2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Background

The Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education define information literacy as a set of basic skills for lifelong learning, in all academic disciplines, all learning environments, and all levels of education (ACRL, 2000). Then, the Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education (ACRL, 2015) was introduced as a cluster of interconnected core concepts, with flexible options for implementation, rather than on a set of standards or learning outcomes, or any prescriptive enumeration of skills. Several studies suggest that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors in higher education must also prepare students to access, explore and incorporate concepts and information from several disciplines as part of Capstone Projects (Murray, Paxson, Seo & Beattie, 2020), using Project-Based Learning (PBL).

Research design

This paper introduces a qualitative research plan (Creswell, 1998) designed to map already existing information literacy frameworks (ACRL, 2015) and traditional engineering design lifecycle methodologies (Hoffman, 2014; Mettler, 2023; Nassersharif, 2022), with alternative frameworks, such as Metaliteracy (Jacobson, Mackey & O’Brien, 2021) and Maker Literacies (2019), that could be more appropriate to understand the nature of student learning experiences and information needs as they formulate and develop Capstone Projects.

Results and Implications

The results emerging from this research include guidelines for librarians and instructors to identify specific competencies that engineering students develop in relation to each stage of Capstone Projects, using Project-Based Learning (PBL). Then, the selection of information resources which are relevant to those student competencies could promote meaningful learning experiences across disciplines.

References

ACRL. (2000). Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Association of College and Research Libraries. ACRL | Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (ubalt.edu)

ACRL. (2015). Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education. Association of College & Research Libraries. Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education | Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) (ala.org)

Carvalho Alvesa, A., Moreiraa, F., Carvalhoa, M.A., Oliveiraa, S., Malheiroa, M.T., Britoa, I., Pinto Leãoa, C. & Teixeiraa, S. (2019). Integrating STEM contents through PBL in an Industrial Engineering and Management first year program. Scientific Electronic Library Online, Brazil. Production (29). Article e20180111. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-6513.20180111

Creswell, J.W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Hoffman, H. F. (2014). The engineering capstone course: Fundamentals for students and instructors. NY: Springer. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-05897-9

Jacobson, T., Mackey, T., O’Brien, K., Forte, M., & O’Keeffe, E. (2018). Metaliteracy goals and learning objectives. Metaliteracy. https://metaliteracy.org/learning-objectives/2018-metaliteracy-goals-and-learning- objectives/ 

Jacobson, T., Mackey, T. & O’Brien, K. (2021). Visualizing the Convergence of Metaliteracy and the Information Literacy Framework. In Envisioning the Framework: A Graphic Guide to Information Literacy. (edited by Finch, J.L., ACRL, 2021).

Metaliterate Learner Characteristics Aligned with ACRL Framework Dispositions | Metaliteracy.org

Ma, Y. & Rong, Y. (2022). Senior design projects in mechanical engineering: A guidebook for teaching and learning. Springer Nature Switzerland AG. DOI 10.1007/978-3-030-85390-7

Maker Literacies. (2019). Framework, Curriculum, Competencies, Rubrics & Case Studies. Home | Maker Literacies (uta.edu)

Mettler, C. J. (2023). Engineering design: A survival guide to Senior Capstone. NY: Springer. DOI 10.1007/978-3-031-23309-8

Murray, J., Paxson, L.C., Seo, S., & Beattie, M. (2020). STEM-Oriented Alliance for Research (SOAR): An educational model for interdisciplinary project-based learning. Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access. DOI:10.18260/1-2—35206

Nassersharif, B. (2022). Engineering capstone design. London: Taylor & Francis Group. DOI 10.1201/9781003108214.