Library Instruction West 2018

After participating in an Engaging with the ACRL Framework workshop, two new instruction librarians were inspired to rework their library instruction in two distinct paths: one embedded in health education with a scaffolded curriculum, the other coordinating one-shot instruction within the social sciences and English composition. Armed with learner-centered pedagogy and backward design principles, the librarians navigated sometimes-bumpy roads to collaborate with faculty, integrate new activities, and ensure meaningful concept-based learning with students across a universe of disciplines. During this interactive session, the presenters will share their own experiences and discipline-specific approaches and coach attendees through breaking down key concepts of the Framework into manageable ideas that can be covered in a single instruction session or over multiple sessions, depending on participants’ instructional context.

The session will be structured as follows: Participants will identify a Frame they are interested in incorporating into their instruction. First, they will articulate desired results or learning outcomes of the instruction session(s) and the big ideas behind those outcomes. Next, participants will define acceptable evidence of students learning those outcomes and identify techniques by which that evidence can be gathered and assessed. The final step will ask participants to create learning activities and experiences that will facilitate student learning of the identified outcomes and integrate assessment. The end product will be a draft lesson plan which engages with the Framework in a meaningful way, from developing outcomes to designing activities.

Academic librarians face an ongoing challenge – introducing students to the vast amount of information available through research databases without forcing them to sit through boring, old-school lectures and demonstrations. So, how do we captivate our Millennial and Plural (post-Millennial) students’ interest, especially in short one-shot instruction sessions? Our answer – Speed Databasing.

A cross between online dating apps and speed dating events, Speed Databasing gives students a chance to “meet” multiple databases during one class session. Librarians act as matchmakers by creating clever personal-ad style profiles for each database, and by reminding students that connecting with a database requires going beyond “first impressions” (i.e. the basic search page). Whether students find the “perfect match” for a current assignment or their “soulmate” in a database they will use throughout their academic career, Speed Databasing is an engaging and memorable approach to library resource instruction.

During this interactive workshop, participants will join in an energetic round of Speed Databasing to experience the activity for themselves. The presenters will discuss their experiences creating and implementing this active learning exercise at their institutions, and provide feedback from other librarians who have implemented this activity. The presenters will also discuss a community of practice that is developing around this activity that will help participants by providing ongoing support and collateral materials after the workshop is over.