Davida Scharf - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Davida Scharf

Research paper thumbnail of Question formulation for information literacy: Theory and practice

The Journal of Academic Librarianship

Research paper thumbnail of Research Guides: Communication: Thinking, Reading, Writing, Speaking: Making Arguments

Research paper thumbnail of Pop-Goes-The-Library! Using a Pop-Up Library to Reach STEM Students

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting Engineering Research Early – A Case Study of Research Question Formulation in a First-year Engineering Course

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings

Research paper thumbnail of Continuing the Conversation: Questions about the Framework

Comminfolit

This is the fixed version of an article made available by an organization that acts as a publishe... more This is the fixed version of an article made available by an organization that acts as a publisher by formally and exclusively declaring the article "published". If it is an "early release" article (formally identified as being published even before the compilation of a volume issue and assignment of associated metadata), it is citable via some permanent identifier(s), and final copy-editing, proof corrections, layout, and typesetting have been applied.

Research paper thumbnail of An intervention and assessment to Improve information literacy

Research paper thumbnail of College Students as Wikipedia Editors: New Pathways to Information Literacy in Deyrup & Bloom. Successful Strategies for Teaching Undergraduate Research

See review in Library Journal. http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2013/11/reference/wiki-literacy/

Research paper thumbnail of Research Roadmaps: A practical model for embedding critical thinking, research skills and their assessment across the undergraduate curriculum

In 2005 UNESCO highlighted the importance of information literacy, the ability to seek, evaluate,... more In 2005 UNESCO highlighted the importance of information literacy, the ability to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively in a digital world. Thus methods for teaching, evaluating, and improving teaching effectiveness for these skills are needed. Teaching students to use information efficiently and effectively poses a particular challenge because the information landscape varies greatly by subject and must be highly contextualized within a discipline. At the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a practical model for embedding critical thinking, writing, and research skills in courses across the undergraduate curriculum was developed by an instructional librarian. This method has been used in writing courses, social sciences, sciences, business, engineering and computer science. Online or hybrid learning has been used since 2009 where a combination of course management software, online documents and library guides are used in a flipped classroom model. Librarians and di...

Research paper thumbnail of The Assessment of Information Literacy: A Case Study

ETS Research Report Series, 2008

ABSTRACT This study presents an investigation of information literacy as defined by the ETS iSkil... more ABSTRACT This study presents an investigation of information literacy as defined by the ETS iSkills™ assessment and by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Information Literacy Scale (ILS). As two related but distinct measures, both iSkills and the ILS were used with undergraduate students at NJIT during the spring 2006 semester. Undergraduate students (n = 331), first through senior years, took the iSkills and submitted portfolios to be judged by the ILS. First-year students took the Core iSkills assessment, which was designed to provide administrators and faculty with an understanding of the information and communication technology (ICT) literacy of a student doing entry-level coursework (n = 155). Upper classmen took the more difficult Advanced iSkills assessment, appropriate for rising juniors (n = 176). Across all class levels, iSkills scores varied as expected. First-year basic skills writing students performed at lower levels than first-year students enrolled in traditional composition and cultural history courses; seniors performed at higher levels than sophomores and juniors. Because the NJIT ILS scores were designed to be curriculum sensitive, portfolio scores did not similarly follow grade levels. Analyses revealed weak correlations between portfolio and Core iSkills scores and moderate correlations between portfolio and Advanced iSkills scores. As two associated yet distinct systems of inquiry designed to explore undergraduate student performance, the ETS iSkills assessment and the NJIT ILS—taken both individually and together—yield important information regarding student performance.

Research paper thumbnail of Direct Assessment of Information Literacy using Writing Portfolios

Journal of Academic Librarianship, 2007

An investigation into the effectiveness of information literacy instruction for undergraduates at... more An investigation into the effectiveness of information literacy instruction for undergraduates at a technological university suggested some deficiencies in students' information literacy skills. Also shown is that a careful and rigorous approach to assessment can provide the basis for improvement.

Research paper thumbnail of Instruction and assessment of information literacy among STEM majors

2014 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference, 2014

The ability to find, use, and communicate information effectively is a critical competency for 21... more The ability to find, use, and communicate information effectively is a critical competency for 21st century engineers. Thus it is an important element in retention, graduation, and placement of professional engineers. This study found scaffolded, engaging instruction resulted in impressive gains in higher-order skills associated with writing and information literacy among upper division engineering undergraduates. Students were evaluated using a brief diagnostic essay as an assignment and as a pre-and posttest to measure these skills in engineering majors taking a required technical writing course. The instruction included using Wikipedia as both a teaching tool and a writing assignment. The instrument was scored by multiple readers using a rubric. Interrater reliability was high and validation showed that the instrument could reliably measure and discriminate among five unique information literacy variables. Use of this constructedresponse diagnostic enables the evaluation of higher order research and writing skills that have been difficult to assess using limited-response tests, so that learning experiences may be better designed to reach students at the appropriate skill level.

