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The new issue of College and Undergraduate Libraries 15 (1/2) (2008) is on critical thinking. Stephanie Mathson and I have an article in it titled "We Won't Be Fooled Again: Teaching Critical Thinking via Evaluation of Hoax and Historical Revisionist Websites in a Library Credit Course." The article is not online but Stephanie and I are pleased with it.
From the abstract:
At Central Michigan University, librarians teach multiple sections of an eight-week, one-credit research skills class to hundreds of undergraduate students each semester. While the main focus of the course is to teach students how to find, use, and properly cite library resources, librarians also address critical thinking skills by designing lessons to teach World Wide Web organization and how to analyze the information found via search engines. Showing student's obvious hoax sites about “tree octopi” and “male pregnancy” introduces the concepts of critical thinking and Website analysis. Most students quickly refute the information on such sites. However, students have a more difficult time assessing social, historical, or political revisionist Web sites' validity. Contrasting those claims with evidence accepted by international courts, historians, and scientists is useful in pointing out the flaws of seemingly well documented but one-sided revisionist sites. There are dangers in exposing students to these groups via their Websites. Yet, it is important to do so in order to convey the importance of critical analysis of information. The authors discuss students' preand post-test (CMU's online assessment tool, the “research readiness self-assessment” [RRSA]) scores to determine whether critical thinking skills have improved.
Showing posts with label Library Instruction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Library Instruction. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
We Won't Be Fooled Again: Teaching Critical Thinking via Evaluation of Hoax and Historical Revisionist Websites in a Library Credit Course
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Information Literacy for German Language and Literature at the Graduate Level: New Approaches and Models
Library Philosophy and Practice has a new information literacy article written by Peter Kraus of the University of Utah. It is titled Information Literacy for German Language and Literature at the Graduate Level: New Approaches and Models.
From the site:
The hiring of several new faculty members in the German Language and Literature Section of the Modern Languages department at the University of Utah resulted in an increased demand for library instruction and technical support. A library subject specialist and a faculty member in German collaborated to teach graduate students about important electronic and print resources in German language and literature.
From the site:
The hiring of several new faculty members in the German Language and Literature Section of the Modern Languages department at the University of Utah resulted in an increased demand for library instruction and technical support. A library subject specialist and a faculty member in German collaborated to teach graduate students about important electronic and print resources in German language and literature.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Report on the Thirteenth Off-Campus Library Services Conference
I recently had the privilege of visiting Salt Lake City, Utah for a library conference. It was the Off-Campus Library Services Conference. I had a great time and really enjoyed visiting Utah. In addition to attending many great sessions, I presented a paper on publishing for librarians. It is in the conference proceedings already and I also hope to get the paper up on the Central Michigan University Digital Repository soon. I also visited some attractions in Salt Lake City such as Temple Square.I enjoyed the conference and hope to go again next time this conference is held. Here are a few PowerPoint slides from some sessions held dealing with library instruction or information literacy:
Using Online Tutorials to Reduce Uncertainty in Information Seeking Behavior
Visual Tutorials for Point- of-Need Instruction in Online Courses
How It’s Done: Examining Distance Education Library Instruction and Assessment
Creation, Management, and Assessment of Library Screencasts: The Regis Libraries Animated Tutorials Project
Information Literacy Successes Compared: Online vs. Face to Face
Monday, April 07, 2008
An Analysis of the Literature on Instruction in Academic Libraries
I just read Crawford, Gregory A., and Jessica Feldt. “An Analysis of the Literature on Instruction in Academic Libraries.” Reference & User Services Quarterly 46.3 (Spr. 2007): 77‐87. I found it interesting. It was worth perusing if you are interested in history of library instruction. I am not sure if there is a free text copy of it online or not.
From the abstract:
This research examined the literature on instruction in academic libraries to determine the journals in which such articles were published, the types of articles, and changes in the types by year. Results show that Research Strategies, Reference Services Review, College & Research Libraries, The Journal of Academic Librarianship, and Reference & User Services Quarterly have published the most articles on academic library instruction. The most frequent types of articles were those classed as essays, which included articles on current developments and the philosophy of instruction, and articles discussing instruction for searching online catalogs and databases. No significant differences were determined for changes in type of articles by the year in which they were published. For articles that were research-based, surveys or questionnaires were the most frequently used data collection tool. The most frequently used inferential statistical tests were chisquares and t-tests.
