Capitalizing on University Resources for Easy and Economical Information Literacy Assessment

Abstract

ePortfolios continue to gain strength in higher education as a viable and relatively quick method for assessment of student work. Miami University (Oxford, OH) recently implemented Chalk & Wire as its ePortfolio system for the entire campus.

The libraries have partnered with several departments to utilize ePortfolios for the assessment of information literacy skills. Student work from departments are automatically forwarded to a team of librarians that assess the work using a revised version of the information literacy rubric developed by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). What is unique about this process is that the artifacts are not tailored to the library or to the information literacy rubric.

Now in its third year, this project has provided extremely valuable and robust data regarding the information literacy skills at Miami. It assists in developing a baseline for students, and helps us to see progression in information literacy as students move through the curriculum. The assessments have provided data on which classes need further assistance with research assignments, classes that need syllabi revised to better assist students in the research process, and has helped us to easily identify classes and assignments that can serve as a model to others