New information literacy workshops are offered regularly. Dates, descriptions, and registration information for upcoming workshops are available below. ALL TIMES EASTERN.
Summer 2025 Information Literacy Presentations
Information Literacy: Definitions and Core Concepts
May 13, 2025
12:00-1:00 pm (Eastern)
To register: https://go.osu.edu/infolitdefinitionssummer25
What is information literacy? Why is information literacy important for students? In this workshop, participants will learn about several definitions of information literacy and develop an understanding of the key concepts, skills, and dispositions associated with information literacy. In addition, participants will learn why explicit information literacy instruction is crucial to students’ academic and professional success and consider what their role in supporting students’ information literacy development might be.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
Teaching Information Literacy: Strategies and Resources
May 15, 2025
12:00-1:00 pm (Eastern)
To register: https://go.osu.edu/infolitstrategiessu25
How do we teach information literacy? In order to develop the habits and skills associated with information literacy, students need explicit guidance and support across their entire academic careers. In this workshop, participants will learn more about strategies and activities that they can use to teach information literacy in a variety of contexts. In addition, participants will become familiar with multiple resources available to help them integrate information literacy into their teaching practices. This workshop is intended for course instructors, graduate teaching associates, instructional support staff, and librarians at Ohio State. Participants from other institutions are also welcome to attend. This workshop builds upon an initial workshop, Information Literacy: Definitions and Core Concepts. Participants are encouraged to attend both workshops.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
Crossing Information Literacy Thresholds: A New Model to Scaffold Learning—An Initial Conversation
May 22, 2025
12:00-1:15 pm (Eastern)
To register: https://go.osu.edu/crossingthresholds
Presenter: Amanda Folk, Head, Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University Libraries
The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education articulates the ways of thinking, knowing, and doing valued in the academic community through the definition and description of six threshold concepts. While the articulation of these threshold concepts is beneficial for making these ways of thinking, knowing, and doing transparent, they primarily represent expert ways of engaging with knowledge. Furthermore, the Framework doesn’t provide guidance for how instructors and librarians can help learners, particularly novices, to cross these information literacy conceptual thresholds. How do we scaffold that learning? How do we develop appropriate learning outcomes and activities? How do we assess student learning? In this workshop, we will begin with an overview of epistemological development models and their relationship to information literacy. Then, the Crossing Information Literacy Thresholds model will be presented as a strategy for scaffolding information literacy-related learning that is rooted in both threshold concept theory and epistemological development models.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
Navigating the Novice-Expert Research Gap: A New Information Literacy Taxonomy
June 5, 2025
12:00-1:15 pm (Eastern)
To register: https://go.osu.edu/navigatingtaxonomy
Presenters:
- Amanda Folk, Head, Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University Libraries
- Hanna Primeau, Instructional Designer, The Ohio State University Libraries
- Katie Blocksidge, Head, Research and Education, Health Sciences Library, The Ohio State University
- Jane Hammons, Teaching & Learning Engagement Librarian, The Ohio State University Libraries
Students and instructors can find research assignments to be frustrating, as students (as novices) and instructors (as disciplinary experts) are seemingly speaking two different languages. Instructors develop assignments and expectations for performance based on ways of thinking and knowing that are common to experts, but these expectations are not always explicitly or transparently taught or discussed with students. In this presentation, we will outline a new taxonomy that is intended to help instructors and librarians navigate this expert-novice research gap. Participants will be introduced to the new taxonomy and consider how they can utilize it to develop research assignments with clear expectations and appropriate scaffolding for learning.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
AI Pragmatism: Guidance for Uncertain Times in Academic Libraries
June 18, 2025
12:00-1:15 (Eastern)
Presenter: Michael Flierl, Student Learning Librarian, The Ohio State University Libraries
To register: https://go.osu.edu/aipragmatism
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the world around us, and academic libraries are no exception. Generative AI technologies continue to become less expensive, more powerful, and more ubiquitous. Given how AI continues to alter the information landscape of higher education, I argue there is no single framework or theory to guide us during such rapidly evolving technology. Instead—let us focus our collective efforts on making AI more human-centered, explainable, and reliable—all in service to advancing our core values surrounding research, learning, and intellectual freedom. This workshop aims to discuss why academic librarians not only can, but should, become active leaders in shaping the future of generative AI applications. Join us for a pragmatic and open-ended exploration of AI, academic libraries, and higher education.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
Transformative Information Literacy: Conceptualizing Information Literacy through the Lens of Transformative Learning Theory
June 26, 2025
12:00-1:15 pm (Eastern)
To register: https://go.osu.edu/transformativeinformationlit
Presenter: Jane Hammons, Teaching & Learning Engagement Librarian, The Ohio State University Libraries
