As the semester comes to a close, it is time for me to reflect on what I have learned about instructional methods and information literacy in libraries. I have learned quite a bit in such a short amount of time and I hope to keep this blog handy for when I start preparing instruction for my own students someday. I have talked about what it means to be "information literate" and have discussed characteristics of the various teaching and learning styles. I have explored ways in which critical thinking and active learning should be incorporated into instruction and have touched on a couple of the assessment methods that I might prefer when I start teaching. Finally, I have discussed my own teaching philosophy and what I think the future of information literacy will look like.
I know that by the simple act of exploring these topics more thoroughly, I have already developed a good foundation on which to build my teaching skills. I hope to bring some of these ideas and techniques into the workplace soon so that I can have a great impact on my students. I know they will never be as passionate about libraries as I am. I don't expect them to be. But I do hope that they will walk out of my classroom having learned something that they can use to help them in their own research endeavors. I want them to be successful and I hope that I can be the one who helps contribute to their success. Thanks for reading :)
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Instruction Session Reflections
Recently I worked on a group project for my Instructional Methods course in which we were in charge of creating an instruction session for a group of students. We had complete control over who our audience (or students) would be, what we should teach them that would be relevant to their needs, and how we should present the information so that it had the greatest impact.
The first step was figuring out what and to whom we should teach. Knowing that most health related information is online and that adults over the age of 60 typically lack the knowledge needed to be able to find, evaluate, and use this information, we came up with the idea that we should create a 30 minute, face-to-face instruction session that would be aimed at showing seniors how to access health information online.
We knew that a face-to-face session would be best as some older adults may need help learning how to first navigate to a website. An online tutorial may be confusing for older adults who do not know how to use a mouse or type a URL into the address bar of a web browser. To assist us in our classroom, we chose a simple PowerPoint presentation as it would be easier to read for those who have poor eyesight. While Prezi would have made the presentation more attractive to us, it has too much movement and may be too "busy" and confusing for seniors to look at. We kept the concepts simple and focused on how to find information in only one health-related website, the National Institutes of Health Senior Health website. We demonstrated how to adjust the font and contrast so that information can be seen better with aging eyes. Finally, we showed them how to look up information on various maladies in both text and video formats and where to find help if they did not find the information they needed. Our goal was to ensure that older adults left the instruction session with the confidence to be able to independently search for relevant health information from their own computer.
Active learning exercises were scattered throughout the instruction session to ensure that seniors got to practice searching on their own while instructors roved the classroom to assist where needed. Each participant will leave the session with a certificate of achievement as well as a coupon for additional instruction sessions. Most importantly, each individual leaves the classroom with a newly acquired sense of independence knowing that they no longer have to rely on others for access to health-related information because now they possess the skills needed to find relevant information on their own!
This project had its successes and challenges along the way. The biggest challenge was finding a time when my classmates and I could meet. It sounds simple enough, but when one group member lives in Japan, another in Florida, and others in various states throughout the country, it becomes difficult to select a time when we all can meet. Often, there would be one or two of us that could not make it to the meeting so it was essential for someone to take notes and send an email out to the group with all of the topics that were discussed. I was fortunate enough to work with classmates who were just as passionate about presenting quality instruction as I am. It wasn't so much about getting a good grade. Instead, we really put a lot of thought into how we can present the information in a way that would accommodate older learners have a positive impact and in our community. Overall, we succeeded in being able to work together over space and time to present quality instruction with a purpose!
The first step was figuring out what and to whom we should teach. Knowing that most health related information is online and that adults over the age of 60 typically lack the knowledge needed to be able to find, evaluate, and use this information, we came up with the idea that we should create a 30 minute, face-to-face instruction session that would be aimed at showing seniors how to access health information online.
We knew that a face-to-face session would be best as some older adults may need help learning how to first navigate to a website. An online tutorial may be confusing for older adults who do not know how to use a mouse or type a URL into the address bar of a web browser. To assist us in our classroom, we chose a simple PowerPoint presentation as it would be easier to read for those who have poor eyesight. While Prezi would have made the presentation more attractive to us, it has too much movement and may be too "busy" and confusing for seniors to look at. We kept the concepts simple and focused on how to find information in only one health-related website, the National Institutes of Health Senior Health website. We demonstrated how to adjust the font and contrast so that information can be seen better with aging eyes. Finally, we showed them how to look up information on various maladies in both text and video formats and where to find help if they did not find the information they needed. Our goal was to ensure that older adults left the instruction session with the confidence to be able to independently search for relevant health information from their own computer.
