ILILE grant recipient 2006
Project Goals
- To enhance the research skills of Adolescent/Young Adult pre-service teachers in the biological sciences as support for the required course BIOL 338 (Introduction to Research in the Biological Sciences).
- The need for this instructional support came from the recognition that pre-service teachers take this course along with students who major in biology and who have a more extensive background in the sciences.
Activities
- A CD-Rom resource was developed through partnership between the library and science education faculty.
- The CD was designed to familiarize pre-service teachers with scientific literature. The resource also describes and illustrates how to obtain, critically analyze and apply this literature. The resource includes self-directed activities and assignments, as well as tools for lesson development.
- CD was introduced in the first three weeks of BIOL 338 and disseminated through the teacher education program (and discussed in science content meetings). The CD was also made available in the library to any student who wants to use it.
- Reference librarian provided information literacy instruction to the BIOL 338 class Tablet PCs were made available for student use in the BIOL 338 class
Assessment
- Partnership between the library and science education area was strengthened and collaboration experience was positive.
- Extremely positive reception for information literacy instruction session.
- Faculty panel is evaluating the first version of the CD with the intent of making recommendations for improvement.
- Students liked being able to have a supporting resource that did not require them to be online.
- The Tablet PCs were well received and allowed students to share ideas in a unique way.
