Traci Lynn Patterson Blake
E6925 Capstone Project
M3A1: Project Review 2
Competence in the area Communication and Informational Literacy
Dr. McIntyre
3/20/2011
The work that demonstrates competence in the area Communication and Informational Literacy is assignment M7A3 from course E6250 Introduction and Best Practices in Training and Development. This assignment illustrates my knowledge of the educational theory of Communication and Information Literacy and my writing skill. This assignment reflects the aspects of applying the Kirk Patrick Model to the educational theory of Communication and Information Literacy. This assignment also reflects writing that requires reflection and revision (Argosy,2011).
Reflection on Work Sample Demonstration of Outcome
After completion of the course, I have created a modified version of the assignment, it is reflective of my current level of knowledge and skill. The following is the modification of assignment M7A3, E6250 Introduction and Best Practices in Training and Development. It is reflective of uses of Communication and Information Literacy by means of online interaction with employees. This assignment highlights librarians who were trained in library instruction with an adapted version of the Kirkpatrick Model. The librarian’s learning was assessed with their reaction, learned skills, and behavior, the first three levels of the Kirkpatrick Model. This assessment, which came in the form of an employee survey, used the Kirkpatrick Model to illustrate that learning and a change of behavior occurred in the librarians with regards to communicating effectively and using the information technology effectively. The writing in this assignment required reflection and revision the create the survey. I needed to reflect upon which questions to create so they would generate the correct response and revise them accordingly. Revisions made progress through training and education evident.
Areas for Improvement in the Work Sample
The area I feel I need to improve in as a result of learning over the course of my program is in the area of appropriate application selections which are used by some leaders for training and development and my use of writing style and techniques relative to mechanics, so that my written explanations of the assignments would be more clear.
Reference
Argosy University. (2011). E6250: Introduction and Best Practices in Training and Development:
Module7.www.myeclassonline.comwww.myeclassonline.com
Traci Lynn Patterson Blake
E6250
M7A3
Dr. Lee
December 2010
The library offers training for its librarians.
In order to assess the librarians learning outcomes, four librarians developed an evaluation project using Donald Kirkpatrick’s four level model developed in 1959 for the use in training upper level management. Kirkpatrick’s model transcends ordinary boundaries, such as measuring students’ reactions and feelings.
Evaluation of the efficiency and impact of library instruction is vital now-a-days. Due to budget crisis it is vital for librarians to authenticate the services they provide to support the mission and goals
. Reference librarians in particular need to demonstrate that their educational efforts are devoted to improving librarian’s skills for locating data that will impact patron decision-making.
The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how the Kirkpatrick Model was adapted to library instruction evaluation.
These classes were taught by reference and instruction librarians. They applied the first three levels of Kirkpatrick’s model.
Survey
Level 1-(Reaction)- A library evaluation sheet which measures employee satisfaction.
Below is a sample of the evaluation form used.
Training Evaluation Sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please provide your feedback to help improve library learning instruction
What’s your affiliation with the library _______________________________
Circle the number in the following scale which expresses your reaction to the following questions and then write an answer to the last statement.
1. What is your opinion about the content covered ?
The objectives were met in the content
1 2 3 4 5
Class length was suitable
1 2 3 4 5`
Pertinent content was presented
1 2 3 4 5
2. What is your opinion about the instruction?
The instruction made me feel involved
1 2 3 4 5
The instruction was organized
1 2 3 4 5
The instruction was presented comprehensively
1 2 3 4 5
3. What is your opinion about the general impression of the class?
I will be able to apply what I learned
to finding information at work
1 2 3 4 5
I will greatly recommend this class to
Other librarians
1 2 3 4 5
Generally the class was valuable
1 2 3 4 5
4. Write any changes or improvements which need to be made to the class:
Level 2- (Learning) – A rubric for the instructors to use as they watch employees after training.
Instructor: Will tell student learners to decide on a topic to search, using the search techniques learned in class.
The rubric below can be used for checking off criteria the learners meet while they search. Notes can also be added to this rubric.
This is a non-standard , informal measurement instrument. It is unstructured and recommended to be used with small groups. This lends to observational information gathering.
