Megan Fitzgibbons
Concordia University (Canada), Library, Department Member
- The University of Western Australia, Centre for Education Futures, Department MemberThe University of Western Australia, Information Services, Department Memberadd
- Information Professional. Educator. Writer. My most recent position was Innovation Librarian at the Centre for Educa... moreInformation Professional. Educator. Writer.
My most recent position was Innovation Librarian at the Centre for Education Futures at the University of Western Australia. Before that, I was a librarian in the UWA Library, initially based in the Law Library and later managing projects related to learning & teaching. Previously, I was employed at McGill University in Canada. I completed my Master of Library and Information Studies degree at Dalhousie University in Canada.edit
With Alissa Sputore
Research Interests:
Howard, Roz and Fitzgibbons, Megan. (2016). Librarian as partner: In and out of the library. In A. Mackenzie & L. Martin (Eds.), Developing digital scholarship: Emerging practices in academic libraries (pp. 43-60). London: Facet... more
Howard, Roz and Fitzgibbons, Megan. (2016). Librarian as partner: In and out of the library. In A. Mackenzie & L. Martin (Eds.), Developing digital scholarship: Emerging practices in academic libraries (pp. 43-60). London: Facet Publishing.
Research Interests:
ACCESS, vol 29, no 4, 30-33
Research Interests:
With Carole L. Hinchcliff and Claudia Davies
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
As higher education diversifies worldwide, academic librarians must adapt their information literacy initiatives to meet the needs of new populations. This paper explores the implementation of information literacy instruction and library... more
As higher education diversifies worldwide, academic librarians must adapt their information literacy initiatives to meet the needs of new populations. This paper explores the implementation of information literacy instruction and library services for diverse adult learners, in response to Cooke’s (2010) call for case studies on the relationship between andragogy and information literacy. Based on librarians’ success in reaching a previously underserved continuing education department, a variety of practical techniques for working with diverse students and instructors are discussed, with a focus on how learners’ characteristics inform the approaches. Effective techniques from adult education theory and information literacy practice are discussed in the context of outreach to continuing education learners.
Librarians adapt instruction and communication strategies for students with varying levels of language, library, and technology skills; teach outside usual “business hours”; teach online; integrate information literacy outcomes in course curricula; tailor communication to students and instructors; and continually develop entirely new workshops based upon the content specific to continuing education programmes. Through these efforts, this unique group of students and instructors has been provided with previously unrealised access to information literacy training and library services.
Challenges in outreach and teaching remain; however, the groundwork has been laid for a sustained liaison relationship. Future work will include systematic evaluation of successes and changing needs so that structured information literacy efforts, tailored for continuing education students, can evolve over time.
Librarians adapt instruction and communication strategies for students with varying levels of language, library, and technology skills; teach outside usual “business hours”; teach online; integrate information literacy outcomes in course curricula; tailor communication to students and instructors; and continually develop entirely new workshops based upon the content specific to continuing education programmes. Through these efforts, this unique group of students and instructors has been provided with previously unrealised access to information literacy training and library services.
Challenges in outreach and teaching remain; however, the groundwork has been laid for a sustained liaison relationship. Future work will include systematic evaluation of successes and changing needs so that structured information literacy efforts, tailored for continuing education students, can evolve over time.
Research Interests:
The use of bibliographic management software and its internal search interfaces is now pervasive among researchers. This study compares the results between searches conducted in academic databases' search interfaces versus the EndNote... more
The use of bibliographic management software and its internal search interfaces is now pervasive among researchers. This study compares the results between searches conducted in academic databases' search interfaces versus the EndNote search interface. The results show mixed search reliability, depending on the database and type of search performed.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the problems of a one size fits all approach to information literacy (IL) teaching, and consider how to make the experience more relevant to the learner.... more
Abstract:
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the problems of a one size fits all approach to information literacy (IL) teaching, and consider how to make the experience more relevant to the learner.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a discussion based on an extensive analysis of the literature.
Findings – Isolated rote learning, without any self-motivation on the part of the learner, will limit the degree to which information skills can be applied in other situations. If lifelong learning is the true goal of IL education, information specialists are ideally placed to impart skills that go beyond the ostensibly limited relevance (from a student's perspective) of academic assignments.
Research limitations/implications – The paper discusses alternative approaches to the teaching of IL based on a review of the literature. It offers new models for consideration for IL practitioners.
Originality/value – The paper discusses the role of the learner and their motivation and how librarians can make IL training more relevant to the individual. As such should be of interest to practitioners in educational institutions of all kinds.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the problems of a one size fits all approach to information literacy (IL) teaching, and consider how to make the experience more relevant to the learner.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a discussion based on an extensive analysis of the literature.
