Integrating Information Competencies into the Allied Health Curriculum
at
Gavilan College
Don
Hausrath, MLIS; Shuk-chun Auyeung, MSIS; Jo Anne Howell, MLIS, &
Kaye
Bedell, MSN, FNP, RN,
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract and Project SummaryInformation
competency is increasingly important to the learning process at
Student
scores on an Information Competency (IC) test administered at the beginning and
end of each class showed an average gain of 23.8 points. Outcomes include an
enlarged cadre of faculty and administrators knowledgeable and enthusiastic
about IC as an effective instructional method, more effective use of our
technology infrastructure, and more effective working relationships between
library and discipline faculty. Students struggled at first through the IC
assignments, but came out demonstrating not only better health and medical
research skills, but, according to their instructors, improved basic research,
report writing, and computer skills. Allied Health faculty reported that
integrating IC components helped to maintain currency in their own courses, and
enhance the overall quality of their courses.
After IC training, students were better able to differentiate the
quality of sources, and have a broader understanding of course content. The
process effectively institutionalized IC in the Allied Health department. Some
“lessons learned,” a planning template and our test instruments are provided.
Class websites may be found at http://www.gavilan.edu/library/nursing.
CONTEXT/BACKGROUND
This project, to integrate information competency skills
into the Allied Health curriculum of Gavilan College, evolved from a 1997
California Community College Chancellor’s Office Fund for Instructional
Improvement grant to Gavilan to review the current and projected roles of
information competency instruction within the California community colleges and
to develop a plan for implementation:
Information Competency Plan for the California Community Colleges (Auyeung
and Hausrath, 1998)
In 1998, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s
office provided funding ($35,000 per college) in the Student Success
Institutionalization Fund for Information Competency. The projects were expected to have a
statewide impact on “the institutionalization of college-based information
competency models and or practices which improve student success and constitute
student outcomes.”
Why
is Information Competency Important?
This
Information Competency Plan noted
“over a million students enter
Partnering for Change
Gavilan
Library faculty’s initial involvement in information competency (IC) was
through a grant administered by the Chancellor’s Office for researching and
drafting an IC plan to be submitted to the State Board of Governors. The
completed plan called for the integration of information competency components
in the curriculum of all California Community Colleges. (Auyeung &
Hausrath, 1998) Paralleling this report was a position paper commissioned by
California State Community College Academic Senate, which plays a major role,
through its local chapters, in specifically changing and developing the
curriculum in each of
The
State Academic Senate’s definition of information competency (IC) “ is the ability to:
+ Recognize the need for information.
+ State a research question, problem or issue.
+ Determine information requirements in various
disciplines for research questions, problems, or issues.
+ Use information technology tools to locate and
retrieve information.
+ Organize information.
+ Analyze and evaluate information.
+ Communicate using a variety of information
resources and technologies.
+ Understand the ethical and legal issues
surrounding information and information technology.
+ Apply the skills gained in information competency
to enable lifelong learning.”
(Auyeung & Hausrath, 1998)
For
future planning, however, we suggest using the similar Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education,
developed by the Association of College and Research Libraries, issued on
An
information literate individual, as defined by the ACRL board, is able to:
+ “Determine the extent of information needed.
+ Access the needed information effectively and
efficiently
+ Evaluate information and its sources critically
+ Incorporate selected information into one’s
knowledge base
+ Use information effectively to accomplish a
specific purpose
+ Understand the economic, legal, and social issues
surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically
and legally.” (ACRL, 2000)
We
attempted the integration of information competency skills into the Allied
Health curriculum for several reasons. One was to enhance student learning,
particularly at Gavilan where student success rates needed improvement and
secondly, to make changes due to the rapidly changing nature of the health care
professions. Our plan was to address IC issues in the health curriculum at
Gavilan, and then take the process to other disciplines, making use of what we
had learned in the process.
Since
the early 1990s, The American Nurses Association and the National Student
Nurses Association have recognized that technology is changing health care and
that health care issues are transforming health care occupations; thus
requiring changes in nursing education. Of particular importance was the
challenge of not only delivering material of a technical nature to health
professionals, but also providing health information to audiences unfamiliar
with the topic or vocabulary. (ANA, 1993
& Barger, 1994) There are, as well, the changing demographics of the
population, an increased focus on health promotion and a sea change in health
care reimbursement. Increasingly, nurses must be prepared to work autonomously
outside institutional settings. “ It appears,” Mawn and Reece suggest “that an
essential change in nursing education, must, at the very least, involve a
switch from the skills/content approach to learning to an
outcome/competency-based learning environment.”
(Mawn & Reece, 2000).
