Our Centre for Leadership in Learning (faculty development) and Learning Technologies Resource Centre (LMS/learning technologies) will be moving to newly renovated space in our Thode Library (Science and Engineering).
This move is significant and will provide our campus with a “one stop shop” for faculty development. There is tremendous potential in this new relationship!
The University Library is pleased to announce the recent hire of Karen Nicholson as the Teaching and Learning Librarian. Karen is currently employed as Liaison Librarian and Information Literacy Coordinator at the Humanities and Social Sciences Library, McGill University where she has been since July 2002. In this role she is responsible for collection development, liaison, and instruction for the department of Langue et littérature françaises and the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. She is actively involved in information literacy instruction and outreach at McGill: coordinates the Humanities and Social Sciences Library’s “Discover Your Library” program and am responsible for implementing a new campus-wide orientation program for McGill’s thirteen branch libraries. She works with several campus units, including Teaching and Learning Services, the Academic Integrity Subcommittee and the First-Year Office, to raise awareness of information literacy at the University. On a broader level, as a member of the CREPUQ Groupe de travail sur la formation documentaire, she also collaborated with colleagues from other Québec universities on information literacy issues and projects. She is a graduate of ACRL’s Information Literacy Immersion Program and brings a strong understanding of learning theory and libraries. She has put this knowledge into practice in the workshops and classes she facilitates for students, librarians and faculty at McGill and in teaching the Introduction to Library Research Practices (INST/INSZ 250) course for the past three years at Concordia University.
Welcome Karen!
Stephen Abram visited our campus a couple of days ago and alerted me to a recent article in Forbes. According to the article:
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By the end of 2011, 80 percent of active Internet users (and Fortune 500 enterprises) will have a “second life,” but not necessarily in Second Life, according to Gartner, Inc. Their “five laws” are interesting:
First Law: The initial reaction….is to dismiss them …of no benefit and…something to be banned for wasting…resources and time.
Second Law: “Behind every avatar is a real person.”
Third Law: Be relevant and add value.
Fourth Law: “Understand and contain the downside”
Fifth Law: This is a long haul.
They add: “Find enthusiasts within your enterprise and support them. Understand the implications for access to open virtual platforms from within the enterprise and the risks involved,” and “Despite the concerns within companies, don’t ignore this trend.
McMaster just announced our pilot project in Second Life and a new position dedicated to development of immersive learning/gaming environments. I’m very pleased that we’re at the forefront of these developments in libraries.
The University Library is directly involved in the development of an exciting new Honours Science Program at McMaster. Set to begin in Fall 2008, the program is targeted to highly motivated, high achieving students. At its core is a thematic approach to teaching content. For example, the themes may include:
Building a brain (Topics: evolution of brain and behaviour, neurophysiology, motor control, perception and cognition). Covered by biologists, neuroscientists, psychologists, physicists, mathematicians, chemists, computer scientists, kinesiologists, engineers, and economists.
Searching for life on other planets (Topics: planets and stars, nature of orbits, chemical basis for life, necessary conditions, evolutionary timescales, signal detection, space flight, sampling for organic traces.) Covered by a broad range of disciplines, including Earth sciences, physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, and computer science.
Some additional features include a residential program, a seamless master’s transition, new opportunities for collaboration and linkages with the local community.
The attached presentation provides a fuller description
(This is a reposting of one of our recent job announcements.)
McMaster University Libraries is seeking a creative, innovative and experienced librarian to lead the growth and development of its dynamic instruction and information literacy program.
This is a full-time continuing appointment reporting to the Associate University Librarian, Teaching, Learning and Research.
The successful candidate will provide leadership in integrating the University Library into the teaching and learning mission of the University. He/she is accountable for the design, development, promotion, delivery and assessment of information literacy programs in the faculties of Business, Social Sciences, Humanities, Science and Engineering. The incumbent will work to integrate information literacy and research skills across the curriculum. In addition, the incumbent will develop and coordinate training and development
opportunities for all staff, in conjunction with the Library Human Resources Consultant.
The successful candidate will:
Work collaboratively with liaison librarians and faculty to plan, implement and evaluate a comprehensive and responsive information literacy program in support of the teaching mission of the University.
Advance the integration of information literacy at the institutional, program and course levels.
Promote information literacy to McMaster faculty and administrators.
Work with faculty to build information literacy competencies into appropriate courses.