Findings – Isolated rote learning, without any self-motivation on the part of the learner, will limit the degree to which information skills can be applied in other situations. If lifelong learning is the true goal of IL education, information specialists are ideally placed to impart skills that go beyond the ostensibly limited relevance (from a student's perspective) of academic assignments.
Research limitations/implications – The paper discusses alternative approaches to the teaching of IL based on a review of the literature. It offers new models for consideration for IL practitioners.
Originality/value – The paper discusses the role of the learner and their motivation and how librarians can make IL training more relevant to the individual. As such should be of interest to practitioners in educational institutions of all kinds.
Hypertext, the creation of links within or among texts in a digital environment, is the basis on which documents are transmitted electronically. This paper explores implications of hypertext theory for how users read, seek, and understand... more
Hypertext, the creation of links within or among texts in a digital environment, is the basis on which documents are transmitted electronically. This paper explores implications of hypertext theory for how users read, seek, and understand information. Hypertext does not necessarily change reading cognition, but its nodal structure affects readers' interactions with texts on a conceptual level. From a broader perspective, hypertext applications create and organize networks of literature that can be retrieved on a multiplicity of levels. Hypertext and its connecting properties allow 1) information seekers to accomplish their tasks in a digital environment, and 2) information professionals to fulfill long-held goals for organizing and disseminating information.
The implementation of an information commons in an academic library has a significant impact on human resource concerns in the organization. The success of the project relies on the application of change management strategies. The... more
The implementation of an information commons in an academic library has a significant impact on human resource concerns in the organization. The success of the project relies on the application of change management strategies. The abilities and roles of staff members must be assessed and reshaped to create the integrated service model. Resistance to change is common, but its causes can be identified and alleviated through communication and training. Values of cooperation and adaptability should be fostered within the organization.
In today’s environment of extreme information overload, it is essential that educators facilitate students’ development of baseline skills in finding, evaluating, and using information. Despite ongoing efforts to foster critical thinking... more
In today’s environment of extreme information overload, it is essential that educators facilitate students’ development of baseline skills in finding, evaluating, and using information. Despite ongoing efforts to foster critical thinking skills, though, individual professors often set term paper and project assignments with only the end result in mind. One study, for example, that examined writing assignments given to undergraduates found that little guidance on the process was offered; only requirements for the final product were mentioned (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). Often, professors (i.e., expert researchers) tend not to consider the process through which students (i.e., novices) must navigate the complex information landscape.
In contrast, one primary mission of academic librarians is to facilitate students’ development of research skills--with an emphasis on the process. However, their traditional approaches often focus on “information seeking” tasks. They tend to provide students with tools-based approaches, favoring linear processes of identifying appropriate vocabulary and executing database searches. The more messy puzzles of selecting and refining topics are glossed over, and the iterative nature of the entire enterprise is de-emphasized. Moreover, the typical “one-shot” presentations by librarians have a limited effect on students’ long-term behaviour.
Caught in the middle of their instructors’ and librarians’ approaches, students often express frustration with the research process. From their perspective, the distinction between “information seeking” and “information use” is a meaningless boundary. For them, the process is holistic: gathering information and crafting a final paper are not separate tasks. Therefore, artificial assignment settings, such as library scavenger hunts or choose-any-topic “research” papers, tend to produce anxiety and frustration. Self-motivation diminishes in the face of vague assignment guidelines and decontextualized information gathering tasks. Instructional approaches that do not take into account the entire assignment-completion process encourage rote-learning and thereby limit the degree to which information skills can be applied in other situations. Instead, skills have to be continually reinforced both in the classroom and outside when students are asked to work independently.
In this interactive workshop, first, a view of undergraduate students’ information behaviour will be offered, as informed by a librarian’s perspective. The connections between the research process and intrinsic motivation will be discussed, with the aim of exploring best practices for sparking research motivation. In other words: how can students get interested in research, and how does motivation affect their success? Next, key solutions will be discussed, vis-à-vis holistic collaborations between professors and librarians in teaching information skills and designing assignments that motivate students to engage in research tasks.
The session will feature buzz group discussions about students’ behaviour and motivation during the assignment completion process. In addition, attendees will critique sample workshops, assignments, and evaluation rubrics that could potentially spark students’ motivation by integrating the perceived boundaries between information gathering, evaluating, and writing. Finally, successful examples of professor-librarian collaborations that foster students’ motivation will be shared.
