Step 5. INTEGRATION

Step 5: Integrating Steps 1-4

1. Situational Factors

Assuming you have done a careful, thorough job of reviewing the situational factors, how well are these factors reflected in the decisions you made about learning goals, feedback and assessment, learning activities?
- I've adjusted my learning goals because they were far too focused on content knowledge instead of learning knowledge

What potential conflicts can you identify that may cause problems?
- Faculty may have an unrealistic expectation about the amount of information that can be covered in a one-shot instruction session.

Are there any disconnects between your beliefs and values, the student characteristics, the specific or general context, or the nature of the subject in relation to the way you propose to run the course?
- Nothing jumps out at me at the moment.

2. Learning Goals and Feedback & Assessment

How well do your assessment procedures address the full range of learning goals?
- The assessment is limited to the application goals at this point.

Is the feedback giving students information about all the learning goals?
- All except perhaps the MLA identification.

Do the learning goals include helping the students learn how to assess their own performance?
- Yes, I think the peer review and reflection provides an opportunity for self-reflection.

3. Learning Goals and Teaching/Learning Activities

Do the learning activities effectively support all your learning goals?
- They support the application goals which is my focus for now. Eventually they will need to be expanded.

Are there extraneous activities that do not serve any major learning goal?
- No

4. Teaching/Learning Activities and Feedback & Assessment

How well does the feedback loop work to prepare students for understanding the criteria and standards that will be used to assess their performance?
- The feedback is short, but immediate in a one-shot instruction setting.

How well do the practice learning activities and the associated feedback opportunities prepare students for the eventual assessment activities?
- The learning activities and feedback are directly related to the assessment activity.

Step 3. Worksheet PROCEDURES FOR EDUCATIVE ASSESSMENT

1. Forward - Looking Assessment
Formulate one or two ideas for forward - looking assessment.
- Students will search the online catalog (for a given topic) and identify a relevant title based on a given set of criteria.
- Students will compare the various available databases (for a given topic) and identify the most appropriate choice(s).
- Student will search a database (for a given topic) and choose a relevant full-text article based on evaluation framework.
- Students will identify the parts of a sample citation by matching them to the supplied choices.

Identify a situation in which students are likely to use what they have learned, and try to replicate that situation with a question, problem, or issue.
 - Students will write a paper and give a presentation about a chosen career. Ask students to perform the same research on a non-career topic.

2. Criteria & Standards
Select one of your main learning goals, and identify at least two criteria that would distinguish exceptional achievement from poor performance.
- Article must be full-text
- Article must be about the profession as a career, not a content knowledge article for those in the profession.

Then write two or three levels of standards for each of these criteria.
- Full-text article: 2 levels - met standard, did not meet standard
- Article choice: 3 levels - exceptional (full-text, less than 5 years old, career focus), good (full-text, career focus), needs improvement (not full-text, not career focused)

3. Self - Assessment
What opportunities can you create for students to engage in self - assessment of their performance?
- Have students "switch careers" with another student and compare their research finds to their partners for the given career.

4. “FIDeLity” Feedback
What procedures can you develop that will allow you to give students feedback that is:
Frequent: One-shot instruction doesn't really allow for feedback frequency.
Immediate: In lab research with a librarian where students can instantly share their finds and get an on-the-spot evaluation.
Discriminating (i.e., based on clear criteria and standards): Post the criteria in advance of the research, provide examples of each standard.
Lovingly delivered: Highlight what the student got right/correct and offer suggestions as to how they can improve the areas that need work.

Step 2. Worksheet FORMULATING SIGNIFICANT LEARNING GOALS

"A year (or more) after this course is over, I want and hope that students will _________ .”

Foundational Knowledge
Basic info about the library and what is needed to access materials.

Application Goals
- Students will be able to formulate effective search terms to use when searching the databases and online catalog.
- Students will be able to identify the most relevant title from an online catalog search for a given topic.
- Students will be able to identify the appropriate database(s) to search for a given topic.
- Students will be able to determine the most relevant article(s) based on an evaluation framework
- Students will be able to identify the parts of a citation.

Integration Goals
Students should recognize that the skills and knowledge gained in this instruction session will be applicable to all their present and future research, both academic and personal.

Human Dimensions Goals
Students will learn that it's okay to not understand/know something, but it's what you do to rectify the situation that is important.

Caring Goals
Students will value the library/librarians as an integral part of learning.

"Learning - How - to - Learn" Goals

Students will be able to identify a need for library assistance, and will overcome "librarian intimidation syndrome" and seek out the necessary assistance.

My focus for the course is to develop a foundation for creating innovative library instruction classes/modules that can be easily modified for a variety of classes, including academic instruction, public workshops, and internal training sessions. The instruction must also entail measurable assessment of goals/outcomes. I'm going to use library instruction for the EDUC 1300 class at my college (for "first time in college" students) as my instruction model since all other academic library instruction will build upon the goals/outcomes of this class.

Step 1. Worksheet SITUATIONAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER

1. Specific Context of the Teaching/Learning Situation
The EDUC 1300 class is typically around 26 students and library instruction for the class is primarily face to face in the library computer lab, though I believe there may be a handful of sections available online (something to check up on). Classes typically visit the library for a "one shot" instruction lasting approximately 50-80 minutes. The 50-80 minutes can be challenging in and of itself, but can be even more challenging if the instructor also want to include a library tour during the allotted time. The EDUC 1300 class is required for all "first time in college" students seeking to complete an associates degree or higher.

2. General Context of the Learning Situation
Primarily, this is a student success course designed to equip students with the tools and knowledge necessary to successfully complete their educational goals at our school, future 4-year institutions, and in their post-academic careers.

3. Nature of the Subject
It's not so much a subject, as a review and discussion of the various success tools/services available to each student attending our school. The library, it's programs and services, is one of the areas explored in the class.

4. Characteristics of the Learners
While all the students share the "first time in college" designation, there is a wide disparity with regards to age, years passed since they were last in school, and technological aptitude. Students in any section of this class range from just out of high school to adult learners who haven't had formal education in decades. Most are employed at least part-time, many are full-time. They are single, married, with kids, without kids, living with their parents, and living on their own. Some have one or more computers in their house, while others are solely dependent on the library computers.

5. Characteristics of the Teacher
I believe that library instruction is often viewed by both teachers and/or students as anywhere between unnecessary to a luxury, instead of an integral component of any learning experience. I think my strengths are that I try to present the material to students the way I would want it presented to me, in a methodical (but not boring!), clear, and concise manner. Also, as a non-traditional student myself (I didn't get my undergraduate degree until I was 34, and masters till I was 37), I'm am to identify with some of our students in a way that more established librarians might not.

ALA: Instructional Design Essentials