The Latent Curriculum: Breaking Conceptual Barriers to Information Architecture

Abstract

In online instruction there is a physical and temporal distance between students and instructors that is not present in face-to-face instruction; this has implications for developing online curricula. This paper examines information literacy components of Introduction to Systematic Reviews, an online graduate-level course offered at the University of Saskatchewan. Course evaluation suggested that, although the screencast tutorials were well accepted by the students as a method of learning, there was a need to enhance their content. Through grading of assignments, consultations with students, and evaluation of the final search strategies, the authors identified common aspects of search strategy development with which the students struggled throughout the course. There was a need to unpack the curriculum to more clearly identify specific areas that needed to be expanded or improved. Bloom's Revised Taxonomy was utilized as the construct to identify information literacy learning objectives at a relatively granular level. Comparison of learning objectives and the content of the screencast tutorials revealed disparities between desired outcomes and the curriculum (particularly for high-level thinking) -- the latent curriculum. Analyzing curricula using a tool such as Bloom's Revised Taxonomy will help information literacy librarians recognize hidden or latent learning objectives. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library & Information Practice & Research is the property of Ontario Library Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)