Search
Loading
April 16th, 2025
By Rachel Fundator, clinical assistant professor and information literacy instructional designer, and Dr. Clarence Maybee, associate dean for learning and W. Wayne Booker Chair in Information Literacy
The Institute for Information Literacy at Purdue recently awarded a seed grant to a research team to explore Ph.D. students’ perceptions of ChatGPT-generated content for their coursework.
The rise of generative AI technologies poses many opportunities and challenges for instructors, learners, and educational institutions. While studies have investigated how learners utilize generative AI, little attention is devoted to learners working on advanced degrees and how they perceive generative AI content for their academic work. A team of researchers, led by Dr. Ehsan Mohammadi from the School of Information Science at the University of South Carolina, is researching to determine how Ph. D. students understand the quality and usefulness of AI-generated content and the factors influencing their acceptance and adoption of generative AI technologies.
The Institute is eager to learn more about the research team’s findings, which have implications for stakeholders seeking to enhance student learning experiences in higher education in the age of AI.
Institute Awardees for “Understanding Ph.D. Students’ Perceptions and Information Literacy Skills in Interacting with ChatGPT-Generated Content”
Jiaxuan Zhang, Ph.D. Student in the School of Information Science, University of South Carolina
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsApril 9th, 2025
By Rachel Fundator, clinical assistant professor and information literacy instructional designer, and Dr. Clarence Maybee, associate dean for learning and W. Wayne Booker Chair in Information Literacy
The Institute for Information Literacy at Purdue is thrilled to have recently awarded a seed grant for work being done at Emory University investigating ways to alleviate health information poverty and foster health literacy among rural pregnant women in Iran.
Previous studies have found that women living in remote areas in Iran receive low levels of adequate healthcare. This qualitative study will help identify avenues for strengthening and increasing health information awareness for rural pregnant women susceptible to health information poverty due to a lack of access to health centers or public libraries. The researchers, Dr. Neda Zeraatkar, Middle East and Islamic studies librarian at Emory University, and Dr. Leili Seifi, associate professor of information science at the University of Birjand, will develop training materials for stakeholders who work in maternal and child health in rural areas across the country.
The Institute looks forward to learning about the team’s toolkit for fostering the health literacy of pregnant rural women in Iran.
Institute Awardees for “Access and Strengthen Health Information Literacy: A Toolkit to Alleviate Information Poverty in Pregnant Rural Women in Iran”
Neda Zeraatkar, middle east and islamic studies librarian, Emory University
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsApril 8th, 2025
On April 7, Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies hosted its second annual “A Celebration of Books” to honor Purdue faculty who published books throughout the past academic year. This year’s event featured over 70 authors across various academic disciplines.
Five authors spoke about their books and writing processes at the event, including:
Clarence Maybee, associate dean for learning and W. Wayne Booker Chair in Information Literacy for Libraries and School of Information Studies, made formal remarks.
During her speech, McBride noted, “I want to highlight the fact that creating a book is a very big undertaking. If you write a book, the planning is enormous, even after you get comfortable with your ideas and the publisher has weighed in. There are typically external reviews of the proposal and some further suggestions as to how to address various topics within it…I commend all the authors here, and I’m also grateful to Purdue again, as other people have said, for initiating the creation of books as a top priority.”
Attendees enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and drinks, and authors received a pin-on corsage upon check-in. Images of the published book covers were displayed for authors to autograph.
Provost Patrick Wolfe said, “I’m really glad to see our libraries hosting this event because books are such an important part of scholarly output.” The event successfully highlighted the value of books and celebrated Purdue authors for their dedication and efforts.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsApril 2nd, 2025
By Rachel Fundator, clinical assistant professor and information literacy instructional designer, and Dr. Clarence Maybee, associate dean for learning and W. Wayne Booker Chair in Information Literacy
The South Asian region faces significant challenges in ensuring access to accurate, high-quality health information, particularly for women from underrepresented or marginalized communities. Cultural barriers and limited literacy levels exacerbated by the spread of misinformation contribute to significant challenges to women’s health information literacy, contributing to disparities in health outcomes.
The Institute for Information Literacy at Purdue recently awarded a seed grant to a research team examining how innovative AI technologies may be deployed to foster health information literacy for South Asian women. The team of researchers from five South Asian countries aims to understand better how AI technologies may be adopted to improve South Asian women’s access to health information and improve their health decision making. The research team will conduct focus groups with women in India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
This study aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Group’s regional strategic goals to promote good health and well-being and gender equality. The study findings may assist policymakers in developing health information literacy policies tailored specifically for women in this region.
The Institute looks forward to hearing the team’s recommendations on using AI technologies to support health information literacy in South Asian countries.
