Heidi Julien

1
Client Instruction

• Heidi Julien
• LIS 503
• Fall 2009

2
History of client instruction

• Earliest formal library user education in U.S. in
  1820s at Harvard
• Toward end of 19th century, some credit courses
  in bibliography
• Books printing
• How to use the library
• Also lectures, tours, book talks

3
History (continued)

• 1881 ALA conference established objectives for
  library instruction
• development of ability to discriminate, to judge
  value of books to develop critical judgment
• development of independent learners
• encouragement of lifelong learning (Tucker 1979)

4
History (continued)

• Early 20th century, bureaucratization of
  libraries, reference services established, but BI
  loses favor
• No distinction between orientation instruction
  (focus on orientation)
• Instruction not provided in context of what
  students needed to know
• Instruction given from content of librarians
  reference training
• Shift in emphasis from focus on materials to
  access procedures

5
History (continued)

• 1945 1970 focus on expanding library
  collections, so less focus on instruction
• Revival in 1960s
• Increase in interest and discussion
• New focus on problem solving, access skills,
  bibliographic tools
• 1967 ALA Committee on Instruction in Library Use
  established

6
History (continued)

• 1970s a time of increased momentum
• Instruction now seen as important part of
  academic librarianship, in part due to increased
  complexity of information resources and handling
• Support networks created
• 1972 Project LOEX (Library Orientation and
  Instruction Exchange) established 1977 ACRL
  guidelines for instruction published
• 1977 ALA Library Instruction Round Table
  established

7
History (continued)

• More growth in the 1980s and 1990s
• Influences include technological changes,
  information society, emphasis on independent
  use and life-long learning
• Instruction now a recognized area of public
  service in academic libraries,with its own
  literature, theory, content, and concerns
  (Mellon 1987)
• Research Strategies established in 1983

8
History (continued)

• 1989 ALA Presidential Committee on Information
  Literacy
• Report emphasized importance of IL, best
  developed via resource-based learning, with these
  instructional goals
• Knowing when one has a need for information
• Identifying information needed to address a given
  problem or issue
• Finding needed information
• Evaluating the information
• Organizing the information
• Using the information effectively

9
History (continued)

• Expansion to information literacy (teaching
  people to recognize information needs, to
  identify, locate, evaluate, and use information
  effectively)
• Emphasis on transferable skills, critical
  thinking skills, expanding universe of potential
  sources, search strategies
• Recognition that best form of instruction is
  course-related (contextualized), integrated into
  existing curricula, but barriers include faculty
  cooperation, resources
• Less emphasis on mechanics of using particular
  systems, on local collections
• Recognition that information literacy is part of
  a wider literacy continuum (although literature
  mostly in LIS, not Education)

10
History (continued)

• ACRL Standards, 1991
• ACRL - Information Literacy Competency Standards
  for Higher Education http//www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/
  divs/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency.
  cfm

11
Success?

• Evaluation mostly formative (focus on program
  delivery)
• Summative evaluations suggest that instruction
  improves grades, course completion rates

12
Criticisms

• Library instruction is forced on unwilling
  clients
• Library systems should be reformed so instruction
  is unnecessary
• Librarians are not prepared to teach

13
Where to from here?

• Need to be more proactive, assertive, political
• Need to work more closely with faculty
• Need to use short self-directed instruction
  modules
• Need to focus more on content of instruction, and
  less on media (delivery mechanisms)
• Need to research clients needs and design better
  systems
• Most clients have difficulty learning and using
  Boolean logic, and developing effective search
  strategies
• Most clients prefer online instruction, and
  one-on-one instruction

14
Definitions - BI

• the systematic nature of the effort to teach
  somethinga set of principles or search
  strategies relating to the library, its
  collections or servicesusing predetermined
  methods in order to accomplish a predefined set
  of objectives (Intner 1991)
• an introduction to the use of particular subject
  area resources and techniques for their use
  (Fjallbrant, 1990)

15
Definitions - user education(library
instruction)

• anything that we doto assist our users to
  become more independent in their use of library
  resources. Database guides and signage, printed
  material, self-paced guides and computer based
  tutorials can be included in user education.
  (Lester 1997)
• teaches users how to make the most effective use
  of the library system (Tiefel 1995)

16
Definitions - information literacy

• First known use by Zurkowski, 1974 People
  trained in the application of information
  resources to their work can be called information
  literates. They have learned techniques and
  skills for utilizing the wide range of
  information tools as well as primary sources in
  molding information-solutions to their problems.
  (p. 6)
• ability to access and evaluate information
  effectively for problem solving and decision
  making. Information literate people know how to
  be lifelong learners in an information society.
  (Rader Coons, 1992, p. 113)

17
Information literacy(ALA definition)

• To be information literate, a person must be
  able to recognize when information is needed and
  have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use
  effectively the needed information. Ultimately,
  information literate people are those who have
  learned how to learn. They know how to learn
  because they know how knowledge is organized, how
  to find information, and how to use information
  in such a way that others can learn from them.
  They are people prepared for lifelong learning,
  because they can always find the information
  needed for any task or decision at hand. (ALA
  Presidential Committee, p. 1)