From the abstract:
This research examined the literature on instruction in academic libraries to determine the journals in which such articles were published, the types of articles, and changes in the types by year. Results show that Research Strategies, Reference Services Review, College & Research Libraries, The Journal of Academic Librarianship, and Reference & User Services Quarterly have published the most articles on academic library instruction. The most frequent types of articles were those classed as essays, which included articles on current developments and the philosophy of instruction, and articles discussing instruction for searching online catalogs and databases. No significant differences were determined for changes in type of articles by the year in which they were published. For articles that were research-based, surveys or questionnaires were the most frequently used data collection tool. The most frequently used inferential statistical tests were chisquares and t-tests.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Library Instruction in American Colleges: Way Up!
A press release from Primary Research Group of interest to those interested in library instruction and information literacy.
April 4, 2008 -- Primary Research Group's new report -- College Information Literacy Efforts Benchmarks (ISBN# 1-57440-099-1) is a North American survey presenting data on the information literacy efforts of colleges from the United States and Canada.
Some of the key findings of the 175-page report were that:
The mean percentage change in the number of classes or presentations given between the fall semester of 2007 and 2006 was +20.26%, with a median of +5%. The minimum offered in the sample was -50% while the maximum was 576%.
A mean of 9.64 instructors gave formal classroom instruction or presentations in information literacy in the last year for which statistics are available, with a median of 4 and maximum of 325. U.S. respondents had almost 3 times as many instructors giving sessions than did Canadian colleges.
Business, psychology, sociology, nursing, education, and English were commonly listed as one of the top three academic departments that had requested the most library instructional presentations or classes in the past year.
Librarians in the survey estimated that 23.5% of their students that had not taken any formal information literacy training knew a few essentials of Boolean searching. In our prompt, we indicated that Boolean searching basics included the use of quotation marks, "or" and "and." Private colleges reported that 32.5% of their students fell into this category; public colleges, 18.3%.
Data was more hopeful in assessing the student body's skills in using the online library catalog. Nearly 45% said their student body was competent, while 42% said they had basic knowledge at best. Just 9% considered them very unskilled, and nearly 4% reported they were highly proficient. Canadian libraries were 3 times more likely than U.S. ones to consider their students highly proficient in the use of the online catalog.
Just over 13% of survey participants administered a test to assess student skills in Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet software.
Almost 17% administered a test to incoming freshmen or transfer students on their understanding of plagiarism. Almost 27% of research universities gave such a test. Nearly 21% of colleges with over 10,000 FTE students also gave this test, nearly twice the rate of mid-sized schools.
Almost 70% of the sample used student evaluation forms to assess the performance of information literacy or other library science instructors. Student evaluation forms were more popular with public colleges than private, and most popular with research universities, 80% of whom reported using such forms.
63% of survey participants offer presentations or brief classes to new students during new student orientation. Such classes were more commonly offered by Canadian libraries, research universities, and colleges with fewer than 1,000 FTE students. 71% of libraries at which librarians held faculty status conducted such orientation sessions, while less than 60% of participants whose librarians did not hold faculty status offered the sessions.
Barely 5.4% of the sample required a 1 or 2 credit information literacy course for graduation, and just 3.6% required a 3 or more credit course. However, over 23% of the sample required information literacy training integrated into basic writing or composition courses.
Just over a third of the sample believed that the English department, or equivalent department with similar responsibilities, seemed to try but could do better in terms of carrying out its information literacy responsibilities. Just 23% believed that the department was doing well enough, while 22% believed information literacy was a high priority for them and that the department made time for them. Just 8% believed the English department to be laggard, and 12% believed their collaboration to be an excellent one.
Nearly 48% of the colleges sampled offered interactive tutorials in information literacy topics to students. Just a third of bachelors-granting colleges offered such tutorials, while 6 out of 10 research universities did so.
The vast majority of the sample, nearly 84%, reported that the library was not really involved with computer technology training on campus.
Nearly 73% of the libraries in the sample had one or more instructional labs or learning centers designed for information literacy instruction in which much of their formal literacy instruction took place.
Half of the libraries in the sample reported making tutorial links and other resources available through course management systems such as Blackboard and WebCT.The report is based on detailed benchmarking data from more than 110 North American colleges; data is broken out by type and size of college for easier benchmarking.
For a table of contents, sample pages, and other information, visit our website at http://www.primaryresearch.com/.
April 4, 2008 -- Primary Research Group's new report -- College Information Literacy Efforts Benchmarks (ISBN# 1-57440-099-1) is a North American survey presenting data on the information literacy efforts of colleges from the United States and Canada.