Head, A.J. & Eisenberg, M.B. (2010). Assigning inquiry: How handouts for research assignments guide today's college students. Project Information Literacy Progress Report: http://projectinfolit.org/publications/
In contrast, one primary mission of academic librarians is to facilitate students’ development of research skills--with an emphasis on the process. However, their traditional approaches often focus on “information seeking” tasks. They tend to provide students with tools-based approaches, favoring linear processes of identifying appropriate vocabulary and executing database searches. The more messy puzzles of selecting and refining topics are glossed over, and the iterative nature of the entire enterprise is de-emphasized. Moreover, the typical “one-shot” presentations by librarians have a limited effect on students’ long-term behaviour.
Caught in the middle of their instructors’ and librarians’ approaches, students often express frustration with the research process. From their perspective, the distinction between “information seeking” and “information use” is a meaningless boundary. For them, the process is holistic: gathering information and crafting a final paper are not separate tasks. Therefore, artificial assignment settings, such as library scavenger hunts or choose-any-topic “research” papers, tend to produce anxiety and frustration. Self-motivation diminishes in the face of vague assignment guidelines and decontextualized information gathering tasks. Instructional approaches that do not take into account the entire assignment-completion process encourage rote-learning and thereby limit the degree to which information skills can be applied in other situations. Instead, skills have to be continually reinforced both in the classroom and outside when students are asked to work independently.
In this interactive workshop, first, a view of undergraduate students’ information behaviour will be offered, as informed by a librarian’s perspective. The connections between the research process and intrinsic motivation will be discussed, with the aim of exploring best practices for sparking research motivation. In other words: how can students get interested in research, and how does motivation affect their success? Next, key solutions will be discussed, vis-à-vis holistic collaborations between professors and librarians in teaching information skills and designing assignments that motivate students to engage in research tasks.
The session will feature buzz group discussions about students’ behaviour and motivation during the assignment completion process. In addition, attendees will critique sample workshops, assignments, and evaluation rubrics that could potentially spark students’ motivation by integrating the perceived boundaries between information gathering, evaluating, and writing. Finally, successful examples of professor-librarian collaborations that foster students’ motivation will be shared.
Head, A.J. & Eisenberg, M.B. (2010). Assigning inquiry: How handouts for research assignments guide today's college students. Project Information Literacy Progress Report: http://projectinfolit.org/publications/
Due to factors including cultural differences, lack of experience in higher education, and pressures in personal life, many adult learners in continuing education programs require support to develop the academic skills needed to succeed... more
Due to factors including cultural differences, lack of experience in higher education, and pressures in personal life, many adult learners in continuing education programs require support to develop the academic skills needed to succeed in their studies. Find out how librarians can broaden their outreach by collaborating with continuing education programs to deliver “study skills” workshops targeted at these unique learners. Through presentation of a case study and audience-driven discussion, participants will explore the process of developing specialized study skills workshops. Be prepared to expand your thinking about how librarians can take a holistic approach to supporting their constituencies’ academic skills.
Créer les occasions pour l’apprentissage significatif : il s’agit d’un grand défi pour les bibliothécaires, surtout dans le contexte typique de formation documentaire —le « one-shot. » L’épreuve est beaucoup plus difficile avec les... more
Créer les occasions pour l’apprentissage significatif : il s’agit d’un grand défi pour les bibliothécaires, surtout dans le contexte typique de formation documentaire —le « one-shot. » L’épreuve est beaucoup plus difficile avec les étudiants linguistiquement et culturellement variés. Cette présentation examine des méthodes de pédagogie active afin d’améliorer l’apprentissage dans la formation documentaire intégrée dans les cours d’anglais langue seconde. Fondée dans l’expérience de la présentatrice avec les étudiants « non-traditionnelle, » techniques pratiques seraient présentées : le travail collaboratif, la rétroaction active, et l’apprentissage par questionnement.
Green library is a popular buzz term whose meaning is often muddled. This session introduces the Environmental Management System (EMS) cycle as a framework for managing environmentally responsible libraries. An introduction to EMS theory,... more
Green library is a popular buzz term whose meaning is often muddled. This session introduces the Environmental Management System (EMS) cycle as a framework for managing environmentally responsible libraries. An introduction to EMS theory, concrete examples, and interactive discussion will provide guidance for greening libraries. Be prepared to go beyond the hype.
As the face of higher education transforms in North America, academic librarians must adapt their instruction initiatives to the needs of diverse learners. This session presents practical ways to implement library services for previously... more
As the face of higher education transforms in North America, academic librarians must adapt their instruction initiatives to the needs of diverse learners. This session presents practical ways to implement library services for previously underserved diverse learners, based on librarians' successful work with McGill University's Centre for Continuing Education. We will explore strategies for reaching non-traditional students and instructors, including teaching methodologies, curriculum integration, promotional initiatives, and ongoing asynchronous support. Throughout the session, participants will engage in conversations on how to reach underserved and diverse user groups within a university, with the end goal of facilitating information literacy development.
