Statement of Competency 11

Competency 11: Design instructional programs based on learning principles and theories.

Introduction

An important aspect of librarianship is equipping patrons with skills that help them to become independent consumers and creators of information. In 1876, Melvin Dewey said, “the library is a school, and the librarian is in the highest sense a teacher” (Grassian & Kaplowitz, 2009, p. 9). A solid foundation in basic principles and theories of learning is critical for librarians who would like to be effective instructors of information literacy. Modern theories, methodologies, and techniques for information literacy instruction help librarians to design and implement instructional plans in a variety of learning environments.

Learning theories are generally grouped into three categories: doing, thinking, and feeling. The doing model of learning is also known as behaviorism, and is characterized by the interaction of trial and error, and positive reinforcement for desirable behavior. Mastery of each stage of learning allows learners to proceed to higher level skills (Grassian & Kaplowitz, 2009, p. 29). The thinking, or cognitive model of learning incorporates the learner’s response to the whole environment, in addition to simple stimuli. In this approach, individuals organize information in the environment by forming patterns and relationships. Learning occurs throughout life, and “different types of thinking accompany different stages of development” (p. 33). The feeling model, sometimes referred to as the humanist model, emphasizes the impact of emotion and feeling on learning. Supporters of this train of thought believe that “learning situations should be learner centered and oriented toward developing self-efficacy” (p. 37). Personal meaning and self-motivation are thought to be more important than empty rewards.

A popular concept among educators involves learning styles, in which “individuals differ in regard to what mode of instruction or study is most effective for them” (Rogowsky, Calhoun, & Tallal, 2015, p. 65). This theory has led to the idea that “optimal instruction requires diagnosing individuals’ learning style and tailoring instruction accordingly” (Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer, & Bjork, 2012, p. 105). Visual or auditory learners, for example, have different learning preferences, and respond to specific types of instruction and learning tools. However, despite the myriad of theoretical literature on learning styles, there is virtually “no adequate evidence base to justify incorporating learning styles assessments into general educational practice” (p. 106).

Although various learning theories appear to conflict with one another, modern educators generally utilize aspects of all schools of thought. A greater understanding of the complexity of human learning gives teachers a wider range of tools and ideas to apply to practical educational settings. To provide effective instruction to patrons, library and information professionals must draw on a rich variety of educational methodologies and techniques.

Evidences

The following evidence is submitted to satisfy Competency 11:

• Instructional Design Plan: Evaluating online news, a project from INFO 250 Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals
• Presentation of instructional design plan for middle school students, a Prezi project from INFO 250 Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals
• Year 12 Lesson 2, a professional instructional plan
• Learning Commons: An original website, a group project from INFO 233 School Library Media Centers
• Year 7 Lesson Plan, a professional instructional plan

INFO 250 Instructional Design Plan: Evaluating online news

I designed a proposal to teach middle school students strategies for evaluating online news as a culminating project for INFO 250. The plan is based on a needs assessment, an instructional goal, entry behavior and learner characteristics, and learning outcomes and motivation. The instruction is broken down into skills and concepts to be taught, and a specific plan for the presentation of learning materials and learner participation is outlined. An assessment plan is developed to measure the success of the instruction, and follow-through activities, and formative and summative evaluations are detailed. Learning objects are specified and analyzed, and a timetable provides a breakdown and schedule for the instruction.

This was my first attempt at designing any type of formal instruction. The experience solidified key features of instructional planning, and was very useful to me when I began teaching information literacy very recently. My planning for the INFO 250 project was much more detailed than my professional plans, for which I did not write any needs assessments, entry behaviors, or learner characteristics, due to time constraints. In hindsight, I feel that this project is a reasonable effort, and will come in handy when I teach this topic at my school. It demonstrates my mastery of using learning principles and theories to design a unit of instruction.

