Each graduate of the Master of Library and Information Science program is able to design instructional programs based on learning principles and theories.
According to Elmborg (2006) librarians are moving from service providers to active educators because there is an increased demand for instruction. Elmborg finds that there is a greater demand for instruction than reference services that has caused an increased interest in literacy (192). From personal experience working in a library, a great number of patrons asking for help often ask questions that require some type of instruction. For example, I often help patrons learn to navigate their Gmail accounts. Elmborg explains that librarians are taking on these new educational roles and are concerned about being better instructors. Whether librarians think they are instructors or not, instructing patrons on a topic is something that happens daily even if it is instructing a patron on a simple task. I think librarians need to learn how to cultivate their instruction methods to adapt to the needs of the public. Therefore it is important for information professionals to learn how to design instructional programs for different types of environments. Different environments treat literacy differently depending on the community’s values and goals. For example, the literacy goals for an academic setting such as a school and University will differ from other environments such as a library or training programs. For example, schools use standards that are limiting to students because success is measured by how well students adapt to these standards (Elmborg, 2006 p 194). Such standards are limiting to students with different learning styles and do not reflect their strengths. As a result, information professionals are using literacy theories in their work environments to construct instructional programs. This is important for information professionals because constructing instructional programs that reach a wide range of users and limits learning barriers relates to the core values of service and intellectual freedom.
Universal Design for Instruction (UDI)
One important set of principles that information professionals should know is Universal Design for Instruction. UDI is a set of principles using Universal Design principles from architecture but in an educational environment. UDI seeks to provide accessibility for all students because it involves thinking about potential needs and barriers before designing instructional sessions (Universal design for instruction).
The following are nine principles of UDI:
Principle 1: Equitable Use
Instruction is designed to be useful to and accessible by people with diverse abilities. Provide the same means of use for all students; identical whenever possible, equivalent when not.
Principle 2: Flexibility in Use
Flexibility in use Instruction is designed to accommodate a wide range of individual abilities. Provide choice in methods of use.
Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive
Simple and intuitive Instruction is designed in a straightforward and predictable manner, regardless of the student’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level. Eliminate unnecessary complexity.
Principle 4: Perceptible Information
Perceptible information Instruction is designed so that necessary information is communicated effectively to the student, regardless of ambient conditions or the student’s sensory abilities.
Principle 5: Tolerance for Error
Tolerance for error Instruction anticipates variation in individual student learning pace and prerequisite skills.
Principle 6: Low Physical Effort
Low physical effort Instruction is designed to minimize nonessential physical effort in order to allow maximum attention to learning. Note: This principle does not apply when physical effort is integral to the essential requirements of a course.
Principle 7: Size and Space for Approach and Use
Size and space for approach and use Instruction is designed with consideration for appropriate size and space for approach, reach, manipulations, and use regardless of a student’s body size, posture, mobility, and communication needs.
Principle 8: A Community of Learners
A community of learners the instructional environment promotes interaction and communication among students and between students and faculty.
Principle 9: Instructional Climate
Instruction is designed to be welcoming and inclusive. High expectations are espoused for all students.
(Source: Principles of Universal Design for Instruction, by Sally S. Scott, Joan M. McGuire, and Stan F. Shaw. Storrs: University of Connecticut, Center on Postsecondary Education and Disability. Copyright 2001)
Chodock, Dolinger & O’Connor (2009) discuss how universal design is beneficial to all learners because we can build instructional materials that address everyone’s needs. Every student to some degree faces learning challenges that different types of instruction could benefit. For example, Chodock, Dolinger & O’Connor (2009) explains that working memory is a common mental activity that is very limited in all students but is more severe in students with mental and learning disabilities (25). Such understandings of mental activities would help instructors create instruction plans that take into account that everyone has learning differences, instead of sticking to one mode of instruction that is beneficial to only one type of group. People who have difficulties with learning may feel excluded and frustrated when there are limited alternatives. Universal design is beneficial because it helps students who are having difficulties, and provides everyone else with extra resources and support. For example, MP3’s of lectures and readings could be utilized with students who are on the go or trying to multi-task. Some students could listen to them while they are running, in the car of a long commute to work, or when they are doing housework. The extra resources give students alternatives to meet their needs and schedules. As instructors, the Universal Design principles encourage multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. Different types of formats for lectures, readings, and resources and the inclusion of active learning are some things that instructors can consider when compiling lesson plans. For example, instructors can provide MP3’s, video, text, website page, and PowerPoint with visuals of their lectures. This is not only accessible from different devices and locations but provides repetitive resources that students can consult and modify. For example, a student could take text from a webpage or PDF, and use a screen reader to read it. Instructors can also provide assignment alternatives and independent activities outside of lecture so that students can choose the format in which they want to display the information they are learning. Information professionals could keep these in mind when providing resources and instruction classes. It also is important when librarians are conducting even minimal instruction, that it is simplified and explained in a vocabulary that is familiar to a patron. All students will benefit from universal design principles because it provides resources and support from various formats and activities.
