Becoming Confident Teachers
A Guide for Academic Librarians
- 1st Edition - July 26, 2011
- Author: Claire McGuinness
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 1 - 8 4 3 3 4 - 6 2 9 - 6
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 1 - 7 8 0 6 3 - 2 7 1 - 1
Becoming Confident Teachers examines the teaching role of information professionals at a time of transition and change in higher education. While instruction is now generally… Read more
Becoming Confident Teachers examines the teaching role of information professionals at a time of transition and change in higher education. While instruction is now generally accepted as a core library function in the 21st century, librarians often lack sufficient training in pedagogy and instructional design; consequently finding their teaching responsibilities to be stressful and challenging. By exploring the requirements and responsibilities of the role, this book guides teaching librarians to a position where they feel confident that they have acquired the basic body of knowledge and procedures to handle any kind of instructional requests that come their way, and to be proactive in developing and promoting teaching and learning initiatives. In addition, this book suggests strategies and methods for self-development and fostering a “teacher identity,” giving teaching librarians a greater sense of purpose and direction, and the ability to clearly communicate their role to non-library colleagues and within the public sphere.
- Specifically examines the causes of stress among teaching librarians, zeroing in on recognisable scenarios, which are known to ‘zap’ confidence and increase teacher anxiety among librarians
- An up-to-date and easily digestible take on the role and responsibilities of the teaching librarian
- Identifies the major trends that are transforming the teaching function within professional academic librarianship
Professional and para-professional academic librarians, as well as students of Library and Information Science (LIS), information service managers and researchers
List of tables
About the author
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: The evolving role of the teaching librarian
Abstract:
Teaching librarians and the information literacy revolution
Who is the ‘teaching librarian’?
Should librarians teach?
Teaching librarians – what do academics think?
Teaching librarians and professional education
Exercises and reflections
Chapter 2: Teaching librarians: 10 concepts shaping the role
Abstract:
Developing a ‘teacher identity’
Reflective practice
Developing a personal teaching philosophy and pedagogical knowledge base
The virtual learning environment
Teaching a diverse student base
Information literacy for graduate students and researchers
Instructional training for librarians
Action research in practice
Reinvigorated strategies for collaboration
Advocacy – spreading the word
Exercises and reflections
Chapter 3: Preparing teaching librarians for practice: focusing on the basics
Abstract:
What are the basics?
Conceptualising information literacy
Articulating the educational mission of the library
Learning theories
Broad learning frameworks
Instructional needs assessment
Writing goals, objectives and intended learning outcomes
Selecting teaching and learning activities
Creating effective learning materials
Aligning assessment with learning outcomes and activities
Promotion and outreach
Exercises and reflections
Chapter 4: Confidence-zappers and how to handle them
Abstract:
‘Attendance at our elective information literacy workshops is poor – what can I do to encourage students to sign up?’
‘How can I facilitate active learning with such a large group of students? Is it possible to do more than lecture?’
‘I’m having trouble keeping the students interested in class – they seem bored and unmotivated. Is there anything I can do?’
‘It seems like everyone on campus is using the VLE/CMS for their teaching, and I feel left behind – how can I get started with it?’
‘I have to teach a group of adult learners and I find it intimidating – how can I live up to their expectations?’
‘A lecturer has asked me to give a one-hour session with her class, but no specific idea of what she wants me to cover – how can I develop an effective session?’
Exercises and reflections
Chapter 5: Personal and professional development as a teaching librarian
Abstract:
Evaluation of teaching performance
Student evaluation of teaching
Peer evaluation of teaching
Applying for teaching grants and awards
Teaching portfolios
Reflective journals and blogs
Mentoring
Professional learning communities
Creating and sustaining communities of practice
Publishing in journals and presenting at conferences
Exercises and reflections
Chapter 6: What librarians think: teaching and learning in the real world
Abstract:
Librarians’ work roles, training and involvement in teaching
Involvement in teaching networks and communities
Teaching grants and awards
Librarians’ beliefs about how role is perceived by ‘outsiders’
Librarians’ pre-employment role conceptions compared with current role experience
Librarians’ confidence in teaching
Librarians’ challenges in the teaching role
What do librarians enjoy about teaching?
Librarians’ conceptions of ‘good’ teaching
Librarians’ additional comments about the teaching role
Academic librarians’ experience of teaching: a short survey
References
Index
- Edition: 1
- Published: July 26, 2011
- Language: English
CM
Claire McGuinness
Claire McGuinness PhD, MSc, BSc, RLPE, FHEA, RN (Child)
Professional Advisor, Nursing & Midwifery Education
Chief Nursing Officer’s Directorate
Scottish Government
UK
Affiliations and expertise
Professional Advisor, Nursing and Midwifery Education Chief Nursing Officer Directorate, Scottish Government, UKRead Becoming Confident Teachers on ScienceDirect