Information Literacy Assessment: Putting the Cart before the Horse. Guest Writer

Curriculum design gurus Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, authors of "Understanding by Design," coined the term "backwards design." They recommend educators to begin with the question: What would we accept as evidence that students have attained the desired understandings and proficiencies--"before" proceeding to plan teaching and learning experiences? This focus on the end result also assists in forming concise, measurable, objectives that are inextricably linked to assessment. Once the objectives and assessments are in place, instruction and student activities can develop rather straightforwardly. In this article, the author provides insight and advice on information literacy assessment.