scholarly journals Added Value or Essential Instruction?: Librarians in the Twenty-First-Century Classroom

2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Biando Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Age ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Century ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
College And University ◽  
University Setting

In recent years, we have seen a proliferation of the amounts of information that we’re exposed to, and our ability to critically navigate that information hasn’t kept pace with the speed at which it’s coming at us. As information professionals we must ask ourselves—what is our role in helping students and patrons navigate information? What value can we add in a world where information is increasingly complex, contradictory, and competitive? Are our traditional methods of delivering information literacy enough? This paper looks at the evolution of information literacy instruction from the skills in the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (2000) through the newly adopted Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2016), using examples from my own experience as a reference and teaching librarian. I will focus on how the ways in which we reach students has changed—from one-shot information literacy sessions to more in-depth interactions with students under the new Framework. I will argue, ultimately, that to truly serve students in our current information age, librarians must consider moving even deeper into the classroom, developing and teaching information literacy and critical thinking skills for credit in the college and university setting, and I will highlight a course I developed at my own institution.How will this change what we do in the classroom?

scholarly journals Teaching “format as a process” in an era of Web-scale discovery

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Patrick Seeber
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Online Searching ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
The One

Purpose – This paper aims to present academic librarians with a framework for teaching and assessing information literacy in response to advancements in online discovery. Advancements in online discovery require academic librarians to develop new means of teaching and assessing information literacy, with an emphasis on having students use critical thinking to evaluate sources. Design/methodology/approach – This conceptual paper analyzes how the threshold concept “format as a process” could be incorporated into information literacy instruction sessions which address Web-scale discovery services and other online search tools. General guidelines for applying this concept are included, along with potential classroom activities and assessments. Findings – Format as a process provides a valuable framework for evaluating information, though librarians need to be mindful of how they present the concept to students. Instruction must be focused on fostering critical thinking skills, rather than how to perform tasks, and assessment must be qualitative in nature. Practical implications – These changes in online searching mean that information literacy programs will need to alter their approach to instruction and move beyond the “one shot” paradigm. Critical evaluation is a sustainable, lifelong skill which will continue to serve students after graduation, but developing that ability requires academic librarians to fulfill new roles in the classroom and on campus. Originality/value – The literature surrounding instruction of Web-scale discovery is still limited, and does not incorporate the threshold concepts provided in Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education. This paper concentrates on one such concept, as well as discusses how future concepts could be addressed.

A Compass During the Storm: Offering Students Critical Rigor for Polarizing Times

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Wender ◽  
Valerie J. D’Erman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Objective ◽  
First Year

ABSTRACT Teaching and learning in higher education is occurring, unavoidably, within the broader civic context of today’s extraordinarily polarizing political times. We seek to help students situate themselves with respect to and, above all, thoughtfully assess others’ as well as their own perspectives on issues of profound contention, without contributing to exacerbated polarization ourselves. Specifically, we offer students in our first-year exploratory political science course a vital tool—critical rigor—for navigating but not being inundated by the storm. This article discusses our experiences in teaching the course titled, “The Worlds of Politics,” as we attempt to help students deeply engage in cognitive processes of critical thinking and analysis, without undue infringement from their own—and least of all our own—personal political biases. Our focal learning objective is the cultivation of critical-thinking skills that promote students’ drawing of distinctions between advocacy and analysis, as well as their discerning civic engagement.

Fostering Critical Thinking Skills in European and Asian Higher Education Institutions

2021 ◽  
pp. 138-150
Author(s):  
Svetlana Antonova ◽  
Tatyana Pletyago ◽  
Anna Ostapenko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
University Education ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Professional Activities

There is a demand for transformation in higher education. Undergraduates need to be taught critical thinking, an essential skill that should be central to the mission of all educational institutions. Critical thinking is a key focus of academic interest among researchers in the field of pedagogy and methodology. Despite this, there is still a lack of sufficient information on approaches, methods, techniques, and means of incorporating critical thinking skills in the classroom environment at the tertiary education level. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the hands-on experiences of some European and Asian universities in promoting critical thinking education using a range of academic models. The review shows that critical thinking has already been integrated into many major tertiary education programmes in both European and Asian universities. Further, majority of the academic models implemented are transferable and flexible. The results confirm that in terms of content, methods, and technologies, university education is focusing on cultivating the higher order skills necessary for innovative professional activities in modern world.

