Core Competency K: Design instructional programs based on learning principles and theories.
Section 1. Interpretation of competency
Librarianship and education go hand in hand. Libraries are of course found in schools, but teaching takes many forms from one on one spontaneous tutoring at the public library reference desk to formal courses in bibliographic instruction at the university level. In all of these settings, however, any teaching activity is more effective if the teacher knows how to apply relevant learning theories and has a thorough understanding of the principles behind them.
Cunningham and Rosenblatt (2018) wrote that while the “core concepts that define information literacy have largely remained constant,” (p.196), formal efforts were made by various groups including the ALA to define the term, prompting the ACRL to file the “Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education” with the ALA, formally adopted in 2016. Many academic libraries have since adopted information literacy plans based on the framework.
The document includes six frames and defines each with a few important concepts. One, “authority is constructed and contextual,” (p.1). This focuses on bias and perspective aiming to enable “novice learners to critically examine all evidence” (p.4). Two, “information creation as a process” (p.1). This means that teaching the “underlying processes of creation as well as the final product to critically evaluate the usefulness of the information” (p.5)., should be a goal of any information literacy plan. Three, that “information has value” (p.1), which is concerned with copyright, but also instructs on “several dimensions of value, including [information] as a commodity” (p.6). Four, “research as inquiry” (p.1)., stresses that there should be an iterative nature to inquiry and it is important to have “strategic perspectives on inquiry and a greater repertoire of investigative methods” (p.7) as one moves through the research process. Five, “scholarship as conversation” (p.1), is particularly important for our time, it is concerned with citing sources and making contributions “to scholarly conversation at an appropriate level” (p. 8). Six, “searching as strategic exploration” (p. 1), is concerned the “nonlinear” (p. 9) aspects that require “mental flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding develops” (p. 9).
However, formal instructional design theory should also be employed or at least understood whether thinking about reference strategy, planning formal instruction, or writing an information literacy plan for a school or library. The ACRL (2013) defined instructional design as “using a systematic approach to solve an instructional problem” (para. 2). Cunningham and Rosenblatt (2018) discuss the steps used in instructional design from planning to final assessment and reflection and identify some of the more commonly used methods including Wiggins and McTighe’s “backward design method” as well as ADDIE (p. 204).
Wiggins and McTighe’s trademarked method involves a three-step process which includes the identification of “long-term Transfer Goals from which to plan backward” (MAC, 2018). By beginning with goals it is easy to focus the instructional needs defined by the ACRL into specific course content and assignments.
AADIE is an acronym that stands for analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Analysis begins by considering the course objective or what the class is trying to teach. Design is focused on instructional strategy while development is the actual classroom activities. Implementation is the living experience of the class, and evaluation is synonymous with assessment. Davis (2013) stated that the ADDIE method is “helpful when collaborating with the instructional designer, faculty, and other librarians at work” (concl., para. 1). This is due to the segmented nature of the method, it is possible for any one team member to revise one aspect of the plan, thereby making the best use of individual expertise.
Section 2. Reference to supporting evidence
Evidence One. Academic Assignment.
Learning Activity. Created for the course Instructional Design (INFO 250) this instructional plan for an introductory course for librarians in legal research information sources aims to teach the basic skills of law librarianship.
This proposed professional development class sought to instruct public librarians about the basics of legal research. Public librarians often find themselves helping patrons who are looking for this type of information, yet it is typically only taught as an elective at library schools. Law materials are quite different than other types of reference material and it is easy to become overwhelmed if you don’t know where to start.
The plan systematically looked at entry level behavior and learner characteristics. Outcomes and goals were defined for the class which was to teach about United States federal law. The strategy included planning around how to introduce legal materials moving from secondary to primary sources. The class included a lot of instruction around the structure of the federal government and how that relates to how laws are made. Understanding this is helpful for finding the correct version of a current bill. Plans for participation were outlined. This included a detailed description of the Moodle LMS and how this supports the learning experience. A six-month follow up survey was planned that would measure the usefulness of the course and allow the instructional designers to make improvements.
Evidence Two. Academic Assignment.
Case Study Two. This paper examines some of the economic impacts on earnings that Dev. Ed. classes create for community college students
This is a case study of a proposed course was conceived for the UNH graduate course Development Economics (DPP 902). The aim was to identify an economic need of a community or population. I focused on the education credential attainments of students who had been in Dev. Ed. courses and examined its relationship to household incomes.
This course began with some specific goals in mind and so embraces the Wiggins and McTighe model. By reviewing the data regarding the degree attainment rates compared to the student loan burden for students who had been enrolled in developmental education classes, there was an evident need to develop some strategies to support these students. Written at a high-level it also reviews some of best practices in place at several community colleges including LaGuardia and Bunker Hill Community Colleges.
Evidence Three. Professional Activity.
Exciting News about the LLNE Legal Research Instruction Program. Blog post announcing that the Law Librarians of New England (LLNE) will be holding one session of their annual Legal Research Information Program (LRIP) online.
From 2015-2017 I was the Co-Director of the Education Committee for LLNE. We were in charge of coordinating the annual legal research information program (LRIP). The course had been running for years and was held at Suffolk University Law School in downtown Boston. While this was a convenient location for many, it tended to exclude people from other areas of New England. The course was also typically held at the end of the winter and snowstorms remained a possibility. Both of these pointed to a need for some online instruction.
I chose this as evidence because while it doesn’t necessarily include traditional instructional design it is still evidence of the ability to identify learner needs and come up with a solution to address them. In this case, the work that went into coming up with the online course involved finding the correct delivery method and changing how the class would interact for that session.
Section 3. Application of competency
I did not know anything about instructional design when I started at SJSU, yet I see teaching opportunities all around me at my job at BU. In particular I do a lot of teaching with Wikipedia. We like to engage students and faculty with crowd-sourced workshops. Being able to effectively plan and implement a program of instruction for our edit-a-thon workshops means that our participants’ time is well spent. After hosting an event over the summer, my colleagues and I were invited to Emerson College to share ideas from our program with librarians who were planning a similar event.
Understanding the ADDIE method has helped me with collaborative projects such as Wikipedia edit-a-thons and using crowd-sourced projects for teaching about information literacy.
I also do a lot of education around open access. This includes broad-based messaging as well as individual instruction on copyright, OA versions, and navigating the research information management system. Understanding how to break large ideas into smaller lessons to conceptualize them as discrete goals has been very helpful in this area.
Section 4. Bibliography in APA format
ACRL. (2015). Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education: Filed by the ACRL Board on February 2, 2015. Adopted by the ACRL Board, January 11, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2018 from http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/issues/infolit/Framework_ILHE.pdf
Cunningham, A. D. & Rosenblatt, S. (2018). Teaching users information and technology instruction in Information Services Today: An Introduction (ed. S. Hirsh). Lanham, MD : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Davis, A. L. (2013). Using instructional design principles to develop effective information literacy instruction: The ADDIE model. College and Research Libraries News, 74(4). Retrieved September 29, 2018 from https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/8934/9656
MAC (2018) McTighe & Associates Consulting. Workshops. Retrieved September 29, 2018 from https://jaymctighe.com/workshops/