Research paper thumbnail of A knowledge management model: Implications for enhancing quality in health care

Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 2008

Improving health care delivery is a pressing societal goal, and information scientists have a rol... more Improving health care delivery is a pressing societal goal, and information scientists have a role in effecting change. Information science research has led to understanding theories and practices of information use within the informing professions, but information science and one of its subspecialties, Knowledge Management (KM), also have the potential to influence and enhance other professional disciplines. This concept paper makes the argument that KM is a beneficial framework to help health care clinicians manage their practices and ultimately administer quality care to their patients. The central argument is predicated on the assumption that medicine is a knowledge-based profession and that finding, sharing, and developing clinicians' knowledge is necessary for effective primary health care practice. The authors make the case that in an environment of a burgeoning body of health care research and the adoption of technology tools, physicians can benefit from understanding effective KM practice. The model as presented here borrows from recent information science scholarship in KM and is intended to inform intervention protocols for effective KM to improve quality of care.

Research paper thumbnail of Family medicine practice performance and knowledge management

Health Care Management Review, 2008

Knowledge management (KM) is the process by which people in organizations find, share, and develo... more Knowledge management (KM) is the process by which people in organizations find, share, and develop knowledge for action. KM affects performance by influencing work relationships to enhance learning and decision making.

Research paper thumbnail of XML under the Hood

Information outlook, 2002

Abstract: Discusses XML (extensible markup language), particularly as it relates to libraries. To... more Abstract: Discusses XML (extensible markup language), particularly as it relates to libraries. Topics include organizing information; cataloging; metadata; similarities to HTML; organizations dealing with XML; making XML useful; a history of XML; the semantic Web; ...

Research paper thumbnail of The DOI Is Coming

Information outlook, 2002

Research paper thumbnail of A New View of Patient Education: How Information and Knowledge Management Can Contribute to Patient-centered Health Care

KNOWLEDGE WORK

A New View of Patient Education: How Information and Knowledge Management Can Contribute to Patie... more A New View of Patient Education: How Information and Knowledge Management Can Contribute to Patient-centered Health Care Davida Scharf Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program School of Communication and Information Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Abstract Information has ...

Research paper thumbnail of Pop-Goes-The-Library! Using a Pop-Up Library to Reach STEM Students

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Research paper thumbnail of Scharf_An_Intervention_and_Assessment_to_Improve_Information_Literacy_May2013

Purpose: The goal of the study was to test an intervention using a brief essay as an instrument f... more Purpose: The goal of the study was to test an intervention using a brief essay as an instrument for evaluating higher-order information literacy skills in college students, while accounting for prior conditions such as socioeconomic status and prior academic achievement, and identify other predictors of information literacy through an evaluation of student behavior and attitude. Design/Methods/Approach: An instructional intervention was evaluated using a brief essay as a pre- and posttest of learning in a course in technical communication. Multiple readers rated essays on five criteria to measure higher-order skills. Interrater reliability and internal consistency of the measures were tested. Analyses of variance and covariance were used to measure academic gains and to partial out the effects of confounding variables. Student behavior was measured by level of activity in the course management system and essay length. Student attitude was measured through a content analysis of their...

Research paper thumbnail of Research Roadmaps: A practical model for embedding critical thinking, research skills and their assessment across the undergraduate curriculum

In 2005 UNESCO highlighted the importance of information literacy, the ability to seek, evaluate,... more In 2005 UNESCO highlighted the importance of information literacy, the ability to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively in a digital world. Thus methods for teaching, evaluating, and improving teaching effectiveness for these skills are needed. Teaching students to use information efficiently and effectively poses a particular challenge because the information landscape varies greatly by subject and must be highly contextualized within a discipline. At the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a practical model for embedding critical thinking, writing, and research skills in courses across the undergraduate curriculum was developed by an instructional librarian. This method has been used in writing courses, social sciences, sciences, business, engineering and computer science. Online or hybrid learning has been used since 2009 where a combination of course management software, online documents and library guides are used in a flipped classroom model. Librarians and di...