+ Local schools approach a 70% Latino student
population
+
+ Almost half (46%) of elementary school children
come from low-income families using school-lunch funds
+ For one in three Gavilan students English is a
second language
+ Student persistence– only 12% of Gavilan students
reached sophomore status during 1995-99
+ Student retention and completion rates at Gavilan
ranged from 45% to 63% across most disciplines
+ In a national study less than 10 percent of
Hispanic families have home access to the Internet. (
To
address these issues a series of solutions were proposed in 1999 by an internal
Gavilan study. These included the following proposals that seemingly
underscored the need for IC components.
+ Revise courses overly dependent on traditional
“chalk and talk” instructional methodologies
+ Implement curriculum changes incorporating
interactive learning experiences
+ Assure that students develop computing and
information competency skills for both success in higher education and the
technology-driven workplace
+ Establish engaging learning environments that
encourage students to develop lifelong learning skills
+ Provide faculty development training and resources
to enhance their knowledge of instructional technology, learning styles and
curriculum design.
+ Enlarge student access to information sources,
faculty e-mail contact, and Internet resources
Several
planning sessions were held since August 1999 to identify and prioritize
specific activities, resulting in a training plan and an evaluation
process. A project team was established
consisting of the Project Director, Project Consultant, Reference/Technology
Librarian and the Allied Health Program Coordinator. Three of these members attended a seminar on Internet for Health Professionals, which
provided first-hand knowledge of training topics and important health issues.
Outlines of three new courses were developed. The College Curriculum Committee
approved these early in the Fall Semester of 1999. These new courses were
included in the College’s spring schedule and one course was taught during the
spring 2000 semester.
After
consultation with Allied Health Program Coordinator and faculty,
Reference/Technology Librarian Jo Anne Howell completed research on how best to
link information competency activities with key concepts in the first two
courses in Allied Health. Then, prototype courses were developed. Developing
these prototypes proved useful for the development, not only of other Allied
Health courses, but courses throughout the college. Class assignments were
carefully selected and updated on each class website. Examples may be viewed at
http://www.gavilan.edu/library/nursing
[2000, July 19]. An instrument to measure student success was completed.
A
core nursing instructor group was introduced to the exercises designed for the
first of two courses. Working with the librarians, they each designed an
information component for their own classes. These components became part of
their spring 2000 classes. Two library staff members were also enrolled in
these courses to better their ability to help students in the future.
Students
were introduced to the application and use of information technology through a
combination of learning modules, hands-on computer laboratories, in and
out-of-class assignments and self selected learning opportunities. Assignments
focused on the fundamentals of information competency: applications, electronic
mail, library databases, and the Internet. The IC components were directed at
both the fundamentals of computer applications as well as applying information
competency to Allied Health related assignments and projects. This process
involves: formulating sound research questions and search strategies,
developing an understanding of how databases work, knowing the range of
information resources available, and identifying and evaluating specific
information resources.
A.
The first
objective was to further student success in Gavilan’s Allied Health programs by
providing instructional models that use alternative approaches to integrate
information competency skills into Allied Health curriculum. Towards that end:
+ A curriculum development team was established in
August 1999 from Allied Health (AH) and Library faculty and selected students.
They identified needed areas of development.
+ The curriculum development team developed course
outlines for new integrated courses in Allied Health (as stand-alone or add-on), which would
provide an information competency component. These new course outlines and
related logistics needs were submitted in Gavilan’s curriculum committee during
the August-September 1999 period. The curriculum development team established
information-competency instruction models for 22 of the existing AH courses
during the last quarter of 1999. Participants included the project team,
curriculum development team, and research assistants.
+ The curriculum development committee began the
research and development of sample materials for new courses or components
during the last quarter of 1999. Participants included the project team,
curriculum development team and research assistants. This process took place
from September 1999 until the end of spring semester in April of 2000.
+ Three new integrated Library/Allied Health courses
were developed and offered in the spring semester 2000. (See Appendix B for
details) This was overseen by the Reference/Technology librarian and appointed
AH faculty. Developing these prototypes is proving useful for the development,
not only of other Allied Health courses, but courses throughout the college.
Class assignments were carefully selected and updated in each class website.
(Examples may be viewed at: http://www.gavilan.edu/library/nursing
[2000, July 6]
+ Substantial time was invested in reviewing nursing
texts and other materials to identify the most appropriate instructional
activities that make use of information competency exercises. This activity
actually involved twice the estimated time. One difficulty was finding
appropriate meeting times, particularly in the case of adjunct nursing faculty.
B.
The second
objective was to evaluate these new course models by developing criteria and
indicators of student success.
