| Did you know that learning football can teach | | | | same type of skills that can be used to identify |
| literacy? | | | | academic information. |
| Fantasy sports, particularly fantasy football, are a | | | | According to the article the University of Dubuque |
| booming hobby/obsession. People get together and | | | | taught fantasy football research to incoming student |
| "draft" real professional players onto their mock | | | | athletes. "Through the lesson, students engaged in |
| team. These people's mock teams then compete | | | | discussions of creditability, validity, timeliness, and |
| against other mock teams within a league. The mock | | | | search strategies to find and evaluate fantasy |
| team scores points based on the actual player's | | | | football information. The assessment of these |
| performance in the real game. According to | | | | instruction sessions showed incoming students |
| Wikipedia, a 2003 survey found 15 million people | | | | successfully identifying evaluation criteria and |
| played fantasy football and spend an average of | | | | reporting positive changes in how they viewed |
| $150 a year, making it a $1.5 billion industry. There is | | | | research and libraries." Skeptical? Paul also states, "the |
| even a Fantasy Football Librarian. | | | | successful fantasy sport player consistently applies |
| There is a lot of research that goes into drafting and | | | | four of the five ACRL Information Literacy |
| then starting your players. "Owners" must know if a | | | | Competency Standards (2000)." |
| player is injured, plays well on grass (or doesn't run | | | | Not into sports, let alone fantasy sports? Don't |
| well on grass), whether the opposing team's defense | | | | worry, the librarians who taught the classes had |
| might thwart specific offensive players, and whether | | | | varying experience with fantasy football, including one |
| the game will be played indoors or outdoors (bad | | | | who had no previous experience. The process was |
| weather can kill a passing game and cause problems | | | | more about research than football, football was just |
| for a kicker). In many leagues there is a "buy in" to | | | | the catalyst for learning. It appears that it was |
| play and the winning team at the end of the season | | | | successful endeavor, 80% of the students were able |
| usually wins the pot of money. | | | | to describe two of three appropriate source |
| Now why on earth would a librarian want to use | | | | evaluation criteria. More than 60% were able to |
| fantasy football as method to teach information | | | | describe all three. |
| literacy? Well, it is something that most of your | | | | Not only did students learn but it also helped change |
| medical students and residents can relate to. If you | | | | their perception of the library and research. Prior to |
| doubt me, look at your computers from mid August | | | | taking the class students described what research |
| to December. Most likely you will see somebody | | | | meant to them as, "headaches," "work I didn't want |
| checking their fantasy football stats and checking | | | | to do," and "school work." After the taking the class |
| injury reports, waiver wires, and start/sit suggestions | | | | students responded to the same question with |
| sites. Librarians are always looking for good teaching | | | | phrases like, "making sure one is getting accurate |
| examples which are relevant and easily understood | | | | information," "comparing and knowing where I'm |
| by students. The same skills that people use to | | | | getting my information," and "fun work. |
| evaluate information on players are some of the | | | | |