Hutchins Library

Blue Line

Bibliographic Instruction Program Evaluation

Blue Line


HUTCHINS LIBRARY
BIBLIOGRAPHIC INSTRUCTION PROGRAM
EVALUATION


Purpose, Goals & Objectives and Criteria

  1. The PURPOSE of Evaluating the Hutchins Library Bibliographic Instruction Program

    1. WHY is the bibliographic instruction program being evaluated? How will the information be used?

      1. educational decision-making

        An evaluation of the bibliographic instruction program will illuminate the achievements and/or deficiencies of the program and result in educational decision-making, which will improve the quality of the bibliographic instruction program.

      2. accountability

        An evaluation of the bibliographic instruction program will demonstrate the extent to which the program has been successful and will provide justification for the program and evidence for continued and/or increased support.

    2. WHO wants the information? Who will be the principal audience of the study?

      1. bibliographic instruction librarians

        An evaluation of the bibliographic instruction program will enable the program librarians, who have the major decision-making responsibilities related to the bibliographic instruction program, to assess such elements of the program as teaching effectiveness, the methodology and instructional materials used, and the degree to which the goals and objectives of the program have been achieved. The results of the study will be shared with librarians at other institutions with the hope that they will find the study useful in working with their programs of bibliographic instruction.

      2. teaching faculty

        An evaluation of the bibliographic instruction program will enable the teaching faculty to assess such elements of the program as teaching effectiveness, the methodology and instructional materials used, and the degree to which the program fits in with course goals and objectives

      3. library administrators, academic administrators, and accreditation agencies

        An evaluation of the bibliographic instruction program will enable administrators and accreditation agencies to assess program management and accountability as well as the degree to which the program fits in with institutional goals and other institutional programs.

    3. WHAT will be evaluated? What do we hope to learn from the study?
      1. the skills and achievement of the students (cognitive domain)

        1. the content of the instruction

          The student's knowledge of library materials and search methodology will be evaluated.

        2. the process of student library work

          The student's intellectual skills and abilities in the areas of comprehension, application, and analysis will be evaluated.

        3. the product of student library use

          The student's intellectual skills and abilities in the areas of synthesis and evaluation will be evaluate

      2. attitudes (affective domain)

        1. Changes in the student's behavior and/or attitude, particularly regarding libraries and librarians, will be evaluated.

        2. Changes in the teaching faculty's behavior and/or attitude, particularly regarding libraries and librarians and student use of the library, will be evaluated.

Concerning the evaluation of the student's skill and attitudes, an effort will be made to study both the long and short-term effects of instruction. A study of the skills and attitudes of the student at all levels -- from incoming students through the higher levels of instruction -- will be attempted.

    1. overall aspects of the bibliographic instruction program
      1. The degree to which the goals and objectives of the bibliographic instruction program have been achieved will be evaluated.

      2. The degree to which the bibliographic instruction program relates to the goals of Hutchins Library and Berea College and the degree to which the program fits in with other institutional programs will be evaluated.

      3. The management of the bibliographic instruction program will be evaluated.
  1. The GOALS and OBJECTIVES of the Hutchins Library Bibliographic Instruction Program

    A student who completes a program of undergraduate studies at Berea College will be able to identify, procure, and make efficient and effective use of information resources to meet an information need.

    1. The student recognizes both the library and the library staff as key sources of information resources.

    2. The student knows how collections of information sources are physically organized and accessed.

      1. The student is familiar with the campus library system, including the departmental libraries, the location of the library collections, and library departmental policies.

      2. The student understands the classification scheme of the library.

      3. The student understands that the library system's collections are listed in holdings records such as the card catalog and serial record.

      4. The student understands the library's interlibrary loan services.

      5. The student is aware that information sources may be accessed electronically and may be available in electronic formats.

    3. The student knows how information sources are intellectually organized and accessed.

      1. The student knows how information sources are identified and defined in various fields of study.

      2. The student knows how information sources are structured.

      3. The student knows how information sources are intellectually accessed by users.

    4. The student knows how to plan and implement an efficient search strategy to meet an information need.

      1. The student comprehends and understands the library research process.

      2. The student applies the process used in meeting one information need to meeting other information needs.

      3. The student analyzes the information need into its constituent parts so that the process necessary to meet the need is evident.

      4. The student synthesizes the information gathered in the research process so as to form a whole.

      5. The student evaluates the quality of the information gathered and makes judgments about the extent to which the material and methods satisfy the criteria of the information need.

    5. The student values the knowledge, intellectual abilities, and skills needed to use information resources efficiently and effectively. The above goals and objectives incorporate general, terminal and enabling objectives as found in the ACRL "Model statement of objectives for academic bibliographic instruction," College & Research Libraries News, May 1987, pp. 256-261.

  2. The CRITERIA for Evaluating the Hutchins Library Bibliographic Instruction Program

    1. The recognition by the student that the library is a key source of information.

      Survey the student's perception of the library and/or librarians as being important in meeting an information need: Use questionnaire and/or interview methodology.

    2. The ability of the student to use information resources through the knowledge of how information sources are physically and intellectually organized and accessed.

      Measure the student's knowledge of library materials and search methodology: Use objective testing techniques such as pre- and post-testing.

    3. The ability of the student to plan and implement an efficient search strategy to meet an information need.

      Measure the student's ability to comprehend, apply, and analyze: Use performance measures such as simulating a library experience or asking the student to keep a journal of his/her research process.

      Measure the student's ability to synthesize and evaluate the information gathered: Use performance measures such as examining the product by evaluating the bibliographies of research paper with set criteria.

    4. The recognition by the student that the intellectual abilities and skills acquired in using information resources efficiently and effectively are important and have value.

      Survey the student's perception of his/her abilities, knowledge, and skills acquired through the use of information resources as being important and having value: Use questionnaire and/or interview methodology.