Boyle - Creative Problem Clinics: information literacy triage

Problem Clinic Information Literacy Triage

Susan Boyle UCD LibraryLILAC 2011

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LIBNews FLASH

WIDESPREAD OUTBREAK STUDENT CONFUSION

(High expectations) x (Gaps in understanding)students

+ boredom = NLimited time with students

N = Current Confusion

Symptoms include…

© Susan Boyle 2010

Google eyed

Project Panic

Blurred vision recognising quality information

Students feeling overwhelmed by information

Students get hallucinations of failure

The Problem Clinic

What is it?

Active Learning

Questions, Answers

Practice session

Why do we need it?

To restore clarity

To help studentsTo promote the Library

© Susan Boyle 2010Image Source http://rookery.s3.amazonaws.com/1315000/1315450_535a_625x625.jpg

The Problem Clinics treat

Googlitis

Confusion

Resource phobias

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Wikipedia dependency

Resistance to databases

Project anxiety disorders

Library Disorientation

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The Problem Clinic

Information Literacy Triage

• Take histories • Note core symptoms

• Diagnose Key problems• Decide on treatment• Treat as appropriate

Full IL Recovery

Image source: http://www.grinningplanet.com/2007/10-04/thermometer.gif

© Susan Boyle 2010

Information Literacy Triage in practice

What IL problems or issues are you having?

Animation Erica Grainger

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Animation Erica Grainger

I can’t get full text access

I can’t find the journal I

want

I’m getting too many irrelevant

results

I don’t understand

search techniques

What database should I

be using?

© Susan Boyle 2010

Diagnose Priority Symptoms

• Finding a Journal

• Limiting searches

• Off campus access

Treat with a

• Demonstration

• Exercise/Tutorial

• Game

Treat with a demonstration / exercise Limits

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Treat with a Game – Matching pairs

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SNAP!

Phrase Searching

Used to search for two or more words together in a

document

Example “clinical skills”

This will retrieve results with clinical skills as a concept.

Image source: http://aincome4life.com/stepping%20stones.jpg

Treat with a Game – Stepping Stones

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Delivering Problem Clinics

Problem Clinic

Students

Confusion

Librarian

1 pa.

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0

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04/02/11

Susan Boyle

Dosage1 problem clinic per year (voluntary)Instructions Take 1 problem clinic after a traditional IL sessionBest Results Use Stop, start continue Reflect

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Preparing Problem Clinics

Review traditional IL session

Learning Objective Checklist

Brainstorm for session

ideas

Prepare Session

Treatments

Do a Needs

Analysis

Information Literacy Wellbeing

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Image Source : http://pool.org.au/files/imagecache/full_size/image/text/Joshy86/operation-game.jpg

Students should leave clinics with a good impression of the

Library

Delivering Problem Clinics

© Susan Boyle 2010

Engage the student brain

creatively

Listen actively

Note symptoms

raised

Treat IL problems with a

variety of treatments

© Susan Boyle 2010

Adverse Reactions to Problem ClinicsVery few contra indications!

Ability to tick all the learning objective boxes

Students are not always aware of their weaknesses

Preparing for the unknown in advance

Ability to tick all the learning objective boxes

Preparing for the unknown in advance

Students are not always aware of their weaknesses

Benefits of the Problem Clinic triage approach for Students

© Susan Boyle 2010See notes for Image sources

Students can voice their IL

concerns

Students get to fill in

missing gaps

They encourage

student satisfactio

n

They encourage

student engagement

Students leave with

ready made answers

The session is tailored to their

needs

Benefits of the Problem Clinic triage approach for Librarians

© Susan Boyle 2010See notes for Image sources

Problem clinics are

an effective tool for

librarians

They help librarians to

identify gaps in IL

knowledge

A great way to treat critical

common symptoms in

one strike

They are an effective

use of time with

students

They reduce monotony and infuse

IL with innovation

They add new skills to

the Librarian’s portfolio

Problem Clinic Testimonials

“It was good to be able to voice your own personal problems. Make sure everyone else gets to go”

“Keep running these sessions”

“She asked us what we would like to learn first so all of the session was very useful”

© Susan Boyle 2010

Student

StudentStudent

• •• •

• •

© Susan Boyle 2010

(Fulfill expectations) x (creative tailored learning)students+ Games = N

Effective use of Librarian’s time

N = Creative Problem Clinics

Solution

© Susan Boyle 2010

(Fulfill expectations) x (creative tailored learning)students+ Games = N

Effective use of Librarian’s time

N = Creative Problem Clinics

SolutionI dreamed a dream of .. Problem Clinics

Want to know more?

E-mail me at [email protected]

References

Boyle, Susan (2009) Scanning, Tailoring and promoting information literacy support– another string to the liaison librarian’s bow. Sconul Focus. (46) p.71-76.

Boyle, Susan (2009) Poster. Exploring and extending information literacy support with nursing and midwifery students: EAHIL workshop, 2-5 June 2009, Dublin, Ireland. Journal of EAHIL, 5, 18-21.

Thanks for listening!