Concept maps are graphical representations of concepts and their relationships to each other. Mapping is an effective way for librarians to design and communicate information skills sessions, plan team projects, or to help library users... more
Concept maps are graphical representations of concepts and their relationships to each other. Mapping is an effective way for librarians to design and communicate information skills sessions, plan team projects, or to help library users articulate their information needs. While learning about concept mapping theory and applications to library settings, participants will design their own concept map relevant to their work.
This session explores concept mapping as a method for engaging students in active and meaningful learning. In addition to presenting a wide range of applications for concept mapping in teaching, we demonstrated the software CmapTools as... more
This session explores concept mapping as a method for engaging students in active and meaningful learning. In addition to presenting a wide range of applications for concept mapping in teaching, we demonstrated the software CmapTools as one example of a program that has been used at McGill and elsewhere to support learning.
As populations of international, returning, and non-degree students and sessional lecturers continue to grow across North America and the world, librarians must be flexible in adapting models of information literacy (IL) and outreach.... more
As populations of international, returning, and non-degree students and sessional lecturers continue to grow across North America and the world, librarians must be flexible in adapting models of information literacy (IL) and outreach. This workshop presents practical ways to implement IL services for diverse learners, based on McGill University librarians’ success in reaching the previously underserved Centre for Continuing Education. We will introduce a variety of practical techniques for working with diverse, educationally-focused students and instructors, including teaching methodologies, curriculum integration, promotional initiatives, and ongoing asynchronous support.
Continuing Education clients constitute a unique user population at McGill. Students vary widely in age, technology skills, academic and professional experience, mother tongue, country of origin, purpose for study, and life circumstances. They tend to be extremely pressed for time but are goal-oriented and highly motivated. Unlike the typical undergraduate, most Continuing Education students work full-time while pursuing their studies. Instructors, too, have diverse backgrounds and often teach a variety of courses while also being employed at other institutions. Due to the nature of their programs, students and instructors in the Centre generally function outside the mainstream life of the university and therefore need different kinds of assistance in learning how to find, evaluate, and use information. The introduction of this new set of users to the university fabric has challenged librarians to rethink their attitudes toward IL and become more creative in their teaching.
Some new approaches include adapting instruction strategies for students with varying levels of language, library, and technology skills, teaching outside usual “business hours,” teaching online, and using different classroom spaces, not to mention developing entirely new sessions based upon the content specific to Continuing Education programs. For example, librarians have integrated English-as-a-second-language pedagogical strategies that are uniquely aligned with the learning outcomes of courses. In collaboration with an “intensive English” program curriculum committee, a librarian mapped ACRL’s IL competency standards to course outcomes in designing a series of library-oriented workshops. Overall, through embedded information literacy instruction, awareness-raising, and targeted collection development with specific pedagogical objectives, McGill’s liaison librarians for Continuing Education have broken the Centre’s isolation and provided this unique group of students and instructors with previously unrealized access to IL training and library services.
In this interactive workshop, we will explore user profiles that exemplify our efforts in integrating Continuing Education into the university fabric through IL. First, in a roundtable format, participants will be given case studies that identify unique characteristics of learners. They will collaboratively generate IL strategies that are aligned with the learning outcomes of courses in the context of specific user needs. Discussion will focus on challenges faced in developing IL for continuing education learners as well as our successful solutions. Later in the session, participants will form buzz groups to share their own challenges with meeting diverse needs in their libraries. We will then return to group discussion, guided by the framework of the formal presentation, and elicit practical strategies for educating new user populations in an increasingly complex technological environment.
Continuing Education clients constitute a unique user population at McGill. Students vary widely in age, technology skills, academic and professional experience, mother tongue, country of origin, purpose for study, and life circumstances. They tend to be extremely pressed for time but are goal-oriented and highly motivated. Unlike the typical undergraduate, most Continuing Education students work full-time while pursuing their studies. Instructors, too, have diverse backgrounds and often teach a variety of courses while also being employed at other institutions. Due to the nature of their programs, students and instructors in the Centre generally function outside the mainstream life of the university and therefore need different kinds of assistance in learning how to find, evaluate, and use information. The introduction of this new set of users to the university fabric has challenged librarians to rethink their attitudes toward IL and become more creative in their teaching.