Cognitive Overload
Using a variety of tools and formats allows instructors to organize information in a matter that is useful to all students no matter what there learning styles or levels. This is important when designing instructional sessions but instructors must also not overwhelm students with too much information and stimuli. Tempelman-Kluit (2006), explains that instructors need to avoid cognitive overload when using multi-media (366). It is understood that we need to cater to different learning styles, but we need to understand that even too much information is not easy to process or easy to remember for most students. There needs to be a balance between, text, sound, and visuals that are appropriate for the situation. Tempelman-Kluit ( 2006), discuss interactivity and segmentation as methods that allow students to take a break and process the information without feeling overwhelmed (368). This would cater with different levels of processing information and also would allow a better absorption of information because there is time to pause and reflect using information that is learned and then processed in a way that a student would feel comfortable with. For example, when taking a three-hour class, it is hard to pay attention to a lecture without some type of break or activity. After a while, you lose interest out of boredom or you just can’t remember all that information without taking the time to think about what you just learned. You can sit and listen to a lecture, but are you paying attention after 2 hours? The utilization of guide on the side and screencasting, allows students to learn at their own pace. Students can take breaks, go back or forward and it would not disrupt other student’s environments. Students could also watch or do these tutorials in till they feel they have a good grasp of the concepts learned. It is also interactivity, so students do not feel they are passively being taught, but are teaching themselves.
Competency Development:
As information professionals, instruction is a very important part of the work that is done and therefore is discussed in many courses for my MLIS. In Libr 254, Information Literacy and Learning, we discussed learning theories and their application in synchronous and asynchronous instruction settings. We also discussed the application of learning theories and how to utilize them in our instruction sessions and programs within libraries and information organizations. Discussions boards were filled with a variety of topics that included teaching tips and strategies, using technology and tools and issues that surround instruction within libraries and information organizations. The course also looked at standards from ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) and AASL (American Association of School Librarians) to supplement our teaching strategies and designs. These are important standards to be aware of because they serve as guidelines and highlight important instruction goals when creating lesson plans for children and adults in the library field. Learning about instruction theories and techniques allowed me to create instruction sessions using a variety of formats and tools for assignments. Another course, Libr 210, was also important in guiding me with instructional design. In Libr 210, we discussed the relationship between reference services and information literacy. Instruction is a very big component in reference services because many inquiries deal with teaching patrons how to use technology to find information and materials. In Libr 210, we evaluated services to understand how information literacy is taught through these interactions. Therefore it is important for information professionals to teach information literacy skills through reference interactions and library programs. The course gave me the information resources I need to help construct information literacy instruction sessions.
Evidence 1: Libr 254 Google Docs Lesson Plan and Slides
In Libr 254, I planned an instruction session on Google Docs share and access settings that I demonstrated live with fellow classmates as my audience/participants. I created a lesson plan to set the purpose, objectives, and goals and lesson content. The purpose of my lesson was to demonstrate how to access, identify and use these settings in a live demo. My lesson plan helped me visualize the format, structure and potential audience to create content and activities that suited my objectives. An instructor needs to plan for their potential audience because different audiences have different needs that need to be addressed before an instruction session takes place. The process of planning for my lesson plan included the application of learning theories and strategies to help me choose format and delivery options. For example, for an online step by step demo, I used PowerPoint with labeled screenshots to assist me in the visual aspect of my lesson. Looking at learning theories and strategies also helped me decide on the structure and mode of engagement. This was important because I wanted to avoid cognitive overload and encourage active participant so that users could process the information at levels that are suited to their learning styles. I incorporated segmentation, recaps, and activities to reinforce the concepts and steps I was teaching for later retrieval. Given the online nature of this session, I planned activities utilizing chat tools, to allow my audience the chance to process the information, and ask questions if they needed clarification. Included in my lesson plan, is my methodology that explains the decisions I made and how I applied learning theories and techniques using available literature about instruction methods. Planning a lesson plan is important because it allows an instructor a chance to plan for the needs of their audience ahead of time. Lesson plans give instructors the opportunity to create engaging instruction sessions that they can replicate, adjust and improve on. The lesson plan also acts as a step-by-step guide for other instructors to follow and use. Information professionals need to know how to create lesson plans because the instruction is an important part of how we provide information and resources to users. This assignment demonstrates that I can apply learning theories into the design and construction of my lesson plan so that I can reach a wide range of users with different learning styles. In the future, I will have no trouble constructing lesson plans because I have a good foundation to build upon.
