Byte-Sized Pieces: Equipping Academic Librarians to Integrate Technology into Library Instruction through Manageable, Maintainable, and Meaningful Staff Development

Abstract

Technology changes how classroom instruction happens, and, unlike K-12 educators who receive pedagogical training, academic librarians are not always experts in teaching information literacy—especially with the advent of twenty-first century technology tools. As such, the question of how to prepare on-the-ground academic librarians to effectively teach with technology tools while still addressing the Association of College and Research Libraries information literacy competency standards needs to be considered. This article shares how one academic library addressed this need while also considering how to: assess knowledge, competencies, and needs; share information in meaningful ways; and encourage librarians to build their technology knowledge independently and as part of a cohort.

KEYWORDS:

• professional development
• training
• instructional technology
• academic libraries
• instruction