Course Instruction

Instruction Model

The University Libraries Instruction Team provides course level instruction according to learner-centered pedagogy. This enables librarians to dedicate classroom time to:

  1. active learning exercises
  2. topic development and feedback for individual students
  3. troubleshooting search queries
  4. making recommendations for databases, search strategies, and more.
General database demonstrations, information literacy fundamentals, and step-by-step research strategy instruction have a digital first option. Your team of librarians encourage this as a first step so that we can leverage class time to helping students with their specific needs.
 
As proponents of relationship-rich education, the University Libraries Instruction Team prioritizes meaningful connection over lectures.
view of Alkek Library

Guidelines

We take a team approach to delivering instruction. Librarians work together in disciplinary teams and will follow up with you after your request is submitted. 

To ensure a successful learning experience for your students, we highly recommend that you: 

  • Request instruction with a minimum of 2 weeks' notice.
  • Link the instruction to an assignment.  
  • Integrate the instruction into your course schedule strategically; students should be made aware of the requirements of the assignment and have had an opportunity to explore potential research topics prior to the session.
Instructors are expected to be present during in-person/synchronous Library workshops. It is crucial that instructors be on hand to answer questions about the research assignment if they arise.

Digital Literacy

All library instruction is grounded in digital literacy, an umbrella term that includes information literacy. We particularly appreciate the explanation of digital literacies provided by EDUCAUSE:

The concept of digital literacy encompasses a range of skills and knowledge necessary to evaluate, use, and create digital information in various forms. Digital literacies include data literacy, information literacy, visual literacy, media literacy, and metaliteracy, as well as related capacities for assessing social and ethical issues in our digital world.

Our learning outcomes and curriculum have been designed using the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education and Virginia Tech’s Digital Literacy Framework.