Work in progress - information literacy, plagiarism and engineering education

Abstract

Information literacy is an important learning goal for general as well as engineering education. What are the key competencies of information literacy for engineering students? How can these information competencies be integrated into the engineering curriculum? A robust collaboration has developed between an engineering science faculty member and a Loyola-Notre Dame librarian to integrate information literacy into the engineering curriculum at Loyola College in Maryland. We began integrating information literacy into our engineering curriculum through an introductory engineering course, Introduction to Engineering: Design, Creativity, and Problem Solving in the Built World. To further develop the curriculum, we have undertaken a survey of engineering faculty in the mid-Atlantic region, practicing engineers, and students to determine research methods used by professional engineers and the extent to which these methods are being addressed in the curriculum. The final project will describe the course that is presently being conducted and a proposed framework, based on a literature review and the survey results, for additional integration of information literacy competencies into the engineering curriculum.