Methodology

Designing a Study to Assess Cultural Learning

Our study relied on the collection of a variety of quantitative and qualitative data. The Library's Director of Assessment, Collections and User Engagement worked together to design to study instruments, with cooperation of the librarian and faculty member. The librarian analyzed the data with the assistance of personnel from the college's Office of Institutional Research.

The table below details the specifics of the study design and assessment measures.

Study Design	Assessment
•       Forty-seven students enrolled in  two sections of Elementary Spanish - Fall 2013	•       Pre and post assessments administered in September and December - 11 questions related  to cultural knowledge and 11 questions related to familiarity with library services and resources
•       One in-class library instruction session: overview of the library’s website, introduction to course LibGuide; information about finding Spanish-language materials in library catalog	•       Three post-assignment reflection essays completed at conclusion of each cultural assignment
•       Students required to meet with librarian three times over course of semester for assistance with cultural assignments	•       End-of-semester in class  student self-assessment administered by Director of Center for Teaching and Learning
•       The librarian maintained ongoing contact with students and provided links to library services and offers of assistance through the course management system	•       Statistics for LibGuide usage, reference desk transactions and learning management system interactions analyzed
•       Study design informed by research into holistic approaches to IL instruction in foreign languages (Hicks, 2013) (Ward, 2006) (Lamb & Fisher, 1999)	•       Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data informed by research into the information seeking behavior and learning styles of college students (Weiler, 2004) (Costello, Lenholt & Stryker, 2004)