ERIC EJ1088993: Keeping Pace with Information Literacy Instruction for the Real World: When Will MLS Programs Wake Up and Smell the LILACs?

2013·0.45 MB·English

by  ERIC

Volume 7, Issue 1, 2013
[ARTICLE]
K P I
EEPING ACE WITH NFORMATION
I R
LITERACY NSTRUCTION FOR THE EAL
W
ORLD
When will MLS programs wake up and smell the LILACs?
Kimberly Davies-Hoffman
SUNY Geneseo

Barbara Alvarez
University of Michigan

Michelle Costello
SUNY Geneseo

Debby Emerson
Central New York Library Resources Council
ABSTRACT

For over thirty years, numerous studies have discussed the contradiction between the growing
importance of information literacy instruction to the Library’s core mission and lack of
pedagogical training for new librarians. This article reviews the more recent contributions on
the topic, presents a survey of New York State MLS curricula and describes initiatives of
pedagogy training offered in that region outside of MLS programs. The authors focus on the
Library Instruction Leadership Academy (LILAC), an innovative, semester-long training
program created in Western New York State to offer instruction in the pedagogical foundation
and practical experience essential for teaching information literacy skills effectively. They
provide details of the program’s content, organization, funding, assessment methods, and
learning outcomes. While regional initiatives like LILAC prove to be very valuable to their
participants, the authors aim to apply pressure on MLS programs to establish curricular
requirements better suited to the demands of today's librarianship.
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Davies-Hoffman, et al, Keeping Pace Communications in Information Literacy 7(1), 2013
INTRODUCTION of Western New York State librarians who
responded to needs and frustrations

expressed by colleagues in the region. In
As our information landscape broadens and
2010, they established the Library
grows in complexity, information literacy
Instruction Leadership Academy (LILAC)2 -
instruction has become a core mission of the
a semester-long intensive program
21st century library. User education is now
providing librarians new to instruction the
a standard responsibility of most public
pedagogical foundation and practical
service librarians. Lynch and Smith (2001)
experience needed to teach effectively.
documented this trend already a decade ago
LILAC creators were recognized with the
by examining academic reference job
2011 ACRL Instruction Section Innovation
advertisements in the 1990s, concluding that
Award and the program is currently in its
all of them included a component of
second run.
instruction.

Due to the success of the first LILAC
At the same time, library literature exposes
iteration and continued unfulfilled need for
the fact that new librarians are ill-prepared
pedagogic training, enrollment in Spring
to fulfill those teaching responsibilities due
to a lack of pedagogical training.1 "Quite 2013 has doubled, with a number of
applicants having been put on a waiting list.
simply [...] even after 30 years of discussion
Of the 21 participants, four are currently
and debate, teacher training is still a
enrolled in an MLS program and two others
relatively minor part of the professional
have just received their degrees. With the
education for librarians even as it becomes
goal of pressuring MLS programs to
an increasingly important part of their daily
graduate students who are well-prepared for
work" (Walter, 2006, p. 10). While
their impending job responsibilities, the
librarians may well develop their teaching
planning committee for the 2013 Academy
skills on the job through trial and error, they
collaborated with local MLS faculty and
can only become truly proficient in the
classroom if they come into their positions strongly marketed the program on MLS
listservs. Our goal in doing so was to take a
with the necessary foundation in the theory
and practice of instruction (Pappert, 2005, p. small step in showcasing the benefits of
LILAC if the program components were to
3). Thus equipped librarians can move more
easily beyond the traditional point-and-click be adopted in MLS curricula. Two upstate
New York MLS programs, at the University
bibliographic instruction and fold
information literacy skills into the at Buffalo and Syracuse University’s
iSchool, agreed to grant course credit for
curriculum. Peacock (2000) argues that
academic librarians in particular need such matriculated students who were
concurrently enrolled in the Academy.
preparation to get involved, in partnership
with faculty, in all aspects of the education
process. CURRENT TRENDS IN MLS
PEDAGOGY EDUCATION
This article reviews the more recent

