Year
2014
Season
Spring
Paper Type
Doctoral Dissertation
College
College of Education and Human Services
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)
Department
Leadership, School Counseling & Sport Management
NACO controlled Corporate Body
University of North Florida. Department of Leadership, School Counseling & Sports Management
First Advisor
Dr. Elinor A. Scheirer
Second Advisor
Dr. Tim Donovan
Third Advisor
Dr. Warren Hodge
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Jennifer J. Kane
Department Chair
Dr. Jennifer J. Kane
College Dean
Dr. Larry G. Daniel
Abstract
An examination of the research regarding the problems associated with student academic writing indicated that two abilities, writing abilities and information literacy skills, intersect, and that an accepted term for this intersection is information literacy. The University of Central Florida’s Information Fluency Initiative recognized information literacy as a key component in developing students’ information fluency skills. This qualitative case study of the initiative used semi-structured interviews, study of documents, and observations to gather data in order to describe how the university planned, developed, and implemented the initiative. Study of relevant literature, narrative analysis (Tierney & Lincoln, 1997), inductive analysis (Hatch, 2002) and the elements of educational criticism (Eisner, 1998) informed the analysis of data.
Participants in the Information Fluency Initiative identified as successful the creation of online information literacy modules by librarians and faculty, program-wide efforts to embed information fluency into curriculum, and individual faculty projects. Additionally, the initiative encouraged a scholarly approach to the study of information fluency with the implementation of an annual Information Fluency Conference held at the University of Central Florida and publication of a peer-reviewed Information Fluency Journal. Results from the study suggested that administrative support for the initiative and the leadership’s empowerment of faculty and librarians to undertake leadership roles were important factors in the initiative’s success. Results also suggested that collaboration between faculty, librarians, and instructional technologists to construct curriculum produced a professional learning community that proved valuable to participants both professionally and personally.
Suggested Citation
Slavicz, Susan Bennett, "Building a Professional Learning Community at the University Level: A Case Study of an Information Fluency Initiative" (2014). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 486.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/486
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Higher Education Administration Commons, Information Literacy Commons