2016-10-24 meeting notes

Revised timeline: final report will be submitted to CAT by Dec. 31, 2016

Question: Which is preferred: a single report, with campus as a variable; OR two separate reports, one for each campus?

Consensus: Single report preferred.

Sarah and Monica would like a third volunteer to share toolkit editing responsibilities

They would like input from CAT re: the audience and purpose of the site. Was originally conceived of as a primer for library assessment newcomers, but the purpose and assumed audience seems to have broadened.

Audience discussion: People already involved in assessment, an assessment community of practice

Content areas of interest:

• Bibliography
• On recent research connecting libraries to student success
• Could users add suggestions?
• Can we keep it current?
• Best practices
• Rename
• The links here are useful 

Moving forward, editors would like to further develop what users want to accomplish with the toolkit, via a brainstorming Google document. They may want to revise the original toolkit to a simplified, flattened version of second iteration design.

Many (~17) CSU campuses are administering the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) this year, and some subset of these are also including the recently developed "Experiences with Information Literacy" module, as well as the CSU-created module, which includes one IL-related question.

A CAT sub-committee has formed to gather and share information about administering and analyzing data from the NSSE survey. Subcommittee consists of Michele Van Hoeck, Tim Held, Charissa Jefferson. These CAT members met via Zoom on Oct. 11 with CSU San Marcos librarian Yvonne Meulemans, currently reviewing NSSE IL data for her campus, and Carrie Donovan, librarian who helped develop the IL module when she was at Indiana, home of the NSSE. Yvonne called the meeting and is interested in sharing information/methods for using this data. Carrie shared a bibliography of recent literature on using the NSSE IL data.

Per CAT’s charge to “examine and document multiple methods of assessment of library programs and services,” and because the NSSE is a well-respected and widely-used survey in higher ed, Michele proposes that CAT evaluate this instrument for

Laura expressed concern about the NSSE’s reliance on student self-report of information literacy experiences, rather than direct measurement of information literacy competencies. Michele noted the NSSE does not claim to assess student learning; rather, it measures student engagement. Sarah suggested that NSSE data could be helpful in understanding the "why" behind learning assessment results, related to what is happening in the classroom. Katherine (via email) said Cal Poly administered the IL module last year and is using it to triangulate with other IL assessment data.

CAT agreed there was value in developing our expertise around the NSSE, as a context-providing supplement to direct measures of student learning. Michele asked that CAT members provide basic information about their campuses recent, current, and future NSSE administrations via a Google sheet shared with CAT. The subcommittee will report what they've learned at the next meeting.

Michele proposed an in-person CAT meeting in spring 2017, inviting all CSU assessment contacts and other interested CSU librarians, with invited speakers to address the topic of information literacy as a WASC core competency.

One of three CAT priorities identified by COLD in 2015-16 was development of best practices for assessment of Information Literacy as a WASC core competency. Last year, the Chair and Co-Chair reviewed WASC self-studies of 22 institutions that have participated in accreditation review since the new WASC handbook was released in 2013. While a few self-studies yielded valuable information, the main take-away from this project was a recognition that best practices are still developing, and a few campuses, including CSU San Bernardino, have emerged as leaders in this area, with experience and expertise to share beyond the information available in the publicly available self-studies.

Michele offered to host a half or full day meeting on the Cal Maritime campus in May or June 2017 to present a carefully curated set of speakers from experienced campuses, within and outside the CSU. Sarah noted that WASC has been inviting CARL to present on IL assessment at their conferences, and we should be careful not to duplicate or conflict with that session. It was noted that the WASC sessions are relatively expensive and do not focus primarily on information literacy. A request was made that a representative from WASC be invited. Stephanie suggested we consider a webinar or other online format for this session.

The committee requested COLD’s input regarding interest and potential financial support of this particular assessment activity.