Some of the key findings of the 175-page report were that:
The mean percentage change in the number of classes or presentations given between the fall semester of 2007 and 2006 was +20.26%, with a median of +5%. The minimum offered in the sample was -50% while the maximum was 576%.
A mean of 9.64 instructors gave formal classroom instruction or presentations in information literacy in the last year for which statistics are available, with a median of 4 and maximum of 325. U.S. respondents had almost 3 times as many instructors giving sessions than did Canadian colleges.
Business, psychology, sociology, nursing, education, and English were commonly listed as one of the top three academic departments that had requested the most library instructional presentations or classes in the past year.
Librarians in the survey estimated that 23.5% of their students that had not taken any formal information literacy training knew a few essentials of Boolean searching. In our prompt, we indicated that Boolean searching basics included the use of quotation marks, "or" and "and." Private colleges reported that 32.5% of their students fell into this category; public colleges, 18.3%.
Data was more hopeful in assessing the student body's skills in using the online library catalog. Nearly 45% said their student body was competent, while 42% said they had basic knowledge at best. Just 9% considered them very unskilled, and nearly 4% reported they were highly proficient. Canadian libraries were 3 times more likely than U.S. ones to consider their students highly proficient in the use of the online catalog.
Just over 13% of survey participants administered a test to assess student skills in Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet software.
Almost 17% administered a test to incoming freshmen or transfer students on their understanding of plagiarism. Almost 27% of research universities gave such a test. Nearly 21% of colleges with over 10,000 FTE students also gave this test, nearly twice the rate of mid-sized schools.
Almost 70% of the sample used student evaluation forms to assess the performance of information literacy or other library science instructors. Student evaluation forms were more popular with public colleges than private, and most popular with research universities, 80% of whom reported using such forms.
63% of survey participants offer presentations or brief classes to new students during new student orientation. Such classes were more commonly offered by Canadian libraries, research universities, and colleges with fewer than 1,000 FTE students. 71% of libraries at which librarians held faculty status conducted such orientation sessions, while less than 60% of participants whose librarians did not hold faculty status offered the sessions.
Barely 5.4% of the sample required a 1 or 2 credit information literacy course for graduation, and just 3.6% required a 3 or more credit course. However, over 23% of the sample required information literacy training integrated into basic writing or composition courses.
Just over a third of the sample believed that the English department, or equivalent department with similar responsibilities, seemed to try but could do better in terms of carrying out its information literacy responsibilities. Just 23% believed that the department was doing well enough, while 22% believed information literacy was a high priority for them and that the department made time for them. Just 8% believed the English department to be laggard, and 12% believed their collaboration to be an excellent one.
Nearly 48% of the colleges sampled offered interactive tutorials in information literacy topics to students. Just a third of bachelors-granting colleges offered such tutorials, while 6 out of 10 research universities did so.
The vast majority of the sample, nearly 84%, reported that the library was not really involved with computer technology training on campus.
Nearly 73% of the libraries in the sample had one or more instructional labs or learning centers designed for information literacy instruction in which much of their formal literacy instruction took place.
Half of the libraries in the sample reported making tutorial links and other resources available through course management systems such as Blackboard and WebCT.The report is based on detailed benchmarking data from more than 110 North American colleges; data is broken out by type and size of college for easier benchmarking.
For a table of contents, sample pages, and other information, visit our website at http://www.primaryresearch.com/.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
LOEX of the West 2008: Call for Proposals
Call for ProposalsLOEX of the West 2008 Las Vegas, NV
Hit the jackpot: successful experimentation and innovation in instruction
Dates: 6/4/08 - 6/6/08
This intimate conference will feature programming highlighting the work of risk taking, game playing, fun-loving librarians and educators. Sessions in a variety of formats, including the experimental, will be creative and interactive and will showcase genuinely innovative approaches to helping students develop core information gathering and management skills.
