OU Libraries Faculty Scholarship

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https://hdl.handle.net/10323/2152

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Academic librarians’ educational factors and perceptions of teaching transformation: An exploratory examination
(2019) Nichols Hess, Amanda
Objective – As information literacy instruction is an increasingly important function of academic librarianship, it is relevant to consider librarians’ attitudes about their teaching. More specifically, it can be instructive to consider how academic librarians with different educational backgrounds have developed their thinking about themselves as educators. Understanding the influences in how these shifts have happened can help librarians to explore the different supports and structures that enable them to experience such perspective transformation. Methods – The author electronically distributed a modified version of King’s (2009) Learning Activities Survey to academic librarians on three instruction-focused electronic mail lists. This instrument collected information on participants’ demographics, occurrence of perspective transformation around teaching, and perception of the factors that influenced said perspective transformation (if applicable). The author analyzed the data for those academic librarians who had experienced perspective transformation around their teaching identities to determine if statistically significant relationships existed between their education and the factors they reported as influencing this transformation. Results – Results demonstrated several statistically significant relationships and differences in the factors that academic librarians with different educational backgrounds cited as influential in their teaching-focused perspective transformation. Conclusion – This research offers a starting point for considering how to support different groups of librarians as they engage in information literacy instruction. The findings suggest that addressing academic librarians’ needs based on their educational levels (e.g., additional Master’s degrees, PhDs, or professional degrees) may help develop productive professional learning around instruction.
Academic librarians’ teaching identities and work experiences: Exploring relationships to support perspective transformation in information literacy instruction
(2020-01) Nichols Hess, Amanda
Academic library leaders have a vested interest in quality library instruction, but strategies to ensure this happens can vary across environments. In this study, the author analyzed data collected using King’s Learning Activities Survey to consider how work demographics impacted instruction librarians’ teaching identity development. Through one-way analyses of variance and cross-tabulation analyses, she found several statistically-significant relationships between how academic librarians’ institution types and times at their institution differently inform their teaching identity development. These relationships offer opportunities for library leaders to offer intentional, data-driven support for academic librarians in developing teaching identities while offering high-quality instruction for learners.
Beyond these walls: Building a library outreach program at Oakland University
(Taylor & Francis, 2003) Kraemer, Elizabeth W.; Lombardo, Shawn V.; Keyse, Dana
To enhance the learning experiences of all students, today’s academic librarians must engage in outreach efforts that move beyond the walls of the library. In the past year, Oakland University’s Kresge Library has made significant inroads in developing outreach initiatives that provide needed services to previously underserved student populations, such as transfer students, multicultural groups, and on-campus residents. These programs have increased the library’s visibility, enhanced its image among the university’s students, faculty, and staff alike, and positioned it at the heart of teaching and learning on campus. This article describes some of these outreach efforts.
A case study of job-embedded learning
(2016-04) Nichols Hess, Amanda
Librarians recognize the importance of professional learning as their roles and responsibilities evolve in the shifting teaching and learning environments of the twenty-first century. However, the literature on meaningful, job-embedded learning opportunities for academic librarians is scant, and opportunities are especially scarce in the fields of instructional design and instructional technology. Using a qualitative case study approach, the author of this article presents how one group of academic librarians added to their knowledge of instructional design, instructional technology, and the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.
Equipping academic librarians to integrate the Framework: A theoretical application
(2015-11) Nichols Hess, Amanda
Academic librarians are increasingly charged with providing instruction in conducting research and using library resources to students, faculty, and staff in higher education. In early 2015, the Association of College and Research Libraries released the Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education and this new set of guidelines significantly impacts how academic libraries and librarians approach library instruction. However, little meaningful research has been done on how to equip this particular group of educational professionals through job-situated or job-related learning to reframe their instructional practices to fit this new mold. In seeking to best address these changing instructional needs, the author proposes that those involved in designing professional learning for academic librarians – such as conference planning committees, instructional designers, and library leaders charged with providing and supporting professional learning on information literacy instruction – design and deliver learning experiences that incorporate transformational learning theory, use principles of social learning theory, and consider learners’ goal orientation and motivation. Incorporating these theories into professional learning practice, academic librarians can more effectively and meaningfully integrate the ACRL Framework into their instruction.
From information experts to expert educators? Academic librarians' experiences with perspective transformation and their teaching identities
(2017) Nichols Hess, Amanda
As information formats, needs, and access change, post-secondary students need to be prepared to make sense of the morass of content they encounter – for academic, professional, and personal purposes. Academic librarians can serve a key role in meeting these needs, especially if they see themselves as educators. In this research, I sought to examine whether academic librarians reported experiencing the phenomenon of perspective transformation around their senses of themselves as professionals; I particularly examined whether they reported developing an identity as an educator. In this sequential explanatory mixed methods study, participants responded to a modified validated survey instrument; I then conducted follow-up interviews with a small sub-set of these respondents to further understand their experiences. From these data, I assert that academic librarians report having such experiences, and I argue that they can develop teaching identities as part of their professional self-concept. From this basic understanding, I also examined what factors influenced academic librarians’ experiences in this transformation process; they indicated that different kinds of interpersonal relationships and hands-on experiences were key to shaping how they viewed themselves as educators. I used more advanced statistical analysis through one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) and linear regression to further consider whether relationships existed between demographic variables and the factors that academic librarians reported as influences in their perspective transformation processes. The areas where these statistically significant relationships exist offer jumping-off points for future researchers interested in exploring academic librarians’ transformative experiences around teaching.
Teaching Students How to Research the Past: Historians and Librarians in the Digital Age
(Society for History Education, 2012-01) Daniel, Dominique
The article discusses innovations in information and communication technologies and examines their impact on the teaching of history, as well as student learning. Particular focus is given to ways in which the practices of historians, librarians, and history teachers are influenced by technology. Studies regarding the opinions of students, faculty members, and librarians regarding historical research training are highlighted and research processes such as metaliteracy and bibliographic instruction are explored. The article also notes collaborative efforts between academic librarians and college history teachers.

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Browsing OU Libraries Faculty Scholarship by Subject "Academic librarians"

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