Research paper thumbnail of Question formulation for information literacy: Theory and practice

The Journal of Academic Librarianship

Research paper thumbnail of Research Guides: Communication: Thinking, Reading, Writing, Speaking: Making Arguments

Research paper thumbnail of Pop-Goes-The-Library! Using a Pop-Up Library to Reach STEM Students

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting Engineering Research Early – A Case Study of Research Question Formulation in a First-year Engineering Course

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings

Research paper thumbnail of Continuing the Conversation: Questions about the Framework

Comminfolit

This is the fixed version of an article made available by an organization that acts as a publishe... more This is the fixed version of an article made available by an organization that acts as a publisher by formally and exclusively declaring the article "published". If it is an "early release" article (formally identified as being published even before the compilation of a volume issue and assignment of associated metadata), it is citable via some permanent identifier(s), and final copy-editing, proof corrections, layout, and typesetting have been applied.

Research paper thumbnail of An intervention and assessment to Improve information literacy

Research paper thumbnail of College Students as Wikipedia Editors: New Pathways to Information Literacy in Deyrup & Bloom. Successful Strategies for Teaching Undergraduate Research

See review in Library Journal. http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2013/11/reference/wiki-literacy/

Research paper thumbnail of Research Roadmaps: A practical model for embedding critical thinking, research skills and their assessment across the undergraduate curriculum

In 2005 UNESCO highlighted the importance of information literacy, the ability to seek, evaluate,... more In 2005 UNESCO highlighted the importance of information literacy, the ability to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively in a digital world. Thus methods for teaching, evaluating, and improving teaching effectiveness for these skills are needed. Teaching students to use information efficiently and effectively poses a particular challenge because the information landscape varies greatly by subject and must be highly contextualized within a discipline. At the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a practical model for embedding critical thinking, writing, and research skills in courses across the undergraduate curriculum was developed by an instructional librarian. This method has been used in writing courses, social sciences, sciences, business, engineering and computer science. Online or hybrid learning has been used since 2009 where a combination of course management software, online documents and library guides are used in a flipped classroom model. Librarians and di...

Research paper thumbnail of The Assessment of Information Literacy: A Case Study

ETS Research Report Series, 2008

ABSTRACT This study presents an investigation of information literacy as defined by the ETS iSkil... more ABSTRACT This study presents an investigation of information literacy as defined by the ETS iSkills™ assessment and by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Information Literacy Scale (ILS). As two related but distinct measures, both iSkills and the ILS were used with undergraduate students at NJIT during the spring 2006 semester. Undergraduate students (n = 331), first through senior years, took the iSkills and submitted portfolios to be judged by the ILS. First-year students took the Core iSkills assessment, which was designed to provide administrators and faculty with an understanding of the information and communication technology (ICT) literacy of a student doing entry-level coursework (n = 155). Upper classmen took the more difficult Advanced iSkills assessment, appropriate for rising juniors (n = 176). Across all class levels, iSkills scores varied as expected. First-year basic skills writing students performed at lower levels than first-year students enrolled in traditional composition and cultural history courses; seniors performed at higher levels than sophomores and juniors. Because the NJIT ILS scores were designed to be curriculum sensitive, portfolio scores did not similarly follow grade levels. Analyses revealed weak correlations between portfolio and Core iSkills scores and moderate correlations between portfolio and Advanced iSkills scores. As two associated yet distinct systems of inquiry designed to explore undergraduate student performance, the ETS iSkills assessment and the NJIT ILS—taken both individually and together—yield important information regarding student performance.

Research paper thumbnail of Direct Assessment of Information Literacy using Writing Portfolios

Journal of Academic Librarianship, 2007

An investigation into the effectiveness of information literacy instruction for undergraduates at... more An investigation into the effectiveness of information literacy instruction for undergraduates at a technological university suggested some deficiencies in students' information literacy skills. Also shown is that a careful and rigorous approach to assessment can provide the basis for improvement.

Research paper thumbnail of Instruction and assessment of information literacy among STEM majors

2014 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference, 2014

The ability to find, use, and communicate information effectively is a critical competency for 21... more The ability to find, use, and communicate information effectively is a critical competency for 21st century engineers. Thus it is an important element in retention, graduation, and placement of professional engineers. This study found scaffolded, engaging instruction resulted in impressive gains in higher-order skills associated with writing and information literacy among upper division engineering undergraduates. Students were evaluated using a brief diagnostic essay as an assignment and as a pre-and posttest to measure these skills in engineering majors taking a required technical writing course. The instruction included using Wikipedia as both a teaching tool and a writing assignment. The instrument was scored by multiple readers using a rubric. Interrater reliability was high and validation showed that the instrument could reliably measure and discriminate among five unique information literacy variables. Use of this constructedresponse diagnostic enables the evaluation of higher order research and writing skills that have been difficult to assess using limited-response tests, so that learning experiences may be better designed to reach students at the appropriate skill level.