literature on librarians’ pedagogical training
In times when instruction constitutes a core
and reports data gathered through surveys of
activity for most librarians, library science
current New York State MLS
programs seem to lag in recognizing that
programs. Following the article reviews,
trend. Julien (2005), who examined ninety-
the authors present an initiative of a group
three such programs around the world,
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Davies-Hoffman, et al, Keeping Pace Communications in Information Literacy 7(1), 2013
found that only one school made For example, St. John’s University, LIS
information literacy instruction a required 304: Librarian as Teacher is only offered
core course and only about half of all North when there is sufficient demand. Recent
American schools offered an elective in communication with a current MLS student
instruction. Mbabu’s more recent study verified that LIS 304 was last taught in
discovered that as of July 2008, 49 MLS Summer 2005 with an enrollment of fifteen
programs offered recurrent full-time credit students. LIS 271: Special Topics,
courses dedicated to instruction, three Information Literacy was most currently
programs offered more than one such course taught in Fall 2009 with nine students.
and eight programs did not include any When asked if she enrolled in the last
(2009). While the above studies show a offering of LIS 271, the student replied:
notable growth in instruction courses, there “Fall 09 was my first semester, so I took 3
are a number of variables that still may core courses…. [I] didn't feel comfortable
restrict the access to and effectiveness of branching out into electives before I had a
such training: foundation. This is my last semester, so I
won't get a chance to take it” (A. Hennig,
 minor inclusion in broader personal communication, February 24,
courses focused on reference 2011). The reasons for not being able to
services; take a course devoted to library instruction
 frequency and timing of course have not changed since the days of the
offering, based on semester/ authors’ library school attendance, with
annual schedule; their MLS degrees granted between 1989
 delivery format of instruction and 2007. While the situation within New
(online vs. in-person); York State may not represent precisely the
 absence of practical teaching broader international spectrum, the literature
experience; and review suggests that this example reflects
 lack of requirement for degree the overall situation quite accurately.
completion.
The lack of requirement and infrequent
Pappert’s study (2005), as well as the offering of instruction courses also leads
personal experience of the authors, suggest into confusion about the professional
that instruction can be briefly addressed in a competencies expected by so many library
required general reference course and does employers. This is how one of the librarians
not nearly prepare students for the interviewed by Walter in his 2008 survey
classroom. Authors’ recent examination of expressed it: ”Where I went to library
the seven MLS programs within New York school, there was one class on instruction.
State shows much inconsistency as to when Of all the different classes, you know,
and how frequently courses dedicated to whatever number of offerings, hundreds of
instruction are offered (See Table 1). offerings, [there was only one] that focused
on instruction. Now, there were oodles of
Not one of the above courses is required of classes on different kinds of reference
all MLS students though more than 50 focuses, and I took a lot of those classes—
percent are required of school media business reference, medical reference—
(SLMS) graduates. The frequency of course which obviously helps with teaching, too,
offerings has been sometimes difficult to but there’s only one that was specifically for
ascertain, but most often it is once a year. [instruction]. So, from that standpoint, I
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Davies-Hoffman, et al, Keeping Pace Communications in Information Literacy 7(1), 2013
TABLE 1 — INSTRUCTION COURSES OFFERED IN MLS PROGRAMS
IN NEW YORK STATE
MLS Course # & Name Req’d Req’d Format Frequency # of
Program for for all Credits
SLMS
Long LIS 620: Instructional Y N Classroom 3
Island Design & Leadership & Online
University
Long LIS 626: Teaching Y N Classroom 3
Island Methodologies for
University SLMS
Pratt LIS 673: Library Use N Classroom 3
Institute Instruction
Pratt LIS 680: Instructional Y N Classroom 3
Institute Technologies
Queens LBSCI 764: Y N Classroom 3
College Instruction
Technologies for Info
Lit
St. Johns LIS 304: Librarian as N N Classroom Upon 1
University Teacher sufficient
demand
Syracuse IST 663: Motivation Y N Classroom 3
University in Info Lit
Syracuse ICT 840: Practicum in Y N Classroom 1-2
University Teaching
U at IST 649: Info Lit N N Classroom Once a 3
Albany Instruction: Theory & year
Techniques
U at IST 673 Technology N N Classroom Once a 3
Albany in School Library year
Media Centers
U at LIS 523: User N N Online Once a 3
Buffalo Education only year
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Davies-Hoffman, et al, Keeping Pace Communications in Information Literacy 7(1), 2013
would have concluded: ‘Oh well, this must ineffectiveness and a poor quality of the
not be a significant priority in the profession experience, e.g. "I took the library
right now because there’s only one class instruction class, but, based on this library
specifically on this issue’” (2008, p. 62). instruction class, I didn't walk away with an
idea that this was such a big thing because
From an employer’s point of view, it is a the class was not a very well-done class, it
struggle to find highly competent candidates was just sort-of slap-dash thrown
who have the necessary pedagogical together" (Walter, 2008, p. 62). The
preparation and classroom experience to instruction courses investigated by Mbabu
transition easily into their teaching duties. (2009) tended to offer a traditional training
Instead, precious time needs to be spent in learning theory, instructional design,
familiarizing a newly-hired librarian with teaching techniques, and program
the basics of library instruction through management, but mostly focused on
classroom observations, team-teaching and developing lower-level information literacy
a slow progression into the classroom skills. Julien (2005) noted lack of coverage
beginning with lessons targeted at lower of basic information literacy concepts,
level skills, e.g. high school visits, pre- outcomes evaluation, needs assessment, and
collegiate workshops, freshman writing Web-based instructional strategies in more
courses. (Ed Rivenburgh, statement at the than half of the examined courses. Shortage
Annual New York Library Association of experiential learning and practical
(NYLA) Conference, November 4, 2010). applications of theory were observed by a
number of authors, e.g. Stewart Sherratt
The opinion of this library director (1987), Meulemans and Brown (2001),
coincides with the sentiments expressed by Pappert (2005). “Students who are not able
librarians. In a study by Johnson and to take a course which combines the theory,
Lindsay (2006) that examined public as well as the practice of teaching, are
services librarians’ attitudes towards their losing half of the information necessary to
professional responsibilities, respondents develop and conduct a comprehensive
chose teaching as the most challenging part instruction session" (Pappert, 2005, p. 22).
of their job. At the same time, only 3
percent of participating librarians named ROAD TO LILAC
instruction as the area in which they felt
well prepared for based upon their MLS
With the current state of MLS pedagogy
education (p. 22). Studies conducted across education in mind, the seeds for the LILAC
higher education institutions both in the US
initiative were planted in January 2009. At
(Westbrock & Fabian, 2010) and in the UK this time the Rochester Regional Library
(Bewick & Corrall, 2010) demonstrate that
Council (RRLC), State University of New
academic librarians develop their teaching York (SUNY) at Geneseo, and the SUNY
skills mostly on the job and through a
Librarians Association (SUNYLA) co-
variety of post-degree training programs, sponsored a one-day workshop called
but they would strongly prefer acquiring
Library Instruction: Teaching Tips from the
those skills in a core module of the MLS Trenches. The session was aimed at new
curriculum.
teaching librarians and designed to promote
information literacy instruction.
Even if MLS graduates completed a course