Active learning exercises were scattered throughout the instruction session to ensure that seniors got to practice searching on their own while instructors roved the classroom to assist where needed. Each participant will leave the session with a certificate of achievement as well as a coupon for additional instruction sessions. Most importantly, each individual leaves the classroom with a newly acquired sense of independence knowing that they no longer have to rely on others for access to health-related information because now they possess the skills needed to find relevant information on their own!
This project had its successes and challenges along the way. The biggest challenge was finding a time when my classmates and I could meet. It sounds simple enough, but when one group member lives in Japan, another in Florida, and others in various states throughout the country, it becomes difficult to select a time when we all can meet. Often, there would be one or two of us that could not make it to the meeting so it was essential for someone to take notes and send an email out to the group with all of the topics that were discussed. I was fortunate enough to work with classmates who were just as passionate about presenting quality instruction as I am. It wasn't so much about getting a good grade. Instead, we really put a lot of thought into how we can present the information in a way that would accommodate older learners have a positive impact and in our community. Overall, we succeeded in being able to work together over space and time to present quality instruction with a purpose!
Sunday, December 1, 2013
The Future of Information Literacy in Academic Health Sciences Libraries
I have recently started working as a Graduate Assistant at an Academic Health Sciences Library in my state and have had the opportunity to sit in on various staff and department meetings, a couple of face-to-face instruction sessions, and numerous reference transactions. What I have noticed is the passion of our education and reference librarians when it comes to increasing the information literacy of our students. Our librarians are constantly plugging the library's services and thinking of new and creative ways to instruct students both online and face-to-face. This got me wondering how this passion for libraries and instruction translates over to the student population and what it means for the future of information literacy?
Currently, there are many options for students to customize certain databases, search multiple databases using a single search interface, and keep track of it all with citation management software. It is easy for students to get lost in it all and feel overwhelmed, especially if they have very little to no information literacy to begin with. It is essential, therefore for students to get some training. That is where the need for education and reference librarians comes in! I recently sat in on a "Searching for the Evidence" class at my library where students learn effective search techniques and which databases are used for finding evidence-based medical information. The class was comprised of first-year residents from the School of Medicine and, when asked about their typical search methods, a couple of the students said that they only perform searches in Google. It surprised and shocked me to learn that despite the access they have to top notch databases, they still preferred Google. Why is that? My theory is that Google feels safe to them because they lack the knowledge needed to perform effective searches in more relevant databases like PubMed or Ovid MEDLINE. By attending this class, these students will learn that not only is there life beyond Google, but they will have a much easier time finding information that is credible and useful if they know how and where to look. As databases get more complex, the need for instruction will only increase. As a result, the need for library instructors to teach the ins and out of these databases so that they are better understood by the students who use them will also increase. By providing students access to these classes, academic health sciences librarians will not only increase the information literacy of medical students, but they will also prove that the library is a valuable and necessary component to medical school education.
Which brings me to my next point. How will the faculty's perception of the library change as more and more students depend on the library for assistance in their research? I read an article recently that talked about the relationship between faculty at academic institutions and librarians and I learned that faculty members often do not view academic librarians as equals (Julien and Pecoskie, 2009). An example from the article talks about a librarian who visited a classroom for the purpose of information literacy instruction. The faculty member in charge of the class said something along the lines of "don't stress out about trying to remember everything that is said today, it is only worth 5 points of your total grade". What kind of message do you think this sends to the students? That because it's library instruction it is not as important as what your regular class instructor teaches you? That you don't need to pay attention because you can just search Google and be fine? It would be unfair of me to generalize here and say that all faculty feel this way about librarians because that is not the case. There are plenty of university faculty that very much value the work that academic librarians do and how their instruction can better the work of their students. But what worries me are the ones that don't and the potential negative impact this will have on students in the long run.
