Library Instruction: Online Instruction

These levels of online instruction are a framework to help librarians conceptualize the processes for teaching online. The levels are meant to serve as a scaffold into each other. The first three levels are going to be 99% of the online instruction you provide.

Making Connections

The purpose of this level is to raise online faculty awareness of the librarian services available to them. Examples of activities include:

• Reaching out to faculty who teach online courses
• Articulate library services available to them
• Request them to post librarian contact information

Recommending or Developing Resources

This level is designed for the librarian to begin making recommendations for library resources or tools that will benefit online learners. Examples of activities include:

• Sending faculty links to various library tools, tutorials, research guides, helps, etc.
• Creating custom resources, such as a course guide or handout.
• Help with research assignment design.
• Having faculty email student questions to you.

Embedded Instruction

This level serves as a replacement for a face-to-face library instruction session. The instruction in this category will mostly take place asynchronously through a variety of tools in the learning management system. Examples of activities include:

• Request access to edit an online course. Ask faculty member first, then contact Kathi Dutton to add you as a course editor.
• Creating a library instruction folder to post instructional materials (PowerPoints, videos, links, tutorials).
• Recording a screencast explaining how to use the library or a specific resource.
• Hosting a discussion board to facilitate student discussion regarding a library topic or research concept.
• Creating a library assignment for students to complete.
• Soliciting student questions through email. 
• Providing one-on-one research assistance through: email, phone, in-person, Skype, or Blackboard Collaborate.
• Assessing students' knowledge using pre/post surveys or quizzes.

Synchronous Instruction

This level is designed to create a live, online session to teach students. This would require that the online course is either: already synchronous or arranged with the faculty member beforehand. A very small percentage of online classes utilize synchronous methods for instruction. Examples of activities include:

• Presenting via Blackboard Collaborate. This would be like attending a webinar. You would plan a presentation ahead of time. Students communicate via a chat box and you can allow them to speak through a microphone. These sessions can be recorded and shared with the class afterwords.
• If the class was small enough, you could also provide one-on-one sessions through other tools, such as Skype or phone or chat.
• Hosting virtual office hours through Blackboard Collaborate or through a chat service.
• This type of online teaching is challenging, since not all students have the proper setup on their computers to run Blackboard Collaborate smoothly. There may also be lag issues depending on their Internet service.

Hybrid or Online Information Literacy Course

This level is reached once you teach a dedicated information literacy course, formerly known as GST 300. You would need to get approval to develop the course. 

• The hybird version would be a blend of face-to-face and online sessions. There would also be a strong use of the learning management system integrated into the course.
• The online version would have to be fully online and could be taught using a blend of asynchronous and synchronous methods.