For 2006-2007 through 2008-2009, projects from the following four areas were invited as prototypes. In the following years, two additional projects will be selected each year. Each project spans a three-year period to include identifying student learning outcomes, implementing changes, and assessing the effects of the changes.
Philosophy
Nursing
Honors
Strategies for Success
Philosophy
The Department of Philosophy through its Ethics Center Initiative is committed to the development of information fluency through the application of recent research in critical thinking, ethics, hermeneutics, and cognitive sciences to ethical issues in the evaluation, interpretation and use of information. Two key initiatives will frame the first year: applications that involve the ethical use of information in (1) media and information technologies, and in (2) scientific study and research. For each initiative, teams of undergraduate and graduate students and faculty will develop modules, organize university-wide speaker and discussion programs, and coordinate the development of course-related activities for participating disciplines. Specific research and applications will key on three main areas of research and application: (1) Re-thinking the role of heuristics in decision making, including recent understanding of the interplay between heuristics and biases, especially in quick decision making, (2) techniques for gaining, assessing, and using information, especially in situations involving gradually developing expertise, of deeper understanding of oneself and others, and of recognizing and incorporating the role of context in adjusting one’s understanding of information, and (3) specific application of research in practical reasoning to ethical issues in the sciences, and to ethical issues in media and information technology.
Nursing
The School of Nursing intends to create the information fluency framework for the use of evidenced-based practice literature in all degree programs in the School of Nursing.
Honors
The Burnett Honors College will introduce information fluency skills in the Honors Symposium, which enrolls approximately 450 first-year Honors students. In addition, The Burnett Honors College Computer Lab will hire information fluency-trained peer-tutors whose duties will include assisting Honors students with electronic research. These students will be the first Information Fluency Student Scholars.
Strategies for Success
The Strategies for Success program is based on the SLS 1501 course that provides an overview of all aspects of campus life as well as addressing critical thinking and problem solving skills. The program typically enrolls 2,000 students each year. The course is clearly a foundational activity and presents a rich opportunity to introduce information fluency concepts.