Ken Burhanna

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Mixing It Up Using a Blend of Projects to
Create a College Transition Program

• Ken Burhanna
• Mary Lee Jensen
• Barbara Schloman

Ken Burhanna Mary Lee Jensen Barbara Schloman
ALAO 2006 Akron, OH
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Indicate your librarys involvement with high
school outreach

• Our library doesnt currently do this, but I am
  interested in learning more.
• Our library has occasional high school visits,
  but no formal program.
• Our library has a formal program in place for
  high school outreach.

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Institute for Library and Information Literacy
Education (ILILE)

• Kent State federally funded project to
• Foster collaboration among K-12 teachers and
  library media specialists
• Advance information literacy in the K-12
  curriculum
• Partners
• College of Education, School of Library
  Information Science, and University Libraries

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Informed Transitions
www.library.kent.edu/highschool
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Informed Transitions

• Important questions
• 1. Do students have an assignment?
• 2. Any other specific objectives?
• 3. What is the size of the group?
• 4. Will students need borrowing privileges?

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Informed Transitions

• Early Results
• Over 700 high school students have visited
• Students representing 17 different high schools
• Positive librarian teacher feedback
• Positive student feedback

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Informed Transitions
High school seniors or college freshmen?
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Transitioning to College -- T2C
www.transitioning2college.org
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T2C The beginning

• Used Pathways to Academic Libraries videos at
  Bowling Green State University as model for
  project.
• Videos and web site developed with input from
  Ohio academic librarians and school library media
  specialists (LSTA grant).
• Designed to be used by high school juniors and
  seniors and first year college students.

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T2C Five 3-5 minute videos

• Welcome to Academic Libraries
• Talking to Databases
• Tips for Research Success
• Getting Help When you Need It
• College What to Expect

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T2C Student Perspective
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T2C Supporting materials for videos
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Glossary -- Definitions of common terms used in
academia
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T2C Including links to additional information
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T2C Lesson Plans
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T2C Compare College Libraries
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T2C -- Compare College Libraries
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T2C Additional Resources
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T2C -- Feedback
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TRAILS
www.trails-9.org
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TRAILS Objectives

• Standards-based
• Both class and individual outcomes
• Privacy assured
• Web availability with no cost
• Easy to administer

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TRAILS Development

• Based on 9th grade Ohio Academic Content
  Standards and AASL Information Power standards
  and indicators for 9th-12th grade
• Core competencies classified into 5 information
  literacy categories
• Items written and tested with assistance of
  school librarians

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TRAILS Steps to Using

• Create an account verify request
• Sign in and go to My Account Options
• Create a session
• Administer to the students
• Close the session
• View reports

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TRAILS Available Assessments

• A pre- and post- test assessment for
• General 30 items covers all 5 categories
• By Category 10 items
• Develop topic
• Identify potential sources
• Develop, use, and revise search strategies
• Evaluate sources and information
• Recognize how to use information responsibly,
  ethically, and legally

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TRAILS Sample Items
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TRAILS Administration Details
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TRAILS View Class Report
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TRAILS View Student Report
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TRAILS Use to Date

• Over 1,700 accounts created
• Includes middle schools, high schools,
  postsecondary schools
• From all 50 states plus the District of Columbia
  and the Virgin Islands and

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From over 20 countries
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TRAILS Possible Use for Academic Librarians

• Use with incoming freshmen as an immediate
  measure of competency levels
• Introduce to pre-service teacher education
  classes
• Use 10-item category assessment as quick
  diagnostic prior to instructional session

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Blending Our Projects With Yours

• Recommend resources on the Transitioning to
  College (T2C) web site to high school groups who
  cant schedule/afford visits.
• Have students do some of the exercises on T2C
  site (for example, develop a search strategy or
  an LC tutorial) prior to visiting your library.

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Blending Projects (contd.)

• Use the Welcome to Academic Libraries video as an
  introductory piece with visiting groups. Then
  mention how your library is different or the
  same.
• Have teachers/librarians administer TRAILS as a
  pre- and post-test in association with the
  students library visit.

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Blending Projects (contd.)

• Use Informed Transitions, TRAILS or T2C as
  conversation starters with your local high school
  community.

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Action Points for Getting Started

• Identify programs on your campus that target high
  school students and make a connection.
• Reach out to local school library media
  specialists to assess their needs.

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Action Points continued

• Identify your top feeder high schools.
• Consider developing a program whereby local high
  school classes can visit your library.

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Action Points continued

• Develop a one-page handout about college
  information literacy expectations for new
  students that you can share with teachers and
  librarians.
• Consider offering borrowing privileges to local
  high school students.

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Action Points continued

• Investigate the K-12 educational terrain by
  learning about the organizations supporting SLMS
  in Ohio and nationally AASL, OELMA, INFOhio,
  regional and county library groups.
• Finally, consider your first-year students in
  light of what youve learned about high school to
  college transitions.

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Questions?
Presentation available at www.library.kent.edu/a
lao2006