This document summarizes a panel discussion on teaching challenging topics in libraries. The panelists discussed issues like teaching search mechanics, plagiarism, and defining librarian and faculty roles. They also addressed challenges like developing teaching skills, assessments, and a personal pedagogy. Recent survey results showed most librarians did not take an instruction course and learned through observation, though they wished for more ongoing training. The discussion aimed to identify best practices for instructing difficult subjects.

1. 4/19/2013
LYRASIS Presents
The Polite Debate Society
Teaching the Tough Stuff: Exploring
the Librarian’s Most Difficult
Instructional Challenges
Using this software
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2. 4/19/2013
Our panel
• Jessica Critten works as the First Year
Programs Librarian at the University of West
Georgia.
• Diane Fuller is the Director of Libraries and
Upper School Librarian at the Gilman School
in Baltimore, Maryland, a boys K-12
independent day school
Our panel
• Annemarie Roscello is the Information
Literacy Coordinator and Associate Professor
at the Sidney Silverman Library, Bergen
Community College in Paramus, NJ
• Becky Hinton is a Training Professional at
the Topeka and Shawnee County Public
Library, Topeka KS
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3. 4/19/2013
Moderator
• Russell Palmer
• Supervisor, Professional Development
• LYRASIS
The mechanics of searching
• Issues to discuss:
– How important is it to teach?
– The mechanics of searching vs. “where to look”
– What is the role of the vendor as they develop search
products?
• Best practices-what works for you?
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4. 4/19/2013
Plagiarism
• Issues to discuss:
– How important is it for librarians to teach it?
– What is the role of the librarian?
– Should this be a leading role for librarians?
• Best practices-What works for you?
Roles:
Librarian/Faculty
• Path of librarian engagement, faculty/librarian roles,
shared with me by a composition faculty member at a small
junior college….
• I lead students through topic generation exercises (they
choose their own research topics) and research question
formulation.
• My librarian partner teaches one class session on refining
the research question, determining keywords and
synonyms, developing a search strategy.
• Librarian teaches the next class session applying the
search strategy to reference sources, refining the research
question, and transforming the research question into a
thesis statement.
•
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5. 4/19/2013
Roles, cont’d.
• I teach academic genres/media, citation fundamentals and
tools then lead students through citation practice.
• Librarian teaches databases.
• Students produce an annotated bibliography.
• Librarian meets individually with each student to review
their bibliographies and chat about their research
processes, re-teaching skills and adjusting topics or
expectations as needed.
• Students keep researching beyond the bibliography to
produce an argument essay.
• My arrangement is certainly not typical for English 101! I'm
extremely grateful to my library partners for such generosity
in my course.
Roles
• Not just teaching…
• Training
– Staff training
– User education in public libraries
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6. 4/19/2013
Learning to teach
• What are the biggest challenges to
overcome?
• What other topics are challenging for us?
• What teaching resources do you utilize?
• Should we “crowd source” best practices for
teaching?
The role of our library education
• What role should our schools of
library/information science play in teaching
us to teach?
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7. 4/19/2013
• “Schools of library/information science should offer
coursework and professional development for all future
librarians on teaching how to teach. Teaching, particularly
in this world of information overload, has become extremely
important in all library settings. In addition to teaching how
to teach formal classes, other forms of instruction such as
online tutorials and working with patrons one-on-one should
be explored. Knowledge of learning styles and learning
theory assist all librarians in their work.”
– Nancy Everhart Director of the School Library Media Program and the PALM Center at Florida State University, and former President of
the American Association of School Librarians, 2010-2011.
When we get out there…
• Recent survey results (research not yet published), posted
to ili-l list by Radford University librarians Candice Benjes-
Small & Rebecca K. Miller
“We ran this survey to gather background information on a
book we are writing for Neal Schuman, Training for New
Instruction Librarians, which should be released in 2015.
We also hope to use these findings to write an article
before then.”
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8. 4/19/2013
• The majority of respondents did not take a library instruction course while in
library school
• Most first taught library instruction at an academic library (higher education)
• About 15% reported their library offered an in-house training program for new
librarians
• Approximately the same amount said there was no formal program but some
type of shadowing/observing or other informal activity was offered
• Many of those who were offered no training explained that the library was too
small to have anyone to actually conduct training
• A few respondents also noted that they came from a teaching background and
therefore did not need training
• Observation of other librarians was the most commonly cited method of training
• Many wished the training was on-going and not just at the beginning of
employment
• Words people associated with their first instruction session: prepared, nervous,
frustrated
• Of the ACRL Standards for Proficiencies for Instruction Librarians and
Coordinators, respondents felt most proficient in presentation skills and least
proficient in assessment and evaluation skills.
Developing a personal pedagogy
• Why?
• How?
• What have you done/explored?
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9. 4/19/2013
Developing assessments
• Assessments that target outcomes
• Assessments that improve teaching
– Mutually exclusive?
“A survey developed by librarians and sponsored by Credo
found that many college students falsely perceive their
level of information literacy. The data collected suggests
that while students display an understanding of information
skills, they are not successful at the next step —application
of the skill. These information skills are critical to success
in the classroom, but they also extend beyond campus to
prepare students for success on the job and in everyday
life.”
http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-
displaytext.pl?RC=17716
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10. 4/19/2013
Survey says…
• “a majority of the 1,500+ respondents
grasped the concept of information literacy
as it relates to finding, evaluating and using
information, 46% of students admitted to
looking for a copyright symbol to determine
accuracy of a source and over half admitted
they were unfamiliar with the purpose and
basic characteristics of scholarly journals.”
Wrap up:
Questions? Comments?
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11. 4/19/2013
Thank You for Attending!
Questions?
•Professional
Development
•1.800.999.8558
•Web: lyrasis.org
•e-mail: russell.palmer@lyrasis.org
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