Evidence 2: Libr 254 Guide on the Side
In my Libr 254 course, I also had the opportunity to create an instruction session using an alternative format called Guide on the Side. Guide on the Side is an interactive web-based tutorial that provides guidance while users navigate through a website. For this instruction session, my partner and I created a tutorial for instructors navigating a database called NBC Learn K-12. Both my partner and I agreed on the structure and contributed content for the creation of this tutorial. In this tutorial, we provided step-by-step guidance on a side panel, while users had the opportunity to explore the website at the same time. The guidance we provided was broken down into three sections with instructions on how to browse and search the database. It was also supplemented with screenshots of the database highlighting areas of interest users should be looking at. We also included quiz questions to recap the process learned and to provide the user an opportunity to check if they are using the database correctly. The structure of this guide on the side uses techniques like segmentation and reviews after each section to improve recall. This type of instruction is powerful for users because users have the chance to experience this tutorial through hands-on application. This tutorial is also useful for users because it also allows them to follow along at their own pace and connivance. This tutorial gives users with different learning style different ways of processing this information through text, visuals, and kinesthetic tasks. This assignment demonstrates how I used alternative formats using instruction theories and strategies. Learning about different tools and resources is important because information professionals need creative and engaging ways of reaching all users. When I am designing information sessions, I will try to look for ways to deliver my content using web tools when it suits the needs of my users.
Evidence 3: Libr 210 Evaluating Websites Instruction Package
In Libr 210, a group and I created an instruction package for High school students evaluating websites for their civics class. In our instruction package, we included a lesson plan, learning guide, teacher notes, and presentation so that anyone could use our materials for an instruction session. All group members contributed to the content of the instruction package, but different group members were in charge of putting that information together in the different components of the package. I was in charge of the PowerPoint and the visuals. Our lesson plan was designed using the Big6 instruction design that helped set objectives and the tasks and skills that we wanted our students to take away from the lesson. Planning helped us visualize what we wanted our students to learn and implement in their civics assignment. Our instruction session explains the CARS Method (Creditability, Accuracy, Reliability, Support) as an evaluation tool for websites and it is broken down into sections so that students have the opportunity to process the information. It is important to break down concepts into manageable sections to prevent cognitive overload. The session included demonstrations of good and bad websites applying the CARS Method so that students could understand how the CARS method is applied with resources they might come across through a Google search. The slide imagery also serves as a retention tool by reflecting the subject of the slide. For example, slide number 3 pictures a checklist in reference to the 4 components of the CARS method and slide 4 depicts a car in reference to CARS. Visualizing the CARS Method will help students apply it when they come across online resources and will also help students who are visual learners. At the end, students are asked to work in groups evaluating websites using the learning guide and presenting their findings to the class. This activity is an important part of the session because it allows students to engage with the content and allows the instructor to observe if the instruction objectivities are meet. This is also another strategy to encourage recall if the activity is associated with the information learned. This instruction session includes the incorporation of segmentation, visuals and an activity to help students recall the information for their assignments. This assignment demonstrates how we applied instruction techniques and strategies to create an instruction package that anyone could use. This assignment demonstrates how I used visuals in our PowerPoint to supplement the content of the session to produce better recall using instruction techniques. This assignment also demonstrates how I can work with groups to construct instruction sessions using instructional strategies and techniques. As a result, I have learned how to construct an instruction package with materials for instructors and students to use.
Conclusion:
Grafstein (2002) explains that there is much research and theory about knowledge acquisition and states “knowledge acquisition depends on the ability to associate ideas with other related ideas (200).” If students associate information learned from library instruction with their current courses, they will retain the information better because they can relate the content to each other. If the same types of materials, subjects, and assignments are presented to them in the future, the skills learned can be applied to other courses as well. Information literacy skills learned can be useful in other areas as well. Information literacy skills are life-long skills that are useful in not just academic environments, but also in job and personal areas too. Therefore it is important for information professionals to be aware of instructional techniques and strategies so that we can promote life-long skills and knowledge for our patrons and users.
Resources:
Chodock, T., Dolinger, E., & O’Connor, L. (2009). Applying Universal Design to Information Literacy: Teaching Students Who Learn Differently at Landmark College. Reference and user services quarterly, 49(1), 24-32.
Grafstein, A. (2002, July). A Discipline-Based Approach to Information Literacy. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 28(4), 197-204
Scott, S., McGuire, J.M., & Foley, T.E. (2001). Universal design for instruction: An exploration of principles for anticipating and responding to student diversity in the classroom. Storrs, CT: Center on Postsecondary Education and Disability.
Tempelman-Kluit, N. (2006, July). Multimedia Learning Theories and Online Instruction. College & Research Libraries, 67(4), 364-369
Universal design for instruction – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal
Assignments
Libr_254_Google_Docs_Lesson_Plan
LIBR_210_Evaluating_Websites_Lesson_Plan
LIBR _210_Evaluating_Websites_Teacher Notes
LIBR_210_Evaluating_Websites_Presentation