Recently in Teaching Category

I have decided to blog my activities and reflections while reading Char Booth's Reflective Teaching, Effective Learning: Instructional Literacy for Library Educators. Partially to keep with the theme of the book and also so I don't write in this copy; it's on loan from IUP.

I have created an online teaching portfolio as part of the Penn State Teaching with Technology certificate program.  In additional to serving as a record of my teaching, it also has example documents and learning objects I have created as a science librarian.

Here is my proposal just submitted for a 20 minute webcast in the spring of 2012 to the ACRL Spring Virtual Institute (with a significant finding in bold)

Traditional one shot information literacy sessions when only one class period is devoted to the library is still common.  Librarians try to fill most of this time with the dissemination of information even though some active learning techniques are incorporated, it is still the smaller portion of time used.  This presentation showcases a method of "flipping the classroom", changing a standard information literacy session into a ten minute lecture and a forty minute hands on activity.  This can be done with no additional access to students before or after the session as long as the class can be held in a hands-on computer lab.

The information literacy lab was conducted by introducing only one library information resource, the discovery search tool (Summon). to the students.  Its features were showcased and critical evaluation of information sources was also introduced as a concept.  The remainder of time is devoted to a group assignment on evaluating information sources both on the Web in comparison to the information resource.

Students worked in groups of two to complete the assignment which was handed out on paper.  The first part explained again criteria for evaluating information sources while the second part gave 4 example sources from a Wikipedia article.  Students were asked to identify the type of information source (scholarly journal, news, book, website) and the authors with their credentials.  Then the students were asked to infer the intended audience for the information source and the usefulness of the information for their coursework later in the semester.  Finally, the students were asked to located an item in the library's discovery search interface that was of high quality in the characteristics they had explored.

Student outcomes were assessed at the end of the semester following library instruction in different sections of the same class.  A survey was administered in three sections where traditional instruction was delivered, in another a more hands on approach was used, and in another the class was "flipped".  The questions assessed:
Did students use library resources in the class and which databases were used?
Were they more critical of information sources on the World Wide Web?
Did the library instruction help them with their assignments?
Were library resources easy to find and use?
Did the library help to improve their grade in the class?

Results of the survey were similar for a few questions, but there was a dramatic increase in positive student response in two area for only the class with the hands-on instruction lab.  71% of those students indicated that they were more critical of information on the web compared to only 48% in the traditional information literacy class.  Also 96% of students responded that the the library instruction helped them with their assignments compared to 70% in the traditional sessions.  This clear improvement in two areas with no loss in others is strong data to support the hands-on information literacy lab approach.

These are a few notes I had taken on teaching information literacy...
Student Learning Outcomes are the first step to an information literacy program
- create learning outcomes for a class
- create a cycle of teaching an assessment
Teach a concept early then test students in a similar area (like a database interface) - prepare searches ahead for successful delivery
Ask questions (if you say "Any questions?" to no response, ask a student about what you just discussed) Ask "What is better about these results/articles?"
Use instructor of student examples "Try your own last name."
Step by step instructions on all hands on assignments

I was updated our digital dossier program with my instructional statistics, when I noticed a nice pattern.  Growth...

So I had to negotiate an information literacy session with less than 2 days notice.  Scheduling a room, getting the assignment and feedback from the instructor all at the last minute.  I actually wound up getting a HEAP from the instructor, which is great but means I can't do a canned presentation.  So I am winging it.  Here it goes.  I am going to try Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction as a framework.

1. Gain attention (bring out the book I just got a chapter in, since it is just like their assignment)
2. Today we will... (They will locate and describe resources in a specialized area of science or engineering and become familiar with two government resources in particular)
3. Remember when...? (They already did web evaluation, that skill is transferable)
4. Watch me.  Here's how it's done. (Show Green Engineering research guide, explain Engineering Village - index of sources, what it searches incl. dates and docs., Perform advanced searching tips)
5. Here's a guide for you to follow (Show the entire list of research guides, how to search it)
6. Now you try it (Give them 5-10 minutes to explore their subject area and record what they find)
7. Okay, you need to (Ask 2-3 students what index they chose and to describe it)
8. It's time for the test (Still wondering how to do this, poll Everywhere?)
9. Now let's try it over here... (Go into the GPO Catalog and show searching)

The Assignment is to create an Internet Resource Guide, which used to be called an annotated bibliography (they will be using "library resources")

Workshop (beta) during the Learning Design Summer Camp.

Session went well, though did not seem to engage the students very much.

Pros: Began with Lionsearch, ended with Lionsearch, was a solid message and saw over half of the students looking at their results as I wandered the rows.
Asked a question that was answered by someone in the class "Are you doing a presentation?" Yes they are, so perhaps next time could add Creative Commons discussion.

Cons: Went about 10 minutes short again, really need an activity at the appropriate level.
Went pretty fast through PubMed and Proquest Nursing, demoed Access Science but was cut off from content.

Notes from last year: Just over 60 minutes, had 10 minutes extra time.  Went too fast, slow down and give more basic examples.  They had access accounts.  Create a hands on activity.

Learning objectives

1. Understand the basic organization and locations of the Penn State library at University Park.
2. Be comfortable searching for book and articles in Lionsearch.
3. Know one specialized subject database related to research project.

Outline of class

Review the Guide to the Libraries and the Libraries website to explain PSU system

Information sources

• Lionsearch
• Access Science
• PubMed

Hands on time for each group to explore a subject database

It seems fitting that I post a year later inspired by the same event as last year: LDSC10 (Learning Design Summer Camp) here at Penn State.  I wanted to capture some of the big ideas that intrigued me at the sessions, all of which were good, by prompting of Brett Bixler and my own need to reflect.

Dr. Sam Richards inspiring keynote, including disturbing visuals, who said something to the effect of "getting out of the way of the students so they can learn".  I coincidentally heard over lunch that a library expert said we should "dis-intermediate" ourselves from the information seeking of our users.  Both these came together to remind me that those who libraries help and librarians teach are not simple questions, they are information seekers with needs and expertise.  If you look at each person asking a question or each student in class, they have an interest in either there answer or an education.  Don't get in the way!

Another point was made by the dueling Cole Camplese and Chris Long during their Hacking Pedagogy talk that on the continuum of student engagement in the classroom there is a way to aim high.  If the range is student attention, engagement as the next level, interaction as greater, and collaboration as highest THEN we should set our goal as collaboration with students and at least we should get engagement.

Finally there was a breakout session on the Teaching With Technology Certificate that can be earned at Penn State.  Though began as a way for instructors and graduate assistants to train in technology in teaching, it provides what I think is a great mechanism for representing Teaching for promotion and tenure with its online portfolio.