Institute Awardees for “AI and Health Information Literacy: A study exploring the perceived usefulness, and readiness among women in South Asia”:
Tabassum Aslam, academic librarian, Lahore School of Economics, Punjab, Pakistan
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 31st, 2025
Celebration of Teaching seeks to recognize the achievements of Libraries, University, and external teaching award winners from the 2024–25 academic year. This year, 17 Libraries faculty members presented lightning talks on their innovative teaching methods, and 10 award winners were recognized at the event for their contributions to teaching.
Those who presented and the topic of their presentations include:
This year’s teaching award winners were also recognized, including:
Teaching Academy membership
The Teaching Academy strives to bring together the best teaching faculty and graduate students across campus to create a collective voice for teaching excellence. Members are nominated and selected by their peers, and membership recognizes outstanding and scholarly teaching in graduate, undergraduate, or engagement programs of Purdue University.
New members: Pete Pascuzzi and Dave Zwicky
Teaching for Tomorrow Fellowship Awards Program
The Teaching for Tomorrow Fellowship Awards Program fosters continued excellence of teaching and learning, and facilitates the development of faculty members’ teaching potential. Junior fellows’ goals are to improve their teaching and develop mentorship skills in the program, and senior fellows are tasked with mentoring junior fellows and working with them to craft a plan that will help them to grow as educators.
Junior fellows: Annette Bochenek, Melissa Chomintra, Kristin Leaman
Senior fellow: Heather Howard
Teaching Leadership Award
The Teaching Leadership Award aims to foster a culture of teaching excellence and leadership by supporting instructors in designing and implementing developmental activities within their respective departments.
Recipients: Jing Lu and Zoe Mayhook
2024 Libraries Teaching Award Winners
Recipients: Annette Bochenek, Kristin Leaman
Celebration of Teaching provided a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with faculty, gain insights into their innovative teaching efforts, and honor the well-deserved award recipients. It was a memorable event highlighting the dedication and passion driving education forward.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 26th, 2025
By Rachel Fundator, clinical assistant professor and information literacy instructional designer, and Dr. Clarence Maybee, associate dean for learning and W. Wayne Booker Chair in Information Literacy
Information literacy professionals grapple with how to teach and prepare learners to navigate the significant challenges our current information environment poses. Renowned information literacy scholar, Dr. Nicole A. Cooke, developed the critical cultural literacy model (2023) as a direct response to mis-, dis-, and malinformation. The more holistic and layered literacy model enables learners to examine the intersections of information, race, politics, history, culture, and emotions as they learn.
A team of researchers from the University of Louisville and University of South Carolina received an Institute for Information Literacy at Purdue seed grant to apply Dr. Cooke’s model to community-based learning courses, where the students often work with communities that are particularly harmed by the spread of misinformation. The researchers will investigate how critical cultural literacy is utilized in community-based learning courses and develop an online toolkit that facilitates classroom conversations.
The Institute is eager to see the outcomes of this work to support learning in community-based courses within and beyond libraries.
Institute Awardees for “Context & Connections: Applying the Critical Cultural Literacy Model to Community-Based Learning”:
Dr. Nicole A. Cooke, Augusta Baker Endowed Chair and professor, School of Information Science, University of South Carolina
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 20th, 2025
Purdue Road School, hosted by Purdue University’s Joint Transportation Research Program (JTRP), took place on March 18–19, 2025, bringing together professionals from government, industry, and academia to discuss the latest advancements in transportation. While traditionally focused on areas such as pavement design and traffic operations, the event also explored topics like aviation, urban planning, and finance, showcasing the event’s wide-reaching scope.
Key highlights
Among the most downloaded presentations from Purdue Road School 2024, several stood out for their blend of innovation and historical context. The INDOT MOT Standards & Practices document, which has been downloaded 203 times, offers critical insights for transportation professionals. The second and third most downloaded documents were equally intriguing: INDOT Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) In-Pavement EV Charging Pilot Project and Design and Maintenance Considerations for Buggies. The first addresses the future of electric vehicles, while the second addresses maintenance and safety concerns for roads in areas that have high horse and buggy use. The event attracts a wide-ranging audience, as evidenced by the top three most downloaded presentations, which resonate with professionals across various fields.
Global reach and broad audience
Thanks to Purdue e-Pubs, the materials from Purdue Road School are available for free online, allowing global access—downloads have come from around the world, including Brazil, Germany, South Africa, and China. Sessions like those on automated driving systems and I-10 highway operations have garnered attention far beyond U.S. borders, demonstrating the global relevance of the topics discussed.
