Purpose This paper aims to describe both the development of a peer research consultant program – using student assistants to staff the reference desk with minimal supervision while providing high-quality research assistance to their undergraduate peers, and the steps taken to create buy-in for the program from campus and librarians. Design/methodology/approach The authors provide a description of peer reference services and describe how a remodel of the library building facilitated a redesign of services. The paper covers the process of developing program guidelines, securing funding, expectations of peer research consultants, the training process and lessons learned from a medium-sized academic library. Findings The findings after the first year demonstrate that undergraduates are highly skilled at providing high-quality reference services when provided with quality training and support. In addition, undergraduate students are now seeking out peer researchers for assistance with research items such as topic formation, keyword development in databases and proper citations. Research limitations/implications No formal research or assessment of the program has been completed as of this time. Practical implications Well-trained Peer Research Consultants (PRCs) provide valued assistance to librarians in freshman composition classes, at the Ask Us reference desk, and to their peers. The program has allowed librarians to provide more outreach to their subject areas. Social implications Students prefer going to their peers for research assistance rather than a professional librarian when given the choice. The training the PRCs are provided by librarians provides credibility and trust, which encourages undergraduate students to approach PRCs for assistance. Originality/value This paper draws on multiple iterations of peer reference models to create an original program, involving training student employees to provide reference services at a paraprofessional level, as well as providing the methodology for other academic libraries to develop and launch a similar program.
Higher education traditionally focuses on didactic, or passive, teaching and learning techniques as these are efficient ways of conveying information to the students. However, passive learning places the responsibility for students’ learning on the instructor rather than the students themselves. Constructive learning techniques, such as case-based learning (CBL), give students opportunities to apply previous knowledge while constructing their own deep learning. The purpose of this article is to describe both the implementation and evaluation of a CBL unit in a junior-level undergraduate music therapy theories and methods course. The cohort study utilized student reflection papers, faculty observations, class materials, and a student survey to evaluate the impact of a behavioral health-focused CBL unit on information literacy, critical thinking skills, and student enjoyment of learning. Students answered both Likert-type and open-ended questions on these topics. Open-ended questions were analyzed using a directed qualitative content analysis. Students felt that the CBL unit was effective in increasing their information literacy and critical thinking skills, and they enjoyed the unit. According to survey results, the CBL developed several measured areas of student critical thinking skills, with the exception of the students’ abilities to analyze their own biases. The CBL unit appeared to be an effective and efficient way of simultaneously covering multiple learning outcomes and music therapy competencies. However, students did not perceive any changes in their ability to analyze their own biases which, based on previous psychology and sociology research, takes more than one isolated learning unit to address. Implications for music therapy education are addressed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.