Information Literacy for Career Readiness: Engaging Online Learners in Professional Research

Information Literacy for Career Readiness: Engaging Online Learners in Professional Research

Allison BrungardSTEM Librarian Slippery Rock University

Contents

Learning Activities

Introduction

Background

Sample Assignment

Student Feedback

Course Content

Engagement

Discussion

Introduction

As online learners move from academics to careers, they must apply research and information literacy skills in the workplace. This poster aims to show how integrating career-focused information literacy into online instruction can increase engagement. Key topics include guiding industry-specific research, using open-access resources, and strengthening evaluation skills against misinformation.

Background: LIBR 120 Course

This 1-credit course aims to equip undergraduate students with the necessary tools and strategies to effectively locate, evaluate, and use information sources beyond traditional library databases. By focusing on practical applications tailored to their professional goals, students will learn to leverage a diverse range of open-access resources, specialized databases, and industry specific repositories.

COURSE CONTENT: 7 MODULES

1. The Information Landscape
2. Strategic Searching
3. Open Access Resources
4. Evaluating Information
5. Information Ethics
6. Digital Tools for Presenting Information
7. Resources for Lifelong Learning

ENGAGEMENT

Integrating career-based research into one-shot sessions and credit-bearing IL courses helps students build in-demand skills that employers value, such as:

• subject-specific expertise
• ethical and responsible information use
• the ability to interpret and communicate information effectively through visuals

This provides personalized experiences for a diverse set of learners. Students interact meaningfully with content, think critically about information, and create new content. This engagement results in deeper learning.

ENGAGEMENT

Create meaningful opportunities for career exploration

• Reflective
• Affective and other Metaliteracy Domains

Metacognitive

• Autonomy in creation /production
• Future-forward

Personal Relevance

• Real-world application
• Professional/Vocational Focus

Authentic

• Agency
• Self-directed learning

User-Centered

Career-related Learning Activities

SAMPLE ASSIGNMENT

Career-Ready Research: Building a Professional Bibliography for Your Field Students select a career, role, or industry of interest and tailor their research to real-world information needs. The students reflect upon how their research can be applied in the workplace.

"This course really opened my eyes to how important research is in my future career. Being able to choose topics that connect to the job I want made the assignments more meaningful . I learned how to find high-quality information I can actually use in the future."

"The strength of this course is showing us ways to help us learn even when we graduate by showing us the resources and website examples needed to do so."

"I think evaluating information related to my future career choice was a strength I had because the assignments given to us made us do deep dives into our future careers."

"I learned a lot because I got to research topics directly related to my future career instead of just about the library. I feel way more confident about doing research on my own and these skills will stick with me after graduation."

STUDENT REFLECTIONS

DISCUSSION

How do (or could) YOU incorporate career-related research to engage students in online library instruction?

open Padlet

References

• Greer, K. S. (2023). A pedagogy of care for information literacy and metaliteracy asynchronous online instruction. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 49(3), 102676.
• Parramore, S. (2019). Online active-learning: Information literacy instruction for graduate students. Reference Services Review, 47(4), 476-486.
• Pickard, E., & Sterling, S. (2022). Information literacy instruction in asynchronous online courses: Which approaches work best? College & Research Libraries, 83(2), 184. doi: https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.83.2.184

• Tomaszewski R. (2021). A STEM e-class in action: A case study for asynchronous one-shot library instruction. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 47(5):102414. 10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102414