The event also attracts a variety of institutions. While 21% of downloads were from government entities, 56% came from commercial institutions, and 18% from educational spaces. Additionally, presentations on topics such as team building and project management using Microsoft Teams reflect the broader applicability of the event’s content, reaching professionals outside the transportation sector.
In 2023, Purdue Road School achieved a remarkable milestone, with its presentations surpassing 1 million downloads, highlighting the program’s growing global impact and the widespread value of its content.
Looking ahead: continued relevance
With Purdue Road School 2025 now concluded, the event continues to address both sector-specific and general professional development needs. Sessions on navigating difficult work relationships and overcoming public speaking fear highlight the event’s ongoing relevance for a diverse audience, extending its impact beyond transportation professionals.
By offering the opportunity to archive presentations as open-access resources, Purdue Road School ensures that knowledge is shared globally, fostering collaboration, and driving progress in transportation infrastructure. The event remains a vital platform for addressing both current challenges and future opportunities in the field.
To learn more and access the archived materials from Purdue Road School 2025, visit the Road School website.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 19th, 2025
By Rachel Fundator, clinical assistant professor and information literacy instructional designer, and Dr. Clarence Maybee, associate dean for learning and W. Wayne Booker Chair in Information Literacy
The Institute for Information Literacy at Purdue is thrilled to support a team of researchers from the University of Illinois who are examining the efficacy of a gamified finance simulator in improving the financial literacy of older adults.
Today’s older adults—those 65 years old and beyond—face challenges in conducting financial transactions in digital environments. Higher degrees of distrust, lower use of digital technologies, and the shift towards e-commerce make the older adult population vulnerable when conducting financial tasks online.
The team of researchers led by Dr. Rachel Adler, associate professor in the School of Information Science at the University of Illinois, aims to improve the financial literacy, reduce financial vulnerability, and enhance self-efficacy of older adults conducting financial tasks online. With the help of the Institute’s latest seed grant awards, Adler’s team is developing and testing a financial simulator and online resource center that teaches older adults to accomplish digital banking and ecommerce tasks, while also developing strategies for guarding against common online security threats.
The Institute is eager to learn about the team’s recommendations for libraries and information professionals to improve financial literacy among older adults.
Institute Awardees for “Gamified Finance Simulator for Older Adults: A Financial Literacy and Vulnerability Intervention”:
Rachel Adler, associate professor in the School of Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 12th, 2025
By Samantha LeGrand, clinical assistant professor and instruction and design librarian
The disruptive wake of ChatGPT and other AI tools left many instructors wondering how to address AI in their teaching, namely how to prevent students’ unethical use. However, the surge of conversations about AI in education rarely includes student voices. Partners for Algorithmic Literacy (PAL) is a groundbreaking student-faculty learning community model where undergraduates and instructors partner to co-design collaborative teaching strategies to integrate or interrogate AI.
A key program offered by Purdue’s Institute for Information Literacy, PAL builds on Libraries faculty expertise in knowledge creation and learning design. Facilitated by Libraries faculty members Samantha LeGrand, Zoe Mayhook, and Jing Lu, PAL recognizes that students are core education stakeholders and should have a hand in decision-making. Two cohorts of competitively selected undergraduate and faculty partners (12 in fall 2023 and 19 in fall 2024) from majors and departments across campus have participated in this exciting new endeavor, producing unique curricular plans to be implemented in the participating faculty’s courses.
Faculty partner Kathryn Dilworth shared that her PAL “breakthrough” was “that we were all on the same page about the need for faculty to develop skills and a level of sophistication with AI…including academic integrity and ethics.” Abby Sabella, a student partner, described the value of seeing things from a faculty perspective: “It was thought-provoking to hear instructors explain their goals for encouraging students’ critical thinking and how that intersects with AI regulation. This led me to think about my own learning and how I can use AI to enhance my critical thinking skills rather than having AI think critically for me.”
Deliverables from partners participating in the program ranged from co-designed AI course policies to AI-integrated group projects to specialized chatbots developed to support disciplinary critical thinking.
Filed under: general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 11th, 2025
Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies and The Eleventh House coffee shop are proud to partner with Corey Ewing, Indiana visual artist, to bring an exciting poetry slam to the Lafayette area. We invite all members of the community to attend this event and support your local poets!
Event details:
About the artist
Corey Ewing is a native of Indianapolis, IN and supports various poetic projects, including Indianapolis Poetry Slam, Word As Bond, Fighting Words Poetry, Cafe Creative and curates Vocab. Currently an artist at work with the Kheprw Institute, Ewing continues to teach, coach, and create as an interdisciplinary artist focusing on poetry and photography in Indy. Learn more about his work here.