Teaching Information Literacy Skills

Tom Adam,

University of Western Ontario

Stephan Beckhoff,

London Health Sciences Centre

Tom Adam,

University of Western Ontario

Stephan Beckhoff,

London Health Sciences Centre

Teaching Information Literacy Skills

Tom “Dewey Decimator” Adam

Stephan “The Obtuse Kid” Beckhoff

Tom “Dewey Decimator” Adam

Stephan “The Obtuse Kid” Beckhoff

A librarian should be more than a keeper of books; a librarian should be an educator…All that is taught in college amounts to very little; but if we can send students out self-reliant in their investigations, we have accomplished very much…

Otis Hall Robinson, “Proceedings,” American Library Journal v.1, November 30, 1876: pp.123-124.

Question

Did you ever think of yourself as an educator?

Goals

To enhance your learning materials by applying theory and design principles

To make an informed decision when evaluating instructional media

To conceptualize information literacy

To consider how information literacy shapes instruction

To enhance your learning materials by applying theory and design principles

To make an informed decision when evaluating instructional media

To conceptualize information literacy

To consider how information literacy shapes instruction

Objectives

• Apply fundamental Instructional Design• Apply adult learning principles• Compare instructional media • Highlight design principles for a WWW

instructional event• Investigate information literacy standards• Consider current practices in library

instruction• Consider future trends in library instruction

• Apply fundamental Instructional Design• Apply adult learning principles• Compare instructional media • Highlight design principles for a WWW

instructional event• Investigate information literacy standards• Consider current practices in library

instruction• Consider future trends in library instruction

Fundamentals: Instructional Design

Three step process:

Analysis– Learner– Environment– Needs, gap, task analysis

Design Strategies

Evaluation– Formative, summative

Three step process:

Analysis– Learner– Environment– Needs, gap, task analysis

Design Strategies

Evaluation– Formative, summative

Fundamentals: Instructional Design

Design StrategiesOrganizational Strategies – Structures– Sequencing (ID and Learning theory)Delivery Strategies– Media– GroupingManagement Strategies – Scheduling, resources, etc

Design StrategiesOrganizational Strategies – Structures– Sequencing (ID and Learning theory)Delivery Strategies– Media– GroupingManagement Strategies – Scheduling, resources, etc

Instructional Design Theory

Lesson Level Organizational Strategy

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Assessment

Lesson Level Organizational Strategy

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Assessment

Instructional Design Theory

Lesson Level Organizational Strategy Introduction

Gaining attentionInforming the learner of the objectiveStimulating prior recall

BodyPresenting “stimulus” materialProviding guidanceEliciting performance Providing feedbackAssessing performance

ConclusionEnhancing retention and transfer (summarize)

Assessment

Lesson Level Organizational Strategy Introduction

Gaining attentionInforming the learner of the objectiveStimulating prior recall

BodyPresenting “stimulus” materialProviding guidanceEliciting performance Providing feedbackAssessing performance

ConclusionEnhancing retention and transfer (summarize)

Assessment Nine Events of Instruction - Gagné-Briggs 1983

Instructional Design Theory

Keller ARCS model for “motivating” instruction:

Attention

Relevance

Confidence

Satisfaction

Keller ARCS model for “motivating” instruction:

Attention

Relevance

Confidence

Satisfaction

Adult Learning Principles

Androgogy: the art and science of teaching adults

Arnold et al (1991) state that among adult learners, people retain:

20% of what they hear30% of what they see50% of what they see and hear70% of what they see, hear and say90% of what they see, hear, say and do

Androgogy: the art and science of teaching adults

Arnold et al (1991) state that among adult learners, people retain:

20% of what they hear30% of what they see50% of what they see and hear70% of what they see, hear and say90% of what they see, hear, say and do

