Becoming Confident Teachers

Claire McGuinness PhD, MSc, BSc, RLPE, FHEA, RN (Child)Senior Lecturer & Programme Lead BSc/BSc Hons Professional Studies in NursingDepartment of Nursing and Community HealthSchool of Health & Life SciencesGlasgow Caledonian UniversityGlasgow, UK

…a sound and satisfying work on teaching librarianship., College and Research LibrariesMcGuinness's work has many strengths., College and Research LibrariesThis book is a goldmine for practical 'how to' tips, but it is also a book that advocates why librarians should become teaching librarians., IFLA SET Bulletin

• List of tablesAbout the authorAcknowledgementsIntroductionChapter 1: The evolving role of the teaching librarianAbstract:Teaching librarians and the information literacy revolutionWho is the ‘teaching librarian’?Should librarians teach?Teaching librarians – what do academics think?Teaching librarians and professional educationExercises and reflectionsChapter 2: Teaching librarians: 10 concepts shaping the roleAbstract:Developing a ‘teacher identity’Reflective practiceDeveloping a personal teaching philosophy and pedagogical knowledge baseThe virtual learning environmentTeaching a diverse student baseInformation literacy for graduate students and researchersInstructional training for librariansAction research in practiceReinvigorated strategies for collaborationAdvocacy – spreading the wordExercises and reflectionsChapter 3: Preparing teaching librarians for practice: focusing on the basicsAbstract:What are the basics?Conceptualising information literacyArticulating the educational mission of the libraryLearning theoriesBroad learning frameworksInstructional needs assessmentWriting goals, objectives and intended learning outcomesSelecting teaching and learning activitiesCreating effective learning materialsAligning assessment with learning outcomes and activitiesPromotion and outreachExercises and reflectionsChapter 4: Confidence-zappers and how to handle themAbstract:‘Attendance at our elective information literacy workshops is poor – what can I do to encourage students to sign up?’‘How can I facilitate active learning with such a large group of students? Is it possible to do more than lecture?’‘I’m having trouble keeping the students interested in class – they seem bored and unmotivated. Is there anything I can do?’‘It seems like everyone on campus is using the VLE/CMS for their teaching, and I feel left behind – how can I get started with it?’‘I have to teach a group of adult learners and I find it intimidating – how can I live up to their expectations?’‘A lecturer has asked me to give a one-hour session with her class, but no specific idea of what she wants me to cover – how can I develop an effective session?’Exercises and reflectionsChapter 5: Personal and professional development as a teaching librarianAbstract:Evaluation of teaching performanceStudent evaluation of teachingPeer evaluation of teachingApplying for teaching grants and awardsTeaching portfoliosReflective journals and blogsMentoringProfessional learning communitiesCreating and sustaining communities of practicePublishing in journals and presenting at conferencesExercises and reflectionsChapter 6: What librarians think: teaching and learning in the real worldAbstract:Librarians’ work roles, training and involvement in teachingInvolvement in teaching networks and communitiesTeaching grants and awardsLibrarians’ beliefs about how role is perceived by ‘outsiders’Librarians’ pre-employment role conceptions compared with current role experienceLibrarians’ confidence in teachingLibrarians’ challenges in the teaching roleWhat do librarians enjoy about teaching?Librarians’ conceptions of ‘good’ teachingLibrarians’ additional comments about the teaching roleAcademic librarians’ experience of teaching: a short surveyReferencesIndex