INFO 250-01
INFO 250-11
INFO 250-12
Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals
Spring 2022 Syllabus

Diane K. Kovacs
E-mail

Canvas Information: Courses will be available beginning January 26, 2022, at 6 am PT unless you are taking an intensive or a one-unit or two-unit class that starts on a different day. In that case, the class will open on the first day that the class meets. 

Course Description

"The library as an integral part of teaching, learning, and training in different settings. Emphasis on collaborative design between librarians and teachers/professors that includes planning, teaching, and assessment of learning activities using the library's resources and technology." (http://ischool.sjsu.edu/current-students/courses/core-courses-and-electives)

INFO 250 is designed for information professionals who will be designing, creating, and delivering instruction in the context of a library or other information organization. The scope is all library types and instructional types, from one-on-one tutoring to large group presentation and everything in between and online and in-person.

Instructional Goals

1. Students will develop a learning needs assessment for a group of learners and a learning environment of their choice.

2. Students may choose information literacy instructional project ideas from a volunteer organization's list of clients that have asked to participate in this course, or any instructional project ideas related to information literacy that they choose for themselves.

3. Students will design a unit of information literacy instruction for a specific group of learners, based on scientific learning perspectives and proven instructional design principles.

4. Students will engage with peers and considered cooperation and collaboration with others through presentation (screencast/recording) and mutual peer-reviewing of draft instructional design plans.

5. Students will complete a full instructional design plan and example instructional material as a final project for the course.

Course Requirements

Course Format
This course will be taught online using Canvas - Canvas Login and Tutorials and Zoom at SJSU iSchool Online.

Info250 is taught entirely online and involves and requires a significant amount of:

• required readings in required textbooks, online journals, misc. web sites. required listening to lecture recordings* (or reading the transcripts)

• hands-on learning activities/worksheets (Canvas Assignment tools) and a project: instructional design plan, presentation, and example instructional materials.

• participation in Guided Conversations (via the Canvas Discussion tool).Zoom sessions will be recorded. Listening to the recordings is required and assumed. Synchronous attendance in the Zoom sessions is optional, but please try to attend so you can ask questions in real-time.

*Zoom sessions will be recorded. Listening to the recordings is required and assumed. Synchronous attendance in the Zoom sessions is optional, but please try to attend so you can ask questions in real-time.

Primary/Technology Requirements
The primary course requirements are that students will:

• have access to the computing environment as described at https://ischool.sjsu.edu/home-computing-environment
• use Canvas - https://ischool.sjsu.edu/canvas// and refer to Tutorials as needed
• submit assignments via Canvas - https://ischool.sjsu.edu/canvas//

Course Workload Expectations

Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course-related activities.

Course Communications:

• It is important to express your own opinions while also being respectful; suggest constructive ideas for improvement while evaluating other students' work; pose relevant questions; compare and contrast ideas; share and critique resources; communicate.

• Please don't be shy to tell me if you see any errors in content or links. I can correct almost everything in our course content if I know about the problem. E-mail

• Please report Canvas technical problems to the tech support folks, as they will have the ability to deal with those. Tech Support - https://bit.ly/techresponse

• email (Email) me or Google Chat me if you have any questions about the Canvas or the order of work. diane.kovacs@sjsu.edu

• Please whitelist or otherwise adjust your spam filters to allow the teacher's email to get to you: E-mail

• I will post a weekly topic overview and update every Sunday evening to the Canvas Announcements tool.

• I schedule 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Eastern time (6 a.m.-7 a.m. Pacific time) every weekday to respond to student work and questions via email. 

• I am usually available via email and Google chat in the afternoon and evening on weekdays as well. 

• I try very hard to have weekends off to spend with my family and friends but I will promptly reply to your questions and work on Mondays. And I do browse email for urgent questions, even on weekends.

• I am physically located in Medina County, Ohio so I cannot meet with you in person or on the telephone.

Grading Policy and Due Dates:

• You may revise and resubmit, for additional points, until you achieve mastery.

• Due dates are guides to keep us on track to complete in one semester.