on instruction, their comments often suggest The workshop organizers tapped a pool of
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Davies-Hoffman, et al, Keeping Pace Communications in Information Literacy 7(1), 2013
local talent representing K-12 schools and the Advancement of Libraries designed to
higher education institutions, and invited support education and professional
experienced librarians and teachers as development of librarians and library staff
mentors. Participants, whose representation and to promote innovative projects in the
reflected a similar mix of institutions, RRLC member libraries. They were
evaluated Teaching Tips from the Trenches awarded $3,500 and planning began in
as a successful event. However, it was clear earnest. The steering committee was formed
that a one-day workshop was not enough. by instruction librarians and educators from
As one participant wrote, "This could have several institutions in the Rochester area and
been a much longer conference, and I think the Assistant Director of RRLC.
this conference just touched the tip of the
iceberg." Other attendees mentioned the A major goal was to provide training that
following needs: was local and either free or of low cost. The
committee hoped to find professional
 in-class observation of development initiatives that could serve as
experienced librarians models. The Association of College and
 development, implementation, Research Libraries’ (ACRL) Information
and peer-critique of a self- Literacy Immersion program offered an
designed lesson excellent model, especially in its application
 time management process and the upfront commitment it
 use and analysis of assessment requires from the participants and their
data administrators. The RRLC’s Leadership
 development of partnerships Institute offered another inspiring model - a
with teaching faculty train-the-trainer type of program, where
 techniques for engaging students after each session participants returned to
in the learning process, including their home institutions and experimented
social media and other with what they had learned. The final and
instructional technologies most important model came from a graduate
 best teaching practices in an seminar on pedagogy offered in 2000-2001
online environment at SUNY Geneseo by a professor of
education to instruction librarians. The
A follow-up event took place at the 2009 seminar included studying different
SUNYLA Conference, where four educational theories, considering their
participants from Teaching Tips presented a implications for library instruction,
pre-conference workshop called Passing the brainstorming and developing lesson plans,
Torch: Instruction Librarians Keeping the keeping a reflective journal on in-classroom
Flames of Active Learning Alive. Like its experiences, and finally teaching a
predecessor, the SUNYLA program proved traditional fifty-minute lesson that was
to be successful, yet still only scraped the videotaped, attended and critiqued by
surface. volunteer student workers, peer seminar
participants and the professor.3 The seminar
ORGANIZING LILAC proved to be an experience with long-lasting
benefits. The same professor was invited to