Adult Learner: Characteristics

• Have a variety of work and life experience

• Learning is a means to an end

• Response to life change events

• Highly motivated• Cover material

rapidly

• Appreciate respect• View learning as a

social process• Fragile self-esteem• Pre-occupied• Diminished physical

and perceptual capacities

• Appreciate respect• View learning as a

social process• Fragile self-esteem• Pre-occupied• Diminished physical

and perceptual capacities

Teaching the Adult Learner

• Create an atmosphere of challenge, little threat, freedom of choice, respect and warmth

• Set goals, meet needs.• Get learner involved in establishing and

meeting needs

• Create an atmosphere of challenge, little threat, freedom of choice, respect and warmth

• Set goals, meet needs.• Get learner involved in establishing and

meeting needs

Learning Cycle

People cycle through four phases:People cycle through four phases:

Learning Style Inventory – D. Kolb, 1999

Concrete ExperimentationConcrete Experimentation

Active ExperimentationActive Experimentation

Abstract ConceptualizationAbstract Conceptualization

Reflective ObservationReflective Observation

Learning Cycle

Concrete Experimentation

“Learning by experiencing…”

• Learns from specific experiences• Relates to people• Sensitive to feelings and people

Concrete Experimentation

“Learning by experiencing…”

• Learns from specific experiences• Relates to people• Sensitive to feelings and people

Learning Style Inventory – D. Kolb, 1999

Learning Cycle

Active Experimentation

“Learning by doing…”

• Shows ability to get things done• Takes risks (What if..?)• Influences people and events through

action

Active Experimentation

“Learning by doing…”

• Shows ability to get things done• Takes risks (What if..?)• Influences people and events through

action

Learning Style Inventory – D. Kolb, 1999

Learning Cycle

Abstract Conceptualization

“Learning by thinking…”

• Logically analyzes ideas• Systematically plans• Acts on intellectual understanding of the

situation (How does it work…?)

Abstract Conceptualization

“Learning by thinking…”

• Logically analyzes ideas• Systematically plans• Acts on intellectual understanding of the

situation (How does it work…?)

Learning Style Inventory – D. Kolb, 1999

Learning Cycle

Reflective Observation

“Learning by reflecting…”

• Carefully observes before making judgments

• Views issues from different perspectives

• Looks for the meaning of things (Why?)

Reflective Observation

“Learning by reflecting…”

• Carefully observes before making judgments

• Views issues from different perspectives

• Looks for the meaning of things (Why?)

Learning Style Inventory – D. Kolb, 1999

Instructional Media

• Print• Internet/CBT • Instructor

Instructional Media: Print

• Interactive, asynchronous• Cheap to reproduce• High production value• Limited versatility – stand alone or

supplement• Easy to edit/update• 50 – 100 hrs of effort for 1 hr of

academic media

• Interactive, asynchronous• Cheap to reproduce• High production value• Limited versatility – stand alone or

supplement• Easy to edit/update• 50 – 100 hrs of effort for 1 hr of

academic media

Instructional Media: CBT/WWW

• Highly interactive, asynchronous• Unlimited reproduction (web)• High production value• Versatile – can accommodate many

learning styles• End-user needs equipment• Expensive to produce: 200 – 300 hrs for

one hour of academic media

• Highly interactive, asynchronous• Unlimited reproduction (web)• High production value• Versatile – can accommodate many

learning styles• End-user needs equipment• Expensive to produce: 200 – 300 hrs for

one hour of academic media

Instructional Media: Instructor led

• Highly interactive• Accommodate different learning modes

almost instantaneously• Needs extensive resource management

and planning• Cheap to produce: 3 – 10 hours for 1

hour of academic media (i.e. lecture)• Extremely expensive to produce the

content expert

• Highly interactive• Accommodate different learning modes

almost instantaneously• Needs extensive resource management

and planning• Cheap to produce: 3 – 10 hours for 1

hour of academic media (i.e. lecture)• Extremely expensive to produce the

content expert

Designing for WWW: Principles

Know your audience

Test your content

Learn and use design principles for WWW

Ensure design continuity

Keep navigation simple

Apply learning and ID principles to your teaching materials and teaching style

Know your audience

Test your content

Learn and use design principles for WWW

Ensure design continuity

Keep navigation simple

Apply learning and ID principles to your teaching materials and teaching style

Web Page Design Principles

• Text• White space - Hyperlinks• Graphics and graphic highlighting• Colours• Scrolling• Animation• Blend delivery solutions

Question

Which is better…Print, Internet/CBT or Instructor?

