Members:

Ella Cross--UW-Superior, Reference/Government Documents Librarian (Co-chair)
Dave Dettman--UW-Marathon County, Library Director (Co-chair)
Kathie Mason--UW-Barron County, Associate Academic Librarian
Molly Mathias -- UW-Milwaukee, Library Instruction Coordinator
Sarah McDaniel--UW-Madison, Coordinator, Library and Information Literacy Instruction Program
Cristine Prucha--UW-La Crosse, Information Literacy Instruction Librarian
Ann Vogl--UW-Baraboo/Sauk County, Associate Academic Librarian

Action Item: Explore information literacy/library instruction assessment tools and make a recommendation.


Drafts and Other Documents (Password Needed)
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CHARGE:

Justification
With national accreditation agencies demanding evidence of successful student learning, assessing the impact of information literacy programs and initiatives has become imperative. The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools states that “Information Literacy is vital to all disciplines and to effective teaching and learning in any institution.” With this growing importance how can libraries best carry out information literacy assessment? What standardized test allows for the most potential to assess the information literacy of our students? It will be the goal of the working group to explore answers to these important questions.

Charge
The Information Literacy Assessment Working Group is charged with investigating ready-made standardized information literacy tests that have become available in the past few years. The group's main focus will be on examining three standardized tests that have come to prominence and are available for purchase:

• iSkills, formerly ICT Literacy Assessment from the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
• Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (Project Sails) developed and maintained at Kent State University in Ohio
• Information Literacy Test (ILT) developed collaboratively by the James Madison Center for Assessment and Research Studies and JMU libraries

We will also examine best practices throughout the various phases of the assessment cycle including establishing assessment goals, gathering data, analyzing and interpreting data, and marketing data.

Key Expectations

• Conduct a review of the literature concerning the three focus tests and summarize empirical research
• Explore instances where campuses may be using these instruments to assess student learning at the campus level
• Summarize and report key findings

Time line
Final report of findings delivered to User Service Coordinating Committee by early Fall 2008.

Role of Members
Members set the agenda, goals and feasible action plans required to accomplish the charge. Responsibilities include the following.

• Accept and support the Information Literacy Assessment Working Group’s charge
• Review all relevant materials prior to meetings
• Attend meetings
• Work toward fulfilling the working group’s objectives
• Carry out individual assignments in a timely fashion
  

Role of Co-Chairs
The co-chairs are responsible for the general leadership of the Information Literacy Assessment Working Group and provide direction to members and library staff working in support of the charge.

Responsibilities of each co-chair:

• Accept and support the Information Literacy Assessment Working Group’s charge
• Plan meetings and agenda in collaboration with their co-chair and other appropriate staff
• Attend all the working group meetings and stay abreast of work between meetings
• Maintain records of the working group’s work
• Facilitate active participation and decision-making
• Assume responsibility for the completion of the charge
• Meet with the User Service Coordinating Committee on a regular basis to review interim reports and to submit a final report