IS 557, User Instruction: Journaling

 

In 557 User Instruction, we are Journaling – one entry a week for 10 weeks about what we read, talked about, learned, didn’t know, wanted to try, and anything news related. It was fun to keep a journal and to reinforce each week's takeaways from each class.

Week 10, November 14, Information Literacy in Schools (Karyn Storts-Brinks, Media Specialist, Fulton High School)

Our speaker could not make it.  It would have been interesting to hear about how high school librarians are challenged with instruction.  Different members of the class with experience in school libraries did a good job of sharing some of the issues that I was unaware of such as the standards the students have to meet and how much emphasis is placed on those.  It seems the time for instruction by librarians has to compete with the classroom time when it could be used to enhance it. There are many pressures on school librarians that don't exist in academic or public libraries.   

We also talked about copyright and Kenneth Crews from Columbia U.  We also talked about using social media in instruction.  There are free downloads at Jing.com and you can do screen captures with voice overs at screenr.com.  There is a huge amount of possibilities in using social media to enhance and support your instruction.  There are many articles out there about trends in instruction to use to keep current including one from ACRL in June 2012, "Top 10 Trends for Academic Libraries" that I have on my list to locate and read.  LibGuides are becoming more and more popular as a way to support instruction.

Week 9, November 7, Information Literacy & instruction in public libraries (Melissa Brenneman, Reference Technology Instruction Librarian, Knox County Public Library)

This class had an awesome guest speaker from Knox County Public, Melissa Brenneman, Reference , Technology, Instruction Librarian, who stayed late at her job to share with us what it is like to do instruction in a public library setting.  There are many more issues in the public setting than in the academic library setting due to the varying types of patrons.  The free computer workshops are popular and it was interesting to hear the different things they have tried in delivering that service.  It seems in a public library setting there may be more users who take advantage of the efforts they offer and sometimes to the detriment to other users.  It was nice to hear that they sometimes bend the 12 and over rule based on individuals.  Academic libraries don’t have many patrons extremely young or extremely old.   It was fun to hear the difference in attendance depending on what she called her workshop that teaches Google.  Google Secrets attracts more users.  I was impressed with the types if classes they offer from basic computing, Internet, and e-mail to Excel and Word classes.

Week 8, October 24, Information Search Process, designing materials, copyright, macro and micro programs

The reading revisited putting learning theories into practice from chapter 4, and chapters 8, 9 and 10 de3al with the instructional menu and the choices you make based on copyright and design. Choices in ILI tools seem limitless and may come down to cost and learning culture.  Copyright could be an entire class unto itself.  Teachers should try to understand fair use.  Just because you are in a classroom does not mean that you can disregard copyright.  You must work within the law.  Instructional design is also an entire field unto itself.  Design is different for print and electronic instruction.
 
Our class covered going over student efforts to write 3 learning outcomes, planning an instruction program and design.  This was much more the overview than the details of earlier classes and covered getting ready.  It was amusing to hear about how not to be annoying with your dress, hair, voice, mannerisms, etc.  The amount of planning necessary to teach still overwhelms me.   Basically you have to prepare the lesson, determine activities, gather materials, determine sequence, and match evaluation with grading objectives and accomplishment levels. 

Week 7, October 17, Information literacy and Instruction in Academic libraries (Rachel Radon, instructional librarian UTK Hodges)

Our class included a guest speaker, Rachel Radom, Instructional Services Librarian from UTK Hodges Library.  It was enlightening to hear from a librarian in the trenches.  Instruction is a large part of what is needed at Hodges so students can effectively use the library and keep up with technology.  It was amazing to hear how it was all accomplished since instruction seems to be a full-time job and librarians still have other duties that are more traditional like liaison work, reference, and the added pressures of being on a tenure track.  It must be fulfilling to teach but also it must get boring to teach the same class over and over each semester to different students.  Academic libraries seem to be more involved in instruction than ever.  It is definitely an area that I can personally improve on.   

Week 6, October 3, Assessment and evaluation, professional organizations, using technology to deliver instruction

Chapter 11 goes deeper into assessment for improving teaching.  I was shocked to discover how little assessment takes place in some teaching situations.  It is time consuming and possibly expensive but it is critical to reflect to see where improvement in teaching is needed.  There are many tools and types of assessment.  Assessment can benefit teacher and learners. 

I love technology and was pleased to serve as discussion leader for the topic of using technology to deliver instruction.  Technology is a tool and not the teacher.  Technology is part of instruction but must be used correctly.  There is research that students can learn more with technology but you must consider the learners and their needs, learning outcomes, cost and access.  Advantages of using technology are that it can be engaging, allows for more teaching time, increases access to information, attracts new users, can meet special needs, and prepare students for the future.  Disadvantages are that it can be distracting, lead to loss of critical thinking, it can be too impersonal, hard to keep up with and it can fail in which the teacher must have a backup plan.  I also learned from my presentation when I could not share my desktop to show the class their comments they sent about the Powerpoint.  I have since learned how to share my desktop with dual monitors.  There is a selection in Powerpoint as to which monitor you want to share that I never knew I needed until my appshare failed.

