Librarians, Faculty, and the Writing Center Partnering to Build an Interdisciplinary Course: A Case Study at the University of Houston, USA

Abstract

This article covers how an interdisciplinary course was developed using the expertise and resources of a history professor, the history and psychology subject librarians, and the university's writing center. The course, supported by a grant, was aimed at helping students improve their research, information literacy, and writing skills across disciplines. The article discusses the involvement of the partners from the initial planning stages to its conclusion, focusing especially on how the librarians created a library session, coursespecific guide, annotated bibliography assignment and grading rubric, and how these were used as opportunities to interact with the students throughout the course. Also covered are research and writing challenges, especially for English-language learner students, and how they were addressed by all the partners. It also discusses how the librarians used this experience to seek out opportunities to create similar collaborations with other instructors, and to strengthen ties with support services on campus.

Theory into practice:: Challenges and implications for information literacy teaching

“…“Library pedagogy” refers to the practice of library teaching and instruction within academic libraries, and has emerged as a concept following the expansion of IL teaching from single (one-off) instructional sessions to more reflective pedagogical teaching practices (Drabinski, 2014; Nicholson, 2014). These developments have implications for IL teaching practices and the curricula of the subject disciplines in academia particularly with respect to the interface between the IL work that librarians are responsible for, and the incorporation of core literacy competencies or accreditation requirements (such as digital, multi-literacies, or visual literacy) within course curriculum (Blummer and Kenton, 2018; Harris, 2012), or through the development of interdisciplinary curricula (Simons, 2017). Furthermore, library pedagogy goes beyond formal classroom teaching to include research and reference services, library collections, and any documentation or guides that support self-directed learning.…”

Connecting theory to practice

“…At the same time, library instruction in higher education is shifting from a focus on demonstration in the library (Mikkelsen & McMunn-Tetangco, 2016) to designs that engage students 'to be active participants in their learning by promoting higher order thinking' (p.1). Library instruction is now being integrated into courses by librarians and faculty members who work collaboratively to develop the curriculum (Simons, 2017). The Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework focuses on creating learning communities based on deep learning (Mehta, Makani-Lim, Rajan, & Easter, 2017) and knowledge construction (Shea & Bidjerano, 2010); this emphasis can guide the design of library instruction and course-based teaching and learning in higher education to create conditions conducive to greater collaboration and learning for transfer (Bailey, 2017;Melgosa, 2018;Rapchak, 2017).…”

Still the one-stop fix-it shop?: a question of professional tutor identity in the university writing tutoring center

“…Multiple studies have demonstrated beneficial results when writing centers partner with libraries and reference support services (Brady, 2009;Ferer, 2012;Mahaffy, 2008;Simons, 2017). Brady (2009) determined that when librarians collaborated with the writing center to support student research projects, faculty were impressed.…”

“…Moreover, Ferer (2012) found that such workshops help promote to students the idea that research and writing are inseparably intertwined. Simons (2017) determined that an interdisciplinary course developed between librarians, the writing center, and faculty helped librarians be more aware of the writing challenges facing students.…”