INFO 250 Presentation of instructional design plan for middle school students

The presentation of my instructional design plan is a visual and audio tool describing my project. The main points of my plan are highlighted and explained for the benefit of school administration. The presentation shows that I am familiar with the essential features of a complete instructional plan, and can identify strategies that will reach a wide range students with various learning styles and preferences. Although this type of presentation may be helpful in situations where my physical presence is not possible, I feel that a face-to-face presentation would be far more effective.

Professional instructional plan: Year 12 Lesson 2

This submission is a lesson for my Year 12 (11th Grade) students, which I delivered for the first time in September 2017. The goal of the instruction was to familiarize the students with the library website and the JSTOR database, and to teach them a few basic search techniques. For this lesson, I incorporated concepts of doing, thinking, and feeling learning theories. Information was presented in visual and audio formats. I created a Power Point presentation, which was projected onto a screen in the classroom. Two videos were included in the instruction, and students were asked to conduct searches themselves to solidify concepts they learned. At the end of the class, students were asked to reflect on the material, and discuss its relevance.

Although I have much to learn about teaching, I feel that I successfully used the knowledge I gained in my coursework, and applied it to a professional setting. This lesson plan is evidence of my mastery of Competency 11.

INFO 233 Learning Commons: An original website

This website was created with one other student as a group project for INFO 233. The purpose of the project was to design and informative project focused on an emerging trend affecting school libraries. Our project was a website that presents a cost/benefit analysis for launching a learning commons at a middle school. The website was created on the WordPress platform, and hosted on a server for the duration of the course. The Home page defines and describes a learning commons, and links its goals to the mission of the school. The next page links the ideals of a learning commons to Emerging Trends in technology, education, and librarianship. The Benefits page details the benefits of a learning commons for students, teachers, and the institution. Budget considerations are prioritized, and Solutions are suggested. I was responsible for the design and construction of the website, as well as the Home and Emerging Trends pages. I created the video on the Home page using “Powtoon” software, and used “Piktochart” for the infographic. On the Emerging Trends page, I used “Prezi” for the narrated presentation and “Easel.ly” for the poster.

This project is evidence of my knowledge of modern instructional theories and how they relate to school libraries. Furthermore, it demonstrates my understanding of how a learning commons integrates trends in education, technology, and libraries to produce better student learning outcomes. I feel that the project is extremely well done, and could be presented in a real-world setting. I have already integrated several elements of this project into my professional situation. This work shows my mastery in Competency 11.

Professional instructional plan: Year 7 Lesson Plan

I designed this instructional plan for my first class with Year 7 (6th Grade) students in September 2017. The instructional goal was to teach students to navigate the physical library and to access print materials. A tour of the library familiarized students with the various spaces and their usefulness. A visit to the language library was supplemented with an activity for identifying flags of different countries. A discussion revolving around the organization and classification of library materials was accompanied by hands-on inspection of examples from various reading levels, subjects, and genres. Assessing the learning outcomes was obtained through a scavenger hunt, where students were asked to find a list of print materials from within the library.

Although my instructional design is quite simple, I feel that it was very effective in achieving the goals I had set. The students learned the skills I had planned to teach them, enjoyed the class, and now feel comfortable in the library. This lesson plan demonstrates my understanding of basic learning theories, and how they apply to an educational setting in a school library.

Conclusion

The design and delivery of information literacy instruction is a crucial component of many professions within the library and information field. Effective teaching in a modern environment depends on an understanding of contemporary educational theories and techniques. The evidence I have presented from my coursework and my professional experience indicates that I have mastered the ability to design instructional programs based on learning principles and theories.

References

Grassian, E.S. and Kaplowitz, J.R. (2009). Delivering information literacy in various environments. In Information Literacy Instruction: Theory and Practice (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.

Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., and Bjork, R. (2008, May 11). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest (9)3, 105-119. Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x

Rogowsky, B. A., Calhoun, B. M., & Tallal, P. (2015). Matching learning style to instructional method: Effects on comprehension. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107(1), 64-78.