Do you feel like it's long past time to totally transform information literacy instruction? If so, this indispensable new book by Joan Kaplowitz has everything you need to help you incorporate learner-centred teaching (LCT) into information literacy instruction (ILI), combining important grounding in the discipline with usable instructions and tips.
Collaboration, participation, and responsibility are emphasized. You get first-hand information on the transition to learner-centred teaching through Joan Kaplowitz's own experience, as well as real-life examples from instructors in the field who support the learner-centred teaching model.
Part One explains how learner-centred teaching works and why it's so effective, offers tips and tricks to listen to, engage with, and inspire your learners, and provides essential background information and resources to paint a well-rounded picture of the learner-centred teaching model.
Part Two helps you plan for LCT by covering different methods, like modelling, questioning, and collaborative group work. You'll also gain valuable advice on measuring outcomes, assessment, and selecting the best instructional activities based on those outcomes.
Part Three brings everything together by applying LCT to practice, with tips on strengthening the face-to-face learning experience, creating the right environment, and discussing important drawbacks to consider in certain classrooms.
An entire chapter is devoted to creating an online learner-centred experience that includes pros and cons, special challenges, designing the online environment to get to most out of LCT, and the key elements for online instruction. Perspectives from school, public, college, university, and special libraries provide best practices from all areas of librarianship.
Readership: Librarians, information professionals and students on librarianship and information science courses.
Table of Contents:
Foreword - Lynn D. Lampert
PART 1: FINDING OUT ABOUT LEARNER-CENTERED TEACHING
1. What Is Learner-Centered Teaching?
- The Adventure Begins
- What’s So Special about LCT?
- Learner-Centered Teaching: CPR for Your Practice
- Support for LCT
- Shifting the Balance of Power
- LCT and ILI
- Final Remarks
- Reflections
- Explorations
- References
2. How Will You Know Learner-Centered Teaching
- When You See It?
- I’ll Know It When I See It
- Components of LCT
- Listen to Your Learners
- Engage Your Learners
- Inspire Your Learners
- Final Remarks
- Reflections
- Explorations
- References
3. Where Did Learner-Centered Teaching Come From?
- The Evolution of an Idea
- John Dewey and the Progressive Education Movement
- How Psychological Learning Theories Contribute to LCT
- Common Threads—Collaboration, Participation, Responsibility
- CPR from the Teacher’s Perspective: Listen, Engage, Inspire
- LCT: The Research Base
- Final Remarks
- Reflections
- Explorations
- References
PART 2: PLANNING FOR LEARNER-CENTERED TEACHING
4. What Will Learners Do?—Learner-Centered Teaching Methods
- How Do I Teach? Let Me Count the Ways
- The Many Flavors of Learning
- The Lecture Method
- Modeling/Demonstration
- Questioning
- Discussion
- Practice
- Collaborative Group Work
- Reflection
- A Word about Discovery
- Ending It All
- Mixing It Up
- Final Remarks
- Reflections
- Explorations
- References
5. How Will Learning Be Measured? — Learner-Centered
- Assessment
- Taking the Guesswork Out of Learner-Centered Teaching, or How Do I Know It Worked?
- Using Learner-Centered Assessment to Listen, Engage, and Inspire
- Learner-Centered Assessment: Creating Opportunities to Collaborate, Participate, and Take Responsibility
- Planning for Learner-Centered Assessment: The Teaching Tripod
- Teaching Tripod—Step One: Creating Expected Learning Outcomes
- Teaching Tripod—Step Two: Selecting Instructional Activities
- Teaching Tripod—Step Three: Assessing Expected Learning Outcomes
- Assessment 101: An Overview of Some Basic Principles
- Double Duty: Using Instructional Activities for ILI Assessment
- Final Remarks
- Reflections
- Explorations
- References
PART 3: APPLYING LEARNER-CENTERED TEACHING IN PRACTICE
6. Creating the Face-to-Face Learner-Centered Experience
- Advantages and Drawbacks of the F2F Format
- Atmosphere—Creating an LCT Environment
- How to Build a Learner-Centered F2F Experience
- Special Considerations for the Learner-Centered F2F Experience
- Final Remarks
- Reflections
- Explorations
- References
7. Creating the Online Learner-Centered Experience - with Hillary Kaplowitz
- Why Teach Online?
- Moving to the Online Format: A Cautionary Tale
- Advantages and Drawbacks of the Online Format
- How Online Instruction Supports LCT
- Special Challenges for LCT in the Online Format
- Atmosphere—Designing an LCT Environment Online
- How to Build a Learner-Centered Online Experience
- Elements of Learner-Centered Online Instruction
- Special Considerations for the Learner-Centered Online Experience
- Final Remarks
- Reflections
- Explorations
- References
8. Creating the Blended Learner-Centered Experience — A Case Study in Transformation - with Hillary Kaplowitz
- Changing My Ways
- The Starting Point
- Moving to the LCT/Blended Approach—The Transformation of IS 448
- Baby Steps
- Final Remarks
- Reflections
- Explorations
- References
9. Learner-Centered Teaching in Action—Vignettes from the Field
- From the School Library Perspective
- From the Public Library Perspective
- From the Academic Library Perspective—Part One: Community Colleges
- From the Academic Library Perspective—Part Two: Colleges and Universities
- From the Special Library Perspective
- From the Partnership and Outreach Perspective
- Final Remarks
- References
PART 4: SUMMING IT ALL UP
10. Where Do We Go from Here?
- Start Small
- Team Teach
- Become a Critical Observer
- Share Your Ideas
- Seek Out New Information
- Recharge Your Batteries
- Technology and the Future of ILI
- Back to Basics: Teaching Concepts, Not Mechanics
- Final Remarks
- References
About the Author :
Joan R. Kaplowitz has a Doctorate in Psychology as well as a Master’s in Library Science. She retired in 2007 after 23 years as a librarian at UCLA.
Review :
"...a must-have for anyone who teaches information literacy in any sector for any amount of time, whether it be for one or two stand-alone sessions a year or a fully credited academic course. The clear layout and conversational tone mean it is easy to both read from cover to cover and to dip into so one can return to it regularly."
"...a must-read for library instructors who seek to improve their personal teaching pedagogy and, more importantly, the IL skills of their learners."
"...a very valuable addition to the field of information literacy"
"Transforming Information Literacy Instruction Using Learner-Centered Teaching serves as an excellent primer on the concept of LCT and on educational theory as it applies to information literacy instruction. The inclusion of online and blended learning environments means the content will remain relevant as more and more information literacy instruction moves into those formats. Though much of the discussion is theoretical, numerous citations (many annotated) provide the instruction practitioner with an entry point into the intimidating literature on teaching theory and practice."