What would it mean to teach information literacy with a goal of transformation in mind? Originally developed by Jack Mezirow, transformative learning theory “has played a prominent role in the literature of adult education for several decades” (Hoggan, 2017). Transformative learning theory outlines a process by which an individuals’ frame of reference is transformed through encounters with information or experiences that cause them to question their original habits of mind and perspectives. More than just learning new facts or skills, or expanding their existing frame of reference, a transformative learning experience can result in a “substantive shift in one’s desires, self-awareness, belief structure, and lived experience” (Paul & Quiggin, 2020). This presentation will provide an overview of transformative learning theory and will consider it in relation to efforts to teach information literacy. The presenter will outline a conception of information literacy developed through the lens of transformative learning theory, and which is aimed at supporting transformation in how our students understand and engage with the information environment.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
Do As I Say: Authenticity in Teaching Research Practices and Information Literacy
July 10, 2025
12:00-1:00 pm (Eastern)
To register: https://go.osu.edu/authenticinfolit
Presenter: Jane Hammons, Teaching & Learning Engagement Librarian, University Libraries
When starting a research project, do you always develop a list of keywords and synonyms before you search? Have you ever cited a source without reading the entire article? Do you always spend a significant amount of time evaluating each source you find? When instructors and librarians teach students how to conduct research, we often outline specific steps that students should take and provide guidelines they should follow. But, do we always follow these steps or guidelines ourselves? If we don’t, why not? And what does that mean for the way we teach research and information literacy? This presentation will explore the idea of authenticity in relation to how we teach the research process. Participants will be encouraged to think about how we can approach teaching research and information literacy as it often is, rather than what we think it should look like.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
Not Just for Research Papers: Demonstrating the Value of Information Evaluation Beyond the Context of Academia
July 16, 2025
12:00-1:00 pm (Eastern)
To register: https://go.osu.edu/evaluationbeyondacademia
Presenters:
- Mira Scarnecchia, Columbus State Community College
- Emily Henderson, Columbus State Community College
We all face an abundance of information in our everyday lives—from our classes, our careers, and in our personal lives. Now, it is more important than ever that students are able to transfer information evaluation skills and strategies beyond the classroom. The presenters will discuss how librarians and instructors have the opportunity to teach, encourage, and empower students to effectively evaluate information in all facets of their lives, from their personal use of social media to their potential careers outside of academia. The presenters will provide our community college perspective and practical examples that participants can utilize with their own students.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
First-Hand Knowledge: Four Approaches to Experiential Information Literacy at Purdue
July 21, 2025
12:00-1:15 (Eastern)
To register: https://go.osu.edu/experientialil
Presenters:
- Clarence Maybee (moderator), Associate Dean for Learning, Purdue University
- Rachel Fundator, Associate Clinical Professor, Purdue University
- Thom Gerrish, Assistant Professor, Purdue University
- Sarah Huber, Associate Professor, Purdue University
- Samantha LeGrand, Assistant Clinical Professor, Purdue University
This session explores how experiential information literacy (EIL) is used to advance student learning by four librarians at Purdue University. Rachel Fundator will describe how she is developing an IL community on campus through an undergraduate research program. Thom Gerrish will discuss the role of EIL in enabling students to learn about the environment at a field station in Michigan. Sarah Huber explores how EIL supports ‘making’ as a way of creating innovative forms of scholarship, and Samantha LeGrand will describe the application of EIL in faculty and student partnerships to advance AI literacy. Attendees will learn about the various approaches being undertaken at Purdue and consider avenues for implementing EIL projects on their campuses.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
Outdated Research Notions: Changing the Conversations on Your Campus
July 31, 2025
12:00-1:00 pm (Eastern)
To register: https://go.osu.edu/outdatedchangingconversations
Presenters:
- Adrienne Warner, Undergraduate Engagement Librarian, University of New Mexico Libraries
- Glenn Koelling, Undergraduate Engagement Coordinator for University of New Mexico Libraries
- Jane Hammons, Teaching & Learning Engagement Librarian, The Ohio State University Libraries
When it comes to research, students may have received guidance over the course of their academic careers that is no longer effective. For example, students may have been told that domain (.org, .com) is an indicator of credibility for web resources. Such guidance can create frustration for students and may even harm their ability to effectively locate information and complete research assignments. For the last two years, librarians from the University of New Mexico and The Ohio State University have been giving a series of presentations highlighting examples of outdated research guidance often given to students. In this session, participants will learn more about the concept of outdated research notions and explore several examples. A key focus will be on strategies that librarians and course instructors can use to start changing the conversation around outdated notions at their institutions, in order to ensure that students are being provided with guidance that reflects best practices for researching in our current information landscape.
For participants associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit toward the Teaching Information Literacy Endorsement from the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. For participants not associated with Ohio State, participation counts as credit for the Teaching Information Literacy Certificate being offered by the Teaching & Learning Department in The Ohio State University Libraries.
Past Workshops
To access slides and/or view recordings of previous workshops, go to: Past Workshops.