News & Blog

Fall semester begins with 8 information literacy modules available!

There are eight modules available for faculty to assign to students this fall.

They are:

• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Citing Sources Using APA Style
• Citing Sources Using MLA Style
• Creating a Search Strategy
• Evaluating Web Sites
• Focusing an Information Search (teaches advanced database search techniques)
• Maximizing Google Scholar (demonstrates search techniques that will make searching Google Scholar more effective and efficient)
• Recognizing a Research Study (identifies characteristics of a research study that distinguish it from other document types)

Import your Students’ Module Scores into WebCourses!

To see a captivate video to walk you through the steps, go to https://obojobo.ucf.edu/help/create/importing-obojobo-scores-into-webcourses.html You must log in to view the video.

Or follow these steps:

STEP 1: Exporting scores from Obojobo

1. In the Repository, navigate to the ‘Published Instances’ tab.
2. Select the instance you wish to collect scores from.
3. Click on the ‘Assessment Scores’ tab.
4. Click on the purple ‘Download Scores’ button.

STEP 2: Create a New Column in your WebCourses Course

1. Open the grade book for your course.
2. Create a new numeric column to hold the scores you will be importing. To do this, click on ‘Create Column’ and select Numeric.
3. This will bring up a form to create a new column. Complete the form by giving a column label and setting the decimals combo box to 0 and maximum field to 100.
4. Click Save.

STEP 3: Importing the Obojobo scores .csv file into WebCourses

1. In WebCourses, click on the “Import From Spreadsheet” button.
2. This will bring up the import page. Select the .csv file you exported from Obojobo in the first section.
3. Leave the other values as their defaults (‘Comma’ and ‘Unicode (UTF-8)’) and click ‘Upload’.
4. The next page will allow you to match information contained in the uploaded csv with your WebCourses gradebook. You should see that the “User ID” field has a green check graphic indicating that users contained in WebCourses and Obojobo have matched up. Leave the ‘First Name’ and ‘Last Name’ columns as their default value of ‘- Do not import -’.
5. Click on the combo-box next to ‘Score’ and select the name of the column you created.
6. Click on the Import button.

Best Practices for Assigning Modules

When assigning modules to your students, it may be helpful to include the following text along with the instance URL to the module:

Below are links to Information Literacy Modules that you will complete. You will login with your NID and your NID password.

If you don’t remember your NID, you can look it up here: https://my.ucf.edu/nid.html

If you’re unsure of your NID password, you can reset the password using this online form: https://www.secure.net.ucf.edu/extranet/reset/validation.aspx?type=nid

If you need help or have questions, you can use this FAQ: http://infolit.ucf.edu/students/help or contact the Ask a Librarian service: http://library.ucf.edu/Ask

New and Updated Modules Now Available

Three new modules are now available for assignments for students.

• Focusing an Information Search
• Maximizing Google Scholar Searches
• Recognizing a Research Study

We’ve also updated all five of the modules that have been available since last June.

• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Evaluating Web Sites
• Creating a Search Strategy
• Citing Sources Using APA Style
• Citing Sources Using MLA Style

We continue to develop new modules each year. If you have suggestions for module topics, please contact infolit@mail.ucf.edu.

New Modules Available on May 11, 2009!

Three new modules will be made available for faculty and students on May 11. They are:

• Maximizing Google Scholar Searches
• Focusing an Information Search
• Recognizing a Research Study

To preview the modules, login to the Repository , click on the Public Library, select a module title, and select Preview.

If you have questions, contact the Ask a Librarian service.

End of Semester Wrap Up – New Semester News!

If you are a faculty member who has created at least one instance of an Information Literacy Module in the past, we would like to draw your attention to a couple of pieces of helpful information as this semester draws to a close and the next awaits:

1. Download scores from the last term and save to your computer.

   If you have not already, we would suggest downloading scores from your instances and maintaining them with your student records.

2. Make new instances.

   We recommend creating new instances each term since scores are associated with specific instances permanently. Having spring term students use fall term instances would result in both sets of student data appearing on your score sheet. To make new instances, begin here: http://infolit.ucf.edu/faculty/getting-started/

3. Update any URLs that link to the old instances.

   Each instance URL ends with a unique ID number. You may simply change this number in order to update the URLs.

