Incorporating Active Learning into Library Instruction

By Karen Sandvik and Cris Prucha, Murphy Library University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse

This assignment is an adaptation of a model presented by Kelley McHenry and Jean Kent, Seattle Central Community College and North Seattle Community College, Seattle, WA, in a 1994 LOEX poster session entitled The Collage: An Introduction to the Community College Library.

THE PROCESS

  1. Librarian plans instruction session with instructor, identifying resources to be covered.
  2. Active learning worksheets are selected or modified according to the needs of each class. Usually the active learning includes an exercise like one of the following:
    1. Performing a keyword boolean search in the on-line catalog to identify a book in Murphy Library's collection.
    2. Retrieving a book from Murphy Library's shelves.
    3. Using CQ Researcher to find statistics and identify additional resources.
    4. The suggested timetable for a 55 minute class is:
      • 20 minute lecture
      • 20 minutes for accomplishing tasks
      • 15 minutes for group presentations
        It is crucial to allow enough time for the group presentations as this is where the learning takes place.
    5. The library instruction session begins with the distribution of active learning worksheets for group tasks. The librarian asks each group to pick a spokesperson.
    6. Students are encouraged to take notes on the presentation outline.
    7. Students are asked to help the session to stay on time by noting the scheduled time for active learning tasks to begin.
    8. The librarian presents a brief introduction to the resources the students will use.
    9. Depending upon reference staffing and worksheet tasks the librarian may opt to be available for questions, but this is not always the case.
    10. Students return to the library instruction room where they describe their experiences and explain three things they think their peers should know about the assigned resource.
    11. Students receive a copy of all the exercises for future reference.

    LIRT News, September 1995. Volume 18, number 1.
    To report problems, please contact the LIRT News Production editor at edwards@ufl.edu

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