Columbia College, formerly known as Columbia Female College, is a private college in Columbia, South Carolina, it was founded in 1854 by the United Methodist Church as a women's liberal arts college (Gergel, 2016). Columbia, South Carolina boasts an amazing population of around 136,632 with 47.8% holding a bachelor's degree or higher (US Census Bureau, n.d.). Median household income is $56,175; 20.7% of the population lives below the poverty level, as compared to 14% of the state of Virgina. The population is predominantly white, with 69,276 of the 136,632 residents reporting as white / non-Latino (US Census Bureau, n.d.). In the fall of 2022, Columbia College reported 1,514 students, 1,173 of whom were undergraduates, a student/faculty ratio of 11:1 (College, 2023). Demographically speaking, 84% of the students are female, and 30% of students reside on campus. 39% of the students identify as White, 38% are Black, 10% are Latino, and 7% are classified as unknown (U.S. News, 2024). The most common undergraduate majors are Criminal Justice/Safety Studies; Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist; Business Administration and Management, General; Psychology, General; Social Work; Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Education, General; Health/Health Care Administration/Management; and Fire Science/Fire-Fighting (U.S. News, 2024).
Columbia College sits on a 52-acre campus, minutes from downtown Columbia, fifteen minutes from Lake Murray, and within driving distance to both the coastal beaches and the mountains (Mission, Vision & Values | Columbia College, 2024). Columbia College features 33 different buildings that house its classrooms, residence halls, dining halls, museums, and other facilities. J. Drake Edens Library, located on Columbia College campus, is centrally located on Columbia Colleges campus, immediately adjacent to several leadership, administration buildings, and the student centers (Columbia College Campus Map, 2024). J. Drake Edens Library was completed in 1967 and has three levels containing over 84,000 volumes and 259 periodicals (National Center for Education Statistics. (2022-23a). The lower level of the library contains the Academic Skills Center, the Information Technology Service Center, and the Overton Media Center. Library Reference and User Services is on the first or main level. While the Collaborative Learning Center and the Honors Program are housed on the second level (Columbia College Campus Map, 2024).
The state of South Carolina has several layers of standardized testing. The first is the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) which measure achievement in English/language arts, mathematics, social studies and science from 3rd-8th grades. Starting in 9th grade, the South Carolina High School Assessment Program (HSAP) covers English/language arts and mathematics; for students to receive their diploma they must pass all HSAP test. At the high school level as second standardized test is used, the End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP), in select subjects such as algebra, technologies, English, physical science, U.S. history, and the Constitution (Staff, 2012). The public school district, Richland School District One (RSD1), is comprised of forty-eight schools: twenty-eight preschools, thirty elementary schools, eleven middle schools, and nine high schools (US News, 2018).
Data compiled in 2018 explains that of the elementary school students tested 30% scored at or above the proficient level for reading, 26% scored at or above the level for math. At the middle school level, 28% tested at or above the proficient level for reading, while 14% tested at or above that level for math. High school students tested at or above the proficient level at 50% for reading, and 18% for math (US News, 2018). South Carolina has made state-wide improvements within testing, as demonstrated by the following statistics: 54% of students met or exceeded projected expectations in English, which was up from 47% the previous year; likewise, math saw an increase from 38% last school year to 41% this year (Hackett, 2023). While the improvement is merited, literacy took a hit following COVID, which only emphasizes the importance of building programs that support diverse literacy as it emerges.
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J. Drake Edens Library’s mission statement is driven by literacy, stating, “[t]he Library’s information literacy program fosters information literacy defined as the ability to recognize when information is needed as well as to locate, evaluate and use information effectively” (Whisler et al., 2024). Professors request topic-based instruction each semester to refresh students on how to use databases and provide reliable sources, there are also two library-based courses that all Columbia College students are required to take (Liberal Arts 100, Liberal Arts110) before they can graduate.
Edens had previously posted an open position for a Literacy Librarian, although the position was later taken down. The Literacy Librarian, in theory, would teach the course Liberal 110 (LA 110), the course itself is organized in a hectic manner. The course is set to examine information literacy by attempting to tackle United Nation issues through the information literacy practices they have learned; topics include sex trafficking, often have too many graphic videos, and should come with trigger warnings for students post-COVID (L. Whisler, personal communication, October 3, 2024). The instruction course LA 110 is a semester-long course, taught by Eden’s director, Laurel Whisler, whose goal is to “[i]ntroduce students to information literacy, with an emphasis on defining information needs, creating and refining search strategies, critically analyzing gathered information in terms of utility, applicability and validation, and synthesizing, integrating, and citing information through various written and oral assignments.”
Within this course “[s]tudents will also learn and practice strategies for effectively presenting information” (L. Whisler, personal communication, October 3, 2024). The total course grade is compiled through a learning statement, six journal entries, semester long project, quizzes, attendance and participation, there is limited opportunity for extra credit. The course project is either a paper or a group presentation that has identified a topic and explained how they would research the topic; effectively search for relevant peer-reviewed sources; evaluate resources based on criteria, develop a research plan with annotated citations and explain how the resources contribute to understanding; and present research (L. Whisler, personal communication, October 3, 2024). In multiple interviews with Laurel, the authors have come to determine that the current course is a failure with limited student interaction and success (Laurel Whisler, personal communication, October 18, 2024).
The new model of LA 110 is moving toward ten to twelve different topic ideas with different instructors for each topic idea. The new design breaks the course into two sections, with the first focusing on instruction and learning activities, using “...a bank of known topics, databases, citations, etc., so students learn research concepts” (Whisler, 2024). The first half of the course also includes, “...digital literacy, and incorporate use of library resources, particularly for the lateral reading video” focusing instead on multiple literacies verses information literacy which was the original underlying topic in LA 110 (Whisler, 2024). For the second half of the course, students are expected to teach the instructor using a topic either unknown to the instructor or a topic from the UN Global issues list, provided in course (L. Whisler, personal communication, October 3, 2024).
The new outline lists what UN Global Challenges can be addressed with predetermined questions. While this streamlines the databases and basic research each student should be doing, this could hinder continued student learning when it comes to information literacy as students are no longer researching topics, they may be passionate about. During the planning stage of the restructuring of LA 110, it has become apparent that certain topics need to be overseen by professors in those fields of study, Laurel has asked twelve faculty members of Columbia College to participate in the class. As the discussions on building a course that works on further compounding student understanding of information literacy, the following topics have been selected: how are streaming platforms shaping entertainment consumption patterns among high school students and what factors influence their preferences for content and platform choice; what impact does social media have on college students’ prospects, and how can use of social media be managed for increased wellness and success; and how does banning books relate to preserving or eroding democracy (Whisler, 2024)?
Columbia College’s mission statement focuses on student success by “...prepar[ing] every student personally and professionally for success through liberal arts and professional programs emphasizing service, social justice, and leadership development”, with values such as academic excellence, student success, diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and service to community (Columbia College, 2024). The vision for CC seeks to “...empower [their] students to change the world with courage for innovation, commitment to social justice, confidence through service, and competence in leadership” (Columbia College, 2024). Columbia College has an acceptance rate of 99%, with an overall graduation rate of 54% (Research.com, 2024).
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