4. Delete old instances.

   In order to de-clutter your “My Instances” area, you might find it helpful to delete instances from previous semesters.

5. Provide link to log-in information when you provide instance URLs.

   Detailed information on logging in to the information literacy modules is available for students at http://infolit.ucf.edu/students/help/#article1

6. Provide tech support links to students when you provide instance URLs.

   Tech support for students (and faculty) is available through the Ask A Librarian service (http://library.ucf.edu/ask). Please encourage students to make contact with Ask A Librarian via phone, email, IM, or chat if they encounter any difficulties with content or technology. You might also refer students to the Frequently Asked Questions at http://infolit.ucf.edu/students/help. (If you choose to help students yourself, you might also find the faculty FAQs useful in addressing student issues: http://infolit.ucf.edu/faculty/faq.)

If you have any questions or concerns about implementing the information literacy modules in your classes, please send a message to infolit@mail.ucf.edu

Please visit http://infolit.ucf.edu/faculty/news to stay current on developments affecting the information literacy modules.

To access the module go to http://infolit.ucf.edu/faculty/getting-started/

Additional modules will be released in May 2009.

If you have questions, please contact infolit@mail.ucf.edu.

Assigning Modules: Tips for Success

When assigning modules to your students, it may be helpful to include the following text along with the instance URL to the module:

Below are links to Information Literacy Modules that you will complete. You will login with your NID and your NID password.

If you don’t remember your NID, you can look it up here: https://my.ucf.edu/nid.html

If you’re unsure of your NID password, you can reset the password using this online form: https://www.secure.net.ucf.edu/extranet/reset/validation.aspx?type=nid

If you need help or have questions, you can use this FAQ: http://infolit.ucf.edu/students/help/ or contact the Ask a Librarian service: http://library.ucf.edu/Ask

Information Literacy Modules a Success!

During the first semester of release (Summer B, 2008), UCF’s information literacy modules successfully supported student learning. Sixty-nine faculty explored the information literacy modules, with 19 courses/special programs assigning one or more of the modules to their students, and four hundred sixty students accessed the modules. Reports from participating faculty and students indicate that the modules were relatively easy to set-up and use with very few identifying any technical problems. In fact, technical support logs indicate that only six students and only one faculty member contacted Ask A Librarian to report a problem. Faculty and students also report that the modules positively impacted student information literacy knowledge and skills.

To set-up modules for student use, see http://infolit.ucf.edu/faculty/getting-started

The Modules are here!

The wait is over! The Information Literacy Modules are here! We are excited to launch the first four Information Literacy Modules for immediate use in your courses.

We have established two options in which you can begin utilizing these modules to best suit your course.

Option 1: You may simply refer your students to a generic set of modules by providing your students with this URL Link http://infolit.ucf.edu/student/modules. This option will not allow you to access your students’ scores. This option should be used when you want your students to learn the material, but do not necessarily need to record their scores or know whether they have attempted the modules.

Option 2: You may create a specific version, or “instance” of a module that will have a unique URL that is specific to your course. This will create a unique URL for you to provide your students access. Through this method, you are able to view scores, upload them into WebCT (not required), and use these modules as scored assignments or extra credit. With this method you are able to access all the data and activity associated with your instance of the module.

To begin Option 2, please visit Getting Started for further instructions.

Additional modules are continuously being created. Should you have any ideas or suggestions for future module topics, please visit the Feedback Form and send us your thoughts!

Module Sneak Peak!

A much-requested information literacy module available this summer will be Avoiding Plagiarism.

In this module, students learn how to use direct and indirect quotes, paraphrasing, and summarizing to avoid plagiarism. Students are given examples of parenthetical citations and works cited entries.

Basic Plagiarism (Click to see images larger)

Students learn about all kinds of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism and cyberplagiarism.

More Nuanced Forms of Plagiarism

Cut and paste plagiarism and violation of copyright are also addressed for students unaware that images from the internet cannot just be pasted into a paper without proper verification of terms of use and a correct citation.

Plagiarism with Internet Images