Provide teaching support and advice to librarians. Organize and deliver workshops on relevant issues (e.g., pedagogical theory, effective teaching, learning theory, educational technologies). Create effective instructional materials. Coordinate the Library Instruction Round Tables.
Work closely with the University’s Centre for Leadership in Learning to ensure that
library programs are based on sound pedagogy, and reflect faculty and student needs and best practices.
Provide Research Help Desk service 2-3 hours/week.
Serve as a Liaison Librarian to selected University departments.
Apply appropriate information literacy assessment tools in order to continuously update and modify the program.
Coordinate the promotional activities of the information literacy program.
Develop and coordinate a training and development program for library staff in
conjunction with the Library Human Resources Consultant.
The successful candidate must hold a MLS from an ALA-accredited library school or information science program and 3 years experience. She/he must also possess a strong knowledge of established and emerging learning methods and technologies, a solid grounding in learning theory/pedagogy, demonstrated teaching and training abilities, an understanding of student outcomes and assessment tools, proven leadership abilities, and excellent oral and written communication skills.
The preferred candidate will hold an advanced degree in education.
The appointment will be made at Level 2 or 3. Salary will be commensurate with
qualifications and experience. The position includes a competitive and comprehensive benefit package.
The Position Responsibility Statement is available from the Library Human Resources Office. Further information about the Library is available from its web site at http://library.mcmaster.ca/.
Applications must be received by February 2, 2007.
Librarians who wish to be considered for this opportunity should send their c.v. with a covering letter and the names of three references to:
Library Human Resources Office
Mills Memorial Library, Room 209
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L6
Phone: 905-525-9140 ext. 24722
Fax: 905-522-0691
E-mail: libjobs@mcmaster.ca
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be considered first for this position. McMaster University is strongly committed to employment equity within its community and to recruiting a diverse faculty and staff. The University encourages applications from all qualified
candidates, including women, members of visible minorities, Aboriginal persons, members of sexual minorities and persons with disabilities.
Last year the library acquired a rare first edition of Isaac Newton’s Opticks, published in 1704, as our 2 millionth volume. On Monday the library and our partners will launch an innovative new “reusable learning object”, an interactive web-based application, that introduces students to Newton and his work. It can be found on the web at: http://www.ltrc.mcmaster.ca/newton/
The project is a partnership between faculty in Arts and Sciences, the Learning Technology Resource Center, and the library. It is a model for our transformation in that it:
I’m very pleased that we were a part of this and look forward to partnering with other faculty on campus on similar projects.
The Thode Library at McMaster is on the capital campaign for renovation. Below is the first draft of our case statement for the new Learning Commons @ Thode. I welcome comment from the community!
Learning Commons @ Thode inquire. discover. learn
At McMaster we celebrate inquiry and discovery in all areas, but most importantly in our teaching and learning activities. The University Library recently opened the Mills Learning Commons, a vibrant, student-centred learning space that supports learning and research through the use of information resources and information technology. There has been a tremendous response to this new space, and it is exciting to see students actively engage in the learning process in new ways.
Building on the success of the Mills model, we envision the creation of a learning space that will enhance student learning as well as create new knowledge about teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As the most innovative academic space in Canada the learning commons will bring together librarians and other teaching and learning professionals in a single facility. The learning commons will:
The Learning Commons will be constructed on the 1st and 2nd levels of the H. G. Thode Library of Science and Engineering and will feature:
§ computer workstations with a robust suite of productivity applications, multimedia applications and specialized science & engineering products such as Matlab and Maple
§ powered tables and wireless access for laptops
§ studio, modeling and workshop space (physical and virtual)
§ electronic classrooms with laptops, moveable seating, video conferencing and streaming, and other advanced learning technologies
§ collaborative study rooms for group work
§ whiteboards & interactive touch screens to promote engagement
§ expert help (research help, IT help, writing workshops, academic counselling)
§ services for students with disabilities; adaptive software & equipment
§ a café to encourage social interaction
Construction costs are estimated at approximately $3 million. We hope you will consider designating your gift to the Learning Commons at Thode Library. Your generosity will enhance the learning experience of all McMaster students, particularly those in science and engineering, and will make a significant contribution to their academic success at McMaster and beyond.
Digital Resources for Teaching, Learning and Research
The growing reliance on digital resources is a trend that is well documented. The availability and diversity of such resources continues to expand as demand for their use in research and instructional settings increases. Enabling the development and use of such resources by disparate groups with disparate needs is a daunting task that requires complex planning; strong collaborative relationships (including the private sector); innovative design and development techniques; and multiple levels of evaluation.