scholarly journals Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills in Nursing Higher Education in Preparation for the Industrial Revolution 4.0

2021 ◽  
pp. 793-804
Author(s):  
Argi Virgona Bangun ◽  
Andria Pragholapati
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Nursing Education ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Human Potential ◽  
Educational Strategies

Nursing higher education will challenge the dynamics of the work environment in the Industrial Revolution Era 4.0 and they will compete with digital technology. Critical thinking skills as one of the basic competencies must support higher education in preparation for the industrial revolution 4.0. Exploring thinking skills makes nursing students will be trained in their punishment and analysis skills according to their knowledge. Critical thinking skills not only guide students to develop continuing skills, but also help nursing students to be motivated to create innovation in college. The aims of this review is to learn the critical skills needed in higher education to prepare for the industrial revolution 4.0 based on literature understanding. There are 6 (six) important things about Critical Thinking in nursing education in the Industrial Revolution Era 4.0, namely Definition of Critical Thinking, Why do we need to focus on critical thinking in higher education, Why is critical thinking needed in industry 4.0 preparation, Industry Innovation 4.0 and human potential to overcome environmental problems, Critical Thinking in Nursing Education, and Educational Strategies for Developing Critical Thinking in Nursing. These critical thinking skills are suitable for equipping students in higher education before they enter different workplaces. Educational strategies in developing critical thinking skills by supporting the use of questions, small group activities, role plays, debates, use of case studies, journals, simulations, puzzles, problem solving and writing assignments. Nursing students who think critically in line with creative thinking and innovation will be useful to survive in the dynamics of the industrial revolution 4.0 and beyond in the world of the future.     Keywords: Critical Thinking, Nursing Higher Education, Industrial Revolution 4.0

scholarly journals The Implementation of Collaborative Learning via Virtual Communities in Moroccan Higher Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 60-73
Author(s):  
ABDELOUAHED LAACHIR
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Teaching Learning

This paper focuses on the implementation of using collaborative learning via virtual communities in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) with a vision to identify three things: students’ perception, their active participation in virtual learning groups, students’ satisfaction with this new strategy of learning, and the relationship between gender and the latter. To answer these questions, the present research adopts a quantitative method using a questionnaire for data gathering and the use of IBM SPSS for data analysis. The findings of the present study demonstrate that students hold positive attitudes towards online collaborative learning, students are active participants in the online learning process; students are satisfied and able to develop many skills like, problem solving skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills. Last but not least, the findings also show that gender does not affect the effectiveness of using collaborative learning in virtual communities. Thus, the implementation of this up-dated strategy of learning is useful and needed to fulfill the missing gaps in the traditional ways of teaching/learning English as a foreign language in the Moroccan higher education.

Watching TV News

2015 ◽  
pp. 271-290
Author(s):  
Joseph Albert Cernik
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Television News ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Policy Issues ◽  
Tv News ◽  
Watching Tv ◽  
Vanderbilt University

This chapter focuses on the shortcomings of learning about complex policy issues from television news. The chapter uses the Vanderbilt University Television News Archive website to examine issues raised and not raised by television news, as well as the duration of time spent on issues by news shows. Examining the limitations of television news' ability to present and address complex public policy issues serves as a means to focus on critical thinking in the higher education setting. Two public policy issues are explored in this chapter, Constitutional interpretation and the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as ObamaCare, as the means to show how limited television news is regarding presenting the often frustrating aspects of complex policy issues. Several methods used by the author to help students apply critical thinking skills are discussed. The results of these methods are also addressed.

