Best Practices for Teaching the Literature Review to Graduate Students

Presented by: Jim Alderman (UNF), Alyse Ergood (FAU), Carol Maksian (FGCU), Kristy Padron (FAU)

Considerations in Library Instruction for Graduate Students◦ Who else is in graduate school?◦ What factors influence library instruction to

graduate students?◦ Which skills do librarians need to have?

Recent Graduates with Bachelor Degrees

Women (this also depends on the program)

Returning Adult Students

International Students

Who is in Graduate School?

else^

and

What are the effects of these characteristics?

Class Environmento Instructor-Student

interactionso Motivation

Teaching: Androgyny & Adult learning practices

o Prior knowledge & life experience

Communication & Cultural Exchange

What factors influence library instruction to graduate students?

• Ph.D / Ed.D• Masters Level• Certificate / Credentials

• Full-Time• Part-Time• Accelerated

• Faculty Influence• Limited Contact w/ Librarians• Students Ignore print• Students discover library late in

program

Level/Scope of Degree

Type of Enrollment/Attendance

Use of Library

Subject Area/ Discipline

• Content• Assignments• Research needs (lab/field-based,

literature reviews, type of information resources)

Skill and confidence in subject area resources◦ Seek additional training◦ Mentoring

Develop active relationships with liaisons Pedagogy

◦ Adult learning concepts (Androgyny) More interaction; established set of values; have

competing interests (family, job, relationships, school)

Consider instruction in light of the changing role of librarians (increasingly the “tech” expert)

Which skills do librarians need to possess?