So, how can we get the "Google Generation" to see that the library is the place to start for research rather than the Google search bar? I think more and better advertising is a good start. Just the other day I was given the task of making flyers for the library's upcoming classes. I was told to print only two flyers - one gets posted inside the library's north elevator and one gets posted in the south elevator. Only two? In the elevators?! Who is going to see that? Now, in my library's defense, we do advertise these classes on the library's website. However, if students are going to Google instead of the library's website, they won't see those notifications either, now will they? How else can we reach out to the student population? Should we have faculty plug our classes to their students? Can we hand out welcome gifts to new students with a mug, posti-its, and a stuffed school mascot (all with the library's logo, of course)? Perhaps these are ideas that I can run by my new boss...
It is difficult to say what information literacy will look like in the future. I know what I want it to look like. In a perfect world, students will be just as passionate about using their library as they are for their studies. They will recognize that the library is a great place to start their research. It's okay if you don't know how to search that database, we'll teach you! We just need to spread the word. Eventually, they'll get it :)
References
Julien, H., Pecoskie, J. (2009) Librarians' experiences of the teaching role: Grounded in campus relationships. Library & Information Science Research, 31(3), 149-154.
Currently, there are many options for students to customize certain databases, search multiple databases using a single search interface, and keep track of it all with citation management software. It is easy for students to get lost in it all and feel overwhelmed, especially if they have very little to no information literacy to begin with. It is essential, therefore for students to get some training. That is where the need for education and reference librarians comes in! I recently sat in on a "Searching for the Evidence" class at my library where students learn effective search techniques and which databases are used for finding evidence-based medical information. The class was comprised of first-year residents from the School of Medicine and, when asked about their typical search methods, a couple of the students said that they only perform searches in Google. It surprised and shocked me to learn that despite the access they have to top notch databases, they still preferred Google. Why is that? My theory is that Google feels safe to them because they lack the knowledge needed to perform effective searches in more relevant databases like PubMed or Ovid MEDLINE. By attending this class, these students will learn that not only is there life beyond Google, but they will have a much easier time finding information that is credible and useful if they know how and where to look. As databases get more complex, the need for instruction will only increase. As a result, the need for library instructors to teach the ins and out of these databases so that they are better understood by the students who use them will also increase. By providing students access to these classes, academic health sciences librarians will not only increase the information literacy of medical students, but they will also prove that the library is a valuable and necessary component to medical school education.
Which brings me to my next point. How will the faculty's perception of the library change as more and more students depend on the library for assistance in their research? I read an article recently that talked about the relationship between faculty at academic institutions and librarians and I learned that faculty members often do not view academic librarians as equals (Julien and Pecoskie, 2009). An example from the article talks about a librarian who visited a classroom for the purpose of information literacy instruction. The faculty member in charge of the class said something along the lines of "don't stress out about trying to remember everything that is said today, it is only worth 5 points of your total grade". What kind of message do you think this sends to the students? That because it's library instruction it is not as important as what your regular class instructor teaches you? That you don't need to pay attention because you can just search Google and be fine? It would be unfair of me to generalize here and say that all faculty feel this way about librarians because that is not the case. There are plenty of university faculty that very much value the work that academic librarians do and how their instruction can better the work of their students. But what worries me are the ones that don't and the potential negative impact this will have on students in the long run.
So, how can we get the "Google Generation" to see that the library is the place to start for research rather than the Google search bar? I think more and better advertising is a good start. Just the other day I was given the task of making flyers for the library's upcoming classes. I was told to print only two flyers - one gets posted inside the library's north elevator and one gets posted in the south elevator. Only two? In the elevators?! Who is going to see that? Now, in my library's defense, we do advertise these classes on the library's website. However, if students are going to Google instead of the library's website, they won't see those notifications either, now will they? How else can we reach out to the student population? Should we have faculty plug our classes to their students? Can we hand out welcome gifts to new students with a mug, posti-its, and a stuffed school mascot (all with the library's logo, of course)? Perhaps these are ideas that I can run by my new boss...
It is difficult to say what information literacy will look like in the future. I know what I want it to look like. In a perfect world, students will be just as passionate about using their library as they are for their studies. They will recognize that the library is a great place to start their research. It's okay if you don't know how to search that database, we'll teach you! We just need to spread the word. Eventually, they'll get it :)
References
Julien, H., Pecoskie, J. (2009) Librarians' experiences of the teaching role: Grounded in campus relationships. Library & Information Science Research, 31(3), 149-154.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
And now I present to you.....My Teaching Philosophy!