Research paper thumbnail of A knowledge management model: Implications for enhancing quality in health care

Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 2008

Improving health care delivery is a pressing societal goal, and information scientists have a rol... more Improving health care delivery is a pressing societal goal, and information scientists have a role in effecting change. Information science research has led to understanding theories and practices of information use within the informing professions, but information science and one of its subspecialties, Knowledge Management (KM), also have the potential to influence and enhance other professional disciplines. This concept paper makes the argument that KM is a beneficial framework to help health care clinicians manage their practices and ultimately administer quality care to their patients. The central argument is predicated on the assumption that medicine is a knowledge-based profession and that finding, sharing, and developing clinicians' knowledge is necessary for effective primary health care practice. The authors make the case that in an environment of a burgeoning body of health care research and the adoption of technology tools, physicians can benefit from understanding effective KM practice. The model as presented here borrows from recent information science scholarship in KM and is intended to inform intervention protocols for effective KM to improve quality of care.

Research paper thumbnail of Family medicine practice performance and knowledge management

Health Care Management Review, 2008

Knowledge management (KM) is the process by which people in organizations find, share, and develo... more Knowledge management (KM) is the process by which people in organizations find, share, and develop knowledge for action. KM affects performance by influencing work relationships to enhance learning and decision making.

Research paper thumbnail of XML under the Hood

Information outlook, 2002

Abstract: Discusses XML (extensible markup language), particularly as it relates to libraries. To... more Abstract: Discusses XML (extensible markup language), particularly as it relates to libraries. Topics include organizing information; cataloging; metadata; similarities to HTML; organizations dealing with XML; making XML useful; a history of XML; the semantic Web; ...

Research paper thumbnail of The DOI Is Coming

Information outlook, 2002

Research paper thumbnail of A New View of Patient Education: How Information and Knowledge Management Can Contribute to Patient-centered Health Care

KNOWLEDGE WORK

A New View of Patient Education: How Information and Knowledge Management Can Contribute to Patie... more A New View of Patient Education: How Information and Knowledge Management Can Contribute to Patient-centered Health Care Davida Scharf Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program School of Communication and Information Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Abstract Information has ...

Research paper thumbnail of Pop-Goes-The-Library! Using a Pop-Up Library to Reach STEM Students

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Research paper thumbnail of Scharf_An_Intervention_and_Assessment_to_Improve_Information_Literacy_May2013

Purpose: The goal of the study was to test an intervention using a brief essay as an instrument f... more Purpose: The goal of the study was to test an intervention using a brief essay as an instrument for evaluating higher-order information literacy skills in college students, while accounting for prior conditions such as socioeconomic status and prior academic achievement, and identify other predictors of information literacy through an evaluation of student behavior and attitude. Design/Methods/Approach: An instructional intervention was evaluated using a brief essay as a pre- and posttest of learning in a course in technical communication. Multiple readers rated essays on five criteria to measure higher-order skills. Interrater reliability and internal consistency of the measures were tested. Analyses of variance and covariance were used to measure academic gains and to partial out the effects of confounding variables. Student behavior was measured by level of activity in the course management system and essay length. Student attitude was measured through a content analysis of their...

Research paper thumbnail of Research Roadmaps: A practical model for embedding critical thinking, research skills and their assessment across the undergraduate curriculum

In 2005 UNESCO highlighted the importance of information literacy, the ability to seek, evaluate,... more In 2005 UNESCO highlighted the importance of information literacy, the ability to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively in a digital world. Thus methods for teaching, evaluating, and improving teaching effectiveness for these skills are needed. Teaching students to use information efficiently and effectively poses a particular challenge because the information landscape varies greatly by subject and must be highly contextualized within a discipline. At the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a practical model for embedding critical thinking, writing, and research skills in courses across the undergraduate curriculum was developed by an instructional librarian. This method has been used in writing courses, social sciences, sciences, business, engineering and computer science. Online or hybrid learning has been used since 2009 where a combination of course management software, online documents and library guides are used in a flipped classroom model. Librarians and di...