+ During the period October 1999 to April 2000 the
project team and the development team set the criteria to measure student
success. Two instruments to measure student success were completed. Another
instrument was developed to assess student success from the instructor’s
viewpoint. After surveying the literature and reviewing various measurement
tools, we developed an IC measurement tool adapted from one used, revised and
studied for testing first and second year students at
+ In May 2000, the project team and the curriculum
development team designed the tracking, monitoring and reporting of student
success and collected data sets towards that end.
+ In May through June of 2000, the project team and
the curriculum development team compared and analyzed data from existing and
revised courses and revised, as needed, core information competencies in Allied
Health.
C.
The third
objective was to provide faculty training and institutionalize the process at
Gavilan.
+ The project team developed print and electronic
training resources and prototype training materials during the 1999-2000 school
year since a trained faculty would contribute to student proficiency in
information competency.
+ The project team developed, during the March-May
2000 period, a more detailed staff development program for
designed an information component for their own
classes. These components are now part of their spring 2000 classes. Two
library staff members are also enrolled in these courses to better their
ability to help students in the future.
The Reference/Technology Librarian planned the training activities. A
training workshop was held on
+ The AH and Library faculty planned to submit the
new and revised courses to the Curriculum Committee for approval, thus
institutionalizing information competency models. Allied Health faculty in
tandem with Library faculty submitted course proposals for three courses,
through the Dean of Liberal Arts and the Dean of Vocational Education. The
Curriculum Committee, a Faculty Senate committee, consists of representatives
from all college departments, various deans, and the Dean of Instruction. All
three courses were approved and co-listed in the college catalog under Allied
Health and the Library.
+ All Allied Health students were advised to take
two of the new courses in Allied Health. Thus, these courses impact all Nursing
students. Since all three courses are co-listed as library courses, it has the
potential of impacting students enrolled in Library courses as well. Allied
Health is co-listed as Biology 11, and thus could impact all Biology students
as well. Each year, approximately 450 students are enrolled in nursing courses,
475 in Biology courses and 150 students are enrolled in Library courses.
D. The
fourth objective was to evaluate the project.
+ The project consultant and project director
identified evaluation elements and monitored progress and began project
evaluation in September- November 1999.
+ The project consultant in consultation with the
project director began developing an implementation plan, a facilities plan, a
training plan and a project evaluation plan in March-June 2000.
+ The project consultant in consultation with the
project director drafted a final report in June- July 2000.
+ The project consultant in consultation with the
project director drafted an article on the project to be submitted to a
professional journal by August 2000.
What
the Students were exposed to: Concepts and Activities
1.
Allied Health
3. The Person in the Life Cycle. This
is a 3-unit course outlining the development and realization of human potential
across the life span. Because this is one of the core courses required for all
nursing students, we decided to include several information competency
components. The class syllabus, case study assignments, extra credit assignments,
a list of print and online reference sources, and the weekly schedule are all
posted on the class homepage. From the weekly schedule, students access six
separate information competency assignments, spread over a period of four
months. These assignments cover basic search skills (Boolean strategies,
truncation, phrase and field searching), plus basic formats and their
differences: books, journal articles, reference sources, and online articles.
In addition, students had a basic introduction to accessing their assignments
from their homepage (Library Internet Introduction, an online introduction to
the library homepage) at the beginning of the semester.
2.
Allied Health
11. Nutrition. This three-unit course
is designed to meet the needs of the Allied Health and the general education
student alike in acquiring relevant information about nutrition, which they can
use professionally and or personally. Because this class is co-listed as a
biology course (BIO11) and many students outside the nursing program take it,
we tailored several IC components specifically for it. From the weekly schedule
homepage, students accessed eight separate information competency components
covering basic search skills plus the various formats. In the final components,
students could take a self-quiz on information competency skills, to test how
well they understood the principles. The components were spread out over the
entire semester, giving students the opportunity to build their skills and
practice them for several months.
3.
Allied Health
44. Compensatory Nursing Practice.
This ten-unit course (5.5 lecture, 13.5 laboratory) provides concepts and
principles of the nursing process applied to preventive, supportive,
rehabilitative, and teaching aspects in meeting the health needs of the patients
requiring compensatory nursing interventions. It incorporates nursing concepts
and experiences with all age groups, including senior adults. For this class,
we posted the syllabus, weekly schedule and one information competency
assignment online. Because this is one of the more advanced classes, we felt
that students would have already have gone through the basics with AH3 and
AH11, and therefore needed only a review of the concepts. The one assignment
was an extensive virtual tour of the library from a nursing student’s
perspective. It could be accessed of course, at any time, and the responses
submitted online. Included were online encyclopedias, a subject-specific web
directory, an online library catalog, an online index for general and popular magazines,
and an Internet search engine for medical websites. Search strategies of
truncation, Boolean logic and phrase searching were included. Methods of
evaluating websites at various Internet sites were explored. Students were
introduced to selected print and electronic reference tools.