I am a firm believer in the axiom "everyone can learn". I feel as though anyone can succeed in gaining knowledge as long as they are given a safe environment where they can discover and explore new information, make mistakes along the way, and have the encouragement and support of a teacher who understands various learning styles. In order for students to retain information, they have to see that what is being taught is relevant to their needs. They need to be able to walk out of the class and think "I can use this"! In order to accomplish this, I will present examples in my teaching that clearly demonstrate the usefulness of the information and how it can help improve their scholastic endeavors at the university. I will be upbeat and excited about the subjects I am teaching in the hopes that my excitement will inspire my students and encourage them to keep learning the material long after the classroom empties. My ultimate goal in teaching is not just to simply instruct but to create a lifetime love of learning in all of the students that I encounter.
Gone are the days where teachers merely stand in front of a classroom spewing facts and figures. Teachers today need to act as partners in education with their students and help facilitate learning by presenting information in various formats to accommodate different learning styles, develop active learning exercises, give constant feedback, and act as mentors. Not everyone learns at the same rate, therefore demonstrating patience and understanding will allow my students to feel comfortable in my classroom and not feel intimidated or anxious if they do not grasp concepts right away. Teachers should be approachable and I intend to make every effort possible to be there for my students whether they need me to stay after class to further explain a concept or if they contact me after hours through email. Constant communication between my students and I will prove to them that I genuinely care about their learning and that my goal is to ensure that they succeed.
Gone are the days where teachers merely stand in front of a classroom spewing facts and figures. Teachers today need to act as partners in education with their students and help facilitate learning by presenting information in various formats to accommodate different learning styles, develop active learning exercises, give constant feedback, and act as mentors. Not everyone learns at the same rate, therefore demonstrating patience and understanding will allow my students to feel comfortable in my classroom and not feel intimidated or anxious if they do not grasp concepts right away. Teachers should be approachable and I intend to make every effort possible to be there for my students whether they need me to stay after class to further explain a concept or if they contact me after hours through email. Constant communication between my students and I will prove to them that I genuinely care about their learning and that my goal is to ensure that they succeed.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Universal Design for Online Learning - Pot of Gold
As discussed in previous posts, people have a variety of preferences when it comes to learning. Some prefer content that is highly visual, some prefer to listen, and some learn better when they are active in the process and get hands on practice. Because of this, it is essential to develop instruction that meets the needs of most people's learning preferences. In the 1990s, the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) developed principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to assist instructors in "designing curricula—that is, educational goals, methods, materials, and assessments—that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning"
The first principle of Universal Design for Learning is to "Provide Multiple Means of Representation". According to this principle, instruction should include a multitude of ways in which learners can perceive and comprehend information. The Pot of Gold tutorial excels in this regard by including various media through which instruction is presented (videos, pictures, and text). In addition, library terms are defined and can be easily understood by students new to using a library for research. Finally, the Pot of Gold tutorial bridges concepts with relevant analogies and metaphors. An example of this is the analogy they use when describing the process of identifying your research topic. Students should chose a topic much like how they chose someone to date. Just as you wouldn't chose to spend your time with someone who is dull and boring, you shouldn't chose a topic that is of no interest to you. Don't waste your time with a dud. Chose a topic that interests you!
The second principle of Universal Design is to "Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression". This principle states that because students differ in the ways that they are engaged and motivated to learn, one must provide a variety of activities and means for expression. The tutorial provides ways for students to easily navigate the instruction session by following the set progression of modules or skipping around to a topic of interest (physical action). Goals and objectives are clearly stated at the start of the tutorial so students know what to expect to have learned by the end. Expression and communication are exhibited in the ways that students can leave feedback regarding the effectiveness of the tutorial or suggestions to improve instruction.
The third principle of Universal Design is to "Provide Multiple Means of Engagement". The Pot of Gold tutorial does this by engaging learners in quizzes and thoughtful activities and by promoting the tutorial on the library's website to gain the attention of students who may need more guidance. Information presented in the tutorial is done so in a way that is friendly and approachable so that even the most timid or anxious of library users will feel comfortable. The school's mascot, a leprechaun, appears through the tutorial giving students a sense of pride.
