Episode 34: Discovery Layers in the Classroom

Listen to the podcast (mp3, ~58 minutes)

Rachel and Jason educate Anna about "discovery layers," while the two of them wrestle with the idea of how, when, where, and why discovery layers fit in an instruction session.

Note: Please excuse the excessive noise around the 23 minute mark; Anna's 4-year-old felt the need to snuggle with her while recording.




Show Notes:

• GSU’s “Discover” (EBSCO Discovery Service)
• American University's SearchBox
• Discovery Layer Interfaces via Library Technology Guides
• Grotti, M. G. & Sobel, K. (2012). WorldCat Local and Information Literacy Instruction: An Exploration of Emerging Teaching Practice. Public Services Quarterly, 8(1), 12-25. doi:10.1080/15228959.2011.563140
• Update: Anna came to learn (post-recording) that HER [public] library actually has a discovery layer via SirsiDynix's Enterprise. Who knew?

Join us for future episodes! If you’re interested, please post a comment below on the Adventures in Library Instruction blog or send us an email! We’d love to have you be a part of our Skype discussion or participate in a one-on-one interview. OR you can record your own a segment of something fabulous you’re doing with library instruction techniques, technology, or methods!

Episode 33: Love the Cataloger; Hate the Catalog

Listen to the podcast (mp3, ~57 minutes)

Rachel, Jason and Anna have the great pleasure of talking Laura McElfresh, the Assistant Director (and Cataloger Extraordinaire) from Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City Library. The conversation includes information tidbits from the book, Magic Search, as well as benefits of collaboration between instruction librarians and catalogers.

Note: At about 46 minutes into the show, we say good-bye and thanks to Laura, and we address listener comments from Episode 32: Critical Thinking Skills and Strategy.



Show Notes:

• Kornegay, R. S., Buchanan, H. E., & Morgan, H. B. (2009). Magic search: Getting the best results from your catalog and beyond. Chicago: American Library Association. 
• Cockroaches -- for those who want to know to which order and species cockroaches belong.

Join us for future episodes! If you’re interested, please post a comment below on the Adventures in Library Instruction blog or send us an email! We’d love to have you be a part of our Skype discussion or participate in a one-on-one interview. OR you can record your own a segment of something fabulous you’re doing with library instruction techniques, technology, or methods!

SOPA/PIPA protest and Internet Archive

Tomorrow, Wednesday January 18th, several major websites are "going dark" to protest the SOPA/PIPA internet censorship bills.

Among them is the Internet Archive, which we use as hosting for our podcast mp3 files. In short, we think this means that ALI episodes will be inaccessible on January 18th 2012.

We the producers of Adventures in Library Instruction would like to take this as an opportunity to express our opposition to SOPA/PIPA! Learn more about these bills. This is important stuff.

Episode 32: Critical skills and strategy

*(Not actually episode 2, as Jason says at the beginning and end of the episode for some reason)

Audio note: Rachel's wifi dropped in and out a bit. We think that nothing important was said during the brief pauses! Also, the recording quality improves after the first five minutes or so, so if the audio sounds muddy at first, stick with it.

Download the podcast (mp3, ~48 minutes)



News:
Rachel's upcoming new gig

Show Notes:

• George Boole
• Jason's Simmons College continuing ed classes (Zotero, Instruction Librarian Boot Camp)

No December episode

Well, we tried -- twice in fact -- but a combination of illness and technical difficulties have pushed our December episode into early January. Have a happy new year, and we'll talk to you in the next couple of weeks.

Anna, Jason, and Rachel

Episode 31: You Want to Watch Me Teach????

Listen to the podcast (mp3, ~60 minutes)

Catch up with Rachel, Jason, and Anna as they discuss their recent instruction endeavors, as well as the pros and cons of team-teaching and observing our instruction peers. The conversation includes balancing different teaching styles, finding time to observe others, and co-teaching "take aways."

***Spoiler Alert***

The pros greatly outweigh the cons. 

Show Notes:

• Jason's [with Sarah Steiner] Simmons College SLIS continuing education course, Instruction Librarian Boot Camp
• Why DRM Doesn't Work -- comic referenced during this month's episode.

Episode 30: Putting FUN Back in Fundamentals

Listen to the podcast (mp3, ~60 minutes)

Rachel, Jason, and Anna talk with Theresa McDevitt [editor] and Ryan Sittler [contributor] about their recent publication, Let the games begin!: Engaging students with field-tested interactive information literacy instruction. Theresa is a Government Information/Reference Librarian at Indiana University of Pennsylvania Libraries, and Ryan is an Instructional Technology/Information Literacy Librarian at California University of Pennsylvania. We take the opportunity to discuss the making of the book, the idea behind games in the library classroom, and practical applications for using games in information literacy instructional design.

Show Notes:

• McDevitt, T. R. (2011). Let the games begin!: Engaging students with field-tested interactive information literacy instruction. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.
• Kate Ash’s Education Week article, “Balancing Fun and Learning in Educational Games.” [via the The Committed Sardine Blog at the 21st Century Fluency Project].
• Sittler, R., & Cook, D. (2009). The library instruction cookbook. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries.
• Cook, D., & Sittler, R. (2008). Practical pedagogy for library instructors: 17 innovative strategies to improve student learning. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries.
• Faculty Survey of Student Engagement http://fsse.iub.edu/
• Goblin Threat via Lycoming College 
• Thinking Worlds 
• Planet in Peril: Plagiarism (Serious Games Challenge award winner!)