Redesigning a Journalism Course to Integrate IL: A Case Study

This case study discusses the integration of information literacy instruction and assessment in a required research course for students of journalism and strategic communication at the University of Kansas. The integration consisted of four components: (1) a unifying threshold concept, (2) an open textbook, (3) a sequence of five assignments, and (4) an early- and late-semester assessment of student information literacy attainment. Qualitative and quantitative data were used to evaluate course components and to guide ongoing course revisions. The course redesign addressed the challenge of creating a sustainable structure for IL instruction. Discipline-specific obstacles stemmed from divergent information values and distinct information-handling conventions in journalism-related professions.