Utilizing Universal Design principles while developing instruction will ensure that you have covered all of your bases in terms of making the instruction relevant, accessible, and approachable. This is especially important when designing online instruction. Since you will not be there in the physical space guiding students through the process, there is no way to know whether or not your students needs are being met or if they are getting anything from the session. By not following UL principles in developing online instruction, you run the risk of students becoming bored with lessons that are not relevant to their needs. They may be intimidated by unfamiliar terms that are not clearly defined, leaving them to feel stupid and lost. Finally, if there are no checkpoints where students can periodically test their newly acquired knowledge and receive feedback, they may not know if the instruction even made a difference.
Since there are so many ways in which people prefer to learn, it is helpful to have these Universal Design principles handy during the process of developing instruction. By following these guidelines, you will have the most impact on a greater number of students.
Bibliography
(Center for Applied Special Technology, 2013).
A couple of weeks ago, I took the University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Libraries "Pot of Gold" tutorial. This information literacy tutorial is aimed at first year students at Notre Dame and attempts to introduce students to the skills they will need in order to access, evaluate, and utilize information they find through the library's website. While I initially visited the tutorial with the goal of evaluating how effective their instruction was, I am revisiting it today to examine whether or not it fits within the principles of Universal Design. The first principle of Universal Design for Learning is to "Provide Multiple Means of Representation". According to this principle, instruction should include a multitude of ways in which learners can perceive and comprehend information. The Pot of Gold tutorial excels in this regard by including various media through which instruction is presented (videos, pictures, and text). In addition, library terms are defined and can be easily understood by students new to using a library for research. Finally, the Pot of Gold tutorial bridges concepts with relevant analogies and metaphors. An example of this is the analogy they use when describing the process of identifying your research topic. Students should chose a topic much like how they chose someone to date. Just as you wouldn't chose to spend your time with someone who is dull and boring, you shouldn't chose a topic that is of no interest to you. Don't waste your time with a dud. Chose a topic that interests you!
The second principle of Universal Design is to "Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression". This principle states that because students differ in the ways that they are engaged and motivated to learn, one must provide a variety of activities and means for expression. The tutorial provides ways for students to easily navigate the instruction session by following the set progression of modules or skipping around to a topic of interest (physical action). Goals and objectives are clearly stated at the start of the tutorial so students know what to expect to have learned by the end. Expression and communication are exhibited in the ways that students can leave feedback regarding the effectiveness of the tutorial or suggestions to improve instruction.
The third principle of Universal Design is to "Provide Multiple Means of Engagement". The Pot of Gold tutorial does this by engaging learners in quizzes and thoughtful activities and by promoting the tutorial on the library's website to gain the attention of students who may need more guidance. Information presented in the tutorial is done so in a way that is friendly and approachable so that even the most timid or anxious of library users will feel comfortable. The school's mascot, a leprechaun, appears through the tutorial giving students a sense of pride.
Utilizing Universal Design principles while developing instruction will ensure that you have covered all of your bases in terms of making the instruction relevant, accessible, and approachable. This is especially important when designing online instruction. Since you will not be there in the physical space guiding students through the process, there is no way to know whether or not your students needs are being met or if they are getting anything from the session. By not following UL principles in developing online instruction, you run the risk of students becoming bored with lessons that are not relevant to their needs. They may be intimidated by unfamiliar terms that are not clearly defined, leaving them to feel stupid and lost. Finally, if there are no checkpoints where students can periodically test their newly acquired knowledge and receive feedback, they may not know if the instruction even made a difference.
Since there are so many ways in which people prefer to learn, it is helpful to have these Universal Design principles handy during the process of developing instruction. By following these guidelines, you will have the most impact on a greater number of students.
Bibliography
Center for Applied Special Technology. (n.d.). About
UDL. Retrieved November 17, 2013, from CAST:
http://cast.org/udl/faq/index.html
University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Libraries. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 17, 2013, from Pot of Gold Information Literacy Tutorial:
http://library.nd.edu/instruction/potofgold/
Sunday, November 10, 2013
"In the News" - What Would Walt Do?