Sparkling, dynamic Las Vegas will be the backdrop to this exciting conference hosted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas just a few miles from the neon lights of Las Vegas Boulevard better known as The Strip.The deadline for submitting proposals is November 30, 2007 at 5:00 PM PST. Complete and submit proposals at http://www.library.unlv.edu/conferences/loexw/proposals.html
Proposals will be reviewed during December and January and submitters will be notified of the results by January 30, 2008. Presenters are subject to registration and housing fees and are not reimbursed for travel, photocopying or other expenses related to their program. Selected papers from the LOEX of the West 2008 conference may be published in Reference Services Review.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Visit the 2008 LOEX of the West Web page at http://www.library.unlv.edu/conferences/loexw/
QUESTIONS:Proposals: Priscilla Finley Priscilla.finley@unlv.edu General LOTW08 information: Diane VanderPol diane.vanderpol@unlv.edu
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Garbage In, Garbage Out: The Effect of Library Instruction on the Quality of Students’ Term Papers
E-JASL: The Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship has an interesting article titled Garbage In, Garbage Out: The Effect of Library Instruction on the Quality of Students’ Term Papers. It is by Susan Hurst and Joseph Leonard. It is in the Spring 2007, v.8 no.1 issue.Abstract
The authors report the results of a study which used citation analysis of students’ term papers to determine the effectiveness of a library instruction session. The research was conducted during the 2004-2005 school year. In each semester, two sections of the same class received a library instruction session, while the third section of the class did not. Bibliographies of the students’ term papers were then examined to determine if the numbers and types of sources cited differed between the two groups. Library instruction was determined to be effective, in that students receiving library instruction were significantly more likely to cite journal articles and other scholarly resources than those students not receiving the library instruction.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Connecting Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences Theories Through Learning Strategies: An Online Tutorial for Library Instruction
LIBRES has an interesting library instruction article online. It is Connecting Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences Theories Through Learning Strategies: An Online Tutorial for Library Instruction by May Ying Chau. It is in the March 2006 issue, Volume 16, Issue 1.
From the abstract:
Although the Dunns’ learning styles and Gardner’s multiple intelligences theories are two distinct areas of research, they do not oppose each other and can be used together to improve learning. The design of this tutorial is an attempt to integrate students’ learning styles and their unique blend of intelligences in the library research process. The goal is to encourage higher-order thinking so that learners can make meaningful associations among information acquired during research. The means used to integrate these two theories is sequenced learning strategies. This tool-kit provides a favorable environment so that participants can learn the styles in which they learn best and intuitively apply their own blend of intelligences.
From the abstract:
Although the Dunns’ learning styles and Gardner’s multiple intelligences theories are two distinct areas of research, they do not oppose each other and can be used together to improve learning. The design of this tutorial is an attempt to integrate students’ learning styles and their unique blend of intelligences in the library research process. The goal is to encourage higher-order thinking so that learners can make meaningful associations among information acquired during research. The means used to integrate these two theories is sequenced learning strategies. This tool-kit provides a favorable environment so that participants can learn the styles in which they learn best and intuitively apply their own blend of intelligences.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Parents Paying for Library Instruction
It seems when K-12 schools in the United States have budget problems, the school library is always hit first. Fewer books are bought and many librarians are laid off and replaced by volunteers or paraprofessionals who are cheaper or cost nothing to employ. This is not always the case but it does seem to be common.
So, I was surprised to see another option. The article When Parents Pay Up by John Canalis has examples of instances when parents pay for instruction that the school can not afford normally. Wrote Canalis, "Fremont is not alone in covering teacher salaries. Though donations from PTAs, foundations and endowments have long financed classroom supplies and field trips, they are increasingly going toward paychecks throughout the LBUSD. For the last few years, parents have scrambled to offset funding shortfalls brought on by declining enrollment and state cuts. In Fremont's case, the school had also lost federal funds that go to students with poorer populations because higher home prices in the area led to demographic changes."
And some parents are paying for library instruction. Canalis wrote, "Gifts typically pay for "supplemental" instruction in subjects not normally offered in primary school or finance extra days of instruction in areas parents want more of, such as an extra day of library instruction at Los Altos' Minnie Gant Elementary ($115,00 raised last year)."
115K for library instruction for one day? The program must have been more substantial than that. If not, I want in on the freelance instruction librarian business. Regardless, it is nice to seem parents who are willing to raise funds to see that their kids get some decent library instruction programming.
So, I was surprised to see another option. The article When Parents Pay Up by John Canalis has examples of instances when parents pay for instruction that the school can not afford normally. Wrote Canalis, "Fremont is not alone in covering teacher salaries. Though donations from PTAs, foundations and endowments have long financed classroom supplies and field trips, they are increasingly going toward paychecks throughout the LBUSD. For the last few years, parents have scrambled to offset funding shortfalls brought on by declining enrollment and state cuts. In Fremont's case, the school had also lost federal funds that go to students with poorer populations because higher home prices in the area led to demographic changes."
And some parents are paying for library instruction. Canalis wrote, "Gifts typically pay for "supplemental" instruction in subjects not normally offered in primary school or finance extra days of instruction in areas parents want more of, such as an extra day of library instruction at Los Altos' Minnie Gant Elementary ($115,00 raised last year)."