4.
Allied Health
62. Medical Surgical Nursing. This
eleven-unit course (6 lecture, 15 laboratory) provides theoretical and clinical
experience in the care of adult, medical-surgical clients, introduces more
complicated nursing situations, including pre-operative and post-operative
care. Again, because this is one of the more advanced classes, we included only
one information competency component. The assignment covered online
encyclopedias, online book catalogs, nursing-specific subject directories on
the Internet, and Internet search engines. We also covered evaluation criteria
and APA citation formats. The course syllabus and weekly schedule were posted
to the class website for the students’ convenience.
5.
Allied Health
64. Surgical and Pediatric Nursing.
This eleven-unit course (6 lecture, 15 laboratory) provides theoretical and
clinical experience in medical and surgical pediatric nursing, and includes the
care of clients with disorders of the endocrine and neurosensory systems,
mental illness, emergency nursing and care of the child. This is another
advanced class, but the instructor wanted more components added to the
schedule. A total of three assignments were designed and spread out over the
semester, so that students had the opportunity to practice searching skills,
evaluation criteria and writing APA-style citations. The assignments used
topics students were currently covering in their classes, so that students had
exposure to more information than what was provided in their textbook. The
first assignment covered theories of human development, and led students to
encyclopedia articles, specialized nursing directories and search engines on
the Internet. The second assignment looked at sources of information on
children’s perceptions of death and their expressions of grief. The third
assignment concentrated on adolescents and risk-taking behavior.
6.
Allied Health
140 or Library 140. Internet &
Information Competency for Health Professionals. This one-unit goes into
much more detail on how to find reliable, current information in the medical
field. It examines the organization of health related literature in traditional
print and electronic formats including MEDLINE and other NIH resources.
Standard resources such as The Physicians’
Desk Reference and The Merck Manuals
were examined in print and online versions. Internet subject directories with
medical information in Spanish were introduced. Information resources were
evaluated in several assignments. Citation formats for various resources were
covered. Students came away from the class with a thorough understanding of the
organization and availability of health information; how to find it and how to
evaluate its usefulness. Lectures, visual demonstrations, in-class practices,
group work, individual research project, worksheets, and a final examination
were used. Meeting in the library electronic classroom, students worked
interactively on assignments found on their website. They submitted their
results to the instructor online. There were as well, outside assignments
submitted on paper. Class activities often involved student teams who provided
brief reports of their findings. We experimented with a condensed version of
this course at a weekend workshop in the Hollister Public Library, training
patrons and staff, useful to this largely Hispanic community with very limited
health information available.
We
used various measures to assess information competency among students in Allied
Health. These included (1) an assessment tool developed for nursing faculty
response: (2) informal feedback from students and faculty, (3) formal sessions
with the project team and (4) a test instrument. This instrument was used as
both the pretest and posttest. It was adapted from a similar instrument
developed at
Results
of the Test Instruments
The
mean score for the pretest was 51.5 % with a standard deviation of 17.95. The
mean score for the posttest was 75.33, an increase of 23.83 points. Standard
deviation of the posttest was 14.41. Where questions were adapted from the
George Mason instrument, both test questions are provided in this report.
Results are provided from the fall 1998 class at George Mason and the fall and
spring of 1999-2000 at Gavilan. All
Allied health classes asked their students to take this exam, thus some
students took the exam more than once; however we used only one pretest per
student. Questions without George Mason data were added for the Gavilan study.
In assessing the comparative statistics, there
are several variables to consider. Students in
GM:
90%
GA: 83%
GM:
76%
GA: 79%
GA:
4. %
GM:
74%
GA: 64%
GP=
Gavilan Post Test
GM=
George Mason Post Test
(Percentage
selecting the correct response is indicated)
GM:
93%
GA: 53 %
GP: 88 % (Gavilan Post Test)
Gav.
Gain: 35 %
GM:
91%
GA: 42%
GP: 76%
Gav.
Gain: 34%
GM:
80%
GA: 67%
GP: 88%
Gav.
Gain: 21%
8. This is a valid format for a World Wide Web
page address: http://walters@ctu.org/, http://www.walters.org/, http://wwc.walters.org/
GM:
78%
GA: 77%
GP: 88%
Gav.
Gain: 11%
9. Material found on the World Wide Web does not have to follow
copyright rules. (True/False) George Mason used the word restrictions rather
than rules. Another version of the test at Gavilan states, “Most of the
material you’ll find on the World Wide Web is protected by copyright laws. “
GM:
88%
GA:
40%
GP: 64%
Gav.
Gain: 24%
10. All search engines on the World Wide Web follow the same
procedures. (True/False)
GM: 52%
GA: 58%
GP: 76%
Gav. Gai