What happens when three exceptional Colorado-based librarians travel to Anaheim, California to attend a workshop on quality customer service presented by the Disney Institute? You get new ideas on how to make every visitor to your library feel like a valued and welcomed guest. You find new ways to answer old questions. Most importantly, you learn to develop a new approach to customer service that will surprise and delight all who enter the library!
Libraries are not typically the first things people think of when they think about customer service. You go to the library, you get a book, and you leave. Perhaps you might find a comfy nook to settle down in for a while so you can study quietly. Maybe you are doing some research and need to ask a librarian for help. No matter why you visit your library, you likely do not come for the customer service. Sure, the librarians are amiable enough but do they ever blow you away with exceptional customer service or go "above and beyond"? Probably not. That should change, don't you think?
Mr. Walt Disney once said "We have always tried to be guided by the basic idea that, in the discovery of knowledge, there is great entertainment - as, conversely in all good entertainment there is always some grain of wisdom, humanity, or enlightenment to be gained". There is no reason why libraries cannot be genuine and fun. I know, seeking knowledge is serious business. But it is the personal touches library staff can put on our encounters with guests that can make the discovery of knowledge a positive and memorable experience!
The librarians who attended this conference focused on many areas of customer service and this is only a short blog post. However, one of the things that stood out to me was how to answer questions you may get 1000 times a day in a way that is fresh, personable, and authentic. Working the reference desk, I know it is hard not to seem bored when you are asked the same questions over and over. Therefore, we should always make an effort to not only tell someone the answer but to personalize it in a way so that the patron feels special. For example, when someone asks "Where are the fiction books located", don't just point and say "over there". Instead, get up from the desk and walk them over to the fiction section. While walking, you can ask if there is a particular title they are looking for. If they are just browsing, be sure to let them know that they can come to you to request a title if they don't see it on the shelf. Make a point to get to know your patrons. Learn their names if they come in often. We want people to come back not because we have books but because we have an amazingly helpful and caring staff too!
I know libraries can never be as fun and memorable as Disney World is....but can't we at least try?
Read more about learning from the legend here.
Libraries are not typically the first things people think of when they think about customer service. You go to the library, you get a book, and you leave. Perhaps you might find a comfy nook to settle down in for a while so you can study quietly. Maybe you are doing some research and need to ask a librarian for help. No matter why you visit your library, you likely do not come for the customer service. Sure, the librarians are amiable enough but do they ever blow you away with exceptional customer service or go "above and beyond"? Probably not. That should change, don't you think?
Mr. Walt Disney once said "We have always tried to be guided by the basic idea that, in the discovery of knowledge, there is great entertainment - as, conversely in all good entertainment there is always some grain of wisdom, humanity, or enlightenment to be gained". There is no reason why libraries cannot be genuine and fun. I know, seeking knowledge is serious business. But it is the personal touches library staff can put on our encounters with guests that can make the discovery of knowledge a positive and memorable experience!
The librarians who attended this conference focused on many areas of customer service and this is only a short blog post. However, one of the things that stood out to me was how to answer questions you may get 1000 times a day in a way that is fresh, personable, and authentic. Working the reference desk, I know it is hard not to seem bored when you are asked the same questions over and over. Therefore, we should always make an effort to not only tell someone the answer but to personalize it in a way so that the patron feels special. For example, when someone asks "Where are the fiction books located", don't just point and say "over there". Instead, get up from the desk and walk them over to the fiction section. While walking, you can ask if there is a particular title they are looking for. If they are just browsing, be sure to let them know that they can come to you to request a title if they don't see it on the shelf. Make a point to get to know your patrons. Learn their names if they come in often. We want people to come back not because we have books but because we have an amazingly helpful and caring staff too!
I know libraries can never be as fun and memorable as Disney World is....but can't we at least try?
Read more about learning from the legend here.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Teaching Preference Inventory
When I started down this path of librarianship, I did so with the goal of eventually becoming an academic librarian, preferably at a Health Sciences Library. I know that a position in the Education and Reference department at any academic library will require me to do a substantial amount of teaching. Whether this teaching occurs in a group or individual face-to-face instruction, I will need to have a basic understanding of how I teach before I can determine what kind of impact I hope to have on my students.
