Class style

"Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge in the field of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods." --Albert Einstein

My teaching style is andragogical (that is: "guide on the side" rather than "sage on the stage") and constructivist, which means we are each in charge of and responsible for our own learning and expected to contribute to our course content and each others' intellectual growth....just like in the real world of functional LIS professionals.

This class is not a traditional "one-to-many" transmission of knowledge (from professor to student), but an ongoing "many-to-many" construction of shared knowledge. I am your guide, and your professor by virtue of my expertise, experience, credentials, and enthusiasm, and like you, I want to come to class in my own time and s/place. So, we won't have any "live" events (such as Eluminate video lectures) that require we all show up at a specific time....no live video, no required chat sessions, no scheduled events like you might experience in a physical classroom or hybrid enviornment...that would defeat the privilege of an entirely online class. You might prefer live sessions, but the main reason students take entirely online classes (and the main reason I teach them) is because we don't have to show up at a specified time and place. Our online classroom is our "platform" and is available online 24x7....whenever and where ever it is convenient to you to connect. So, "connect" you must. If you want, need, or expect the imposed discipline of mandatory attendance schedules, strict guidelines, and the social aspects of a traditional, "meatspace" campus, please withdraw from this class and take one of the traditional, classroom-based or hybrid sections of 202.

We will engage in significant online group work. If you don't like group work, I suggest you withdraw from the class and reconsider your choice of profession. All libraries and all librarians work together. In fact, librarians and libraries do MORE than work together, we collaborate, an even more sophisticated form of working together. You will find two links to documents "about collaboration" in the first week of our class schedule. In order to collaborate, we must give up the win/lose, zero-sum competitive mentality, roll up our sleeves, focus on our COMMON goal, bring our best tools to the table, and work together without competition, fear, exclusion, or judgment. If you are unable or unwilling to do this, librarianship is probably not the profession for you and you will probably not like this class.

We are adult learners, and among a new breed: adult online learners. Online learning offers significant freedom and flexibility. You can come to school in your 'jammies at 4am, or from the beach on vacation, if that's what suits you. It also requires quite a bit more self-discipline and self-motivation than traditional, "meat space" classes. YOU have to show up regularly and consistently, in a space where "you" are virtual and where traditional tactics for social engagement and success don't apply...and you have to find a way to make your presence (contribution) known, without wasting your (or anyone else's) precious time.   "Save the time of the user" is one of Ranganathan's five fundamental laws of Library Science, and one that we all agree to respect.

An online class requires efficient and effective time management. It also requires a tolerance for ambiguity, and a willingness to suspend expectations and assumptions. Online learning, and entirely online classes, are not (or should not be) simply "traditional" classes converted for online delivery (aka "shovelware." ...even if that is what you have experienced.). If they are, they are a big waste of potential. Online is a unique, new environment, and it is changing rapidly as we learn to use it. The good news is: we are each extraordinarily intelligent with a history of being "in the top of our class" (we are all overachievers ;-) To accommodate the new environment, and cultivate collaboration, we will dispense with competition entirely, and learn to collaborate like professional librarians who understand that information and learning opportunities are a plentiful, renewable resource, and retrieval is the heart of that exchange. Retrieval requires making resources available as much as it requires having them available. In our collaborative online learning environment there is no "shortage" of prizes. I do not live in a "Bell Curve" world, and don't require that you do. I assume we're all here for an "A" and will earn it, and I'll do my best to make sure everyone earns one. The quality of increase in sustainable knowledge is our primary goal. We are not here to memorize facts, but to learn to think as librarians. I trust we are all eager and willing to help each other succeed with grace and generosity as we construct a shared understanding about librarianship via our study of information retrieval together. 

About Participation

 

Participation is a large part of our class, and represents a good chunk of the total available "points" that constitute the necessary final grade. At this level of study, every student is expected to complete all the assignments to the best of their ability, and on time, and in good form; to ask for help and assistance when needed, and to provide the same to others. I do not "compare" students. Each of you is an individual, and each has a different learning need.  There is no expectation of perfection, and no need to be embarrassed by "not knowing." Many times there is a greater quality of learning when one attempts yet "fails spectacularly" than when one plays it safe, and passes miserably. Participation is, therefore, (and because of the environment of our class, necessarily,) the great differentiation in our class, and is discussed in greater detail on the grading page.   Please understand that just because a certain number of participation points is available this does not mean anyone is "guaranteed" to earn all the points by simply satisfying the minimum participation requirements outlined in this course material.  Focus on the learning tasks at hand, and avoid counting points. In other words, "participation" is the real art of an online class:  not only must you show up and do all the required work, you must show up regularly and consistently and learn to engage intellectually in this new type of learning environment.   Do not be afraid of making mistakes. To excel you will need to take risks, step outside of your comfort zone, ask the difficult (or embarrassing) questions, reach for the challenging information, and reveal that innermost brilliance most of us tend to keep secreted safely away ;-)   For more guidance, see the rubric in our online classroom, course materials, material, for how we will evaluate the quality of our posts in the online classroom.

What is a "week"?

Our class is entirely and always online, and designed so we can each choose our own time and place to "attend." We do not have a regular, weekly meeting time nor place. This inevitably causes some confusion as we start counting "weeks" on the class schedule, particularly when determining when assignment are due.  All assignments are due on the last day of the "week" in which they are due.  For instance, if our semester starts on a Wednesday, the following Tuesday (midnight) is the "last day of that week" and the final day that week's assignments are due. (Assignments can always be turned in early!)  We have some flexibility for assignment due dates, but the assignments are cumulative and build on each other and group collaboration, so have a "flow" we must honor. If you have questions, please ask them in the appropriate forum in the online classroom.

OK, then...ready to get started?  ...did you watch the "Revolution" videos, above?