115K for library instruction for one day? The program must have been more substantial than that. If not, I want in on the freelance instruction librarian business. Regardless, it is nice to seem parents who are willing to raise funds to see that their kids get some decent library instruction programming.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Eadie and Criticism of Library Instruction
In 1990, Tom Eadie wrote an article in Library Journal titled Immodest proposals - User instruction for students does not work. It was a shocking piece at the time, almost a heresy. This was long before people like Stanely Wilder ever started criticizing information literacy and other user education programs in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Probably the foremost critic of academic library instruction in the 1990s was Tom Eadie. Originally in favor of library instruction, he concluded that it was largely a waste of time. Eadie (1990) wrote that gathering students into a classroom and teaching them about the library would fail in educating students. Since students had yet to ask the question that the librarian was teaching about answering, the student would probably not remember the answer. The student would still need assistance later when they think to ask the question (usually when the paper is being written) and come to the reference desk. Since Eadie questioned the effectiveness of library instruction, he recommended that the money and effort used for it be used on reference services instead.
Eadie wrote, “I think user education is a special service of questionable value that arose not because users asked for it, but because librarians thought it would be good for them.”
Although I believe in library instruction in general, I admit it has some flaws. Eadie does indeed have a point here. Think about it this way. The vast majority of services that a library provides such as books, journals, help at the desk, study rooms, computers with net access, open hours, etc. have patron support. Try stopping or restricting any of them and see the uproar that results. Now, stop your formal library instruction program. Other than a few faculty members, are your patrons in an uproar and demanding a resumption of library instruction sessions?
Eadie was on to something here. Library instruction may be good for patrons but they are not demanding it. I guess this is why librarians work so hard to sell library instruction programs to faculty.
Probably the foremost critic of academic library instruction in the 1990s was Tom Eadie. Originally in favor of library instruction, he concluded that it was largely a waste of time. Eadie (1990) wrote that gathering students into a classroom and teaching them about the library would fail in educating students. Since students had yet to ask the question that the librarian was teaching about answering, the student would probably not remember the answer. The student would still need assistance later when they think to ask the question (usually when the paper is being written) and come to the reference desk. Since Eadie questioned the effectiveness of library instruction, he recommended that the money and effort used for it be used on reference services instead.
Eadie wrote, “I think user education is a special service of questionable value that arose not because users asked for it, but because librarians thought it would be good for them.”
Although I believe in library instruction in general, I admit it has some flaws. Eadie does indeed have a point here. Think about it this way. The vast majority of services that a library provides such as books, journals, help at the desk, study rooms, computers with net access, open hours, etc. have patron support. Try stopping or restricting any of them and see the uproar that results. Now, stop your formal library instruction program. Other than a few faculty members, are your patrons in an uproar and demanding a resumption of library instruction sessions?
Eadie was on to something here. Library instruction may be good for patrons but they are not demanding it. I guess this is why librarians work so hard to sell library instruction programs to faculty.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Assessing Library Skills: A First Step to Information Literacy
I found the interesting article (Assessing Library Skills: A First Step to Information Literacy) at Portal: Libraries and the Academy. It is by Joanna M. Burkhardt. In it, she is describing an information literacy course at the University of Rhode Island. It sounds a lot like LIB 197 at Central Michigan University.
From the abstract:
As part of the University of Rhode Island Libraries' "Comprehensive Plan for Information Literacy," a three-credit class in the skills and concepts of information literacy was first offered in the fall of 1999. More than 1,000 undergraduate students have taken the class since that time. A pre-test was given at the beginning of each semester, followed up by a post-test at the end. The pre- and post-test results were analyzed to determine: (1) whether students improved their test scores over the course of the semester, (2) which concepts and skills students mastered, and (3) where the course might need revision and/or improvement. Analysis showed that skills were acquired and/or improved overall.
From the abstract:
As part of the University of Rhode Island Libraries' "Comprehensive Plan for Information Literacy," a three-credit class in the skills and concepts of information literacy was first offered in the fall of 1999. More than 1,000 undergraduate students have taken the class since that time. A pre-test was given at the beginning of each semester, followed up by a post-test at the end. The pre- and post-test results were analyzed to determine: (1) whether students improved their test scores over the course of the semester, (2) which concepts and skills students mastered, and (3) where the course might need revision and/or improvement. Analysis showed that skills were acquired and/or improved overall.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Canned Instruction to be Ingested Anywhere: Delivering Library Instruction via Streaming Media
I found this presentation PowerPoint (Canned Instruction to be Ingested Anywhere: Delivering Library Instruction via Streaming Media) from the Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO) 32nd Annual Conference from November 3, 2006. The presenters were Bruce Jeppesen, Kathyanne Dobda, and Preston White of Cleveland State University. I found it of interest.