Some new approaches include adapting instruction strategies for students with varying levels of language, library, and technology skills, teaching outside usual “business hours,” teaching online, and using different classroom spaces, not to mention developing entirely new sessions based upon the content specific to Continuing Education programs. For example, librarians have integrated English-as-a-second-language pedagogical strategies that are uniquely aligned with the learning outcomes of courses. In collaboration with an “intensive English” program curriculum committee, a librarian mapped ACRL’s IL competency standards to course outcomes in designing a series of library-oriented workshops. Overall, through embedded information literacy instruction, awareness-raising, and targeted collection development with specific pedagogical objectives, McGill’s liaison librarians for Continuing Education have broken the Centre’s isolation and provided this unique group of students and instructors with previously unrealized access to IL training and library services.
In this interactive workshop, we will explore user profiles that exemplify our efforts in integrating Continuing Education into the university fabric through IL. First, in a roundtable format, participants will be given case studies that identify unique characteristics of learners. They will collaboratively generate IL strategies that are aligned with the learning outcomes of courses in the context of specific user needs. Discussion will focus on challenges faced in developing IL for continuing education learners as well as our successful solutions. Later in the session, participants will form buzz groups to share their own challenges with meeting diverse needs in their libraries. We will then return to group discussion, guided by the framework of the formal presentation, and elicit practical strategies for educating new user populations in an increasingly complex technological environment.
As the face of higher education transforms in North America, academic librarians must adapt their instruction initiatives to the needs of diverse learners. This session presents practical ways to implement library services for previously... more
As the face of higher education transforms in North America, academic librarians must adapt their instruction initiatives to the needs of diverse learners. This session presents practical ways to implement library services for previously underserved diverse learners, based on librarians' successful work with McGill University's Centre for Continuing Education. We will explore strategies for reaching non-traditional students and instructors, including teaching methodologies, curriculum integration, promotional initiatives, and ongoing asynchronous support. Throughout the session, participants will engage in conversations on how to reach underserved and diverse user groups within a university, with the end goal of facilitating information literacy development.
Collaboration is now the norm in higher education, but how can we align and organize the knowledge and expertise of teachers, learners, and supporting staff? Concept maps—graphical representations of concepts and their relationships—are... more
Collaboration is now the norm in higher education, but how can we align and organize the knowledge and expertise of teachers, learners, and supporting staff? Concept maps—graphical representations of concepts and their relationships—are effective tools for fostering learning and sharing knowledge. At INHolland University, instructors learn to use visual diagrams in workshops and one-on-one consultations. This helps teachers and students create and structure complex ideas in teaching, learning, and research projects. Practices are shared online in a growing virtual community. At McGill University, librarians use concept mapping to design workshops and programs, to help students articulate their research projects and develop information skills, and to assess student understanding. In this hands-on session, staff from INHolland and McGill will present effective, practical ideas for applying concept mapping in instructional design, collaborative knowledge creation, and teaching. Participants will design a concept map using recommended software programs.
Concept maps are graphical representations of concepts and their relationships to each other. Concept mapping fosters creativity and facilitates knowledge acquisition. Librarians can use concept maps to design and communicate information... more
Concept maps are graphical representations of concepts and their relationships to each other. Concept mapping fosters creativity and facilitates knowledge acquisition. Librarians can use concept maps to design and communicate information skills sessions or projects. They can be used as a teaching tool to help students articulate information needs and assess understanding. While learning concept mapping theory and applications to library settings, participants will design their own concept map relevant to their work.
Universities have increased their cultural diversity in recent years, making it necessary for libraries to better serve international students and improve their information literacy skills. We will discuss reasons for international... more
Universities have increased their cultural diversity in recent years, making it necessary for libraries to better serve international students and improve their information literacy skills. We will discuss reasons for international students' difficulties in library use and present solutions to these barriers vis-à-vis using teaching techniques in reference transactions. The analysis is drawn from academic library work experience, original research on international students in Canada, and educational theory.
This talk presents a visualization technique for aligning librarian-initiated instruction to the learning objectives of university courses in the field of political science. Based on analysis of syllabi and course assignments, concept... more
This talk presents a visualization technique for aligning librarian-initiated instruction to the learning objectives of university courses in the field of political science. Based on analysis of syllabi and course assignments, concept mapping software is used to contextualize and connect individual learning outcomes to librarians' teaching tools.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Howard, Roz and Fitzgibbons, Megan. (2016). Librarian as partner: In and out of the library. In A. Mackenzie & L. Martin (Eds.), Developing digital scholarship: Emerging practices in academic libraries (pp. 43-60). London: Facet... more
Howard, Roz and Fitzgibbons, Megan. (2016). Librarian as partner: In and out of the library. In A. Mackenzie & L. Martin (Eds.), Developing digital scholarship: Emerging practices in academic libraries (pp. 43-60). London: Facet Publishing.
