Why Incorporate Research Assignments

Information Literacy is a fundamental skill required to be successful in all areas of study. It forms the basis for lifelong learning and is fundamental in raising informed citizens. Information Literacy skills become increasingly important in contemporary society of information overflow and constant technological changes. Today’s students are facing the challenge of not only finding information and adjusting to constant technical changes associated with web-based library resources, but most importantly, learning to evaluate the validity of found materials and appropriately incorporating them into their course assignments. 

According to the national standards for Information Literacy Competencies for Higher Education, developed by the Association of College and Research Libraries and endorsed by the American Association of Higher Education, information literate individual is able to:

• Determine the extent of information needed 
• Access the needed information effectively and efficiently 
• Evaluate information and its sources critically 
• Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base 
• Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose 
• Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally
  (American Association of College and Research Libraries)

CMC graduates will be expected to posses these skills regardless of whether they will continue their education at a four-year college, join the workforce, or simply wish to function efficiently in today’s society. As a result, it is crucial that all CMC students receive consistent and adequate research instruction. 

Addition of research assignments can enhance almost any course. With current trend in higher education to place greater emphasis on active and inquiry-based learning, research-based instruction gains greater importance. The Boyer Commission Report on Reinventing Undergraduate Education, while discussing “Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate Education”, identifies “Making Research-Based Learning the Standard” as the first one. 

The inquiry-based learning urged in this report requires a profound change in the way undergraduate teaching is structured. The traditional lecturing and note-taking, certified by periodic examinations, was created for a time when books were scarce and costly; lecturing to large audiences of students was an efficient means of creating several compendia of learning where only one existed before. The delivery system persisted into the present largely because it was familiar, easy, and required no imagination. But education by inquiry demands collaborative effort; traditional lecturing should not be the dominant mode of instruction in a research university. (Boyer Commission)

By allowing students to learn by discovering their own answers and developing their own ideas, instructor encourages intellectual growth, development of critical-thinking skills, and creativity. 

References: 

Association of College and Research Libraries. Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. 12 Dec. 2002. American Library Association. 21 Jan. 2003 <http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilintro.html>

Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University. Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A blueprint for America’s Research Universities. 1998. 3 Feb. 2003 <http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/pres/boyer.nsf>

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