Review of Active Learning: A Consideration in Collection Development in Health Sciences Libraries?

 Posted by: Shelton, Michaela

APA Citation: 

Cisney, L. (2022). Active learning: A consideration in collection development in health sciences libraries?         Collection and Curation, 42(2), 41-45. https://doi.org/10.1108/CC-02-2022-0009

Summary: 

Cisney (2022) conducted a literature review and a survey to health sciences libraries regarding how active learning is considered in collection development at health sciences libraries. Active learning is often used in medical education, and as libraries adjust to integrate with curriculum it becomes increasingly important that the collection can support learning and instruction. Cisney's survey was sent to members of the Medical Library Association Technical Services Caucus and Collection Development Caucus and had a 6% response rate. Based on responses, the survey found that most respondents did not make considerations for active learning when making collection development decisions. Because the level of respondents was so low, generalizations could not be made across health science libraries, but rather the responses are an indication that the topic should be explored further. Further studies may also explore if the COVID-19 pandemic changed how libraries view or practice active learning. 

Evaluation: 

While the survey discussed in this article could not be generalized to other health science libraries, the responses still show that librarians involved in collection development may be missing important connections with the information literacy and learning side of the library. For collection librarians who are interested in making considerations for active learning, Cisney's literature review provided several recommendations. The literature review showed that when making considerations for active learning in collection development, librarians may select electronic resources to provide flexibility of use in class, as well as budget for clinical and diagnostic tools and other technology that aids active learning. Libraries may work with students when selecting what materials to purchase for collection updates. Additionally, libraries may alter the types of materials they select or how they store collections to provide learning spaces in the library. 

College Success: High School Librarians Make the Difference

Beilock, John

Smalley, T. N. (2004). College Success: High School Librarians Make the Difference. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 30(3), 193–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2004.02.008

Summary:

           Published in the Journal of Academic Libraries, April of 2004, Topsy N. Smalley wrote a professional article about a conceptual research study of community college students who outperformed others when taking a required Information Research class. What was discovered was that students who attended high schools with libraries and library media specialists (also known as school librarians or teacher librarians) performed better than students from high schools without libraries and library media specialists.

Evaluation:

            Smalley’s findings that there was a significant difference between students from high schools with libraries as opposed to those who came from schools without librarians, was apropos. Having solved how the students came to do well led to the suggestion that academic librarians must reach out to high schools and articulate the information literacy skills and strategies that students will need to succeed in postsecondary schools and work.

Alvarez, Liza

Stroup Tristao, M. (2017). Sources unknown: Confirmation bias. Retrieved from https://www.sjpl.org/blog/sources-unknown-confirmation-bias

Sources Unknown: Confirmation Bias 

This is a video clip and article explaining “confirmation bias” on the San Jose Public Library Blog by librarian Megan Tirstao. The video features an example of an interviewer testing people to see if they can catch their own confirmation bias with brain exercise to find a pattern. Time after time the participants continue to incorrectly answer the puzzle because of their “conformation bias”. The article goes on to describe the concept in further detail providing examples as well as tips on how to avoid “confirmation bias”  by expanding routine media sources, relying more on primary sources, and verifying the information against more than one other source.

The article provides links to other blogs about data literacy, fact INFOchecking and “fake news”. I find this type of article and material extremely pertinent to the public in general, but very apropos of the social and political climate in the United States at the moment. Not only does this topic inform the populace on how to be more discriminatory in order to find accurate information, but it is one of much interest across the nation and can contribute to a more educated and democratic population.

Mobile Information Literacy

Faubion, Kathy

Mullins, K. (2017). Research Plus™ mobile app: information literacy “on the go”. Reference Services Review, 45, 38-53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/RSR-03-2016-0020

Descriptive Summary: This is a study of how librarians can develop a mobile app for students with  information needs. This study at Long Island University showed that students wanted mobile access to library resources and databases for research purposes, but that even when issued iPads, they were not using them for this research. Even though most students have access to mobile technology, lack of direction from faculty and lack of digital literacy combine to make the use of the technology low at present. It was decided that useability needed to be addressed to increase student use of this mobile technology. Academic libraries have an opportunity to work with faculty and students to help increase understanding of how to use the mobile technology. Favoring a native app, the study used the ADDIE approach: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation in deciding how best to increase the use of mobile library technology. In each of the phases, students were surveyed to determine how to best develop the information literacy app. The study used an app called Research Plus™. The app was designed to walk students through the steps of mobile research to increase useability.  A second purpose was to meet student information literacy needs, in accordance with the ACRL (Association of College and Research) standards, even in a mobile platform. The features of the app included everything from choosing a research topic to evaluating the resources. The app was approved for beta testing at the time this article was published, although the author notes that money and time constraints when studying an ever-changing technological landscape make the study more difficult.

Evaluation: Although this study was done in an academic library, I think it could easily be adapted to public library use.  A major focus at my library is to make our mobile applications more accessible and useable for our patrons.  Many of our patrons use our databases for research purposes, but it is our goal to make it so they can do so “on the go”.  If an app like Research Plus™ were available to the public, then mobile information needs could be better met.

Keywords: Information Literacy, Mobile Technology, Mobile Resources, Academic Library

(Generation 1.5) Latino Students and the Library: A Case Study

Bradley, Rebecca
INFO 266
Fall 2016

Haras, C, Lopez, E. & Ferry, K. (2008). (Generation 1.5) Latino students and the library: a case study.  The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 34(5), 425-433.

This fascinating article studies the past, present, and future perception and use of library services among U.S.-educated first-year Latino undergraduate students. Using focus groups and an electronic survey, the authors conclude that the research skills among the Latino Freshman studied were underdeveloped due to low levels of K-12 library use. The authors further suggest that the under-utilization of K-12 library resources leads to lower levels of information literacy development within this student population, which could be one cause of the high rate of drop out among Latino students after their first year of college. The authors note that previous studies have focused on early literacy and numeric development as a predictor of future academic success or failure of Latino students, but not on the specific impact of library use and information literacy development.

As a Spanish-bilingual teacher-librarian, some of the information noted in this study as well as the findings were frankly alarming. On the positive side, 83.5% of the participants said that their first visit to the library happened before sixth grade with their mothers or a teacher. Many students also stated that they had fond memories of their visits and remembered the library as a “safe place.” In addition, 72% of these Latino students reported doing some research in high school and 76% said that they felt familiar with scholarly databases.

However, on the negative side, the authors noted that many “Generation 1.5” students stuck between their home language of Spanish and the English-dominant school environment were placed in low-track ESL classes in poor urban high schools lacking in adequate technology and library collections, which meant they were ill-prepared for the academic load in college. More shocking was the fact that according to a report by the California Department of Education in 2004, only 23% of our state schools had credentialed library media teachers and ranked last among all 50 states with librarian to student ratio (1:5,965). In one particularly shocking study on library use by undergraduates based on race, Ethelene Whitmire (2003) found that only 40% of Latino respondents had ever borrowed a book from a public library. The sad result of this lack of preparation and contact with libraries led to only 40.9% of Latino students surveyed in the study presented in this article to state that they felt “good” at doing research. Many of the participants felt that their former teachers did not prepare them adequately on how to use the library and its resources, which led to frustrating attempts in academic libraries.

After reading this article, I am even more concerned about the Latino students at my school. Clearly, the information literacy and research skills taught by me and the other teachers at my elementary school as well as the positive connection to be built between our students and the library are essential to their future academic success.