Research Interests:
Due to factors including cultural differences, lack of experience in higher education, and pressures in personal life, many adult learners in continuing education programs require support to develop the academic skills needed to succeed... more
Due to factors including cultural differences, lack of experience in higher education, and pressures in personal life, many adult learners in continuing education programs require support to develop the academic skills needed to succeed in their studies. Find out how librarians can broaden their outreach by collaborating with continuing education programs to deliver “study skills” workshops targeted at these unique learners. Through presentation of a case study and audience-driven discussion, participants will explore the process of developing specialized study skills workshops. Be prepared to expand your thinking about how librarians can take a holistic approach to supporting their constituencies’ academic skills.
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Research Interests:
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In this paper Carole Hinchcliff, Megan Fitzgibbons and Claudia Davies review free resources that can be used when researching the law in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. Background descriptions of the…
Research Interests: Law and Legal research
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Library Student Journal, 2008. ...
Journal clubs are meetings where participants engage in discussion or appraisal of professional literature and research. This study investigates the perceived value of librarians’ participation in journal clubs. Using a hermeneutic... more
Journal clubs are meetings where participants engage in discussion or appraisal of professional literature and research. This study investigates the perceived value of librarians’ participation in journal clubs. Using a hermeneutic dialectic process, we built a construction of the value of journal club participation based on interviews with academic librarians. In the construction, we demonstrate that librarians and their organizations benefit from the informal professional learning that takes place in journal clubs, by developing professional knowledge, building and strengthening communities of practice, increasing research capacity, and closing the research-to-practice gap.
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ABSTRACT Accession Number: 49743088; Shenton, Andrew K. 1 Fitzgibbons, Megan 2; Affiliation: 1: Division of Information and Communication Studies, Northumbria University's School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences,... more
ABSTRACT Accession Number: 49743088; Shenton, Andrew K. 1 Fitzgibbons, Megan 2; Affiliation: 1: Division of Information and Communication Studies, Northumbria University's School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences, United Kingdom 2: McGill University, Montreal; Source Info: 2010, Vol. 56 Issue 2, p76; Subject Term: INFORMATION literacy; Subject Term: STUDENTS -- Attitudes; Subject Term: INFORMATION professionals; Subject Term: ACADEMIC programs; Subject Term: INFORMATION science; Number of Pages: 3p; Document Type: Article
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"In today’s environment of extreme information overload, it is essential that educators facilitate students’ development of baseline skills in finding, evaluating, and using information. Despite ongoing efforts to foster critical... more
"In today’s environment of extreme information overload, it is essential that educators facilitate students’ development of baseline skills in finding, evaluating, and using information. Despite ongoing efforts to foster critical thinking skills, though, individual professors often set term paper and project assignments with only the end result in mind. One study, for example, that examined writing assignments given to undergraduates found that little guidance on the process was offered; only requirements for the final product were mentioned (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). Often, professors (i.e., expert researchers) tend not to consider the process through which students (i.e., novices) must navigate the complex information landscape. In contrast, one primary mission of academic librarians is to facilitate students’ development of research skills--with an emphasis on the process. However, their traditional approaches often focus on “information seeking” tasks. They tend to provide students with tools-based approaches, favoring linear processes of identifying appropriate vocabulary and executing database searches. The more messy puzzles of selecting and refining topics are glossed over, and the iterative nature of the entire enterprise is de-emphasized. Moreover, the typical “one-shot” presentations by librarians have a limited effect on students’ long-term behaviour. Caught in the middle of their instructors’ and librarians’ approaches, students often express frustration with the research process. From their perspective, the distinction between “information seeking” and “information use” is a meaningless boundary. For them, the process is holistic: gathering information and crafting a final paper are not separate tasks. Therefore, artificial assignment settings, such as library scavenger hunts or choose-any-topic “research” papers, tend to produce anxiety and frustration. Self-motivation diminishes in the face of vague assignment guidelines and decontextualized information gathering tasks. Instructional approaches that do not take into account the entire assignment-completion process encourage rote-learning and thereby limit the degree to which information skills can be applied in other situations. Instead, skills have to be continually reinforced both in the classroom and outside when students are asked to work independently. In this interactive workshop, first, a view of undergraduate students’ information behaviour will be offered, as informed by a librarian’s perspective. The connections between the research process and intrinsic motivation will be discussed, with the aim of exploring best practices for sparking research motivation. In other words: how can students get interested in research, and how does motivation affect their success? Next, key solutions will be discussed, vis-à-vis holistic collaborations between professors and librarians in teaching information skills and designing assignments that motivate students to engage in research tasks. The session will feature buzz group discussions about students’ behaviour and motivation during the assignment completion process. In addition, attendees will critique sample workshops, assignments, and evaluation rubrics that could potentially spark students’ motivation by integrating the perceived boundaries between information gathering, evaluating, and writing. Finally, successful examples of professor-librarian collaborations that foster students’ motivation will be shared. Head, A.J. & Eisenberg, M.B. (2010). Assigning inquiry: How handouts for research assignments guide today's college students. Project Information Literacy Progress Report: http://projectinfolit.org/publications/ "