18
Levels of instruction - 1

• Library orientation
• Usually brief (1 hour or less)
• Delivered via group or individual tours, CAI,
  video, classroom presentation
• Emphasizes welcome, basic OPAC skills, other
  library services, availability of assistance

19
Levels of instruction - 2

• User education or BI
• Generally 1-3 hours
• Assumes basic knowledge of library services
  systems
• Focuses on use of catalogues, subject access,
  basic reference tools, indexes
• Often focused on a specific group or subject area
• Best tied closely to particular context (i.e.,
  subject or task)

20
Levels of instruction - 3

• Formal courses
• Can be for credit
• Cover structure of knowledge, research
  techniques, library systems, information sources,
  analytical skills, critical thinking (information
  literacy)

21
Instructional design process

• Analyze what is to be taught/learned
• Decide how it is to be taught/learned
• Conduct try-out and revision
• Assess whether learners learn

22
Steps to planning

• Analyze the learners
• Who are they
• What do they have in common
• What prerequisites would you expect
• Analyze the learners way of learning, their
  particular needs
• Most effective teaching methods for these
  learners
• When is best time/week/year

23
Steps to planning (continued)

• Determine challenges goals of the session
• State objectives in clear, measurable terms
• Determine teaching methods and session plan
• Be mindful of
• The time allotted
• Sequencing
• Be clear about objectives, be logical, consider
  efficiency effectiveness, be clear
• Selectivity (highlight whats important with
  verbal or other cues)
• Variety (voice, learning aids, discussion v.
  lecture, demos, hands-on, ask questions, moving
  around)
• Materials, notes needed
• Handouts

24
Steps to planning (continued)

• Give a post-class assignment to check whether
  instructional objectives achieved
• Use an appropriate way of getting feedback from
  students

25
Instructional Design--needs assessment

• An information based process for systematic
  determination of needs as a basis for program
  planning and development, e.g., for instruction

26
Identifying needs (collecting data)

• reference use patterns
• circulation statistics
• re-shelving statistics
• specific anecdotal evidence from librarians,
  faculty, students
• survey of open-ended questions
• observation

27
Goals

• General statements of purpose that give direction
  to subsequent planning.
• Examples
• Promote library use among a particular group of
  students
• Decrease anxiety about using online systems
• Justify the purchase of a very expensive service
• Enhance the librarys image within the community
  or business

28
Objectives

• Statements of purpose that break goals into
  specific, measurable steps that are taken to meet
  the goals.
• 1. Terminal objectives
• Specific, meaningful units of overall goals
• 2. Enabling objectives
• Define specific knowledge, behavior, or skills
  necessary to achieve terminal objectives

29
Example of goal objectives

• Goal
• Clients will be able to use the library
  efficiently and effectively after completing the
  library instruction program.
• Terminal objective
• Clients will view the library staff as sources of
  information.
• Enabling objective
• The client asks the reference librarian for help
  when unable to answer library-related questions.

30
Instructional methods

• Teachers role is one of
• Facilitator
• Collaborator
• Consultant
• Clarify expectations for the session/course
• Draw out the experience adult learners have to
  offerrecognize that experience

31
Methods (continued)

• Avoid learner overload
• Assess whether or not students have learned what
  you think they have learned
• Develop learning atmosphere of mutual respect,
  support, trust
• Arrange classroom seating to facilitate
  interaction development of relationships

32
Methods (continued)

• Ensure that information provided is used in a
  practical way to solve problems, make decisions
  (problem-oriented), emphasize synthesis
• Emphasize application of knowledge

33
Methods (continued)

• Provide opportunities for self-service
  (independent learning)
• Signs
• Handouts
• Self-guided tours
• Point of use modules
• Workbooks
• Web-based tutorials
• Consider scheduling issues (time constraints of
  students)

34
Forms of evaluation

• Feedback
• Focuses on presentation
• Speech
• Mannerisms
• Terminology
• Content

35
Forms of evaluation (continued)

• Self-evaluation
• Peer evaluation (constructive, respectful, use
  humor)
• What went well
• What did not go so well
• What topics were covered
• What was clear (or not)
• Video-taping

36
Forms of evaluation (continued)

• Program Evaluation
• Systematic ongoing process of obtaining
  meaningful information in order to judge the
  merits of a program.
• Purpose
• To improve the program
• To see how well goals and objectives are being
  met
• To get/keep/give administrative support
• For political decision-making, public relations
• Reporting
• As part of library use studies
• Staffing decisions

37
Steps in evaluation

• Decide why you want to evaluate.
• Determine what you need to know.
• Determine your target audience.
• Determine best method to achieve your aims.
• Develop the questions.
• Pretest and revise the questions.
• Decide how to tally and organize your results.
• Decide who will tally and organize the results.
• Organize your evaluation.
• Do it!
• Report your results.