As a starting point, I took the Teaching Preference Inventory which is a survey of about 45 questions aimed at helping teachers understand their own views on teaching and how to express their beliefs, intentions, and actions in their teaching philosophy statements. Once I got past the fact that half of the questions were in Spanish (Google Translate is a wonderful tool!), I was able to complete the survey in about 15 minutes.
My TPI profile results page revealed how my answers compare to the "Five Perspectives" of teaching. The results indicated that I possess two dominant perspectives, namely "Apprenticeship" and "Nurturing".
The Apprenticeship Perspective basically states that teachers should be experts in their field and should be able to teach students in an easily accessible language starting with simple concepts and moving on to more complex concepts as the student progresses. As the student becomes more advanced, the teacher steps back and becomes more of a mentor than an instructor. I did a lot of this when I taught private music lessons years ago. I started students off with a good foundation (proper tone, scales, knowledge of basic music theory, etc.) and as my students progressed, my role as an instructor took a backseat to my role as a mentor. I was not surprised, therefore, to see this perspective listed as one of my dominant traits.
The results also indicated that am dominant in the Nurturing Perspective. This claims that students' desire to achieve lay in the heart rather than the head and that anyone can learn as long as they put in the effort to do so. Basically, students should want to learn! I have always hoped that I provide a safe, caring environment in which to learn. I want students to know that it is okay to make mistakes along the way and not to be discouraged by mistakes but rather learn from them. This goes back to the whole mentor thing. I feel as though when students have proper guidance and can count on an instructor to see mistakes as efforts rather than failed attempts, they will inevitably succeed.
By taking this Teaching Preference Inventory, I know a little bit more about myself as a teacher. To be honest, these results where not too surprising for me. I know from past teaching experiences that I have told my students that making mistakes was okay, as long as they learn from them. I always strive to be a mentor to someone rather than being that person at the front of the class spewing information. And I have always taught my students to start small. It's important to have a firm foundation on which to build the rest of your learning. Hopefully, I can carry on these teaching traits to my future instructional endeavors so that I can once again have a positive impact on my students!
As a starting point, I took the Teaching Preference Inventory which is a survey of about 45 questions aimed at helping teachers understand their own views on teaching and how to express their beliefs, intentions, and actions in their teaching philosophy statements. Once I got past the fact that half of the questions were in Spanish (Google Translate is a wonderful tool!), I was able to complete the survey in about 15 minutes.
My TPI profile results page revealed how my answers compare to the "Five Perspectives" of teaching. The results indicated that I possess two dominant perspectives, namely "Apprenticeship" and "Nurturing".
The Apprenticeship Perspective basically states that teachers should be experts in their field and should be able to teach students in an easily accessible language starting with simple concepts and moving on to more complex concepts as the student progresses. As the student becomes more advanced, the teacher steps back and becomes more of a mentor than an instructor. I did a lot of this when I taught private music lessons years ago. I started students off with a good foundation (proper tone, scales, knowledge of basic music theory, etc.) and as my students progressed, my role as an instructor took a backseat to my role as a mentor. I was not surprised, therefore, to see this perspective listed as one of my dominant traits.
The results also indicated that am dominant in the Nurturing Perspective. This claims that students' desire to achieve lay in the heart rather than the head and that anyone can learn as long as they put in the effort to do so. Basically, students should want to learn! I have always hoped that I provide a safe, caring environment in which to learn. I want students to know that it is okay to make mistakes along the way and not to be discouraged by mistakes but rather learn from them. This goes back to the whole mentor thing. I feel as though when students have proper guidance and can count on an instructor to see mistakes as efforts rather than failed attempts, they will inevitably succeed.
By taking this Teaching Preference Inventory, I know a little bit more about myself as a teacher. To be honest, these results where not too surprising for me. I know from past teaching experiences that I have told my students that making mistakes was okay, as long as they learn from them. I always strive to be a mentor to someone rather than being that person at the front of the class spewing information. And I have always taught my students to start small. It's important to have a firm foundation on which to build the rest of your learning. Hopefully, I can carry on these teaching traits to my future instructional endeavors so that I can once again have a positive impact on my students!
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