Pedagogy in Context

This section aims to provide context for libraries to select the right pedagogical method in which librarians work, with whom they collaborate, and how they may assess their teaching. Additionally, the “Discipline Related” section features anthologies that specify unique discipline pedagogies. These text cover each field individually and can be used as a reference texts for liaisons. In the “Collaborating” section, materials discuss how collaboration with faculty and instructional designers can impact the instruction methods of librarians and assist in aligning instruction methods with pedagogical schemas.

Keeram, Peggy and Michael Levine-Clark, eds. 2014. Research within the Disciplines: Foundation for Reference and Library Instruction. 2nd ed. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
ISBN: 9781442232761 Link to UNT Record.

While this text is designed for new librarians and LIS students, it explains research habits that may be useful for librarians who often find themselves answering questions outside of their liaison areas. In addition, it provides contextual understanding that may be beneficial to librarians seeking to introduce pedagogical structures to their work.

Ragains, Patrick, ed. 2013. Information Literacy Instruction That Works: A Guide to Teaching by Discipline and Student Population. 2nd ed. Illinois: American Library Association.
ISBN: 9781555708740 Link to UNT Record.

Parts one and two of this text discuss methods of teaching information in academia and teaching to types of student groups. These sections take into considerations that our understanding of how students is constantly evolving, in part by changes in technology used by students to learn and by instructors to teach. Part three breaks down teaching methods by discipline and part four looks at types of non-discipline specific research.

Collaborating with Faculty and Instructional Designers

Eshleman, Joe. 2016. “Where Librarian and Instructional Designer’s Meet.” In Librarians and Instructional Designers: Collaboration and Innovation. Edited by Joe Eshleman, Richard Moniz, Karen Mann, and Kristen Eshleman. Chicago: ALA Editions. 87-105.
ISBN: 9780838914786 Link to UNT Record.

Eshleman explains how librarians and instructional designers can benefit from working together. Librarians often seek new pedagogy and teaching methods that instructional designers can help tailor to one-shot type scenarios and instruction sessions. Because one-shots are often 50 to 90 minutes, librarians need to cover a lot of information effectively. Instructional designs can help librarians decide what information might be better sooted to alternative teaching outputs like video tutorials and what types of technology can be used to create or support those methods. Eshleman argues that such collaboration can further university-wide teaching outcomes and learning assessments by making librarians and instructional designers educational leaders, instead of just educational partners, by melding instructional design methods and critical theory with threshold concepts.

Jacobs, Heidi L.M and Dale Jacobs. 2009. “Transforming the One-Shot Library Session into Pedagogical Collaboration: Information Literacy and the English Composition Class.” Reference & User Services Quarterly 49, no.1: 72-82.
ISSN: 10949054 Link to Record.

Collaboration between faculty and librarians is important for information instruction success. Jacobs and Jacobs “examine the programmatic and philosophical changes that resulted from [their] collaboration” with each other for a composition and rhetoric class. They explain how tailoring the library instruction to “focus on research as a process” informed the students more because of their in-class lectures on writing as a process. The similarities between the two methods allowed the professor and library to have “ongoing dialogue,” “putting two disciplines in conversation, thereby transforming thinking beyond this one relationship” that increased their collaboration for future courses and positively affected their collegiality.

Leckie, Gloria and Anne Fullerton. 1999. “The Roles of Academic Librarians in Fostering Pedagogy for Information Literacy.” Paper presented at the ACRL Ninth National Conference. Detroit, Michigan, April.
Direct Link to Item.

Leckie and Fullerton argue that successful teaching of information literacy to students requires collaboration between faculty and librarians, who often “do not understating each other.” To achieve understanding and cultivate collaborative relationships, faculty and librarians must engage in “pedagogical discourse.” Only through such discussions can librarians and faculty develop course and program specific information literacy.

Mann, Karen. 2016. “Integrating the Library and the LMS.” Librarians and Instructional Designers: Collaboration and Innovation. Edited by Joe Eshleman, Richard Moniz, Karen Mann, and Kristen Eshleman. Chicago: ALA Editions. 161-180. ISBN: 9780838914786 Link to UNT Record.

Learning management systems can allow librarians to embedded information about the library and its resources as well as provide access to resources and searching tutorials and increase collaboration with faculty to facilitate more in-depth learning. However, before such partnerships can begin, learning management need to be crafted in a way that will support library-integration. Mann explores ways for librarians to work with instructional designers to create systems that support "macro" and "micro" level integrations. She analyses different integration methods increase the library presence, increase information literacy, and reduce workloads for librarians though the use of LMS options. In order to be effective, however, the librarian must seek the help of the instructional designers.

Walter, Scott. 2000. “Engelong: A Model for Faculty-Librarian Collaboration in the Information Age.” Information Technology and Libraries 19, no 1: 34-41.
ISSN: 07309295 Link to Record.

Walter discusses a successful project that integrates information literacy into a specific class. The accomplishment of his pilot project opened new doors for collaboration with faculty. Based on his experiences, he suggests how other librarians can develop their own models for course-integrated literacy.

Assessment

Gammons, Rachel. 2016. “Incorporating Critically Conscious Assessment into a Large-Scale Information Literacy Program.” In Pagowsky and McElroy(b), 235-240.
Link to Reference.

Gammons shares a method to collect large quantities of qualitative assessments from students. The method refrains from asking students about learned skills but learned concepts in a way that provokes reflective learning practices. In doing so, the assessment practice supports “egalitarian and socially minded values of our service profession” and seeks personal feedback from students that encourages their agency in their learning experiences.