On December 7, 1999, the University of Dayton Academic Senate accepted the
modified proposal for the phased implementation plan of the new University
Competency Program. The proposal commits all academic programs at the
University of Dayton to the common purpose of developing graduates who possess
the critical communication, reasoning, and information skills they need to
function effectively in their academic, community, and professional lives.
There are four competency areas: Reading and Writing, Oral Communication,
Quantitative Reasoning, and Information Literacy. Each of these areas is
divided into general and graduation competencies. The first three competencies
fall within the responsibilities of the English, communication, and
mathematics departments respectively. Information Literacy is the
responsibility of each academic unit and is to be determined by the needs of
the academic programs.
The Basic Skills Subcommittee intends that each academic department and
program identify the specific skills needed to support each of the general
competencies and then develop appropriate instructional activities and
measurement instruments to fulfill the Information Literacy requirement. The
Subcommittee understands that academic departments and programs may need
assistance in designing curriculum and other learning experiences to support
the Information Literacy general and graduation competencies as well as
suitable assessment measures.
General Competencies are to be developed
through course work necessary to complete the Introduction to the University,
Humanities Base, Thematic Cluster, General Education, and other first and
second-year courses required by a student’s academic unit. When possible,
students should master some or all of the Information Literacy general
competencies before assuming sophomore status.
Graduation Competencies are to be considered
extensions of the general competency areas and should reflect the information
literacy competencies as required for successful research specific to the
academic discipline or area of specialization. In some cases the graduation
competency will also reflect external standards established by professional
organizations and accrediting bodies.
Current discussion concerns the implementation of general competencies. It
is possible initially to lay a solid foundation in the five Information Literacy
components during the First Year Experience (FYE) program and the first
year basic English composition classes. Roesch Library Instruction Librarians
offer an introduction to academic library services as part of the FYE program
at the start of the fall semester. English composition classes already include
at least one library instruction session each semester. The development of
discrete computer based information literacy modules is also under
consideration.
Departments and individual faculty are encouraged to contact the
Coordinator of Information Literacy Skills at Roesch Library for assistance in
incorporating all or specific components of the Information Literacy
competency into their programs and syllabi. Pilot programs are expected to be
in place by Fall 2002.
This Information Literacy at the University of Dayton website is meant to
provide some background, definitions, examples, and helpful contacts to
facilitate the development of Information Literacy among faculty and
students.
Contact Heidi Gauder,
Coordinator of Information Literacy Skills at Roesch Library for
more information.
