Research Roadmaps: A practical model for embedding critical thinking, research skills and their assessment across the undergraduate curriculum

Abstract

In 2005 UNESCO highlighted the importance of information literacy, the ability to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively in a digital world. Thus methods for teaching, evaluating, and improving teaching effectiveness for these skills are needed. Teaching students to use information efficiently and effectively poses a particular challenge because the information landscape varies greatly by subject and must be highly contextualized within a discipline. At the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a practical model for embedding critical thinking, writing, and research skills in courses across the undergraduate curriculum was developed by an instructional librarian. This method has been used in writing courses, social sciences, sciences, business, engineering and computer science. Online or hybrid learning has been used since 2009 where a combination of course management software, online documents and library guides are used in a flipped classroom model. Librarians and disciplinary faculty collaborate to construct assignments that facilitate learning and assessment of the integrated core competencies of critical thinking, information literacy, and writing. The learning goals, design of the learning experiences, and the grading and assessment criteria follow Bigg’s theory of constructive alignment and employ a rubric, or its derivative, that has been previously tested and validated. The librarian may grade and always provides feedback to students on one research assignment. Over several semesters, direct and consistent assessment of student work enables the instructional team to analyze the level of student engagement with the assignment, effectiveness of instructional components and activity sequencing, to understand which elements are successful and which are less so. Thus the librarian and faculty member are able to close the assessment loop by making adjustments to the syllabus for continuous improvement. In addition to direct assessment of student work, surveys have shown that students and faculty have found the program effective.