Teaching research skills through embedded librarianship

Abstract

Purpose This pilot aims to study a way of integrating research and writing support into a university course along with content. Research and writing skills are not taught explicitly in most university courses, yet these skills are increasingly required both in and outside of the classroom. Design/methodology/approach An embedded, collaborative instructional team comprising the instructor, librarians and writing specialists re-designed a first-year inquiry-based learning course, incorporating research and writing instruction throughout, formative and summative assessments and a flipped classroom model. At the end of the course, each member of the team reflected on their collaborative and individual experiences. The team also surveyed students to gauge their perceptions of the research and writing sessions. Findings The team learned from this experience and noted a large, but rewarding, time commitment. The flipped classroom model allowed the tailoring of instruction to students’ needs but required more work by librarians to prepare content and to grade. Students indicated appreciation for repeated interactions with librarians and reported confidence to use the skills taught. Originality/value Embedding librarians throughout the course with a writing specialist, as well as involvement in grading, is novel – this may be the first example in the literature of “deep integration”. The concept of “embedded librarianship” can be enhanced by expanding librarian and other support roles in a course.

Creating conditions for student success on a two-year accelerated degree

“…Today, this concept has moved on and 'embedding', in its purest form, involves interweaving academic skills within the course curriculum (Dewey, op.cit., cited in Shulte, 2012). Such an approach is quite unlike the old, librarian-taught, generic (or 'bolt-on') session -the "one-shot traditional model" (Hoffman et al, 2017); the "quick fix" (McWilliams and Allan, 2014)which smacked of remedial skills sessions.…”

Making sense of librarian-led information literacy instruction

“…Unlike the traditional "one-shot" model where a librarian visits a class once and addresses everything a student needs to know about research (Hoffman et al, 2017), an embedded session is a more integrated approach (Squibb & Mikkelsen, 2016;Van Epps & Nelson, 2013;Detlor et al, 2012). Embedded sessions move beyond suggesting and providing resources for students and classroom faculty (Hoffman et al, 2017).…”

“…Unlike the traditional "one-shot" model where a librarian visits a class once and addresses everything a student needs to know about research (Hoffman et al, 2017), an embedded session is a more integrated approach (Squibb & Mikkelsen, 2016;Van Epps & Nelson, 2013;Detlor et al, 2012). Embedded sessions move beyond suggesting and providing resources for students and classroom faculty (Hoffman et al, 2017). Embedded instruction sessions are taught by embedded librarians who "spend significant time in the classroom, create course assignments and research guides, conduct research and engage in scholarship with teaching faculty, and have a presence in course management software" such as blackboard (Norelli, 2010, p. 69).…”

“…Embedded instruction sessions are taught by embedded librarians who "spend significant time in the classroom, create course assignments and research guides, conduct research and engage in scholarship with teaching faculty, and have a presence in course management software" such as blackboard (Norelli, 2010, p. 69). Embedded librarians are located in the spaces of students and faculty, physically or virtually, because of their expertise in the discipline they are providing instruction (Drewes & Hoffman, 2010;Hoffman et al, 2017). Librarians who teach embedded information literacy sessions have earned graduate degrees in the discipline for which they provide instruction.…”

“…The consensus regarding "one-shot" instruction is that although these sessions may have some positive effects on student success, it is the least effective pedagogical method (Tang & Tseng, 2017;Powell & Kong, 2017;Hoffman et al, 2017). Powell and Kong (2017) argued that "one-shot" sessions were less than desirable because they were "difficult to assess, limited by the course instructors' syllabus and assignment, and repetitive to teach" (p. 519).…”