to students to develop technology literacy skills and connect to course curriculum. Assessment of student proficiency occurs through courses and programs that require particular technological competencies for successful student engagement and achievement. Appraisal While the number of Library positions has remained stable since 2009, shifts in staffing have strengthened the Library’s capacity in the areas of library systems, infrastructure development, and the Education Resource Center. The arrival of a new Library Director, after three years during which the Head of Technical Services assumed the attendant responsibilities, is expected to energize Library programs and services. While a Circulation staff position remains unfilled, however, support for daily operations is weaker, and that remains a concern for Library personnel. Discussions centering on the roles and functions of Library faculty and staff in relation to the evolving needs of Curry College students and faculty are much‐needed at this juncture; planning needs to take into account the multiple impacts of electronic resource development and the current and future alignment of appropriate staffing. The Technology Center has reduced its staff size as a result of cross‐training, utilization of automation and software tools, and mergers of internal staff groups. Since the College’s Curry College 2012 Self-Study Standard Seven
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ii III. Institutional Characteristi
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iv 12. List all programs accredited
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vi CHIEF INSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS Fun
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6 the College’s Mission Statement
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8 academic units. In addition, the
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10 writing sequence xxv ; and stand
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12 • Offer distinctive, relevant,
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16 policy and planning and peer fac
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18 The College demonstrates a stron
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