Type of Presentation
Workshop (1 hour and 15 minutes)
Target Audience
Other
Both
Location
ELAB 21
Proposal
Teaching information literacy (IL) often requires instructors to explain and explore abstract concepts. This feat is never easy, as novice students often need a bridge between concrete and abstract thinking. Current research on the topic suggests one effective way to teach new, abstract concepts to students of any age is by using an analogy. However, it’s difficult to come up with effective analogies on the fly. In fact, Rick Wormeli has stated in Metaphors & Analogies: Power Tools for Teaching Any Subject that “what may need to change in many of our classrooms is the purposeful pursuit of metaphors and analogies in our teaching instead of the momentary inspirations that may or may not be helpful to students' learning (4, our emphasis).” In this session, we will begin by sharing some of our favorite analogies with you and explain how they have affected student learning at the EKS Library. We found analogies such as databases : boxstores (walmart & Target), Boolean searching : grocery shopping, and intellectual property : personal property. Each of the above analogies we use for library instruction came from different instruction librarians in our department and we each incorporate all of the analogies in our instruction.
Next, participants will split into groups and identify difficult IL concepts to teach students. Some of those concepts will include: subject tagging of articles, scholarship as a conversation, and research as inquiry (the concept that its not just one search but revision, much like baking without a recipe). Then the groups will brainstorm effective analogies to better reach students. The groups will come back together and discuss effective analogies they came up with during the workshop time for difficult IL concepts. Difficult concepts that participants did not find analogies for will be discussed among the whole group for further ideas. The attendees will have a list of IL concepts and analogies to take back and try at their institutions.
Resources we will refer to: https://login.proxy200.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&bquery=teach*+AND+(analogy+OR+metaphor)+AND+%26quot%3binformation+literacy%26quot%3b&cli0=FT1&clv0=Y&type=0&searchMode=Standard&site=eds-live
Presentation Description
An effective way to teach new, abstract concepts to students of any age is by using an analogy; however, it’s difficult to come up with effective analogies on the fly. In this session, we will begin by sharing some of our favorite information literacy analogies; then participants will split into groups to identify difficult information literacy concepts and create effective analogies to better reach students.
Session Goals
Attendees will have new resources to refer to as a guide for creating their own analogies.
Attendees will have a list of IL concepts and analogies to take back and try at their institutions.
Keywords
Information literacy Analogy; Metaphor; Teaching strategy; a Teaching tool; Higher Ed; K-12
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Paulus, Kory A., "Databases are like Box Stores: Teaching Information Literacy with Analogy" (2020). Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy. 73.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gaintlit/2020/2020/73
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Information Literacy Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons
Databases are like Box Stores: Teaching Information Literacy with Analogy
ELAB 21
Teaching information literacy (IL) often requires instructors to explain and explore abstract concepts. This feat is never easy, as novice students often need a bridge between concrete and abstract thinking. Current research on the topic suggests one effective way to teach new, abstract concepts to students of any age is by using an analogy. However, it’s difficult to come up with effective analogies on the fly. In fact, Rick Wormeli has stated in Metaphors & Analogies: Power Tools for Teaching Any Subject that “what may need to change in many of our classrooms is the purposeful pursuit of metaphors and analogies in our teaching instead of the momentary inspirations that may or may not be helpful to students' learning (4, our emphasis).” In this session, we will begin by sharing some of our favorite analogies with you and explain how they have affected student learning at the EKS Library. We found analogies such as databases : boxstores (walmart & Target), Boolean searching : grocery shopping, and intellectual property : personal property. Each of the above analogies we use for library instruction came from different instruction librarians in our department and we each incorporate all of the analogies in our instruction.
Next, participants will split into groups and identify difficult IL concepts to teach students. Some of those concepts will include: subject tagging of articles, scholarship as a conversation, and research as inquiry (the concept that its not just one search but revision, much like baking without a recipe). Then the groups will brainstorm effective analogies to better reach students. The groups will come back together and discuss effective analogies they came up with during the workshop time for difficult IL concepts. Difficult concepts that participants did not find analogies for will be discussed among the whole group for further ideas. The attendees will have a list of IL concepts and analogies to take back and try at their institutions.
Resources we will refer to: https://login.proxy200.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&bquery=teach*+AND+(analogy+OR+metaphor)+AND+%26quot%3binformation+literacy%26quot%3b&cli0=FT1&clv0=Y&type=0&searchMode=Standard&site=eds-live
