CCLI | May 21, 2021 | Same, but Different
How 2020 stretched our teaching capabilities and strengthened our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
In 2021, the California Conference on Library Instruction (CCLI) focused on our professional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in light of the rapid move to online instruction due to the pandemic. The extraordinary events of 2020 turned online instruction, sometimes viewed with skepticism, into the only viable way to reach our students. In the process of converting teaching and allied services from in-person to online, DEI continued to disproportionately affect our most vulnerable populations of students. CCLI 2021 provided a venue to reflect on the various ways we have responded to these very unique challenges.
CCLI 2021 was a synchronous day of presentations on Zoom. The keynote recording, as well as slides, and handouts are available below.
The CCLI Steering Committee extends deep gratitude to the University of San Francisco Gleeson Library for supporting CCLI 2021 in the virtual environment.
9:00 – 9:05 | Welcome Remarks
CCLI 2021 Chair: Karen Tercho, Public Services Librarian, Sacramento City College
9:05 – 10:15 | Keynote Address
Nisha Mody, Associate Director of the Network of the National Library of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
M. Wynn Tranfield, Librarian for Physical and Basic Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles
Doug Worsham, Librarian, University of California, San Diego
Presentations
10:30 – 11:30 | Using Influencer Culture for Critical Information Literacy Evaluation
Annie Pho, Nicky Andrews, and Charlotte Roh – University of San Francisco
What do robots, Instagram, and the ethics of artificial social media influencers have to do with critical information literacy? In this session, three librarians from a private urban university share their experiences designing and teaching a three-week summer bridging program for first-generation students, with a focus on a social media evaluation lesson plan. Presenters will outline the history of the program, and the impact of COVID-19 on the duration, format, and teaching line-up of the program. The attendees will participate in a mini-lesson that teaches critical information literacy using Instagram accounts by AI (Artificial Intelligence) influencers as a starting point. By intentionally using a platform students routinely engaged with outside of the classroom, instructors introduced concepts of primary and secondary sources, evaluating information, and generating ideas for student scholarly work. Moving beyond evaluating information for credibility, the lesson also guided students through ethical questions concerning authenticity, cultural appropriation, and connection. These questions were particularly important in the context of civil unrest due to the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Marquez Arbery, where many students turned to social media platforms like Instagram to find information about protests and other Black Lives Matter actions. Teaching within this context played a key role in how the presenters designed classes and facilitated discussions on how students sought to engage with social media as a teaching tool. We encourage audience participation in this session through discussion, and by participating in a scaled-down version of our topping mapping and research ideation exercise.
12:00 – 1:00 | Librarians Are Humans, Too! Addressing the Equity Gap with Humanized Online Learning in the Library
Terezita Overduin – Chaffey College, and Andrea Anderson – California State University, Bakersfield
Online classes and virtual services have become the norm in 2020. However, studies show that the equity gap is much worse in online instruction, especially for minoritized students (Kaupp, 2012). One strategy for reducing this gap is Humanized Online Learning. To create equitable learning spaces and experiences for our students, librarians must critically examine how we deliver remote instruction and reference services to address these barriers. At Chaffey College, online instruction is done largely asynchronously. In contrast, California State University, Bakersfield conducted most of its online classes synchronously. Both our libraries began by offering new and recycled content through asynchronous videos, tutorials, and quizzes. These options were convenient for students and faculty; however, incorporating a humanized element to interactions with students became a priority as librarians strived to maintain a presence within the virtual environment. During the Spring 2021 semester, Terezita Overduin (Chaffey College) and Andrea Anderson (Walter W. Stiern Library, CSUB) experimented with using humanized video in library reference and instruction. This session will present findings and best practices, in addition to feedback from students and faculty. All participants will also create their own humanized “Welcome” video during the session.
1:30 – 2:30 | Beyond Traditional Library Outreach: Building on Theory, Technology, and Librarian Strengths to Meet Diverse Student Needs
Donna Harp Ziegenfuss, Alfred Mowdood, Tallie Casucci, and Lorelei Rutledge – University of Utah
Providing library research support and outreach is both complex and challenging. In addition, COVID-19 amplifies stress, anxieties, and disparities. This case study describes how designing and implementing an online ‘support space’ provides a more holistic and welcoming approach for all library stakeholders. Our goal is to meet students were they are, in Canvas (our LMS), and compile resources through librarian collaboration, into a one-stop location to make it easier for students to access and use. Additionally, librarians and professors can effortlessly reuse, remix, and recycle content for multiple purposes and to address specific student needs. By leveraging the HyFlex approach (Beatty, 2019), we incorporate a variety of learning delivery modalities and purposes and go beyond traditional library instruction, to include connections to people, diversity and equity resources, campus-wide support centers, and work-life balance resources. The framework for this resources is built upon the four components of the Schlossberg Theory of Transition (1995) – Situation, Support, Strategies and Self. This provides an opportunity to extend support beyond typical database and library support. The design includes customized content for our different student audiences and enables us to strengthen our support for students in a more accessible, equitable, and holistic way.
3:00 – 4:00 | Lightning Talks
Instruction Activities with Qualtrics
Kevin Augustine – California State University, Stanislaus
Closing Doors but Opening Access: How to Boost Equity during a Pandemic
Elizabeth Cheney, Yi Ding, and Laura Wimberley – California State University, Northridge
Gathering online: Leveraging tools for instruction and group work in the classroom and beyond
Rebecca Fitzsimmons – Illinois State University
Integrating Zines into Online Teaching
Kendra Macomber – Claremont College
4:00 – 4:10 | Closing Remarks
CCLI 2021 Vice-Chair: Stephanie Miller – San Francisco Theological Seminary (Graduate Theological Union)
4:15 – 5:00 | Zoom Happy Hour