Rubric
Student’s Name:__________________________________________________
CRITERIA POINTS
Circle One
Learner generated a focused clear searchable topic 1 2
(2points)
Learner used correct headings and subheadings to 1 2
(2points)
Formulate a search strategy
1 2
(2points)
Learner used correct bootlean words to combine 1 2
Searches(e.g. AND/OR)
(2points)
Learner used correct limits to refine the search 1 2
(2points)
Learners used the PDF or HTML URLs to retrieve full 1 2
Text articles
(2points) Total:
Evaluating learning is harder than evaluating reaction, partly because it is so time consuming. It may possibly be the most important step in the Kirkpatrick model. ”Without learning no change in behavior will occur” (Kirkpatrick, 1998, p.47). Learning evaluation is important to the instructor because it gives feedback ofwhat occurred during training.
Level 3-(Behavior)-Online post-test sent to employees two months after training
Following learning it is vital to measure a change in behavior as a result of the learning which took place. The test listed below was created to evaluate librarians’ understanding of knowledge in their work environment and also their skills with advanced database searching. To allow time for a change in behavior this test would be sent by email two months following training. At times personal interviews of a small number of people can be used , but survey questionnaires such as this one, are more practical for hard at work librarians. They are less time consuming and more decisive on behalf of the behavior change since more librarians can be reached.
Librarians Posttest
Please fill out this form
Attention: For questions which require the selection of more than one answer, press the “ctrl” key at the same time and click on each item to be selected.
· required to be completed
· Are you a librarian?
o Yes
o No
· Have you searched the database in the past two months?
o Yes
o No
If, yes , how many times?
o 1-3 times
o 3-6 times
o Over 6 times
o Unsure
· What kind of information can you find with the database?
o Citations from library science journals
o Evidence based worksheets
o Research material call numbers
o Research devices
· Searching for subject headings has these advantages:
o Concept related articles can be chosen
o It reduces the retrieval of non-pertinent articles
o It eradicates articles in other languages
o It makes the search more focused
· To search Library Science and Ulrich’s
o Library Science OR Ulrich’s
o Library Science NOT Ulrich’s
o Keyword search for ‘ Librarians using Ulrich’s ’
o Library Science AND Ulrich’s
· The best way to limit the above search would be:
o Inside the search options menu, select Research article and choose Library
Journal Subset Category
o Append the following search words to your search: ‘ research articles from library journals ‘
o Only examine articles which have “ Library Science “ in the title
o Using Narrow Results in the menu, click on Periodicals
COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, or COMPLAINTS
Please note any questions, comments or complaints you may have in regards to this course, the trainer, or the library’s resources and services:
ResetSubmit
SUBMIT RESET
**NOTE: This survey is hypothetical. I did not have access to record the information on an actual online evaluation system. The two buttons at the bottom of the survey indicate that the survey is supposed to be submitted to an online data base and then reset for the next librarian.
Level 4 –(Results): While using the Kirkpatrick Model, measuring results is complex and difficult.
Generally, a long gap in time occurs between Level 3 and Level 4, because an enhancement in results needs a suitable amount of time to be able to be measured. Depending on the feedback received from the librarian’s, a trainer may consider the following for future evaluation of results:
ü Did librarians’ use of library services and resources enhance as a result of this training?
ü How much has librarian’s use of research in everyday patron usage increased since this training?
ü What has been the result of the course on library research output at the library?
The Kirkpatrick model is adaptable for library science instruction. It illustrates the learners’ development from their beginning reactions to the modifications in their behavior because of the training. In the event the trainer can only get to Level 3, evaluation is still relevant for illustrating the outcome of the training on the librarians search behaviors.
The Kirkpatrick model can be adapted for use in library instruction evaluation. It can be essential for librarians who need to use a well-formed , precise approach to evaluate instructional efforts that will have an effect on patron usage. Communication and information literacy is fundamental for learning, the effectiveness of the applied skills of communication and information literacy are apparent in this assessment of change.
References:
Kirkpatrick, D.L. (1998) Evaluating training programs : The four levels (2nd.edition). San
San Francisco, CA: Berrett -Koehler .