Collaborating with Librarians Using Canvas Modules
Librarians can work with you to develop Canvas modules on information literacy and library research topics for your courses. These modules can be customized according to your specific course content, assignments, and learning objectives.
Customizing Existing Modules
We created Library Information Literacy and Research Tutorials that introduces Learning Foundations students to six core skills and practices: Library Orientation, Developing a Topic, Understanding Source Types, Searching a Database, Evaluating Sources, and Citing Sources. If you are mainly interested in providing your students with some refresher training or a convenient resource to consult as they conduct literature reviews or other library research, we might recommend including a pared-down version of the Info Lit 1 content in your Canvas course. Learn more about the Library Information Literacy and Research Tutorias here. We can further customize existing modules with content like quizzes, targeted information literacy activities, and discipline-specific resources and skills.
Creating New Modules
If you have more specific needs, consult with your librarian about creating a new module. Our modules already address wide-ranging topics across disciplines: from data ethics to popular science writing, from finding Spanish-language resources to learning about implicit bias, from developing one’s visual literacy to understanding the history and demographics of Muslim communities in Minnesota. Ask your librarian to invite you to our “Information Literacy and Library Research” Canvas course to review these examples and see what’s possible!
Other Considerations for Canvas
1. Librarian contact information: Even if you don’t need robust information literacy modules at this time, consider adding a basic “Meet Your Librarian” Canvas page so your students know who they can go to with any library-related questions.
2. Canvas’ TA role: Talk to your librarian if you think it might be useful to have them embedded more fully in your Canvas course using Canvas’ TA role. This makes it easier for your librarian to:
- Edit or update module content after it’s been imported
- Review library module quiz results
- Suggest search strategies, resources, or research appointments as needed
3. Linking out to articles: We recommend linking out to articles and other assigned readings in Canvas whenever possible. More information on persistent URLs can be found at Linking to Articles. To make an article accessible to current CSB and SJU students, faculty, and staff who are off campus, add http://ezproxy.csbsju.edu/login?url= to the beginning of your article’s URL.