Teaching Information Literacy: Frameworks and Activities Trudi Jacobson Coordinator of User Education Programs University at Albany [email protected]
Mar 26, 2015
Teaching Information Literacy:Frameworks and Activities
Trudi Jacobson
Coordinator of User Education Programs
University at Albany
Focus of the Day
Active Learning: Exploration of the Technique
Motivating Students
Opportunity to Revise an Instruction Session
What do you hope to get out of this workshop?
Workshop Goals
Become familiar with advantages (and challenges) of active learning/teachingLearn a number of ways to incorporate active learning into the IL classroomUnderstand affective issuesExplore motivational techniquesBegin to incorporate these techniques into a lesson plan
Why should we encourage active learning in our classes?
Constructed Learning
Students are not a vessel to fill with knowledgeActive learners work with information to derive meaning and understandingIt is important for students to form new mental representations of the materialStudents construct and reconstruct new knowledge based on their experiences
The test of a good teacher…is, “Do you
regard ‘learning’ as a noun or a verb?” If
as a noun, as a thing to be possessed and
passed along, then you present your
truths, neatly packaged, to your students.
But if you see “learning” as a verb, the process is different. The good teacher has learning, but tries to instill in students the desire to learn, and demonstrates the ways one goes about learning. Schorske, cited in McCleery (1986)
If a teacher covers the material, does that
mean that students have learned? Or does
learning mean engaging the students?
Usually, teachers should cut down on what
they cover and find creative ways to engagestudents in the subject matter. Oxman-Mitchelli
Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do
not learn much just sitting in class
listening to teachers… They must talk about
what they are learning, write about it, relate it
to past experiences, apply it to their daily
lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves. Chickering and Gamson
Advantages of Active Learning
Retention Rates
Attention Span
Affective Factors
Learning Styles
Examples of Active Learning Techniques
Ideas from the literature
Ideas for freshmen (and others)
Ideas connected to Internet evaluation
Examples of Active Learning Techniques
What techniques are you using?
Active Learning in the Classroom
Drawbacks Solutions
Freewriting
Flexible When What Why
Quick
Revealing
Tips
Start small
Borrow tested ideas and methods
Work with a colleague Share ideas Co-teach Observe and comment
Keep a journal
Another Freewriting Example
What one thing from this session did you find most useful?
Please jot down one question you still have.
Motivating Students
Extrinsic motivation External and tangible
Intrinsic motivation Internal and intangible
ARCS Model
Attention
Relevance
Confidence
Satisfaction
John Keller “Strategies for Stimulating the Motivation to Learn”
ARCS—Attention
Capture interest and stimulate curiosity to learn New approaches Environmental change Varied activities
ARCS—Relevance
Meet personal needs and goals Share goals and objectives Familiar examples
ARCS—Confidence
Help learners feel they will succeed and can control their success What is expected of them Mastery experiences
ARCS—Satisfaction
Reinforce accomplishment with rewards (internal and external) Application opportunities
Practical Motivators
Teaching behaviors
Course design elements
Active engagement
Autonomy
Authentic assessment
Teaching Behaviors
Enthusiasm
Clarity
Interaction
Course Design Elements
Course topics
Course goals & objectives
Methods of instruction
Course assignments
Syllabus
First impressions: first day of class
Active Engagement
Can you learn how to ride a bicycle or how to kiss from a lecture?
(variation on a quote by Eric Sotto, When Teaching Becomes Learning)
Active Engagement
Active Learning Cooperative Learning Writing to Learn Discovery Learning
Active Engagement and the ARCS Model
Autonomy
What autonomy do students generally have in a course?
Autonomy and the ARCS model
Autonomy
Course activity
Course policy
Course content
Projects/assignments
Student assessment
Authentic Assessment
Students able to demonstrate what they know and what they are able to do
Formative Summative
Authentic Assessment
Rubrics
Concept mapping
Minute writing
Cases
Portfolios
Authentic assessment and the ARCS model
Finishing thought
Work that really counts pushes us to the brink of confusion.
Peter Carruthers, Physicist
Time for Your Scenarios
Session selection and revision (15-20 minutes)
Brief reports: Pairs (10-15 minutes)
Share a few of your ideas
What questions do you have?
Thanks to Lijuan Xu, co-author of Motivating Students in Information Literacy Classes, for permission to use and adapt several of the slides in this presentation