Abstract: In an attempt to accommodate the learning styles of today’s millennium students and other non-traditional students, this library provides online library instruction via rich media presentations. Students are able to obtain point of need instruction from any PC on or off campus. Through links on the library’s homepage, students can get online instruction in the use of the OPAC, research databases or any other information literacy component the library creates. This system allows the delivery of Library instruction to students in distance learning programs or any student who prefers on-screen help. Moreover it can used to supplement in-house instructional programs, by providing a source for review of concepts presented in an instruction setting. It also provides faculty with an opportunity to incorporate this tool into their own information literacy programs
Abstract: In an attempt to accommodate the learning styles of today’s millennium students and other non-traditional students, this library provides online library instruction via rich media presentations. Students are able to obtain point of need instruction from any PC on or off campus. Through links on the library’s homepage, students can get online instruction in the use of the OPAC, research databases or any other information literacy component the library creates. This system allows the delivery of Library instruction to students in distance learning programs or any student who prefers on-screen help. Moreover it can used to supplement in-house instructional programs, by providing a source for review of concepts presented in an instruction setting. It also provides faculty with an opportunity to incorporate this tool into their own information literacy programs
Monday, October 02, 2006
Library Instruction Articles at Library Philosophy and Practice
There are two library instruction articles in the new issue of Library Philosophy and Practice.
These are:
Library Instruction Courses: Past Lessons, Future Plans - Abstract: This article describes the redesigning of library instruction courses in the age of electronic information. Older research on instruction for undergraduates is described and discussed and compared with the needs of present-day undergraduates.
Effect of Cooperative, Competitive, and Individual Use of Self Instruction Method (SIM) on Learners' Achievement in Library Skills - Abstract: Self instruction is an instructional technique that is gaining popularity among teachers. Using this technique, students use instructional materials prepared by their teachers. Three approaches – cooperation, competition, and individual approaches were tested on randomly-assigned groups of students. A one-way Anova showed a significant differential effect for this instructional technique on academic achievement in library skills.
These are:
Library Instruction Courses: Past Lessons, Future Plans - Abstract: This article describes the redesigning of library instruction courses in the age of electronic information. Older research on instruction for undergraduates is described and discussed and compared with the needs of present-day undergraduates.
Effect of Cooperative, Competitive, and Individual Use of Self Instruction Method (SIM) on Learners' Achievement in Library Skills - Abstract: Self instruction is an instructional technique that is gaining popularity among teachers. Using this technique, students use instructional materials prepared by their teachers. Three approaches – cooperation, competition, and individual approaches were tested on randomly-assigned groups of students. A one-way Anova showed a significant differential effect for this instructional technique on academic achievement in library skills.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Library Instruction Round Table News
Library Instruction Round Table News. I have just discovered (or at least found again!) that LIRT News is available online. This includes coverage all the way back to June 1995. (That classic issue had the original version of my "Remember the Gin and Tonic!" : Using Alcohol to Teach Boolean Searching article in it. Absolutely do not try this lesson plan at your library!)Each issue has the normal array of boring information on ALA committee work in LIRT. However, there is far more! Each issue has articles on library instruction, an annotated bibliography of articles of note relating to library instruction, and columns on technology trends.
When I was an ALA member, I was also in LIRT. I used to read this quarterly publication when new issues were mailed to me at home. As I am unlikely to ever rejoin ALA, it is nice to be able to find LIRT News online. This is a good publication. I have some reading to do as I am years behind with this title...
Thursday, March 16, 2006
WILU 2006
WILU 2006. Tanja Harrison (Acadia University) asked me to share the following:The 35th Annual Workshop on Instruction in Library Use will be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from May 10-12, 2006.
Registration for the conference is now open!
The cost of registration is $290.00 CAD. The fee includes a pre-conference workshop, all sessions, a banquet dinner, all breakfasts, all breaks, all lunches, and a wine & cheese reception. The online registration form is available at: http://library.acadiau.ca/wilu/registration.html
For more information check out the WILU 35 website: http://library.acadiau.ca/wilu/ and the WILU 35 Blog: http://wilu2006.blogspot.com/
We hope to see you this May in Wolfville!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
A Successful Credit Course in Library Instruction
A Successful Credit Course in Library Instruction. There is a new issue of MLA Forum online. This is the official online journal of the Michigan Library Association.
