Presented at LILAC 2022

1. Supersize (and digitize) my
session!
Reflections on redesigning a small-scale workshop for a
large-scale setting in-person and online.
Chris Thorpe & Fiona Paterson

2. Workshop materials and
LILAC presentation
feedback:
■libguides.city.ac.uk/CTLILAC22

3. Background – original workshop
■ Module: Academic Skills for Higher Education (2018).
■ High failure rate.
■ Not using Library services/resources.
■ Student profile:
• Approx. 12 students
• 1st year BSc.
■ Context: TEF and student progression.

4. Aims and objectives
■ Deliver 60 minute workshop (+/-)
■ Introduce students to resources, materials &
services.
■ Promote key critical thinking and research skills.
■ Cultivate a sense of accessibility and inclusivity.

5. New workshop
■ Module: Academic Skills for Higher Education (2019).
(Foundation Degree).
■ Student profile:
• Approx. 50 students
• Non-typical pathways to HE
• Transition to undergraduate level.

6. Methodology
■ Explored Moodle module and course materials.
■ Reviewed Library Essentials content and Library Information Literacy
Strategy.
■ Created a brand new lesson plan.
■ Peer reviewed workshop & materials.
■ Finalised and prepared 1 week in advance.

7. Methodology in practice
■ Explored Moodle module and course materials.
■ Reviewed Library Essentials content and Library Information Literacy
Strategy.
■ Created a brand new lesson plan.
■ Peer reviewed workshop & materials.
■ Finalised and prepared 1 week in advance.
• Constraints:
 Time
 Competing workflows
 Organisation processes
 Proactive liaising
 Pedagogical approach.
• Ambition
• Pragmatism / Realism
• Knowledge and experience
• Trust

8. Research context

9. Trustworthiness of information
 Invited student(s) to
demonstrate how they found
the information.
 Brief discussion – do you trust
librarians?

10. Added content
■ Quiz – ‘Runaround’:
• ‘Fun’ can be awkward / inadvertent
condescension / commitment
■ Citing and referencing – Cite Them
Right.
■ Copyright and images.

11. Activity – Library Live!
Group presentations.
■ Space syntax & class size.
■ Managing the activity:
• Communication & flexibility.
■ Managing the discussion:
• Preparation / honesty / trust.
■ Student engagement.

12. Outcomes
■ Overall success in terms of planning, delivery & experience.
■ Improved confidence in terms of role supporting School.
■ Collected and analysed student feedback.
■ Collected and analysed student feedback.
■ Opportunity to develop a more comprehensive approach:
• Next module & literature searching workshop
• Follow-up survey – encouraging if not conclusive.

13. Survey results (sample)
■ “It is important for me to develop good research skills.”
Agree = 100%
■ “I have used Cite Them Right to help me with my citing and referencing.”
Yes = 78% | No = 22%
■ “I feel comfortable asking Library staff for help.”
Agree = 78% | Neutral = 22%

14. “Dynamic
pivot to the
virtual
classroom.”
Image:
Pixabay

15. A reimagined workshop (2020-21)

16. Online synchronous sessions x2

17. Reflections and evaluation
 Collected and analysed student feedback (2021 iteration).

18. Conclusions
■ Ambition and pragmatism are contextual.
■ You can achieve a lot from the ‘one-shot’.*
■ Librarian superpowers: training / knowledge / experience / judgement.
■ Design with flexibility and re-purposing/packaging in mind.
■ Reflection is helpful both during and afterwards.
■ Embrace imperfection.
*(we hope!)

19. References
Chalmers, Mardi. "Lessons from the academy: actuating active mass-class information
literacy instruction." Reference Services Review 36.1, 2008: 23-38.
Dawes, Lorna. "Faculty perceptions of teaching information literacy to first-year students:
a phenomenographic study." Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 51.2,2019:
545-560.
Junisbai, Barbara, M. Sara Lowe, and Natalie Tagge. "A pragmatic and flexible approach
to information literacy: findings from a three-year study of faculty-librarian
collaboration." The Journal of Academic Librarianship 42.5, 2016: 604-611.
Martzoukou, K. “Academic libraries in COVID-19: a renewed mission for digital literacy.”
Library Management, 42.4/5 2019: 266-276.
Walsh, Andrew P. and Padma Inala. Active learning techniques for librarians: practical
examples. Chandos, 2010.
Wheeler, Emily, and McKinney, Pamela. "Are librarians teachers? Investigating academic
librarians' perceptions of their own teaching roles." Journal of Information Literacy 9.2,
2015: 111-128.
Wyn-Davies, Elen, Lloyd-Brown, Giles & Taylor, Suzanne. “Swansea University Library’s
information literacy box of tricks – one size does not fit all (Masterclass).” LILAC 2018,
Liverpool, https://www.lilacconference.com/lilac-archive/lilac-2018.

20. Chris Thorpe
Subject Librarian (Health Sciences)
City, University of London
Email: chris.thorpe.1@city.ac.uk
Telephone: 020 7040 5448
Twitter: @CThorpe83