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Research Interests:
Journal clubs can be defined as meetings where participants engage in discussion or critical appraisal of research. Several publications have described librarians’ involvement in journal clubs and methods for increasing membership (e.g.,... more
Journal clubs can be defined as meetings where participants engage in discussion or critical appraisal of research. Several publications have described librarians’ involvement in journal clubs and methods for increasing membership (e.g., Barsky, 2009; Kraemer, 2007; Young & Vilelle, 2011), as well as specific outcomes of participation, such as developing critical appraisal skills (e.g., Pearce-Smith, 2006). However, the existing literature has yet to investigate the impact of journal club participation on librarians’ knowledge and practice more broadly. As the prevalence of journal clubs increases (Young & Vilelle, 2011), it is important to document evidence of their value to the academic library community. This ongoing study investigates the perceived impact of librarians’ participation in journal clubs, including the role of journal clubs in facilitating communities of practice, the value of journal club participation on academic librarians’ use of evidence in practice, individual development of research knowledge and skills, as well as other possible outcomes identified by the study participants. Data collection involves semi-structured interviews with academic librarians who participate in journal clubs, selected by purposive sampling. The methodology uses a hermeneutic dialectic process (Guba & Lincoln, 1989) to analyze the data and develop a construction of the value of journal club participation, through the theoretical lens of informal learning processes in which control resides with the individual learner, but is also encouraged by organizations (Marsin & Watkins, 2001). Journal clubs may therefore represent communities which provide the motivation and opportunity necessary for informal learning to take place. The study’s preliminary findings suggest that journal club participation builds and strengthens communities of practice, increases research capacity, and helps close the research-to-practice gap. References Barsky, E. (2009). A library journal club as a tool for current awareness and open communication: University of British Columbia case study. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 4(2). Retrieved from https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/article/view/1000 Guba, E.G. & Lincoln, Y. S. (1989). Construction and reconstruction of realities. In Fourth Generation Evaluation (pp. 142–155). Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Kraemer, E.W. (2007). Keeping up with journals: A library journal club at Oakland University. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 33(1), 136–137. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2006.08.011 Marsick, V. J., & Watkins, K. E. (2001). Informal and incidental learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2001(89), 25–34. doi:10.1002/ace.5 Pearce-Smith, N. (2006). A journal club is an effective tool for assisting librarians in the practice of evidence-based librarianship: A case study. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 23(1), 32–40. doi:10.1111/j.1471-1842.2006.00638.x Young, P., & Vilelle, L. (2011). The prevalence and practices of academic library journal clubs. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 37(2), 130–136. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2011.02.004
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Collaboration is now the norm in higher education, but how can we align and organize the knowledge and expertise of teachers, learners, and supporting staff? Concept maps—graphical representations of concepts and their relationships—are... more
Collaboration is now the norm in higher education, but how can we align and organize the knowledge and expertise of teachers, learners, and supporting staff? Concept maps—graphical representations of concepts and their relationships—are effective tools for fostering learning and sharing knowledge. At INHolland University, instructors learn to use visual diagrams in workshops and one-on-one consultations. This helps teachers and students create and structure complex ideas in teaching, learning, and research projects. Practices are shared online in a growing virtual community. At McGill University, librarians use concept mapping to design workshops and programs, to help students articulate their research projects and develop information skills, and to assess student understanding. In this hands-on session, staff from INHolland and McGill will present effective, practical ideas for applying concept mapping in instructional design, collaborative knowledge creation, and teaching. Participants will design a concept map using recommended software programs.
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The job hunt can be a challenging and stressful process for anyone, especially for new graduates. The library and information profession, though, has a generous and supportive community at hand, ready to help. Megan Fitzgibbons, a... more
The job hunt can be a challenging and stressful process for anyone, especially for new graduates. The library and information profession, though, has a generous and supportive community at hand, ready to help. Megan Fitzgibbons, a librarian at the University of Western Australia, tells us about a great support service for our library community - the new resume review service from the ALIA Students and New Graduates Group.
