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University Libraries Research and Instructional Services

Learn more about the Instructional Services department: our services, policies, and long-term goals and plans.

Modes of Instruction

Modes of Instruction: What We Achieve

Our goal is to teach students and other university-affiliated patrons to become independent users of information. We teach the knowledge, concepts, and skills to be successful analytical scholars as well as critical consumers and creators of information beyond their college years. We work to integrate meaningful information literacy learning across the University of Memphis community. We provide classroom, online, and one-on-one instruction which promotes information-literate behavior practices and supports students in their information-seeking needs. We work with and for all patrons: first-year learner, nontraditional students, students across disciplines and in interdisciplinary studies, UofM Global students, graduate students, PhD candidates, teaching faculty, researchers, and community members. Our instructional philosophy is grounded in ACRL Framework for Information Literacy. Curriculum design is informed by many evolving education practices, including (but not limited to) backward design, Universal Design for Learning(UDL), and information evaluation methods and tools such as CRAAP and BEAM.

 

Instructional Services

All instruction options are available for both traditional (face-to-face) and virtual classroom settings. Our instruction team aims to tailor all library research sessions to instructor and student needs.

 

Formal Instruction

Structured classroom session(s) as requested by instructors/professors are planned using the steps outlined in Instruction Plan. The environment may be face-to-face or online. Library faculty discuss instructor or professor's needs via email, phone, or meeting and then designs a lesson plan tailored to the faculty/students' needs.

Types of Formal instruction include:

  • Course-Integrated Instruction: Librarians and instructors collaborate to teach information literacy skills that students need to successfully complete course assignments and related research​.
  • Subject-Related Instruction: Introduces resources of a specific discipline (e.g. best databases for psychology research). Useful for new graduate students, PhD students, graduate assistants, organizations, and any student doing research in a specific subject (eg. a core course in their major course of study).​
  • Resource-Specific Instruction: Provides instruction on a particular library resource, such as a database, 3D printers, RefWorks citation management system, etc.​
  • Follow-Up Instruction: Designing and evaluating an information literacy/library research assignment that follows up a classroom session.

 

Embedded Librarian

Librarians work with instructors teaching online courses to create content using the steps outlined in the Instruction Plan. Content focuses on information literacy learning applied to discipline-specific knowledge. Examples include:

  • Embedded librarianship via eCourseware - Library presence in online courses including, but not limited to, an Ask the Librarian discussion board, contact information for the library, and links and instruction on library databases and other resources.
  • The Librarian-created online, interactive tutorials created in LibWizard.
  • Real-time teaching and consultation via Zoom.

 

Research Consultations

Individual conferences to discuss research & information needs with a librarian. Especially helpful for major research projects, theses, and dissertations.

Examples include:

  • Research assistance via the Research Assistance Desk (RAD), phone, email, chat, or communication within other virtual environments to single user or small group.
  • Research consultations with varying levels of students and faculty.
  • Collaboration with faculty on curricular and collections material when directly related to course.

 

Research Guides

Multidisciplinary and online research guides that can be either subject-specific (academic or otherwise) or course-specific. Check out some of our guides.

 

Faculty Information Literacy Consultations

Collaborate with faculty on incorporating information literacy framework elements into instruction at any level, in any format (in-person instruction, instructor-led information literacy activities, livestreamed session, online tutorials, etc.). Contact an instruction librarian to collaborate.