Of interest to me is the article by Beth Macleod. She is a great reference librarian and I am fortunate to have her working for me at Central Michigan University. In the article, she relates the history and the current status of LIB 197. This is a credit course taught by librarians (including me) at CMU.
From the site:
For more than 30 years, librarians at Central Michigan’s Park Library have taught Library 197 – Introduction to Library Research, a popular 1-credit course on how to find research materials.
We currently offer 10 to 12 sections in the fall semester and 7 to 10 sections in the spring, with a cap of 25 students per section; most of these sections fill.
I always assumed that such courses were common, but librarians at other institutions often express surprise at the success and longevity of the course and ask how we manage to attract so many students, especially since Library 197 is not a required course for most programs.
Library 197 is just one part of our bibliographic instruction program. We also do one-shot sessions for individual classes and last year we added an online tutorial, P.L.O.T. (Park Library Online Tutorial) to our website (based on TILT from the University of Texas). We view the tutorial as an alternative, not a substitute, for the traditional course. Enrollment in Library 197 has decreased slightly in recent years; this could be attributable to a variety of factors such as the Web, the newly-established First Year Experience program, or the P.L.O.T. tutorial.
Of interest to me is the article by Beth Macleod. She is a great reference librarian and I am fortunate to have her working for me at Central Michigan University. In the article, she relates the history and the current status of LIB 197. This is a credit course taught by librarians (including me) at CMU.
From the site:
For more than 30 years, librarians at Central Michigan’s Park Library have taught Library 197 – Introduction to Library Research, a popular 1-credit course on how to find research materials.
We currently offer 10 to 12 sections in the fall semester and 7 to 10 sections in the spring, with a cap of 25 students per section; most of these sections fill.
I always assumed that such courses were common, but librarians at other institutions often express surprise at the success and longevity of the course and ask how we manage to attract so many students, especially since Library 197 is not a required course for most programs.
Library 197 is just one part of our bibliographic instruction program. We also do one-shot sessions for individual classes and last year we added an online tutorial, P.L.O.T. (Park Library Online Tutorial) to our website (based on TILT from the University of Texas). We view the tutorial as an alternative, not a substitute, for the traditional course. Enrollment in Library 197 has decreased slightly in recent years; this could be attributable to a variety of factors such as the Web, the newly-established First Year Experience program, or the P.L.O.T. tutorial.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Library Instruction Wiki
Library Instruction Wiki. Or in the words in the logo, stop reinventing the wheel...
This appears to be a fairly new wiki. Obviously, it is intended to help librarians share library instruction tips.
The site description reads, "Welcome to the Oregon Library Instruction Wiki, a collaboratively developed resource for librarians involved with or interested in instruction. All librarians and others interested in library instruction are welcome and encouraged to contribute."
There are currently sections under development for handouts and tutorials, teaching tips, class specific handouts, bibliography, and a glossary of library instruction slang.
Visitors are encouraged to contribute. Editing at a Wiki is rather easy to do once you master the basic concepts and there is a new user page which has directions for getting started.
Wikis are started and then are left dead all the time. I hope this one grows and thrives.
This appears to be a fairly new wiki. Obviously, it is intended to help librarians share library instruction tips.
The site description reads, "Welcome to the Oregon Library Instruction Wiki, a collaboratively developed resource for librarians involved with or interested in instruction. All librarians and others interested in library instruction are welcome and encouraged to contribute."
There are currently sections under development for handouts and tutorials, teaching tips, class specific handouts, bibliography, and a glossary of library instruction slang.
Visitors are encouraged to contribute. Editing at a Wiki is rather easy to do once you master the basic concepts and there is a new user page which has directions for getting started.
Wikis are started and then are left dead all the time. I hope this one grows and thrives.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Workshop on Instruction in Library Use (WILU) Call for Papers
Workshop on Instruction in Library Use (WILU) Call for Papers. Tanja Harrison sent me anote about this opportunity in Nova Scotia in May 2006. She wrote that, "This is a Canadian grassroots conference which has become the national forum for library instruction, bringing together librarians to share best practices and theories in all areas of information literacy."
From the site:
The 35th Annual Workshop on Instruction in Library Use will be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from May 10-12, 2006.