Assignment Submission Basic Format Guidelines:

Include in each assignment:

1. Your first and last name
2. You may use any citation format.
3. Type your work into a Word or text document and upload your completed file to the appropriate Canvas Assignments tool. You may alternatively type your work into a PowerPoint, upload to Google docs and share the link, record your response as a screencast or audio file and share the media file or a link to the media file in the Canvas Assignment tool for this worksheet.

Course Calendar: Modules and Assignments:

Full assignments details and instructions are on the Canvas course pages. Assignment points total 1000.

• Module 1. Getting Started: Introduction and Overview of the Course - January 26 - February 6

• Module 2. Learning Theories (aka Perspectives) and Instructional Design - February 7 - 20

• Module 3. The Importance of Instructional Design and The 7 Step Instructional Design Model Overview - February 21 - March 6

• Module 4. Teaching in Different Kinds of Libraries - March 7 - 13

• Module 5. Instructional Design Step 5. Planning Instructional Strategies - March 14 - 27

• Module 6. Instructional Design Step 6. Choosing Teaching and Learning Tools and Planning for Instructional Materials; Exploring Other Instructional Design Models - April 4 - 17 (Spring Recess: March 28 - April 1; Cesar Chavez Day: March 31 Observed)

• Module 7. Other Instructional Design Models/Strategies; Step 7. Quality Assessment; Formative and Summative Evaluation - April 18 - May 1

• Module 8. Final Instructional Design Plan and Final Thoughts - May 2 - 16

Zoom Discussion/Lecture sessions are scheduled as follows*:
(This will be subject to some possible changes and additional optional online meeting dates depending on availability of guest speakers etc.)

1. Monday, January 31 at 7 p.m. PT to 8 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET) - Attendance strongly encouraged for first class information

2. Wednesday, February 16 at 7 p.m. PT to 8 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET) Instructional Design Project Choices

3. Guest Speakers TBA March 7 - 13

4. Tuesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. PT to 8 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET) Draft Instructional Design Plan, Screen Casts, & Peer Reviews

5. Thursday, May 5 at 7 p.m. PT to 8 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET) Instructional Design Plan Final Work

*Zoom sessions will be recorded. Listening to the recordings is required and assumed. Synchronous attendance in the Zoom sessions is optional, but please try to attend so you can ask questions in real-time.

Class Participation (Readings, Recorded Lectures, etc.): (200 points)
Supports CLO #1, CLO #4, CLO #5 CLO #6, CLO #7.

• Entry Behavior and Learner Characteristics Survey. 25 points. Due August 29.

• 5 Guided Conversations on the readings and recorded lectures. 15 points each. (75 points total). Due the last day of each Module period.

• 5 Quizzes on the readings and recorded lectures. 20 points each. (100 points total). Due the last day of each Module period.

Instructional Design Learning Activities: (200 points)
Supports CLO #1, CLO #4, CLO #5 CLO #6, CLO #7.

• Learning Activity 1. Learning Theories (aka Perspectives) in Practice and Peer-Review.
  (75 points total: 50 points for submitting your report by February 20 and 25 points for 5 peer-reviews Due February 25)

• Learning Activity 2. Reviewing Instructional Design Examples (25 points) Due March 13

• Learning Activity 3. Reviewing Instructional Tools and Materials Options (25 points) Due April 17

• Learning Activity 4. Exploring Other Instructional Design Models/Strategies and Peer-Review.
  (75 points total: 50 points for submitting your report by April 24 and 25 points for 5 peer-reviews Due May 1)

Instructional Design Planning Worksheets: (200 points)
Supports CLO#1, CLO#2, CLO#3, CLO#4, CLO#5, CLO#6, and CLO#7.

"Plans are worthless, but planning is everything."
Dwight D. Eisenhower.