In Spring 2009, the organizers of Teaching serve as a consultant for the LILAC
program as well as to present the opening
Tips from the Trenches submitted an
application for the Harold Hacker Fund for session that provided the theoretical
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Davies-Hoffman, et al, Keeping Pace Communications in Information Literacy 7(1), 2013
foundation in pedagogy. Academy to a real challenge at
participants’ home institutions.
Given the variety of topics and needs
expressed by participants of previous PARTICIPANT SELECTION
workshops, it was evident that a full-
PROCESS
semester program was the only way to

accomplish the desired goals. The steering
LILAC organizers wanted to ensure that
committee also wanted participants to have
those attending the Academy would fully
time to apply what they would learn at
understand the program’s expectations and
LILAC in their own teaching and then be
would be supported by their administrators.
able to discuss the results with instructors
It was decided that participants needed to
and classmates.
complete an admission application. The

ACRL Immersion application form was
After much deliberation, the steering
adopted and prospective participants were
committee agreed on the following plan:
asked to submit an essay explaining why

they wanted to attend the Academy and how
 The program would run from
they would share and apply knowledge
January to May 2010.
gained from the program. To ensure
 With an opening event and a
administrative support and adequate release
graduation ceremony framing the
from duties, each applicant had to provide a
program, participants would
recommendation letter from a director of
attend a full-day workshop once a
his/her institution.
month.

 Moodle (an open source course
Eleven applicants were accepted into the
management system) was used as
program from a variety of institutions,
the connecting platform between
including elementary and high schools, two-
in-person learning and online
year and four-year colleges, and a research
offerings of the Academy.
university. The span of teaching experience
 Between workshops, participants
ranged from no experience to one year in
would have assigned readings,
the classroom, and to nine years as an online
keep a reflective journal, and
instructor. The application essays supported
participate in an online forum.
the organizers’ belief that although MLS
 Participants would complete a
programs introduce the concept of library
minimum of three classroom
instruction, the majority of their graduates
observations in a variety of library
feel unprepared to teach. Applicants
settings and would comment on
expressed the following sentiments in
those observations in their
response to the LILAC opportunity:
journals.

