Games for Teaching Information Literacy Skills

A didactic approach to teaching database research skills has proven to be dreadfully dull and ineffective for many students. One possible solution to this problem is to incorporate educational games with predetermined learning objectives into the curriculum. Chemistry/Biochemistry majors at the University of Notre Dame take a required information literacy skills course that introduces chemistry database search techniques. The course features several databases – highlighting the distinct nuances of each database and the different search strategies required to access information. This paper describes active learning activities as a method for creating a higher level of engagement while maintaining the objectives of a traditional course format