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Article
Play On? Comparing Active Learning Techniques for Information Literacy Instruction in the Public Speaking Course
Journal of Academic Librarianship
  • Jennifer Bonnet, University of Maine, Fogler Library
  • Liliana Herakova, University of Maine, Communication and Journalism
  • Ben McAlexander, Trihydro Corporation
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2018
Abstract/ Summary

Actively engaging students in information literacy instruction is the foundation of the Association of College & Research Libraries’ (relatively new) Framework for Information Literacy. Yet, missing from the library literature are studies that examine the effectiveness of one active learning approach versus another. This paper reports on a research project that aimed to do just that: use two discrete active learning techniques to teach information literacy concepts, particularly those situated in the ACRL Frame, “Authority is Constructed and Contextual.” Twenty-two sections of a public speaking course were randomly assigned to one of three treatments. A play technique was used with one sample of students, a website evaluation activity was used with another, and a control group received no library instruction. Both active learning techniques led to gains in information literacy scores that were significantly higher than those of the control group. However, there were no significant differences in results based on the technique used. These findings suggest that, despite the hype that surrounds it, game-based pedagogy is only one of many effective approaches to teaching information literacy.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2018.04.014
Version
post-print (i.e. final draft post-refereeing with all author corrections and edits)
Citation Information
Jennifer Bonnet, Liliana Herakova and Ben McAlexander. "Play On? Comparing Active Learning Techniques for Information Literacy Instruction in the Public Speaking Course" Journal of Academic Librarianship Vol. 44 Iss. 4 (2018) p. 500 - 510
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/bonnet/14/