1. Student
Engagement and
Teaching in the
Library
Siân Neilson LED4002

2. Student Motivation & Achievement
“ A greater proportion of my students is reading
less, referencing less and writing with less clarity”
(Brabazon, 2007)

Timing of sessions

Lack of formal assessment

Attendance issues

Participation Issues

Monitoring/Impact

Follow up for students who struggle

3. Other Issues

Duplication of sessions across courses

Developing skills & Reflection

Lack of communication between the Library
and Academics (Chen & Lin, 2011) (Gosling,
2009)

Huddersfield Study found a 'correlation
between library usage and degree class'
(Goodall & Pattern, 2011)
“ Librarians often come...not knowing where their
students in terms of information skills” (Farkas,
2012)

4. Initial Ideas

Introducing more group work

Targeting sessions on course work

Using Socrative and interactive games to
foster competition and engagement

Still had a need for timely feedback, better
alignment, transparency in progress and to
promote reflection (Race, Biggs,Norton, Boud)

5. Student Observable Behaviours
“Allow students to dictate the pace... inverting the
locus of control” (Clark, 2015)

Currently divided into three stages: Threshold,
Typical, Excellent

Replace with clearer stages: Levels 1 -4

Allows for better scaffolding and progression

Students need support 'not only at an
introductory level, but as they progress' (Gosling,
2009)

Allows space for feedback and reflection

6. 
Managing student portfolio & tracking progress

Visually represent progress with Badges –
mixed evidence for efficacy - “Badges
can...increase learner motivation” (Abramovich,
Schunn & Higashi, 2013) but not for low
achievers (Ferdig, 2014)

More student-friendly name? Successful in
Computing but could sound intimidating
“Feedback addressing unconscious competence”
(Race, 2007)
Student Observable Behaviours

7. Trial Module – MGT4900 Strengths
& Challenges
Challenges

Poor feedback, poor attendance, year long
module – engagements from academic staff to
change approach
Strengths

Able students likely to respond well to more
self directed sessions

Dissertation module requiring range of skills

Tracking should improve communication
between teams

8. Evaluation & Impact - Strengths

Improve how the library monitors
support & impact

Allow better follow up/ referral /
Adaptation

Chart student progress with four
'levels' of SOBs

Better communication with Module
Leader, LDU

Motivational impact for students

Reduce duplication

9. Evaluation & Impact – Potential
Issues

Students might actually feel overly scrutinised/
demoralised by monitoring

Resistance from academics

Not being implemented by LDU at first -
inconsistent

Will students 'learn to learn' or just find it
another step

Undermine current positive relationship with
students – seen as no longer on their side

10. Timeline

Devise SOBs for Library – May

Engage with Lecturers, LDU & GTAs – July &
August

Module commences October

Review attendance against last year –
ongoing

Review project Summer 2016.

11. References
Abramovich, S. Schunn, C. & Higashi, R. M., (2013). ‘Are badges useful in education?: it depends
upon the type of badge and the expertise of learner’. Education Tech Research Development. 61
pp. 217 – 232
Biggs, J. (2003) Aligning Teaching for Constructing Learning. The Higher Education Academy
Boud, D. and associates (2010) Assessment 2020: Seven propositions for assessment reform in
higher education.
Brabazon, T. (2007). The University of Google: Education in the (post) information age. Ashgate:
Aldershot
Chen, K-N, Lin P-C, (2011) ‘ Information literacy in university library user education’ ASLIB
Proceedings, 63(4) pp.399 – 418
Clark, T. (2015) Computer Science: An Approach to Teaching and Learning. Available at:
http://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/our-schools/school-of-science-and-technology/computer-science/compute
Farkas, M. (2012) ‘Participatory technologies, pedagogy 2.0 and information literacy.’ Library Hi
Tech 30(1) pp. 82 – 94
Foster, J. C. (2014) 'The Practicality of Digital Badges'. Techniques, Sept 2014 pp. 40 - 44
Ferdig, R. & Pytash, K. (2014) 'There's a badge for that.' www.TechLearning.com pp. 24 -30

12. References 2
Fry, H., Ketteridge, S., & Marshall, S. (eds.) (2009). A handbook for Teaching and Learning in
Higher Education: Enhancing Academic Practice.(3rd edition) Routledge: London
Goodall, D & Pattern, D. (2011) 'Academic library non/low use & undergraduate student
achievement: a preliminary report of research in progress'. Library Management, 32(3) pp.159-
170 Available via http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/7940/
Mayer, J & Bowles-Terry, M. (2013) ‘Engagement and assessment in a credit-bearing information
literacy course’, Reference Services Review, 41 (1), pp. 62 – 79
Race, P. (2007) The lecturer's toolkit: a practical guide to assessment, learning and teaching.
Kogan Page: London
Race, P. (2013) Compendium on Feedback. Available at http://phil-race.co.uk/downloads/
Ruiz- Primo, M. A., (2011) ‘Informal formative assessment: The role of instructional dialogues in
assessing students’ learning’, Studies in Educational Evaluation. 37, pp. 15 – 24
Sharples, M. Adams, A. Ferguson, R. Gaved, M., McAndrew, P., Rientes, B., Weller, M. &
Whitelock, D. (2014). Innovating Pedagogy 2014: Open University Innovation Report 3. Milton
Keynes: The Open University
Zanin-Yost, A. (2012), “Designing information literacy: teaching, collaborating and growing’, New
Library World, 113(9) pp. 448 – 461