Librarians as teachers: Challenges and opportunities

1. Librarians as teachers: Challenges and opportunities Ruth Stubbings, Loughborough University

2. Librarians as teachers: Outline of talk • issues • information literacy • teaching skills • Solution = SirLearnaLot • project aims • project management • informal evaluation Picture: LolliPop training day by Marcus Woolley. Used with kind permission.

3. Issue - Information explosion • confusion of • where to look for what • good search techniques • how to ethically use information • poor information literacy competencies Picture: Web 2.0 Logos? By Stabilo Boss. Used under Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/stabilo-boss/sets/72157604810599752/

4. Information literacy:what is it? CILIP defines information literacy as: “Information literacy is knowing when and why you need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner.” • The Chartered Institute of Information and Library Professionals (Unknown) Information literacy Definition.http://www.cilip.org.uk/policyadvocacy/learning/informationliteracy/definition/default.htm

5. HEIs, colleges and schools treat information literacies as a priority area and support all students so that they are able, amongst other things, to identify, search, locate, retrieve and, especially, critically evaluate information from the range of appropriate sources – web-based and other – and organise and use it effectively, attributed as necessary, in an appropriate medium JISC (2009) HE in a Web 2.0 World. London: JISC. http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/documents/heweb2.aspx#downloads. Paragraphs 39–40; 42; 73)

6. Librarians as teachers • teaching readers how to find and use information • one to one at information & enquiry desks • formal classroom settings • are we trained to be teachers?

7. Teaching skills: lack of training • Helen Conroy in 2007 undertook survey for: • CILIP: Personnel, Training and Education Group • CILIP: CSG Information Literacy Group • Netskills • 463 responses • 54% HE, 15% Schools, 12% FE, 10% Public libraries, 7% Health, 1% Commercial, 1% Other Teachers, Trainers, Educators, Enablers: what skills do we need and where do we get them? Joint PTEG / CSG Information Literacy Group presentation at Umbrella 2007 by Helen Conroy & Debbi Boden http://www.cilip.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C5356FC2-A1C0-4677-B9B5-EB2F9AC8E562/0/PTEGTeachersTrainers.pps

8. Survey results:types of teaching delivered • provide 'on the spot' support 93% • run small group sessions (<20) 92% • write guides or training materials 91% • deliver presentations 85% • run one-to-one sessions 83% • run large group sessions (>20) 71% • other: Staff development 10%, • online support 5% Teachers, Trainers, Educators, Enablers: what skills do we need and where do we get them? Joint PTEG / CSG Information Literacy Group presentation at Umbrella 2007 by Helen Conroy & Debbi Boden http://www.cilip.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C5356FC2-A1C0-4677-B9B5-EB2F9AC8E562/0/PTEGTeachersTrainers.pps Picture: Teaching each other by PegaPPP Used under Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/30389326@N05/3070321239/in/set-72157608146747263/

9. Survey results:skills needed to teach • skills librarians would like to have: • presentation skills 85% • knowledge of information literacy 84% • understanding of teaching & learning 83% • designing learning activities 79% • writing training materials 78% • facilitation skills 66% • coaching skills 53% • other skills: • behaviour management, assessment, mentoring, listening, patience! Teachers, Trainers, Educators, Enablers: what skills do we need and where do we get them? Joint PTEG / CSG Information Literacy Group presentation at Umbrella 2007 by Helen Conroy & Debbi Boden http://www.cilip.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C5356FC2-A1C0-4677-B9B5-EB2F9AC8E562/0/PTEGTeachersTrainers.pps Picture: Marco - The Frenchman with Mad Skills by Mdsoren Used under Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdsoren/2708295535/

10. accredited courses 31% non-accredited courses 31% trial and error 72% on-the-job 59% Other observation, reading, discussion, sharing best practices Survey results: how did you learn to teach? Teachers, Trainers, Educators, Enablers: what skills do we need and where do we get them? Joint PTEG / CSGInformation Literacy Group presentation at Umbrella 2007 by Helen Conroy & Debbi Boden http://www.cilip.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C5356FC2-A1C0-4677-B9B5-EB2F9AC8E562/0/PTEGTeachersTrainers.pps Picture: Day 106 - I am a librarian by cindiann Used under Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/trucolorsfly/352573802/

11. Picture: More Confused (Confusion 2) by Waldo#4 Used under Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/waldo4/2178788631/ So what can we do?

12. Solution:SirLearnaLot • online tutorial that aims to promote and disseminate effective teaching, learning and assessment of information literacy • based on EduLib

13. SirLearnaLot is born • funded by HEA ICS & CILIP CSG IL Group • authors & partners • Moira Bent • Debbi Boden • Ginny Franklin • Chris Powis • Ruth Stubbings • Marcus Woolley Taymouth Castle 8 ChineseDrawing Room Ceiling (Scottish Knight) by abernmf http://www.flickr.com/photos/abernmf/2245878543/

14. SirLearnaLot: project management • communication • one face-2-face meeting • rest via email & telephone • funding used for project assistant NOT authors and project manager

15. SirLearnaLot:Project issues • project delayed due to: • personal issues • work loads • project assistant getting another post • technical issues • needed to change service provider

16. SirLearnaLot:Creating the tutorial • written in html • links to websites, e.g. YouTube • encourages personal reflection • learning journal • case scenarios from own teaching • collaboration through: • discussion lists • wiki Picture: Creations Unpacked by 0olong. Used under Creative Commons Licencehttp://farm2.static.flickr.com/1071/1328641289_c22133691f_m.jpg

17. SirLearnaLot:delivery • institutions can download files and deliver course themselves • via a VLE or web • designed to be delivered • in a blended learning environment or • totally online Picture: CoETaIL Course 1: Day 1 Used under Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/superkimbo/3266317868/

18. SirLearnaLot

19. SirLearnaLot

20. Informal evaluation of SirLearnaLot • voice • time commitment • pitch • more links to literature • learning activities • order of units Picture: bribery by Neil Dorgan Used under Creative Commons Licencehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/neildorgan/2249745598/

21. The future • formal evaluation • consider alternative delivery methods • delivery by other CILIP groups, e.g. ELG • hosting for small institutions • possible certification • HEA or CILIP? The crystal ball - large square by Mira d'oubliette Used under the Creative Commons Licencehttp://farm1.static.flickr.com/17/22740518_26ab6f5140_m.jpg

22. SirLearnaLot:available from FREE under Creative Commons Licence from www.sirlearnalot.org Guest username and password = guest1 Ruth Stubbings – r.e.stubbings@lboro.ac.uk