Week 5, September 26, Needs assessment, standards, writing objectives, writing lesson plans, designing instructional materials, preparing for instruction, the act of teaching

In chapters 7 and 15, planning for instruction use of instruction are covered.  I never realized how much planning needs to go into teaching for it to be effective.  Needs must be assessed so goals and objectives can be met and learning outcomes reached.  Technology can be useful but can also be expensive, distracting and time consuming to learn.  Always keep the audience and purpose in mind and try not to over use technology.

In class we discussed the 3 parts to writing objectives.  An intended leaning outcome must have conditions such as when where and how, an action verb for observable student behavior, and criteria or how well the student must perform.  Good action verbs are identify, name and describe.  Keep it specific and measureable.  Plan for what students will do and what the teacher will do.   ALA/ACRL has standards for inforamtion literacy competency in higher education.  I discovered I need more practice in writing good objectives.  It just takes thought and consideration of the circumstances. 

Week 4, September 19, Teaching Styles methods and models tools, critical thinking, active learning problem based learning evidence based learning, motivation

In reading chapters 6 and 12, the focus is on critical thinking and how to teach this.  Librarians
can help researchers choose and use the right information tools.  Critical thinking is needed when you retrieve information.  Active learning can help teach information literacy and technology literacy for web based and social networking tools.  Learner centered teaching can make a teacher more effective.  Learners must be engaged and interested and the teacher has to have the student’s attention which usually requires change. 

In class we discussed two types of teaching; teacher focused and learner centered.  It is best to use a variety of methods such as mixing lecture with group activities to remain interesting.  Teaching models include formal authority which is teacher centered lecture, demonstrator where teachers outline step by step, facilitator of activity and participation with active learning and creative thinking, and the delegator that gives students the freedom to choose the project with self-assessment.  I like the learner centered approach and motivating students is always a challenge for teachers to keep new and fresh. 

Week 3, September 12, Learning styles, mental models and cognitive styles, library anxiety and other impediments to learning

The reading of chapter 5 discussed library anxiety at length.  The controlled vocabulary required for searching in catalogs has given way to search engines but this hasn’t solved everything.  Some users are also uncomfortable with technology.  Librarians can help users overcome library anxiety by taking a friendly approach and by using signs, guides, handouts, tutorials, blogs, etc. to offer choices to users in how to research.

In class we discussed the Kolb model that matches learners and methods.  Teachers can find out more about their students with an LSQ or learning style questionnaire but they still must vary their methods for all the different types of learners.  I don’t have any background in the formal methods of teaching and I was surprised at how much thought and preparation needs to go into teaching beyond the subject matter you are trying to teach.   I need to be more willing to try different methods to accomplish teaching goals.

Week 2, September 5, Learning theories: behaviorist, cognitive/constructivist, humanist

It was interesting to read the theory behind the psychology of learning.  In chapter 3, I learned that learning theories fall into 3 main categories; doing, thinking, and feeling.  The behaviorist model is based on doing and relies on the association between stimulus and response.  The learner is actively engaged in the process so they learn by doing.  Material can be broken down into tasks with learning objectives.  Self-instruction is an example of behaviorist learning.   The second theory is thinking or the cognitive model.  Learners perceive, organize, and interact and respond to the environment by determining how elements, ideas, concepts and topics relate to one another.  Constructivism is a learning process by which learners build new mental models based on experiences and is based on cognitive development.  Learners discover solutions by solving problems.  The last learning model is humanist and based on feelings and how people feel about themselves.  Self-directed learning is an example of this.    Chapter 4 applies the learning models.  Since learning styles vary, so must instruction.  Teachers must be flexible and willing to try new things. 
 
In class we went over examples of the theories.  Behaviorism was Pavlov’s stimulus-response, Thorndike’s conditioning, and Skinner’s active learning.  Cognitivism is both active and social such as Piaget’s perception , organization, interaction, and response.  Humanists look at how you feel about what you are learning.  I didn’t know all of the theory behind learning but recognized the different methods from being in school my whole life.  I think the most important point was that no one teaching style is effective for all learners or for all situations.

Week 1, August 29, Information Literacy past and present

It was interesting reading in chapter 1 of our text about the history of (ILI) information literacy instruction.  There has been a number ways to define what an information literate person is but they all center around the ability to use resources to solve problems.  Critical thinking and evaluation have become more important as information choices expand.  Chapter 2 discusses how ILI requires librarians to become teachers.  There are many professional organizations interested in promoting best practices in ILI such as the ALA, ACRL, IFLA and many others.                                                

In class we discussed how user instruction dates back to Dewey.  Instruction can be synchronous such as face-to-face instruction, or asynchronous like workbooks.  In groups, we discussed the traits of an information literate person such as lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and problem solvers.   Someone who knows how to find and evaluate resources, use information effectively and properly (legally), and who become a creator or producer of new information.  I didn’t know a lot of the definitions that changed over the years with the way information changed.  I work with law students every day on research strategies and resources in many formats.  There is no start and finish to ILI since information keeps changing.