U of S Pursues Grant to Assess Information Literacy

The University of Scranton, as part of a consortium of four Jesuit universities, is currently pursuing a three-year grant from the Pew Charitable Trust to develop a comparative assessment of student learning in library and computer skills. The project, if funded, will involve Scranton, Fairfield University, Gonzaga University, and St.. Joseph's University. Over a three-year period, the schools will develop goals and objectives, design an instrument, and pilot a common assessment tool that will establish consensus on core competencies in computer and information literacies. The tool will measure how well the individual campuses are achieving the project outcomes for students.

 

Because the University has a four-credit course in computer literacy in place, we will be taking the lead in formulating the goals and objectives, based on existing experiences. The Assessment Office of the University is also a key factor in the projects implementation, since staff here is well acquainted with developing tools of this nature.

 

An initial meeting of the participants in the project was held on January 22 at Fairfield. Library faculty Katie Duke and Betsey Moylan, Computer Science faculty Dick Sidbury, Assessment Office staff Rob Stirton and Torn Hogan, and Ann Marie Stanford of the Provost's Office will he representing Scranton on the project. If funded, the grant is expected to commence in January of 2000 and span three academic years.