LIBR 535: INstructional Role of the librarian -- COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Goal: The goal of this course is to provide students with a set of skills and understandings that will enable them to design, implement, deliver and evaluate library instructional programs to individuals, small groups, or larger groups, including library users or library staff members.

Course Objectives:

Course Topics:

• Definitions of terminology in the field
• Brief historical overview of user education
• Current trends in school, public, academic and special libraries
• The management of user education programs
• Presentation skills for librarians
• Learning theories as applied to user education
• Reaching diverse groups of users with user education
• Adult learning theories as applied to user education
• Instructional design techniques
• Methods of delivering user education
• User education and electronic technology
• The evaluation of user education.

Prerequisites and/or Course Restrictions: LIBR 500, 501, 503, pre or co-requisite: 502

Format of the course: There will be one three hour class per week. To allow for variety, and differences in learning styles, a variety of methods will be used: lectures, class discussion, student presentations, guest speakers, and video presentations.

Readings:

There is background reading on class topics and readings for class discussion will also be assigned. The books and journals on the readings list are available online, on Reserve, or in the stacks of the Koerner Library or the Education Library.

 

**All written assignments are to be handed in at the beginning of class or emailed to libr535@gmail.com by the end of the due date.

Course Schedule [week by week] :

Date	Topics	Assignment Due
January 11	Introduction to the course; historical overview
January 18	State of the art of user education in various types of libraries
January 25	Learning theories as applied to user education	Assignment #1
February 1	Adult learning theories; Diverse users
February 8	Educational technology and usability	Assignment #2
February 15	Presentation skills for librarians
February 22	No Class - Reading Week
March 1	Instructional design I
March 8	Instructional design II	Assignment #3
March 15	Instructional design III	Start of presentations (Assignment #4)
March 22	Instructional design IV; one shot deal
March 29	Setting up or modifying a user education program I
April 5	Setting up or modifying a user education program II	End of presentations
April 12	Future trends and course review	Assignment #5

Attendance: The calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes.”

Regular on-time attendance in class is an important and required part of this course. For sessions you miss, it is your responsibility to obtain copies of all handouts distributed from one of the other class members.

We recognize that sudden unexpected problems arise for everyone (including ourselves), but you are expected to attend and be on time for class. Absences and/or repeated tardiness will result in a lower course mark or in a request from us that you drop the course. The size of an attendance-related course mark penalty will be determined by the instructors. Missing more than two classes will likely result in course failure. If you ARE late for class (for whatever reason) please come into the classroom rather than waiting for the break.

Eating and drinking in class is fine as long as it doesn’t interfere with the classroom dynamic.

Evaluation: Assignments will not be accepted late unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor(s). Consideration will be given to legitimate emergencies. If an extension is granted, a late penalty may be imposed; this will be discussed when you request an extension. Please see note above on class attendance requirements as related to course marks. All assignments will be awarded letter grades using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site.

Written & Spoken English Requirement: Written and spoken work may receive a lower mark if it is, in the opinion of the instructor, deficient in English.

Other Course Policies as Relevant – Each of you must sign-up for the class internet discussion list. From whatever email account you wish to use, send the following [leave the Subject line blank]:

address-- To: majordomo@interchange.ubc.ca

message-- subscribe l-535

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This is the mechanism that we will use to make announcements to you outside class. You are also welcome to post comments/questions to the list if relevant to other students. For particular problems or questions you should e-mail libr535@gmail.com.