1. Instructional Design Planning Worksheet for Steps 1-3: Step 1. Needs Assessment and Instructional Goals, Step 2. Instructional Analysis (aka Task Analysis), & Step 3. Entry Behavior and Learner Characteristics (50 points). Due March 6

2. Instructional Design Planning Worksheet for Step 4. Learning Outcomes and Motivating Learners. (50 points). Due March 27

3. Instructional Design Planning Worksheet for Step 5. Planning Instructional Strategies. (50 points). Due March 27

4. Instructional Design Planning Worksheet for Step 6: Choosing Teaching and Learning Tools and Planning Instructional Materials (25 points). Due April 17

5. Instructional Design Planning Worksheet for Step 7: Formative and Summative Evaluation.(25 points) Due May 1

Instructional Design Project (400 points)
Supports CLO#1, CLO#2, CLO#3, CLO#4, CLO#5, CLO#6, and CLO#7.

• Draft Instructional Design Plan, Screencast, and Peer Reviews: Drafting your Instructional Design Plan and Screencasting your Introduction (5 minutes maximum). Post by May 1 (100 points) and then Peer-Reviewing your Classmates' Draft Instructional Design Plans and Screencasts. (100 points) Peer-reviews Due May 8. (200 points total)

• Final Instructional Design Plan & Two Completed Instructional Material Examples*. Due May 16 (200 points) (May be revised and resubmitted* if submitted on time)

*One of which must be a recording (screencast, audio or video) presenting an example lecture for your instruction.

Extra Credit Options Available: (up to 40 points)

• 5 points each Extra Credit for leaving a comment or a question related to a Guest Speaker's presentation up to 25 points.

• Extra Credit Quiz for Module 7. (15 points) 

Full assignments details and instructions are on the Canvas course pages. Assignment points total 1000.

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Course Workload Expectations

Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course related activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical practica. Other course structures will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus.

Instructional time may include but is not limited to:
Working on posted modules or lessons prepared by the instructor; discussion forum interactions with the instructor and/or other students; making presentations and getting feedback from the instructor; attending office hours or other synchronous sessions with the instructor.

Student time outside of class:
In any seven-day period, a student is expected to be academically engaged through submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam or an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; building websites, blogs, databases, social media presentations; attending a study group;contributing to an academic online discussion; writing papers; reading articles; conducting research; engaging in small group work.

Course Prerequisites

INFO 250 has no prequisite requirements.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of current learning and instructional theory.
2. Demonstrate familiarity with information literacy standards and models.
3. Evaluate tools for teaching and learning in face-to-face and online environments.
4. Conduct a learner needs assessment.
5. Plan, execute, and evaluate a unit of instruction.
6. Integrate information literacy skills into instructional units.
7. Describe the importance of communication and collaboration with key constituents in the instructional design and delivery processes.

Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

INFO 250 supports the following core competencies:

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Textbooks

Required Textbooks:

• Kaplowitz, J. (2014). Designing information literacy instruction: The teaching tripod approach. Rowman & Littlefield. Available through Amazon: 0810885840

• Saunders, L., & Wong, M. (2020). Instruction in libraries and information centers: An introduction. Illinois Open Publishing Network. Available as Free PDF

Recommended Textbooks:

• Benjes-Small, C., & Miller, R. (2017). The new instruction librarian. ALA Editions. Available through Amazon: 083891456X

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Grading Scale

The standard SJSU School of Information Grading Scale is utilized for all iSchool courses:

In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:

• C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
• B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work or undergraduate (for BS-ISDA);
  For core courses in the MLIS program (not MARA, Informatics, BS-ISDA) — INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204 — the iSchool requires that students earn a B in the course. If the grade is less than B (B- or lower) after the first attempt you will be placed on administrative probation. You must repeat the class if you wish to stay in the program. If - on the second attempt - you do not pass the class with a grade of B or better (not B- but B) you will be disqualified.
  
• A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.

Graduate Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Undergraduates must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

University Policies

Per University Policy S16-9, university-wide policy information relevant to all courses, such as academic integrity, accommodations, etc. will be available on Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs' Syllabus Information web page at: https://www.sjsu.edu/curriculum/courses/syllabus-info.php. Make sure to visit this page, review and be familiar with these university policies and resources.

In order to request an accommodation in a class please contact the Accessible Education Center and register via the MyAEC portal.

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