Full Description
Enhance your library instruction class by using this hands-on guide and learn numerous unique active learning exercises.
The effectiveness of active-learning approaches to instruction is well documented. What is needed now are proven, practical applications. Written for every librarian or teacher looking for such new and creative teaching techniques, Cybrarian Extraordinaire: Compelling Information Literacy Instruction fills the gap. Based on the author's own experiences, the book shares specific active-learning exercises created to make library instruction more engaging for a wide variety of audiences.
Specifically, author Felicia A. Smith illustrates the process of creating "edu-tainment" activities designed to serve serious instructional goals in a manner that is both fun and effective. Her book provides detailed examples of innovative ways to engage students in mandatory library classes. Among other ideas, it explores the use of e-readers as learning tools and describes the planning and possibilities involved in creating classes in online worlds, such as Second Life. Of course, it also explains the evolution of Smith's Pirate Librarian, offering exercises that reinforced the "library material as buried treasure" theme.
Contents
Acknowledgments
1 Cybrarian Roads to Information Literacy Instruction
Preprofessional Experiences
Resident Librarian
2 Resident Librarian
Never Give Up
The Birth of an Extraordinary Cybrarian
The Teacher Is Also the Student
Grading Student Assignments
Teaching Databases
Teaching Hints
Active Learning
First Time for Everything: Creating the Commercial
Storyboarding
Script
The Importance of Committees in Academic Libraries
Groupthink Pitfalls
Making Teaching Interesting and Fun
Verbots
Facebook and Podcasts
The Birth of the PiRRRate TeacheRRR
The Mechanics of Teaching
For-Credit vs. Orientation Courses
Fifteen-Minute Drop-in Sessions
Outreach Classes and Workshops
SmartBoard Workshop for Library Employees
Achieving Continued Employment
Closing
3 Moving into the Virtual World: From Having No Life to Having a Second Life
Helping Your Fellow Librarians with Second Life
4 Outreach Librarian and Wireless Reading Devices
Stall Notes
5 Planning and Selling Instruction by the KISSS Preparation Method (Keep It Simple, Significant, Silly)
Leaving the Library for the Classroom
Sample Educational Games
6 Evaluating Your Courses
7 Sharing the Present, Preparing for the Future
Appendix A: Updated Storyboard (PPT)
Appendix B: Journal Highlights and Evaluation Survey Results
Appendix C: Sample Daily Syllabus and Written Class Activity
Appendix D: Stall Notes
Bibliography
Index
