Teaching and Learning at the Campus Library: Cascadia College

Librarians collaborate closely with faculty to integrate information literacy instruction into the Cascadia curriculum, and on curriculum development, syllabus, assignment and assessment design. This work is done in support of both on-campus and online learners.
Librarians partner with faculty to team teach hands-on classroom or online information literacy workshops in these targeted courses:

• EF/ESL: Classes vary
• BIO 320: Biodiversity (BAASP degree)
• COLL 101: College Strategies*
• ENGL 102: Composition II: Writing from Research*
• SUPR 300: BAASP Orientation course
• SUPR 301: Introduction to Sustainable Practices (BAASP degree)
• SUPR 410: Research Design & Methods in Sustainable Practices (BAASP degree)

A limited number of hands-on or online workshops may be implemented in other courses, subject to review by the subject librarian and the Library’s Director of Teaching and Learning. Limited resources may not allow us to address all workshop requests, but we do our best to honor them when possible.

* Core information literacy curriculum. See below for details.

Librarians from all liaison areas partner with faculty to integrate information literacy into the following “core” courses students must take to complete an Associate’s degree at Cascadia. Please note the learning goals listed here are of shared responsibility between the librarian and faculty member, and that they can be met through means other than classroom instruction when necessary.

College 101: College Strategies

Information Literacy learning goals for this course include:

• Library basics: obtain and use UWNetIDs, activate library accounts, learn about borrowing privileges and policies, and where different types of materials can be found within the library. 
• Find general information on a topic using the open web and online library reference materials. 
• Learn about and apply evaluative methods designed for sources on the open web. 
• Learn about generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications (large language models, bias, hallucinations, environmental impacts, and academic integrity). Contextualize and discuss generative AI as a part of information literacy.

English 102: Composition II Writing from Research

Desired Information Literacy learning goals for this course typically include:

• Develop strategies for selecting research topics, formulating research questions, and carrying out research.
• Identify and use different kinds of secondary sources.
• Use library and other search tools to identify research material.
• Cultivate strategies for finding, organizing, and storing information.
• Exercise critical thinking strategies for reading, evaluating, and understanding a variety of source types.

• Contact your subject librarian or
• Leslie Hurst, Director of Teaching & Learning Services
• Dani Rowland, Head of Undergraduate Instruction

Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning. (ACRL, 2015)

Further reading:

• Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education
  • Introduction for Faculty and Administrators
• Campus Library learning goals.