Library’s Got Talent! New Library Instructors Discover Their Voices

1. Library’s Got Talent! New Library Instructors Discover Their Voices Rebecca K. Miller University Libraries Chris Barb Virginia Tech Tracy M. Hall LOEX 2013

2. The Whole Team (2012-13) Coordinators: Carolyn Meier, Rebecca Miller, and Lesley Moyo New Instructors: Chris Barb, Tracy Gilmore, Monena Hall, Tracy Hall, Neal Henshaw, Paul Hover, Anne Lawrence, Jennifer Munson

3. Overview & Outcomes • Changes both inside and outside of the library challenge the traditional instructional model • Our solution involves seeking and molding talent from within other library departments • This new model is still evolving, and we will share our goals, lessons learned, and future plans

4. Virginia Tech University Libraries

5. Basic Instruction (2011-12)

6. FYE Instruction (2011-12)

7. Internal: Library Reorganization

8. Internal:University Libraries Strategic Plan • Emphases • Empower students to develop the skills, literacies, experiences, and perceptions necessary to excel in an analytically savvy, multi-disciplinary, global workplace. • Partner with faculty in the exploration and implementation of new pedagogies, technologies, and learning environments. • Develop new methods, programs and applications for library-based instruction and engagement.

9. External Challenges • UCCLE (Curriculum for Liberal Education) • First Year Experience

10. The Issue: Scalability Are you seeing similar issues in your information literacy/instruction programs?

11. Our Solution

12. The Goals Goals • Instruction proficiencies • Teaching/er identities Format • Community of practice

13. The Process Spring 2012: Library-wide call for new instructors Summer 2012: Instruction leaders develop 12-week training program Fall 2012: New instructors begin real-world preparation opportunities Spring 2013: New instructors begin to teach and co-teach

14. Spring 2012: The Call

15. Summer 2012: The Training

16. Summer 2012: The Training Week 1: Overview & instruction proficiencies Week 2: Learner characteristics and learning preferences Week 3: Learning theories Week 4: Instructional design Week 5: Teaching technologies & classroom tour Week 6: Workshop day

17. Sample Week 6/19/2012: Learner characteristics and learning preferences • Beloit College. (2012). The Mindset List: 2012 List. Retrieved from http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2012/ • Bennett, S., Maton, K., and Kervin, L. (2008). The ‘digital natives’ debate: a critical review of the evidence. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39(5), 775-786. Available on Scholar. • ECAR. (2012). Students & Technology [Infographic]. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERS1103/EIG1103.pdf • Kennedy, G., Krause, K.L., Judd, T., Churchward, A., and Gray, K. (2006). First year students’ experiences with technology: are they really digital natives? Australasian Journal for Educational Technology, 24(1), 108-122. Available on Scholar. • Neighmond, P. (2011, August 29). Think you’re an auditory or a visual learner? Scientists say it’s unlikely. National Public Radio. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/08/29/139973743/think-youre-an-auditory-or-visual-learner-scientists-say-its-unlikely.

18. Fall 2012: The Preparation • FYE peer mentors • Observation • Reflection

19. Spring 2013: The Teaching • Weekly teaching schedule (observations) • Regular meetings • Reflections • Co-teaching

20. Additional Support • LEO (Libraries Exchange Observation) local group • Instruction Learning Community (reading group) • Instruction Clearinghouse & Library Instruction Toolkit (in the works)

21. Research & Scholarship • Thoughtfulness and reflection • Sharing our process and creating discussion • Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy (Blacksburg, VA) • LOEX 2013 (Nashville, TN) • WILU (Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada) • IFLA (Singapore)

22. Discussion Are you doing or considering doing something similar at your library? What other thoughts do you have?

23. Preliminary Feedback & Assessment • Anecdotal feedback from new instructors • Reflections and student evaluations • 13-item Qualtrics survey: • Motivation • Challenges • Overall impact on individuals and the institution • Feedback about future iterations of cohort and continuing ed

24. Motivation I wanted to improve my instruction and presentation skills and hoped that it would help me to advance in my career. It is an interesting change, the contact with students is enjoyable.

25. Impact: Individuals Rate your levels of confidence in your skills as a teacher before you began and after you completed the new instructor training program:

26. Impact: Individuals As a result of participating in the program, have you gained any new professional interests or goals?

27. Impact: Institutional How did the new instructor training program impact your “day job?” It has given me an additional avenue to connect with students and faculty. I get more comfortable dealing with the public speaking… A stronger understanding of the discovery tools and databases we offer at VT.

28. Challenges What was your biggest challenge as you prepared to teach or co-teach your first class? Tailoring my instruction to the assignment. “Stage fright” for the first class and interacting with the professors to develop the class plan. Overthinking it.

29. Suggestions &Lessons Learned • More workshop (hands on) opportunities • More discussion of teaching tools and activities • Guidelines for pre-teaching observations • Faculty communication skills

30. Workshopping • 2012: 1 workshop day • 2013: 2 workshop days • New instructors will prepare session based on scenario • Coordinators and cohort will offer feedback • New instructors will modify session based on feedback and present again

31. Teaching Tools & Activities

32. Observing https://sites.google.com/site/librariesexchange/home

33. Working with Faculty • Review samples of appropriate assignments • Focus on learning outcomes • Develop strategies for articulating outcomes and activities with faculty

34. Phase 2 &The Next Cohort • Cohort will continue to grow stronger (Phase 2) • Four librarians and library staff have volunteered • Training begins in June • Phase 2 for 2012-13 Cohort • Training continues • Cohort offered ideas for what they would like to learn • Interactions with 2013-14 Cohort

35. 2012-13 Cohort: Phase 2 What topics are you interested in pursuing through continuing education and development opportunities? Ways to keep students engaged with more active learning techniques How to engage with faculty on pedagogy consultation Distance learning and use multimedia …Engage diverse groups…

36. Implications for 21st Century Instruction

37. Discussion and Questions What other questions do you have for us or comments you’d like to share with us?

38. Thank You! • Rebecca K. Miller, millerrk@vt.edu • Chris Barb, clbarb@vt.edu • Tracy Hall, tracy72@vt.edu www.lib.vt.edu

39. Image Credits http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/s67/americas-got-talent/news/a385575/americas-got-talent-austin-auditions-recap.html http://handsonhousewife.blogspot.com/2011/06/for-ms-baldwin.html http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-a-childrens-librarian-do.htm