Subjects
information literacy, first-year instruction, reflection, student assessment
Document Type
Research Article
Abstract
Reflection is a useful pedagogical tool for both learners in instructional settings and educators seeking to offer meaningful experiences; in this article, a group of academic librarians use the former to engage with the latter. We analyzed more than 830 first-year students’ responses to a reflection question posed at the conclusion of library instruction over the course of the 2023–2024 academic year with a specific eye to the concepts that were and were not resonant, as well as whether there were common areas of confusion. We used a grounded theory approach to make sense of the data and allow ideas to emerge. Based on our analysis, students seemed to find concrete applications of the information literacy frame “Searching as Strategic Exploration” to be their most immediate takeaways, while other frames—such as “Authority Is Constructed and Contextual” and “Information Has Value”—seemed to be less important. We were able to use this large-scale qualitative data set to more comprehensively understand students’ engagement with and meaning derived from these interactions. Better understanding what did—and did not—matter to our students can help us to be more effective instructors and to create more authentic learning experiences.
Creative Commons License
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Recommended Citation
Nichols Hess, A., Benoit, E., Krystyniak, R. M., & Williams, S. (2025). “‘What is one takeaway you've gotten from this learning experience?’ Analyzing Student Reflections on Introductory Information Literacy Instruction”. Communications in Information Literacy, 19 (2), 153–178. Retrieved from https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/comminfolit/vol19/iss2/2