As someone with a background in education, I find the role of the library as a classroom and librarians as shapers of learning experiences quite exciting. My two graduate school studies are meeting each other and building on my previous knowledge. I feel as though ready for this role. I was lucky enough to work with a librarian when I taught university students in Japan and saw firsthand how the library and our lessons were interconnected. This librarian developed lessons where students would go on scavenger hunts in the library to find several sources and report back to me. It was not only more fun than a language lesson in our classroom, but they were gaining some important skills for university and their future study abroad semesters. They were also learning how to learn and how to study which fits into this concept of infinite learning. The article The Future for Teaching and Learning (American Libraries, 2015) reminded me of these library lessons. “Librarians have the opportunity to work as partners with faculty, become resources for innovative teaching and learning activities, and guide students as they create new types of content for their course assignments.” This not only creates more opportunities to learn about new media and tech for student assignments, but professors and librarians can learn from each other in collaboration. In my experience, students spending time in the library and basing lessons around the tools available in the library gives them a solid foundation to be strong students. As described in our lecture, the librarian should understand how people learn in different contexts. In the context of the school or university library: “Librarians will develop a sense for what types of courses include assignments where critical aspects of information literacy are relevant.” (American Libraries, 2015)
Aoyama Gakuin Library at the end of the tree lined path. Photo by me!
American Libraries. (2015, March 3). The future for teaching and learning. American Libraries Magazine. http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2015/02/26/the-future-for-teaching-and-learning/
Hi Tara – Your library scavenger hunt activities sound really fun! Like you said, this can be a great way to partner with faculty and introduce students to the library. Also, thank you for sharing your photograph of the Aoyama Gakuin Library! It struck me that this scene doesn’t really look all that different than the academic libraries located near me.