Capturing Educator Voices

2018 ◽  
pp. 265-284
Author(s):  
Anne Katz
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Albert Einstein ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Century ◽  
Online Reading ◽  
Teaching Online ◽  
Apply Research ◽  
Reading Endorsement

According to Albert Einstein, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” This quote illustrates my online teaching philosophy as I work to mentor graduate-level educators, deepening their knowledge of how to best facilitate their students' abilities to tackle twenty-first century literacy demands. Through designing and teaching online courses for a fully online Reading Specialist M.Ed. program as well as for students pursuing an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education or a Reading Endorsement, I have evolved as an online educator committed to inspire student success. This chapter will present the reader with strategies to create an online learning environment where students are provided with authentic opportunities to apply research-based approaches and modes of developing their pupils' literacy, communication, and critical thinking skills through innovative means.

Essential Skills for the 21st Century Workforce

2019 ◽  
pp. 134-147
Author(s):  
Maureen N. Short ◽  
Yolanda Keller-Bell
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Labor Markets ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Century ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
Workforce Skills

This chapter contends that increasing technological innovation has disrupted and continues to disrupt the labor markets making some jobs obsolete and workers redundant. The key to success in the twenty-first century and future labor markets is to combine hard and soft skills into a comprehensive package tailored to specific needs including the ability to think clearly about complex problems, apply creative and innovation solutions to solve problems, and apply new knowledge and skills in new settings. This chapter will provide a discussion of some of the reasons underlying the demand for higher workforce skills and a descriptive overview of curricula and pedagogy that promote students' acquisition and application of critical thinking skills as well as other skills considered essential for 21st century workforce.

Hidden Greenlands

2011 ◽  
pp. 61-73
Author(s):  
Frank Menchaca
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Age ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
College And University ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Classroom Assignment ◽  
Age Studies ◽  
Specific Learning

This chapter considers the role of libraries and educational publishers in the information age. Studies show that, for most college and university students, the trigger for research remains the classroom assignment. Tasks associated with specific learning objectives—writing a paper, preparing an interpretive reading, engaging in historical or statistical analysis—still motivate students to engage in research. What has changed is the fact that students no longer rely on librarians, libraries, or traditional publishers for information resources. They go directly to search engines. Today’s learners are, however, quickly overwhelmed and, despite being “digital natives,” struggle to evaluate information and organize it to build ideas. The ability of publishers, librarians, and libraries to address this issue will determine their relevancy in the 21st century and, perhaps, the success of students themselves in the information age. This chapter reviews a wide variety of literature and experiential data on information literacy, findability, metadata, and use of library resources and proposes how all players can re-think their roles.

Using Case-Based Learning to Teach Information Literacy and Critical Thinking Skills in Undergraduate Music Therapy Education: A Cohort Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-149
Author(s):  
Meganne K Masko ◽  
Kelly Thormodson ◽  
Kristen Borysewicz
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Case Based Learning ◽  
Therapy Education ◽  
Music Therapy Education ◽  
Case Based

Abstract Higher education traditionally focuses on didactic, or passive, teaching and learning techniques as these are efficient ways of conveying information to the students. However, passive learning places the responsibility for students’ learning on the instructor rather than the students themselves. Constructive learning techniques, such as case-based learning (CBL), give students opportunities to apply previous knowledge while constructing their own deep learning. The purpose of this article is to describe both the implementation and evaluation of a CBL unit in a junior-level undergraduate music therapy theories and methods course. The cohort study utilized student reflection papers, faculty observations, class materials, and a student survey to evaluate the impact of a behavioral health-focused CBL unit on information literacy, critical thinking skills, and student enjoyment of learning. Students answered both Likert-type and open-ended questions on these topics. Open-ended questions were analyzed using a directed qualitative content analysis. Students felt that the CBL unit was effective in increasing their information literacy and critical thinking skills, and they enjoyed the unit. According to survey results, the CBL developed several measured areas of student critical thinking skills, with the exception of the students’ abilities to analyze their own biases. The CBL unit appeared to be an effective and efficient way of simultaneously covering multiple learning outcomes and music therapy competencies. However, students did not perceive any changes in their ability to analyze their own biases which, based on previous psychology and sociology research, takes more than one isolated learning unit to address. Implications for music therapy education are addressed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document