Experience assessment: Designing an innovative curriculum for assessment and UX professionals

Purpose: While assessment and user experience expertise have been identified as areas of growing focus and need in all types of libraries, research has demonstrated that formal Library and Information Science (LIS)... [ view full abstract ]

Purpose:

While assessment and user experience expertise have been identified as areas of growing focus and need in all types of libraries, research has demonstrated that formal Library and Information Science (LIS) education has not yet developed a uniform infrastructure to prepare students for employment in these roles (Applegate, 2016; Askew & Theodore-Shusta, 2013; Nitecki et al., 2015; Oakleaf, 2013; Passonneau & Erickson, 2014). This paper presentation will report on development, structure, and execution of a new model for preparing information professionals with assessment and user experience expertise. Funded by the United States Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) 21^st Century Librarians program, this new model combines workplace experiences, focused and standard course content, and intensive mentoring by academics and practitioners.

Design, methodology or approach:

In the summer of 2016, the user experience and assessment (UX-A) team at the University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences solicited applications for a cohort of twelve students who would earn the American Library Association-accredited Master’s degree while completing a two-year co-curricular program to strengthen their skills in assessment- and usability-related areas. Twelve applicants were selected and began the program in August, 2016. They are currently enrolled in their third semester of coursework and are participating in a structured series of workshops, research projects, and intensive mentoring through on-site placement in several academic libraries and specialized information centers.

This presentation will feature a representative from each of the stakeholder groups involved in the project:

• One of the Co-Principal Investigators, who is also an instructor in the program in question;
• A member of the project’s senior staff, also an assessment librarian in the home institution’s library;
• One of the program’s on-site placement mentors;
• The project’s Program Manager; and
• At least one of the participating students.

Findings:

Project success is tracked through a system of rigorously-designed assessment tools created to measure students’ progress as well as the experience of the students, on-site mentors, and other stakeholders. The paper presenters will share preliminary findings from these tools.

Research or practical limitations or implications:

Although this project is supported by grant funding, which provides tuition and stipend for the twelve students, the presenters will share insights and suggestions for implementing aspects of the program at low- or no-cost and for sustainability of the program.

Conclusions; Originality and Value:

At a time in which the library practitioner and LIS educator communities are contemplating how best to prepare professionals with much-needed expertise in assessment and user experience, this project represents a new and innovative approach to educating future information professionals in this area. Attendees will learn about the structure and design of the program, assessment tools used, as well as how to address practical concerns such as participant recruitment, scheduling, and other aspects of implementation. 

References:

Applegate, R. (2016). Educating assessors: Preparing librarians with micro and macro skills. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 11(2), 74-86.

Askew, C., & Theodore-Shusta, E. (2013). How Do Librarians Learn Assessment? Library Leadership & Management, 28(1), 1-9. Retrieved from https://journals.tdl.org/llm/index.php/llm/article/view/7026.

Nitecki, D. A., Wiggins, J., & Turner, N. B. (2015). Assessment is not enough for libraries to be valued. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 16(3), 197–210. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1108/PMM-10-2015-0032.

Oakleaf, M. (2013). Building the assessment librarian guildhall: criteria and skills for quality assessment librarian. Journal of Academic Librarianship 39(2), 126-128.

Passonneau, S. and Erickson, S. (2014). Core competencies for assessment in libraries: A review and analysis of job postings. Library Leadership & Management, 28(4), 1-19.