Matt Upson

co-author of "Freshman framework: Collaboratively developing a set of required instructional modules for Freshman Research Scholars"

February 9, 2018

Matt Upson is the Director of Undergraduate Instruction and Outreach Services at Oklahoma State University’s Edmon Low Library. He enjoys finding opportunities for innovative instruction and interaction with students, especially conversing about and using comics in the classroom. Matt earned an MLS from Emporia State University and a B.S. degree in Secondary Education from Oklahoma State University.

Every day, researchers face an onslaught of irrelevant, inaccurate, and sometimes insidious information. While new technologies provide powerful tools for accessing knowledge, not all information is created equal. Valuable information may be tucked away on a shelf, buried on the hundredth page of search results, or hidden behind digital barriers. With so many obstacles to effective research, it is vital that higher education students master the art of inquiry.

The Freshman Research Scholars program at Oklahoma State University provides an opportunity for 60 students in any discipline to engage in original research under the mentorship of faculty researchers. To support this effort, OSU Libraries partnered with the Office of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research to develop a set of instructional modules for FRS students. These modules introduce freshman researchers to the concepts highlighted by the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, providing an initial grounding in the importance and nuance of information use in academic research.

The six modules align with the individual frames and consist of short videos and critical thinking prompts. The modules were created by representatives from the library and undergraduate research offices, including students. The videos relay important concepts to students in relatable language, rather than library jargon, and tie into issues that FRS students would see as part of their program. Critical thinking questions ask students to reflect on how their own research behaviors and dispositions would be affected by the concepts addressed in the videos. This chapter recounts the process of creating these modules.

URL: https://library.okstate.edu/news/celebratingbooks/2018-honorees/matt-upson

Last Updated: 15 February 2018