CARLI Instruction Committee discussion: "Re-examining Instruction Practice: New Year’s Instructional Resolutions"

Announcement text:
We hope you’ve all had a restful and rejuvenating holiday! As we flip our calendars to the new year, the CARLI Instruction Committee would like to invite you to our January event, Re-examining Instruction Practice: New Year’s Instructional Resolutions. This event will provide a virtual space for you to reflect upon and share some elements of your instruction practice that went well this past year, and to identify areas in which you could try something new. Please join our casual conversation to hear what your peers have learned over the past year, offer your own insights, and hopefully be inspired by new ideas and practices!

Note: This event was not recorded to facilitate a more open conversation. Notes were taken in a shared Google Document during the session; those notes are included below.

Re-examining Instruction Practice: New Year’s Instructional Resolutions (Discussion notes)
2:00 - 3:00 pm on Friday Jan. 27th, 2023
Discussion hosted by the CARLI Instruction Committee
Zoom participants: 26

Discussion questions:

• Is there something that went especially well with your instruction recently, or conversely something you’d like to do differently? How will that shape your practice in the coming months?
• Is there an instructional technology or tool that you’re excited to try out, or use more effectively or frequently (e.g.. polling tool, video capture, etc.)
• Will you approach your conversations and collaborations with instructional faculty differently this year?
• What are some steps that you can take to protect your well-being? Are there areas in which you can gain agency or greater control over your instruction?

A moderator recorded key ideas and comments raised by participants during the discussion. Names and institutions will not be recorded in the notes.

Group discussion notes:

Q1: Is there something that went especially well with your instruction recently, or conversely something you’d like to do differently? How will that shape your practice in the coming months?

• Example of working with one particular course over the last couple of years: Scores were higher when students accessed the library instructional content online via recordings embedded in the LMS (during COVID), and decreased when recordings were not available from in-person instruction in more recent sessions. Going forward will offer hybrid instruction - offer a recording even if meeting students in person
  • The data about students’ success was shared with the librarian by the professor
  • Multi-year relationship building between the librarian and professor has helped lead to positive results and good feedback along the way
  • Students were reviewing the recorded content more than once per semester
  • Recording can help increase accessibility
  • Video embedded within LMS rather than library website may result in increased use, in this case - it seems more convenient for students to access this way
  • The recording is made via Zoom during class time. Students are made aware of the plans to record in advance by the instructor and librarian.
• Other attendees mentioned efforts to embed library content across all pages in their campus LMS

Q2: Is there an instructional technology or tool that you’re excited to try out, or use more effectively or frequently (e.g.. polling tool, video capture, etc.)

• Using Padlet to collect anonymous questions during a session, in addition to students being able to speak up in class
• Interest in creating videos to address similar assignments across multiple courses
• Niche Academy - "Right now, I've just started with the shared videos in there…  I now want to learn to create my own"
• +1 on Padlet, and potential to use Google Jamboard
• Question about embedding assessment when using technology
  • Suggestion: Can you embed a question or interactive moment?
• LibWiz can be a helpful tool for assessment
  • Captivate has potential to create more interactive tutorials than LibWizard
  • LibWiz “can be clunky for tutorials”  but is useful for more simple assessment
• Used Google Forms to complement a basic plagiarism tutorial
  • Simple and easy can be an advantage
• Sustainability is important - if the technology is difficult to master or is time consuming, is it worth using?
  • It is important to be able to easily make updates due to the changing nature of databases, etc.
• Another librarian used Google Forms to create an escape room - multiple people mentioned being interested in learning more
  • A past CARLI event recording with more info about escape rooms: https://www.carli.illinois.edu/oops-pandemic-made-me-do-it-again-digital-displays-and-escape-rooms
• Several librarians mentioned that they use vendor supplied videos/help resources on occasion
  • The three minute MLA international bibliography tutorial is another example
  • Example: Proquest materials. https://proquest.libguides.com/databaseguides

Q3: Will you approach your conversations and collaborations with instructional faculty differently this year?

• It’s important to help professors understand that content needs to be timed appropriately, otherwise students are less likely to use or retain it
• Multiple people stress the importance of discussing the course assignment or related topics / needs with the professors in advance, in order to plan library instruction accordingly
• One library has started to use an intake form in order to force professors to be more specific when requesting instruction.
• Tying the library instruction to specific assignments or needs can help professors feel more comfortable with giving up class time
• Sharing librarian created lesson plans with professors ahead of the session can demonstrate our own skill as educators and create an opening for further discussion
• It is valuable to offer to collaborate as professors as a co-creator of critical thinking and IL assignments

Q4: What are some steps that you can take to protect your well-being? Are there areas in which you can gain agency or greater control over your instruction?

• Participating in conversations about student retention, success, and other high level institutional goals is empowering - demonstrating that we are peers and contributors
• It is very important to set boundaries when it comes to timing IL sessions including saying "no" to last minute requests or negotiating for a different date.
  • "it sets a better working dynamic between you and the faculty so they understand that these sessions take time to put together in order for them to work better for them and their students"
  • Multiple attendees agreed
• Reinforcing a requirement that professors need to have a specific assignment when planning library instruction
• Participant question about outreach - any notable ideas or efforts here?
  • One librarian recently joined a faculty/department meeting and provided QR codes that lead out to digital newsletters as a new way of sharing info
  • Develop a list of courses that have ongoing research needs and check-in at the beginning of each semester
  • Similarly, review syllabi and reach out directly to professors regarding research assignments
    • Getting ahold of syllabi can be challenging - not all have easy access
    • Advocating for access to the curriculum system and/or serving on a curriculum committee can help in this area
  • One library is partnering with a marketing class –  "Each year the class has a "client" and they create ads for them.  We've been lucky enough to be the client twice.  We receive the benefit of having some ads created for us but the students also learn about the library and its services while creating the ads.  It helps us spread the word."