Gammons, R. (2012). SIS Student Research Forum. TLA Annual Conference. in Library Instruction: Creating a Meaningful Instruction Experience
Nov 22, 2014
Gammons, R. (2012). SIS Student Research Forum. TLA Annual Conference.
Student Engagement in Library Instruction:
Creating a Meaningful Instruction Experience
My Research Projects (2011-12)
General Education Undergraduate Instruction:
• Lib-Value: Teaching and Learning Committeeo Establishing the value, outcomes, and return on investment of
academic libraries.
• Information Evaluation: English 101o Using instructional scaffolding to create a system of meaning in
library instruction.
• Learning to Teach: MSIS Students and Library Instructiono Incorporating graduate students in library instruction to
strengthen and expand the program.
Perceptions of Libraries (2010)
53%
What do college students believe?
Information from a search engine is equally as trustworthy as information from library sources.
30%
Information from Wikipedia is equally as trustworthy as information from library sources.
78%
Trustworthiness of a source can be determined using personal knowledge and common sense.
78%
Where are we successful?
Students who use librarians agree that librarians add value to the research process.
71%
Students agree that librarian assistance is available when needed.
31%
A third of students indicate that the library’s value has “increased for them personally during the recession.”
Perceptions of Libraries (2010)
What Do We Know?
• Students want help – but want help finding the quickest way to satisfy their course requirements.
• Students want accurate information – but will choose a resource that is easy to use over one that is complex.
• Students do not understand discipline organized information or library specific terminology.
• Students will use Google
Making Instruction Meaningful
Student-Centered Teaching:
• Focus instruction on specific outcomes.
• Give students skills that are immediately applicable.
• Build on their existing research framework.
• Be willing to let things go.
First Impressions
Share your learning objectives:
After today’s session, you will be able to…
First Impressions
Why don’t college students use the library website?
23%
21%
17%
12%
11%
10%4%
Other sites have better information
Prefer to use the physical library
Web site does not have what I need
Fines are too much
Can't find what I need
Did not know it existed
Other
Keeping Students Engaged
Start with what they know:
http://www.utk.eduhttp://www.lib.utk.edu
Keeping Students Engaged
Explain when it is appropriate to Google:
http://www.google.com
Keeping Students Engaged
Provide a set of criteria to use in evaluation:
• Give a single set of criteria that can be used to evaluate any resource.o Information is not black and white, neither are
information resources.
• Demonstrate how to establish the credibility of a source
Keeping Students Engaged
Validate their concerns:
Getty Images.
Future Research
Assessing Student Learning:
• Creating a culture of assessment in the academic library.
• Embedding assessment within library instruction.
• Incorporating the ACRL Information Literacy Standards.
Sources
• OCLC (2010). Perceptions of Libraries: Context and Communities. Available online at: http://www.oclc.org/reports/2010perceptions.htm
• Gibbons, S. & Reeb, B. (2004). Students, Librarians and Subject Guides: Improving a Poor Rate of Return. Libraries and the Academy. (4)1. 123-130.