 Participants would be asked to
Since graduating with my MLS in
video-record their own teaching
2004, I have struggled with the ‘ins
(pre and post-Academy), which
and outs’ of library instruction.
would receive feedback from
When I first saw the announcement
peers and mentors.
about the Library Instruction
 The program would culminate
Leadership Academy, I couldn’t help
with a final project that would
think, ‘this is it’, the answer to my
apply what was learned at the
prayers!
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Davies-Hoffman, et al, Keeping Pace Communications in Information Literacy 7(1), 2013
foundation and framework for the Academy,
Library instruction is an essential and they served as the venue where
function of libraries and yet it is an participants, presenters, organizers and
area often neglected in library observation librarians could meet face-to-
school programs. After two years of face. The choice of topics was determined
graduate study, my only exposure to by feedback from Teaching Tips from the
library instruction was the two-week Trenches and Passing the Torch as well as
unit lumped into the core reference by suggestions of potential presenters. The
services course. Thus, much of my following workshop plan was adopted:
style and teaching techniques were
learned on the job, observing other January 2010
librarians and doing the best with Librarian as Educator: From Theory to
what knowledge I had. Practice
A professor of education and a college
The letters received from the administrators librarian presented key trends in educational
reinforced those sentiments: theory and their implications for library
instruction. Focusing on lessons from Daniel
We are sure that the Academy will Willingham's Why Don't Students Like
be an enriching experience for [this School?, participants considered nine
candidate] and will also become a general principles of learning and
learning opportunity for all our brainstormed potential approaches to
librarians as she shares what she teaching within the information literacy
has learned with us. But ultimately, context. 4
the beneficiaries of her learning
experience will be hundreds of February 2010
physicians and nurses who care for Morning session: Learners & Partners:
the health of our community and Students
have learned how to efficiently and Complemented by readings and a guided
effectively find information for the observation completed prior to the
care of patients. workshop, this session explored
characteristics of students that influence
I would like to see the Library their in-class behavior and learning.
Instruction Leadership Academy
become an annual professional Afternoon session: Learners & Partners:
development offering for librarians. Faculty
Presently, formal pedagogical A community college librarian and a
training within an accredited MLS professor presented scenarios of librarian/
program is limited. This program faculty partnerships and opportunities for co
will help fill that gap. -teaching. The second half of the workshop,
with new presenters, focused on ways in
LILAC COMPONENTS which school librarians can foster
collaborative relationships with classroom
teachers.
Workshops

Creation and implementation of the monthly
March 2010
workshops was a major part of the planning
Morning session: Multiple Intelligences &
process. The workshops provided the
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Davies-Hoffman, et al, Keeping Pace Communications in Information Literacy 7(1), 2013
Instructional Strategies sessions. The committee was adamant that
Using Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple the presenters model the teaching practices
intelligences framing the workshop, two they were discussing and that they include
college librarians introduced creative ways active learning components. Although not a
of diversifying the instructional content to requirement, the committee also
match different learning styles. recommended that presenters include
readings and/or assignments related to their
Afternoon session: Teacher as Performer workshops and participate in the students’
With guidance from a librarian with operatic online discussions. It was important to offer
experience and a professor of theater, the students a complete course experience
participants gained practical knowledge of with material to supplement what they
the physical body and voice as important would learn in the classroom and with peer-
tools for teaching. to-peer interaction between workshops.