The theme of this year's conference is Charting a Course for Instruction. The WILU35 programme will bring together teaching librarians from all environments, disciplines, and ideologies to discuss advances in the theory and practice of information literacy. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- mentoring between new and mid-career librarians
- collaborating with administration to establish and promote information literacy programs
- working with educators across the curriculum
- providing peer support and techniques for keeping connected
- partnering between school and academic libraries
We welcome proposals for one-and-a-half-hour sessions and three-hour workshops related to the theme of the conference. Submissions are due by Monday, November 28, 2005. Online proposal submission forms are available.
From the site:
The 35th Annual Workshop on Instruction in Library Use will be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from May 10-12, 2006.
The theme of this year's conference is Charting a Course for Instruction. The WILU35 programme will bring together teaching librarians from all environments, disciplines, and ideologies to discuss advances in the theory and practice of information literacy. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- mentoring between new and mid-career librarians
- collaborating with administration to establish and promote information literacy programs
- working with educators across the curriculum
- providing peer support and techniques for keeping connected
- partnering between school and academic libraries
We welcome proposals for one-and-a-half-hour sessions and three-hour workshops related to the theme of the conference. Submissions are due by Monday, November 28, 2005. Online proposal submission forms are available.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Expanding Library Instruction to the Web Portal
Expanding Library Instruction to the Web Portal. This essay is by Christopher V. Hollister and Hugh W. Jarvis of the University of Buffalo. It was published in the Summer 2005 (Volume 9, Issue 2) issue of Academic Exchange Quarterly.
From the site:
Teaching information literacy skills is a major initiative for today’s instruction librarians. The advent of web portals on the college campus provides a unique teaching opportunity. This paper describes how the University at Buffalo Libraries and the University’s Office of Creative Services collaborate to offer My Library, which is a channel built into MyUB, the University’s web portal. My Library provides a new opportunity for instruction that addresses the needs, expectations, and changing learning styles of today’s technology savvy students.
From the site:
Teaching information literacy skills is a major initiative for today’s instruction librarians. The advent of web portals on the college campus provides a unique teaching opportunity. This paper describes how the University at Buffalo Libraries and the University’s Office of Creative Services collaborate to offer My Library, which is a channel built into MyUB, the University’s web portal. My Library provides a new opportunity for instruction that addresses the needs, expectations, and changing learning styles of today’s technology savvy students.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Library Instruction with Children
I taught a library instruction session for a Philosophy class last night. It was a little different than normal though. I brought my two sons with me.
The class only meets on Wednesday nights. My wife has a class on Wednesday nights. When the instructor requested the session, I said I couldn’t do it and I would find another librarian to conduct it. However, the instructor insisted that I teach the class and he offered to keep my kids entertained. So I agreed.
My oldest son is Calvin. He is 7. My youngest is Caleb who is 2 ½. I brought toys with me and also sat them each at a computer to play at pbskids.org.
Class started out well. Caleb kept chattering as he played but I talked over him and everything seemed to be going well.
About 15 minutes into class, Calvin got up and announced, “Daddy, I am bored!” The whole class laughed. I responded, “I am sure you are not the only one.”
The instructor got up and took Calvin out of the classroom to walk around the library. He asked if he should take Caleb too. The little one was listening and he responded, “I am playing with toys!” So Caleb stayed in the classroom.
About 10 minutes later, Caleb got up and said, “Daddy, I have to use the potty.’ The class lost it and laughed for a good minute. I excused myself, took him to the restroom, and then returned and finished the class.
I got a nice note today from the instructor thanking me for the session and commenting on how much he liked my boys.
This will go down as one of my most memorable library instruction sessions I think.
The class only meets on Wednesday nights. My wife has a class on Wednesday nights. When the instructor requested the session, I said I couldn’t do it and I would find another librarian to conduct it. However, the instructor insisted that I teach the class and he offered to keep my kids entertained. So I agreed.
My oldest son is Calvin. He is 7. My youngest is Caleb who is 2 ½. I brought toys with me and also sat them each at a computer to play at pbskids.org.
Class started out well. Caleb kept chattering as he played but I talked over him and everything seemed to be going well.
About 15 minutes into class, Calvin got up and announced, “Daddy, I am bored!” The whole class laughed. I responded, “I am sure you are not the only one.”
The instructor got up and took Calvin out of the classroom to walk around the library. He asked if he should take Caleb too. The little one was listening and he responded, “I am playing with toys!” So Caleb stayed in the classroom.
About 10 minutes later, Caleb got up and said, “Daddy, I have to use the potty.’ The class lost it and laughed for a good minute. I excused myself, took him to the restroom, and then returned and finished the class.
I got a nice note today from the instructor thanking me for the session and commenting on how much he liked my boys.
This will go down as one of my most memorable library instruction sessions I think.
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