Identifying Instructional Strategy

This week I have been thinking more about the knowledge, attitude, and skills that are important for my learners to come away with as a result of this information literacy training, and how these will build upon the skills that my learners already bring to the training. From here I was able to refine and solidify learning goals. (This thought process has probably resulted in the most significant revisions to my draft of the instructional design document.) I then though about sequencing of instruction for these new skills and how they connect and build upon one another. Next I was able to consider the appropriate learning activities that will result in the acquisition of these skills and allow the learners to leave the training with a product that they can use in their own library.

It is assumed that librarians already have basic media/ technology literacy skills that are appropriate to their positions. Such prior knowledge and prerequisite skills include the following:

1)    Librarians understand basic functions of library computers and internet access.

2)    Librarians understand basic function and navigation of K-12 Databases

3)    Librarians understand basic functions and organization of the online library catalog.

If during the training, it is determined that an individual learner has a deficit of any of the above prerequisite skills, a brief training intervention/ tutorial may be required to strengthen the skill(s).

The information literacy skills that will be the focus of this training are:

• Research and Library Skills
• Critical Literacy 

Goals of instruction 
     1)    Paraprofessional Librarians will be able to critically evaluate information and sources for relevance, validity, and authority.

2)    Paraprofessional Librarians will use effective search strategies to find information.

a.    Librarians will apply Boolean logic to online and database searches.

b.    Librarians will be able to build an effective search in the K-12 Databases.

c.    Librarians will be able to apply basic and advanced search functions in the school’s online library catalog.

3)    Paraprofessional Librarians will understand and use standard library organization.

a.    Librarians will be able to organize and retrieve materials based on the Dewey system.

b.    Librarians will be able to effectively organize and retrieve materials in the online library catalog.

 4)    Paraprofessional Librarians will understand the importance of their role in modeling and promoting these information literacy skills within their library.

I believe that the latter goal of instruction will address learner motivation. During the learner analysis many of the librarians reported that they felt the most important aspects of their jobs included encouraging others to learn new things, teaching students, and effectively working with and assisting teachers and students. If the learner is able to relate the importance of information literacy skills to the success of these other valued aspects of her job, she will be more properly motivated to learn and promote these new skills as well.

Last week I explored the idea of using an instructional model such as van Merrienboer’s Four- Component Instructional Design model, which recognizes that complex learning requires the “integration and coordination” of other knowledge and skills (Richey, Klein, & Tracey, 2011, p.118). According to van Merrienboer’s model, instructional design will include supportive information, procedural information, and part-tasks. In this particular training, these part-tasks may then be integrated into the more complex whole-task of completing an authentic research project that may be used in the actual library setting. This type of design structure will apply well to learning the smaller components involved in the individual literacies listed above, and to integrating these skills and knowledge into an overall competency in using and thinking about information.

The overarching instructional activity of this training will be the creation of a pathfinder, or bibliography of resources, by each librarian on a specific topic of their choosing. Learners will be encouraged to choose a topic that is taught in the curriculum at their school. The pathfinder that is created will include useful and relevant resources that can be used by teachers and students during that unit of instruction.

The training will consist of learners gaining procedural information on individual skills (based on instructional goals) via brief tutorials. Any supporting information or resources will also be given at this time. After each tutorial, learners will then apply and practice the skill by using the information, technique, etc., to search for a resource to add to their pathfinder. Because learners will be expected to evaluate the relevance, validity, and authority of each resource chosen, it is logical that training in critical literacy should take place first.

van Merrienboer’s instructional model promotes the use of “cognitive feedback to encourage learners to reflect on the quality of their approach to problem solving and their solutions" (Richey et al., 2011, p.119). Feedback during this training may include encouraging librarians to reflect on why they may have chosen a certain research technique or resource over others. I believe this will help the learner to see the advantages or disadvantages of their choices and evaluate for effectiveness. Learners will also be prompted to reflect on the value and benefits of modeling certain skill or techniques for library patrons, which will aid in learner motivation and skill transfer.