April 2010 Field Observations
Teaching with Technology As noted by Peacock (2000), “modeling is a
This workshop combined a presentation powerful teaching and learning tool, and
delivered online (via Elluminate Live!) by a observation is standard practice in all
distantly located instructor, and an on-site teacher education courses" (p. 37). Offering
demonstration featuring some rising a first-hand experience of watching a
instructional technologies. LILAC students seasoned librarian in the classroom was a
experimented with gaming and small group primary consideration in LILAC planning.
activities in the online environment. The steering committee agreed that each
participant should observe a minimum of
May 2010 three instruction sessions taught at different
Morning session: Classroom Management institution types. The organizers solicited
Revisiting Gardner's multiple intelligences participation of librarians with substantial
and Bloom’s taxonomy, a high school social teaching experience and availability to
studies teacher demonstrated how to keep answer questions from participants before
students engaged in the course content and and after the session. Over twenty librarians
foster higher-level thinking skills. from grade schools, higher education
institutions and specialized research
Afternoon session: Assessment institutes volunteered to be observed.
Using a panel format with presenters hailing Participants were given specific guidelines
from a variety of institutional settings, this before their first two observations and could
afternoon workshop introduced and choose the focus for the third and/or
modeled tools that gauge learners' subsequent sessions. Throughout the
instructional needs and learning outcomes. semester, participants were expected to keep
an online journal of their observations,
All sessions were held in the instruction which was reviewed by committee members
room of the RRLC in Fairport, NY. LILAC and observation librarians.
organizers strived to create a seamless

progression from one workshop to the next.

Well ahead of time, the presenters were put

in contact with one another to share ideas
and to collaborate on the content of their
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Davies-Hoffman, et al, Keeping Pace Communications in Information Literacy 7(1), 2013
LEARNING OUTCOMES AND knowledge about learning and teaching, but
they also revealed feelings of confidence
ASSESSMENT
and enthusiasm that replaced previously

harbored apprehension and a sense of
At the planning stage, LILAC organizers
incompetence. One participant stated “…
established the following goals and learning
after having taken this course I am so much
outcomes for Academy participants:
more confident and passionate about

instruction.” Another participant wrote “it is
 Participants will demonstrate an
a lot of work, but I feel better equipped to
understanding and
be an effective instructional designer/
implementation of best practices
teacher.” Most importantly, early on in the
in classroom pedagogy.
semester, participants began experimenting
 Participants will exhibit a growing
with the newly learned techniques and
understanding of the ways an
strategies in their own teaching. After the
instruction librarian approaches
first session, one participant wrote:
preparation and presentation of

classroom materials.
I was so inspired [that] I came to
 Participants will demonstrate
work Monday evening and spent 2
greater confidence in their
hours brainstorming with my
teaching methodology, especially
colleague on how we could apply what
as it pertains to risk taking,
I learned to our own teaching. The
creativity, and interaction with
result was an entirely new lesson that
students.
encompassed as many of the principles
 Participants and their mentors will
[our presenter] introduced as possible.
create a learning community

where they build strong
In the final assessment, the great majority of
relationships and continue to learn
participants reported having implemented
from each other well beyond the
concepts or techniques they had learned at
timeline of the Academy.
the Academy. The recurring themes in
 Participants will be encouraged to
those efforts were “the role of teacher as a
disseminate their learning through
designer of learning experiences” and
national, state, and regional
“learning by doing.” Thus, many
conference presentations/
participants focused on guiding the learning
workshops and publications in
process rather than lecturing, dedicating
library and educational journals.
more time to hands-on activities, and

encouraging students to share findings and
Assessment of participants’ progress
communicate with peers during class.
towards these goals was constant throughout
Participants also recognized that since the
the LILAC program. After each workshop,
beginning of the program, they had become
as well as at the conclusion of the Academy,
more reflective practitioners, taking more
feedback was gathered through multiple
time to review the instruction sessions they
assessment tools, e.g. 3-2-1 response5, Plus/
had just conducted to constantly improve
Delta6, participant blogs, and pre- and post-
their performance. The fruits of those efforts
workshop surveys. Another way to observe
were noted early on in the Academy:
the participants’ learning process was to
“While there certainly is room for
follow their reflective journal entries.
improvement, if I were to teach this specific
Participants not only reported acquiring new
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