The value of formative assessments goes beyond understanding where students are in moving forward with assessment an giving constructive feedback; it also does a great deal in informing a teacher's mindset. With formative assessment, the teacher becomes responsible for the continuing growth of the student. Not just did they reach mark "x" but how far did they come to get there. I would be interested in seeing more outcome-based instruction from librarians, in the ADDIE model.
To that end, I was interested in seeking out materials on collaboration with librarians and instructors when determining my readings for this week. I am interested in becoming an outreach librarian in an archive or special collection, specifically working with teachers to bring students in contact with special materials.
The first article I read, "Information Literacy: A Collaborative Endeavor," discussed a program at SUNY Albany that offered undergraduate students a one or two unit course taught in collaboration between a professor and a librarian. Although collaborative relationships are welcomed in most universities, it is understandable that both professors and librarians become so overwhelmed with their separate arenas that they don't seek each other out unless it is absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, this is a great disservice to students. I love the idea of collaborative classes planned and implemented by teachers and librarians.
The next article I read, "Information Literacy: The Changing Library," explored the necessity of Information Literacy in the next generation. The author described how the tools of the "Information Age" are already breaking down walls between teaching and librarianship, and encourages both groups to work together to make sure students are prepared for the world that awaits them.
Finally, I read "Information Literacy for Primary Sources." Yakel explores how new methods for primary source research instruction need to be explored. Where traditionally researchers using primary source material interacted with a reference librarian at an archive, now they are without that mediation using digital archives. The exciting part of this for me is to ability to adapt these new introductory materials, whether they be videos or podcasts, for younger users; to differentiate and make archive materials open to a wide variety of audiences without that much extra work.
Works Cited
Kapitzke, Cushla (2001): Information Literacy: The Changing Library, Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 59-69.
Mackey, Thomas P. & Trudi E. Jacobson (2005): Information Literacy: A Collaborative Endeavor, College Teaching, 53:4, 140-144, http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/CTCH.53.4.140-144
Yakel, Elizabeth (2004): Archives and Manuscripts: Information Literacy for Primary Resources: Creating a New Paradigm for Archival Researcher Education, International Digital Library Perspectives, 20:3, 61-64
Yes! I also think librarians and teachers should be working together more and cooperating to help educate students better. I love the idea of the class that was specifically planned to be co-taught by a professor and a librarian. Rather than looking for scapegoats and blaming each other, it would be great if the two groups could realize that each of them can offer something different and valuable to the educational experience.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the course being taught by the professor and the librarian. I wonder though how many professors who so value their Phd credentials would be willing to teach a class with a colleague who is not necessarily seen as an expert in the field.
ReplyDeleteI think its interesting that you mention parents as the last arena of blame in light of the study that came out recently that suggests that socio-economic factors determine how willing students are to ask questions in class. Now while I do agree that some parents do not stress that its okay to not know, teachers should be able to find ways around this. This I think highlights a problem that even libraries have(and I am not sure how to solve it) and that is what to do with the patrons who need help but are afraid to ask for it. In the classroom teachers can require students to answer questions and thus get a gauge of understanding. How do we do this for the library patron who is just wandering around.
" I am interested in becoming an outreach librarian in an archive or special collection."
ReplyDeleteGood for you! We really need people doing outreach in the archives/special collections world. Unfortunately, I'm not sure the powers-that-be always recognize this, and that's a shame. I blogged about Beth Yakel's article too, and I'm more convinced that ever about the need for more user education in archives and special collections. My biggest thought on this is that outreach is probably the missing piece to digitization; it's great that there's so much digitized archival material out there these days, but if people don't know about it, they won't use it or engage with it or ever even find it. If we can use all the technological tools available to us to really make people aware of what all is out there online from archives/special collections, the results would be really great!
i also really like the idea of trying to pair teachers with librarians to help them find the most appropriate resources. it could almost be like teachers can have access to their own researchers to really craft the most appropriate lessons that will meet student needs.
ReplyDelete