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Introduction The study of reading originated with printed materials, but electronic transmission of the written word has long been ubiquitous. From a literary point of view, electronic formats have called into question previous... more
Introduction The study of reading originated with printed materials, but electronic transmission of the written word has long been ubiquitous. From a literary point of view, electronic formats have called into question previous conceptions of textuality. From a more practical standpoint, too, questions have arisen regarding the effect of digital formats on the retrieval and use of information. Theoretical and philosophical understandings of "text" have become intertwined with the technologies that are used to present pieces of writing. Amongst scholars, hypertext is difficult-or even controversial-to define. Theorists Landow and Delany (1991), for example, offer a rather loaded definition of hypertext, describing it as "the use of the computer to transcend the linear, bounded and fixed qualities of the traditional written text" (p. 3). In keeping with this definition, many discussions of hypertext emphasize its nonlinear qualities, but these descriptions have bee...
"As populations of international, returning, and non-degree students and sessional lecturers continue to grow across North America and the world, librarians must be flexible in adapting models of information literacy (IL) and... more
"As populations of international, returning, and non-degree students and sessional lecturers continue to grow across North America and the world, librarians must be flexible in adapting models of information literacy (IL) and outreach. This workshop presents practical ways to implement IL services for diverse learners, based on McGill University librarians’ success in reaching the previously underserved Centre for Continuing Education. We will introduce a variety of practical techniques for working with diverse, educationally-focused students and instructors, including teaching methodologies, curriculum integration, promotional initiatives, and ongoing asynchronous support. Continuing Education clients constitute a unique user population at McGill. Students vary widely in age, technology skills, academic and professional experience, mother tongue, country of origin, purpose for study, and life circumstances. They tend to be extremely pressed for time but are goal-oriented and highly motivated. Unlike the typical undergraduate, most Continuing Education students work full-time while pursuing their studies. Instructors, too, have diverse backgrounds and often teach a variety of courses while also being employed at other institutions. Due to the nature of their programs, students and instructors in the Centre generally function outside the mainstream life of the university and therefore need different kinds of assistance in learning how to find, evaluate, and use information. The introduction of this new set of users to the university fabric has challenged librarians to rethink their attitudes toward IL and become more creative in their teaching. Some new approaches include adapting instruction strategies for students with varying levels of language, library, and technology skills, teaching outside usual “business hours,” teaching online, and using different classroom spaces, not to mention developing entirely new sessions based upon the content specific to Continuing Education programs. For example, librarians have integrated English-as-a-second-language pedagogical strategies that are uniquely aligned with the learning outcomes of courses. In collaboration with an “intensive English” program curriculum committee, a librarian mapped ACRL’s IL competency standards to course outcomes in designing a series of library-oriented workshops. Overall, through embedded information literacy instruction, awareness-raising, and targeted collection development with specific pedagogical objectives, McGill’s liaison librarians for Continuing Education have broken the Centre’s isolation and provided this unique group of students and instructors with previously unrealized access to IL training and library services. In this interactive workshop, we will explore user profiles that exemplify our efforts in integrating Continuing Education into the university fabric through IL. First, in a roundtable format, participants will be given case studies that identify unique characteristics of learners. They will collaboratively generate IL strategies that are aligned with the learning outcomes of courses in the context of specific user needs. Discussion will focus on challenges faced in developing IL for continuing education learners as well as our successful solutions. Later in the session, participants will form buzz groups to share their own challenges with meeting diverse needs in their libraries. We will then return to group discussion, guided by the framework of the formal presentation, and elicit practical strategies for educating new user populations in an increasingly complex technological environment."
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As the face of higher education transforms in North America, academic librarians must adapt their instruction initiatives to the needs of diverse learners. This session presents practical ways to implement library services for previously... more
As the face of higher education transforms in North America, academic librarians must adapt their instruction initiatives to the needs of diverse learners. This session presents practical ways to implement library services for previously underserved diverse learners, based on librarians' successful work with McGill University's Centre for Continuing Education. We will explore strategies for reaching non-traditional students and instructors, including teaching methodologies, curriculum integration, promotional initiatives, and ongoing asynchronous support. Throughout the session, participants will engage in conversations on how to reach underserved and diverse user groups within a university, with the end goal of facilitating information literacy development.
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Concept maps are graphical representations of concepts and their relationships to each other. Concept mapping fosters creativity and facilitates knowledge acquisition. Librarians can use concept maps to design and communicate information... more
Concept maps are graphical representations of concepts and their relationships to each other. Concept mapping fosters creativity and facilitates knowledge acquisition. Librarians can use concept maps to design and communicate information skills sessions or projects. They can be used as a teaching tool to help students articulate information needs and assess understanding. While learning concept mapping theory and applications to library settings, participants will design their own concept map relevant to their work.