Flipping, Collaborating, Assessing: Adopting New Modes of Library Instruction

After determining that current assessment techniques were no longer yielding data of practical value, the Research Services Unit at the University of Nebraska Omaha Criss Library changed both their teaching and assessment models for Composition II library sessions. The unit adopted a partially flipped model by combining out-of-class tutorials with in-class active learning exercises. Rather than conduct the multiple choice assessments used in the past, the team worked with Comp II instructors to adapt a rubric for use in analyzing a representative sample of student papers. While many libraries are using rubrics to assess various aspects of information literacy instruction, not many have a strong collaboration with instructors when developing assessment tools. This paper focuses on the collaborative effort of librarians and instructors to adopt new modes of instruction, learning, and assessment. Discussed is the history of the instruction program outlining the need for change, the planning process, the development and refinement of the rubric, and the use of formative assessment as part of the flipped class model