A Couple of Articles about Co-teaching

A Couple of Articles about Co-teaching.
Caitlin Wallingford


Enhancing the information literacy classroom experience: A cataloger and a reference librarian team up to deliver library instruction.

Overview:

        McCallum and Collins examine the ways in which librarians working in different capacities within a library (in this case an academic library, though  their findings are transferable) can effectively aid in co-teaching.   Believing that playing off the strengths of individuals rather that attempting to fit each librarian into an instructional role, the authors looked at the unique collaboration opportunities with a reference librarian and a cataloger.  In looking at this partnership, they also posed the question, "what is the relationship between IL, collection management, and cataloging?"  McCallum and Collins review the historically spotty (though by no means non-existent) relationship between librarians and instruction (inadequate learning opportunities in library school, too little on-the-job training) in an effort to understand the current environment surrounding co-teaching. The results of their study found that teachers and students were overwhelmingly positively impacted by co-teaching experiences, citing greater engagement and an appreciation for in-depth, specific knowledge.  The overall take-away was that librarians must embrace the opportunity to reach out to faculty as well as other librarians, despite any initial discomfort/lack of confidence in teaching skills.  The authors also highlighted how partnerships among reference and cataloging librarians in an instructional format with faculty can greatly enhance collection development success.

  

Citation:

McCallum, C. J., & Collins, B. L. (2011). Enhancing the information literacy classroom experience: A cataloger and a reference librarian team up to deliver library instruction. Library Collections, Acquisitions, & Technical Services, 35(1), 10–18. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcats.2010.12.008

 Co-Teaching Relationships among Librarians and Other Information Professionals

 Overview:
        Shannon and Medaille, like the authors in the previous article, begin by offering a look at the history of librarians and instruction, citing the inadequacy of time given to this topic in library school, and the logistical difficulties of training a staff on the job.  The author differentiate between collaboration and co-teaching, calling teaching a "form of collaboration...[which] allows instructors with different skill sets, knowledge, and perspectives to optomize both learning experience for students and the teaching experience for themselves" (134).  The authors set up and observed a number of workshops where librarians and other IT professionals (most with little to no teaching experience) were asked to co-teach.  Teachers and informational professionals experimented with division of duties, using technology, etc.  Afterwards, students, teachers and the information professionals were asked to rate the experience.  The major benefits described were using different skill sets, teaching to different levels of students in the classroom, and adding energy to the classroom.  A few drawbacks were mentioned, the most significant being that it could get "messy" with more than one person attempting to teach.  Students were overwhelmingly positive about the experience (helping individual students, more information, nice pace), with only one student finding it "sort of distracting" (140).

        

Citation:

Medaille, A., & Shannon, A. W. (2012). Co-Teaching Relationships among Librarians and Other Information Professionals. Collaborative Librarianship, 4(4), 132–148.

Integrating information literacy into blackboard

Blaylock, Solomon

CO, IL

Xiao, J. (2010). Integrating information literacy into blackboard. Library Management, 31(8), 654-668. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01435121011093423

Summary

The article discusses the case of a librarian at the College of Staten Island who, finding traditional Information Literacy instruction sessions to be of little evident value to students, worked to develop an in-depth, online resource for nursing students. After seeing positive results, she reached out to faculty members to see about having professors integrate her instructional materials into the very classes they were teaching, through Blackboard. A thorough program of assessment was also devised, and the project has met with success.

Evaluation

The author (the librarian in question) demonstrates a practical and proactive approach to her work that serves as a model for 21st century academic librarians. Rather than being a passive information gatekeeper, she demonstrates her unique value as a librarian to students and faculty by engaging directly with both in curricular/instructional design and assessment, offering a unique contribution to her institution’s teaching and learning objectives. This is the blueprint that successful modern librarians will follow in terms of departmental embedding, capacity building, and role definition in the academy. A very useful, encouraging, and well documented article.

Can You DIG/IT?

Brugioni, Angela

Nolan, J., Preston, M., & Finkelstein, J. (2012). Can you DIG/IT?. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(2), 42-46.

IL- Information Literacy & 21^st Century Skills
ET- Educational Theory and Practice

“DIG/IT” is a blended learning technology course developed for at-risk students in New York. The article discusses the value of blended learning and a student-centered approach to instruction. Many “so-called digital natives” do not know how to use technology purposefully and efficiently. Blended learning programs teach digital literacy, self-regulation and independence, and communication and collaboration to students. These are the types of skills students will need beyond high school into further education and employment. Additionally in blended learning environments the instruction is more student centered rather than teacher driven. As students become engaged learners seeking information and utilizing Web 2.0 technology to curate knowledge, teachers have additional time for small groups or individual instruction, to lead discussions, and for more formative assessments.


This article is very biased towards promoting blended learning (they are trying to sell their product). I agree however, with many of the benefits derived from blended learning experiences. The reason I chose to include this article in the blog is because in much of my reading and research one of the concerns for the new Common Core is that private interest organizations will begin to develop influence over curriculum, by developing programs such as this one. It’s a glimpse at how these programs look while at work in schools. In this case the beneficiaries are at-risk students receiving contemporary, innovative instruction that will allow them to be competitive in the 21^st century workplace and the opportunity and ambition to attempt further education.