Adapting Evidence-Based Practices to Improve Library Instruction: Using Customized Tools to Support Peer Mentoring and Observation

Abstract

To improve the quality of our instruction and to contribute to student success, we designed an instructional development program using peer mentoring and observation grounded in evidence-based practices. We identified three methods of peer observation and mentoring to create an innovative progressively in-depth program that helps librarians understand what is happening in the classroom, and works within a community of practice to identify ways to improve the quality of our instruction. These tools, used in higher education, were then customized to work for information literacy instruction: Teaching Squares, the Teaching Practices Inventory - Information Literacy Instruction, and the Classroom Observation Protocol for Information Literacy. The customized tools help librarians identify evidence-based practices, enable them to understand what occurred in their classrooms, and lead to student-focused teaching. This article discusses the development of these tools and initial findings.

Keywords:

• Evaluation
• evidence-based practice
• information literacy
• instructional improvement
• peer mentoring
• peer observation

Acknowledgment

Some of the content of this article was presented in poster form at Library Instruction West 2018 and as a presentation at LOEX 2019.

Notes

1 The TPI-ILI with citations of literature documenting these evidence-based practices is available at: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8220692

2 The University of Oregon academic calendar works on a quarter system. Our implementation timeline follows this system: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8220719

3 Access our Teaching Squares Manual at: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8220725

4 Access to the TPI-ILI was made available as a Qualtrics form, which provides a report of responses for the librarian after they submit the form.

5 Excel template available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8220728

6 Information about the training is available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8220731

7 A copy of our postinstruction reflection template is available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8220743

8 Complete graphs and spreadsheet for whole class session available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8220746

9 Complete graphs and spreadsheet for whole class session available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.8220749