Journal Article: “The Library Instructor as Learner: A Survey of Reflective Teaching Practices in US Academic Libraries”

The journal article linked below was recently published by Communications in Information Literacy (CIL).

Title

The Library Instructor as Learner: A Survey of Reflective Teaching Practices in US Academic Libraries

Authors

Alicia G. Vaandering
University of Rhode Island

Amanda Crego-Emley
University of Rhode Island

Source

Communications in Information Literacy (CIL); 19(2)

Abstract

Reflective practice provides library workers with a critical opportunity to examine professional experiences, question assumptions and approaches, explore new perspectives, and develop innovative solutions to existing problems. When applied to instruction as reflective teaching, this practice better situates library instructors to meet the evolving needs of twenty-first-century library users. This research study explores how library workers engage with reflective teaching in academic libraries across the United States. A survey was distributed to academic library communities, and a total of 153 responses were collected. While 92% of respondents reported participating in reflective teaching practice in a variety of instructional contexts, results indicated that respondents have utilized a broad range of methods for reflection and experienced numerous benefits and barriers. These diverse experiences suggest that library instructors see value in reflective work and would benefit from greater training and opportunities to participate in this practice.

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