Framework for Supporting Digital Resources
In the last month two foundational documents have emerged outlining approaches to building the framework that will transform teaching, learning and research on our campuses. That framework, which is now being called the “cyberinfrastructure” consists of the resources, services, facilities, standards, and communities of practice necessary to support digital teaching and research that is economical, academically sound, and accessible.
Commission on Cyberinfrastructure for Humanities and Social Sciences (July 18, 2006)
The report by the Council of Learned Societies adopts the NSF coined “cyberinfrastructure” and recognizes that new technologies; new technological resources; and new technology-based services “now shape the way that scholars discover and make sense of the human record, while also shaping the way those understandings are communicated to students, colleagues, and the general public.” While the report recognizes that the humanities and social sciences have moved more slowly than the sciences in this arena, it acknowledges that these disciplines are on the verge of significant change and, thus, must contribute to the development of a shared “cynberinfrastructure” that also allows for discipline-specific flexibility..
Cyberinfrastructure Vision for 21st Century Discovery (July 20, 2006)
Issued by the National Science Foundation, this report calls for “the development and support of a comprehensive cyberinfrastructure essential to 21st century advances in science and engineering research and education.” It outlines their plans for a “secure, efficient, reliable, accessible, usable, and interoperable” network of high performance computing; data, data analysis and visualization; cyber-services and virtual organizations; and learning and workforce development.
What is a “Cyberinfrastructure”?
Both documents have distinct but complementary definitions. The ACLS report identifies it as “a layer of information, expertise, standards, policies, tools, and services that are shared broadly across communities of inquiry but developed for specific scholarly purposes.” It adds “is something more specific than the network itself, but it is something more general than a tool or a resource…for example, digital history collections and the collaborative environments in which to explore and analyze them from multiple disciplinary perspectives might be considered cyberinfrastructure, whereas fiber-optic cables and storage area networks or basic communication protocols would fall below the line for cyberinfrastructure”.
The NSF document defines it much more specifically as something that “integrates hardware for computing, data and networks, digitally-enabled sensors, observatories and experimental facilities, and an interoperable suite of software and middleware services and tools. Investments in interdisciplinary teams and cyberinfrastructure professionals with expertise in algorithm development, system operations, and applications development are also essential to exploit the full power of cyberinfrastructure to create, disseminate, and preserve scientific data, information, and knowledge.”
What does this have to do with libraries?
Everything! The role of the academic librarian has changed dramatically in the last decade. We now routinely hear about “blended librarians”, “shifted librarians”, and “NextGen librarians”. However, such “revolutionary” descriptions are based firmly on our traditions of service, access, and collaboration.
Our participation in the development of a cyberinfrastructure for digital teaching, learning and research is therefore simply a maturing of our traditional role. In fact, if digital scholarship in the sciences, social sciences or humanities is to be successful, it must include librarians who have recognized strengths in:
“a) building a digital collection of information for further study and analysis;
b) creating appropriate tools for collection-building;
c) creating appropriate tools for the analysis and study of collections;
d) using digital collections and analytical tools to generate new knowledge, interpretation, understanding; and
e) creating authoring tools for presenting these new ideas, either in traditional forms or in digital form.”
Report of the ACLS Commission on Cyberinfrastructure for the Humanities and Social Sciences
It will be of no surprise to anyone involved in the humanities or social sciences that we are moving in this direction. It will be even less surprising to those in science, engineering and medicine. What may be less clear to some is what role will be played by the librarians, archivists, and curators who act as the primary source of trusted knowledge and the stewards of our intellectual and cultural assets.
Librarians have always be involved in the building of “secure, efficient, reliable, accessible, usable, and interoperable” academic (cyber)infrastructures. As the boundaries blur, it is librarians with our emphasis on service, collaboration and access who are perfectly positioned to provide the leadership that will lead to successful projects involving faculty, information technologists, instructional technologists, and others on our campuses and beyond.
Today I am pleased to announce that McMaster University is becoming a member of the Coalition for Networked Information (http://www.cni.org/). CNI is “an organization dedicated to supporting the transformative promise of networked information technology for the advancement of scholarly communication and the enrichment of intellectual productivity.” Our membership in this organization will assist us in developing the expertise necessary to advance our own initiatives and provide us with an opportunity to engage in a broader dialogue about the issues that are having an impact on the academy. I look forward to sharing more information about our involvement in CNI with you in future posts.
