How can we better engage adult learners during information literacy sessions? How do we increase students' perception of the relevance and importance of information literacy skills for academic work and life in the real world? To explore these questions, the ARCS Model of Motivational Design and Problem-Based Learning were used to develop activities for a library instruction workshop. Community college students completed a pretest and posttest assessment to measure change in skill level, perceived confidence, and perceived relevance of the research workshop. Results show learners' skill levels, perceived confidence, and perceived relevance increased significantly. Based on the results, suggestions are made for incorporating Motivational Design and Problem-Based Learning into information literacy sessions to increase student engagement. IntroductionWorkers in today's information economy are faced with a wide variety of resources to choose from when making decisions about products, services, and processes for their jobs. During the last couple of decades, government leaders and educators have become increasingly concerned about the need to prepare a workforce for these highskill jobs. 1 The ability to find information and statistics on the open web from reliable sources has become an essential skill across many fields. 2 Librarians are increasingly looking for ways to build these transferable "lifelong learning" skills, which go well beyond teaching college students how to use subscription databases to find scholarly articles for academic assignments. 3 Few studies examine effective research skills among nontraditional college students. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) defines nontraditional students as Colorado, Boulder; e-mail: lindsay.m.roberts@ colorado.edu feedback and encouragement. In particular: Dr. Krystyna Matusiak, Dr. Mary Stansbury, Christopher Brown, and Martin Garnar. Thanks also to librarians at Arapahoe Community College: Lisa Grabowski, Ann Priestman, Casey Lansinger, and Andrea Reveley. Special thanks to Michael and Theresa Roberts for their support. ©2017 Lindsay Roberts, Attribution-NonCommercial (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4 those who have delayed college enrollment for a year or more after graduating from high school, received a GED or certificate instead of a high school diploma, attend classes part-time, work full-time, are financially independent, care for dependents, or are single parents. 4 Many of these students are adults with rich life experiences and priorities that may differ substantially from those of traditional undergraduates. Further, NCES points out that 70 percent of all undergraduates meet one or more of these criteria. NCES predicts that nontraditional students aged 25-34 are expected to increase 20 percent between 2011 and 2022, and students aged 35 and over are expected to increase 23 percent between 2011 and 2022. 5 Consequently, understanding the needs of nontraditional students is of growing concern to librarians at all higher ed...
Studies of transfer student success abound in higher education, yet few studies examine the role that academic libraries play in students' transitions. This study explores the academic library services offered to transfer students in Colorado through a survey of librarians. What are barriers to offering these services? How do library professionals perceive instruction and outreach to transfer students? Results show differences between attitudes and practice, even within the same institution, and suggest opportunities for future collaboration among two-year and four-year academic libraries in Colorado. The article discusses these findings in the context of findings from New York and Ohio studies, suggesting that academic libraries need greater awareness of, and services for, transfer students.
Purpose-This paper provides an overview of Keller's ARCS Model of Motivational Design and explores how three instruction librarians at different institutions have integrated the model into their teaching practices to improve student motivation during information literacy sessions. Design/methodology/approach-Case studies describe how instruction librarians began to incorporate the ARCS Model into library instruction. Three librarians used self-reflective practice and a range of assessment techniques to evaluate and improve teaching practice. Findings-ARCS is valuable for improving student engagement during information literacy instruction. The authors suggest best practices for learning about and integrating the model and propose instructional strategies that align with it. Originality/value-This paper fills a gap in literature on practical applications of motivational design in library instruction and suggests best practices for teaching and assessment using the ARCS Model.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss different strategies for implementing peer teaching as well as different roles for peer teachers in both academic libraries and writing-intensive courses. It explores connections to critical pedagogy, sociocultural theory, open educational practices and high-impact practices. Design/methodology/approach The methodology for implementing the three scenarios discussed in the paper differs widely. All approaches include some form of student feedback through focus groups, exit surveys or end-of-class assessments. Findings In both library and writing program settings, students have experience with and a favorable opinion of peer-assisted learning strategies. Practical implications These case studies provide concrete examples of how to develop different types of peer teaching interventions. The cases also detail benefits as well as challenges to implementation. Social implications Providing opportunities for peers to lead through teaching others has the potential to boost an individual’s sense of confidence, leadership and improve their own learning, as well as give students’ experiences to build upon and apply to their everyday lives and future careers. Originality/value While peer teaching is widely implemented in many disciplines, such as science, technology, engineering and medicine, its adoption in academic libraries has sometimes been viewed as controversial. This case study adds to the body of literature demonstrating that peer teaching is possible and desirable.
The research team included library professionals from the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), Colorado State University (CSU), and the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). All three are public, doctoral-granting institutions with largely residential student populations, but there are some notable differences among the universities. CU Boulder has an approximate student population of 33,200. Of those students, 59% are in-state Colorado students and 13.8% are first-generation students. CU Boulder's University Libraries has five libraries. It is a comprehensive graduate research university and is known as the flagship university in the state of Colorado. CSU is located in Fort Collins, Colorado. Its student population is 31,600 students, of whom 70% are in-state students and 18.5% are first-generation students. CSU has a main library and one branch library. It was founded as a land-grant school and retains outreach to communities across Colorado in its mission. UNC is located in Greeley, Colorado. The student population is approximately 12,000 students, of whom 83% are instate students and 41% self-identify as first-generation students. UNC has two libraries. It was founded as a normal school and continues to be known for excellence in the field of education. Our three campuses have much in common, particularly that they are public, doctoral granting, primarily residential universities. However, our histories, missions, and student bodies differ substantially. We recognize that not all types of higher education institutions are represented in this research project, but we hope that the range of student experience is broad enough to prove relevant for library professionals at a variety of institutions.
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