How did you learn the library?

What did you do?What did you do?What did you do?What did you do?

What were you thinking?What were you thinking?What were you thinking?What were you thinking?

How did you feel?How did you feel?How did you feel?How did you feel?

Information Explosion

• Bombarded daily with information• Electronic journals & digital libraries• Connecting Canadians

– SchoolNet, LibraryNet

Coping with it…

• Computer proficiency skills– Technological competence

• Information literacy– Common to all learning environments– All levels of education and beyond– Engage critically with content– Extend investigations

Information Literacy

• ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (2000)

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/standardsguidelines.htm

• CAUL Information Literacy Standards (2001)http://www.caul.edu.au/caul-doc/publications.html

Information Literacy at Western

• equip students with the power to achieve straight A’s!

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• recognize the need for information • identify potential sources• question formation • develop effective search strategies• navigate resources

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• critically evaluate information & sources– content – context

• informed decisions• re-examine & refine searching strategies

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• incorporate into knowledge base– classify, store, manipulate, manage

• relate to how information generally is generated and stored

• organize for practical application or purpose

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• use new information in critical thinking and problem solving

• share information, create new knowledge

• ethical, legal, socio-economic implications– responsible stewards

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DANGER!

• Static set of skills mastered once

Information Literacy Standards must Information Literacy Standards must dynamically respond to the ever- dynamically respond to the ever-

changing information environment.changing information environment.

Information Literacy Standards must Information Literacy Standards must dynamically respond to the ever- dynamically respond to the ever-

changing information environment.changing information environment.

DANGER!DANGER!DANGER!

Where Does It Happen?

• anywhere and everywhere– at the desk one-on-one assistance– integrated, assignment-based – course specific one-off sessions– demonstrations of specific tools– self-directed tutorials– embedded in the curriculum

About Western LibrariesAbout Western Libraries

• Collection of 7,500,000+ • Digital Library 100,000+ e-resources

• Collection of 7,500,000+ • Digital Library 100,000+ e-resources

Seven locations across campus

Where we were in 1998

• Upper Level and Graduate focus• Tool based teaching• Renovating Weldon• First year Programmes?

– Field of Dreams

Our Plan

• Look at what we needed to offer• Strategize a methodology• Develop an instruction model• Just do it!

Methodology

• Develop an instructional model– facilitate standardized delivery of information

concepts and skills

• Promote the service– proactive, systematic

• Deliver the instruction sessions– effective presentations

• Evaluate– enhancement and improvement

Instructional Model

• address core information skills, tools and Weldon collections

– information literacy & searching skills

– Library catalogue and key databases

• concretely link to course objectives• interactively engage participants

– foster a level of comfort

• utilize current technologies– presentation software– hands-on approach (where possible)

Marketing and Liaison

• concentration on 020 level– build on existing network

• new faculty sessions, EDO, Residence Dons, Peer/Mentors

– individual mailings

• Pre-session meetings– clarify expectations and detail schedules

• “Post-mortems”– evaluate and adjust

Politics 020

• Faculty liaison• Pre session meetings• Lecture• Tutorials• Exam Questions• Post Session evaluation and prep

Instruction Sessions

Sessions Participants

1998 83 2746

1999 192 5668

2003 267 7462

So What’s Next?

• Teaching Support Centre• Virtual Assistance• Ask Us Now

“Ask A Question” link

ASK US NOW chat reference