17th Distance Library Services Conference: Pre-Conference Workshops

Best Practices in Instructional Design for Distance Information Literacy (IL) Courses
Stephanie Weiss, Julie Fuller
University of North Florida

Join a collaborative team comprised of an instructional designer and an instructor-librarian as they lead a workshop to share best practices in instructional design for online/distance information literacy (IL) courses. Participants will develop an action plan to help them construct an online course template that will boost instructor presence; improve accessibility; facilitate interaction; and positively affect student learning experiences.

Learning Objectives:

• Examine how a course template improves student learning experiences in a distance IL course.
• Discuss how using a course template (or elements thereof) impacts student engagement in a distance information literacy course.
• Identify features of learning management systems that can be incorporated into a course template best suited for delivering IL instruction.
• Develop an action plan for creating and implementing an online course template.

Audience: Some experience in the topic
Track: Teaching & Learning
Tags: instructional design, collaboration, instruction, value/impact

Finding the Missing Piece: Communicating Library Value to Complete the Assessment Puzzle (handout) (handout) (handout)
Amanda B. Albert, St. Louis University
Megan Oakleaf, Syracuse University

Library assessment can seem like puzzle with many pieces. Librarians know the importance of services and resources, and collecting assessment data is crucial to prove this importance to institutions and stakeholders. Yet, there always seems to be one piece of the puzzle missing -- communicating the evidence of impact to stakeholders. This workshop provides attendees with the missing puzzle piece they need to start using their assessment data to actively engage their stakeholders through library value conversations. Attendees will leave the presentation armed with effective tools and strategies for communicating library value at their institution.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be able to identify ways to connect their library services, expertise, and resources to institutional priorities.
• Attendees will be able to communicate with their stakeholders using targeted, focused communication strategies. 

Audience: Some experience in the topic
Track: Assessment
Tags: value/impact, getting started, outreach/engagement

Providing Engaging Learning Opportunities in the Online Environment: From Faculty Outreach to Student Success
Matthew LaBrake, Amanda Piekart, Bonnie Lafazan
Berkeley College

Are your online students receiving the same level of engaging library instruction as those you support in the traditional classroom? What does it really take to lead the pathway to student excellence in the online environment? Over the years, our institution has shifted from a passive “Ask the Librarian” model, to actively collaborating with faculty to develop unique learning opportunities for online students based on course learning outcomes. Come discover examples of successful creative strategies for building faculty relationships, techniques for active-learning in virtual instruction, and ideas for integrating educational programming.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be able to analyze the current level of student engagement they provide in the online environment by completing a self-assessment survey.
• Attendees will be able to take student engagement to the next level by developing action items that can be applied to an existing assignment to make it ready for the online environment. 

Audience: Some experience in the topic
Track: Teaching & Learning
Tags: outreach/engagement, collaboration, instructional design, student success

Reaching Out! Tools for Connecting with Distance Education Students
Stefanie Buck, Oregon State University
Karla Aleman, Morehead State University
Neely Tang, Cornell University
Jennifer Rundels, Central Michigan University
Kimberly Bailey, University of Pittsburgh

There are plenty of tools that can help librarians connect to off-campus and online students, but it can be hard to find the time to discover what those tools are and how to use them. This hands-on workshop, led by experienced distance education librarians, will present several of these useful tools and give participants an opportunity to practice what’s been demonstrated. In 2 hours, everyone will have had a chance to explore, play and get expert advice on how to use the tools effectively. The tools to be demonstrated include:

• Jing
• Blackboard Collaborate
• Google Hangout/Skype
• Remote Desktop Control

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be able to select the most appropriate tool to connect with distance students based on their information needs.
• Attendees will be able to connect with distance students using video conferencing, screen capturing, and/or desktop-sharing applications

Audience: New to the topic
Track: Teaching & Learning
Tags: outreach/engagement, instruction