CSUN University Library


MEMORANDUM

California State University, Northridge
Office of the President

DATE: January, 1999

TO: CSU Presidents

FROM:
Blenda J. Wilson
Chair, Commission on Learning Resources and
Instructional Technology
President, California State University, Northridge

SUBJECT: 1999 Summer Fellowships

Since 1995, the Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology has been actively engaged in advancing a program of information competence in the CSU. A critical component of our effort has been to provide faculty with opportunities to develop information competence components for their disciplines.  I am pleased to inform you that, for the first time, we are offering fellowship opportunities for our faculty.

Attached is a description of the fellowship program and the application procedures. Responses are due by February 26, 1999. I encourage you to invite your faculty to apply for an Information Competence Fellowship.

Questions can be referred to Susan C. Curzon, Chair, Information Competence Work Group, at (818) 677-2271 or susan.curzon@csun.edu

BJW:mm

Attachments

cc: CLRIT Members


CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY

COMMISSION ON LEARNING RESOURCES
AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY (CLRIT)

INFORMATION COMPETENCE SUMMER FELLOWSHIPS

CSU Faculty are invited to submit proposals for Summer 1999 Fellowships in Information Competence.  Five fellowships will be awarded.  Each fellow will receive $3,000.

Background

In response to the Council of Library Directors' Strategic Plan, the Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology launched a program of information competence in the CSU. In 1995, the Information Competence Work Group was appointed to "...recommend basic competence levels on the use of recorded knowledge and information and processes for assessment of student competence." To accomplish this charge, the Information Competence Work Group determined that information competence would succeed as a priority for the CSU if awareness was consistently raised about the issues and importance of information competence, and if information about the successes and problems of various programs was continually shared.

Over the past four years, projects on 20 campuses have been funded, a report on information competence in the CSU has been issued, two conferences held and outreach to other educational entities has occurred. Now, the Information Competence Work Group is offering an opportunity for fellowships that will advance our knowledge of information competence.

Proposal Guidelines and Requirements

Fellows will be selected on the strength of the proposals. Creativity is encouraged. The following are the guidelines:

Fellowship Requirements

  1. As part of the fellowship award, Fellows will be expected to attend one faculty development seminar which will be offered either July 13-16, 1999 or July 20-23, 1999. Each of the seminars are 4 days in length. The seminars will be working sessions on information competence for CSU faculty.
  2. Tangible results that contribute to the advancement of information competence are expected for all Fellows.
  3. Fellows will be expected to maintain a web page for their project and the deliverables.
  4. Fellows will be required to provide a full report and all deliverables by December 15, 1999. An interim report will be due September 30, 1999. Fellows will also be required to make presentations on the results of the project to the Information Competence Work Group.

Project Categories

Proposals submitted must focus on one or more of the three categories listed below:

  1. Distributed Learning
    Proposals in this category must focus on the application of information competence to courses of any discipline taught in a distributed learning mode. The term "distributed learning" can apply to courses taught partially or fully away from the traditional classroom setting.
  2. Teacher Preparation
    Proposals in this category must focus on preparing future teachers to teach information competence skills in any discipline.
  3. Teaching Effectiveness K-12
    Proposals in this category must focus on providing tools, techniques or study guides to K-12 teachers to improve their effectiveness in teaching information competence in any discipline.

Proposal Evaluations

Successful fellowship proposals will be characterized by the following:

  1. The projects must be consistent with the "core competencies" (note Attachment 1)
  2. Projects must fall into one or more of the categories listed above.
  3. Information competence must be the central focus of the proposal.
  4. Projects must have applicability to multiple campuses.
  5. Projects must further excellence in learning and teaching.
  6. Fellowship proposals that advance and build upon previously funded projects are encouraged.  Past and current projects can be found at: http://library.csun.edu/susan.curzon

Proposal Format

Proposals should not exceed five pages in length and should include the following information and in the following sequence:

  1. Title of Proposal
  2. Fellow (include name, address, phone #, fax #, email)
  3. Name of Home Campus
  4. Name of Department
  5. Abstract of the Project
  6. Project Description including Goals and Objectives
  7. Deliverables
  8. Assessment Component
  9. Review of the literature including a review of current CSU information competence projects.
  10. A demonstration of how the core competencies of information competencies will be built into the project.
  11. Project Time Line
  12. Project Category (1,2 or 3)
  13. Signature of Dean and Department Chair

Twelve copies of the proposal should be submitted by February 26, 1999 to:

Dr. Susan C. Curzon, Chair
Information Competence Work Group
Dean, University Library
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, California 91330-8326
Telephone (818) 677-2271
Fax (818) 677-2676

Inquiries about the fellowship may also be directed to Dr. Curzon.

For more information on Information Competence, go to: http://its.calstate.edu/inithtml/InfoCompProj.htm
Susan Curzon: http://library.csun.edu/susan.curzon/


Information Competence Work Group


INFORMATION COMPETENCE
A SET OF CORE COMPETENCIES

In order to be able to find, evaluate, use, communicate and appreciate information in all its various formats, students must be able to demonstrate the following skills:

  1. Formulate and state a research question, problem or issue not only within the conceptual framework of a discipline, but also in a manner in which others can readily understand and cooperatively engage in the search.
  2. Determine the information requirements for a research question, problem or issue in order to formulate a search strategy that will use a variety of resources.
  3. Locate and retrieve relevant information, in all its various formats, using, when appropriate, technological tools.
  4. Organize information in a manner that permits analysis, evaluation, synthesis and understanding.
  5. Create and communicate information effectively using various media.
  6. Understand the ethical, legal and socio-political issues surrounding information.
  7. Understand the techniques, points of view and practices employed in the presentation of information from all sources.

Source: Information Competence in the CSU:  A Report submitted to the Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology (CLRIT) by the CLRIT Information Competence Work Group; revised: 1/97.

Dr. Curzon's Homepage


Campus Home Library Home For comments email: susan.curzon@csun.edu
Last modified: June 7, 2001
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