The Trainer Librarian University of Bologna Library System The “User Training” Team

the main frame: our university library system our team + numbers: students/libraries/librarians - numbers: know-it-all freshman/ biblioTECA / information keepers

the main project of the team “ILforALL” “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others “ G. Orwell our goal: a right for all and not a privilege for the few the steps to achieve it: constant negotiation with decision makers awareness raising of teachers close contact with students support to librarians professional update

the sub-project of the team “Training the Trainer” a metamorphosing metacourse to transform the librarian in a trainer to get him out of the theca to let him in touch with groups, not just with individuals to “literate” librarians to communication to “literate” students to information

features of the course who: to whom is aimed and by whom is held why: what is the purpose what: content and techniques how: the method and the structure when: timing

who Senior corporate trainer in Management Education and Director of Classical Psychodrama. He works as a trainer, consultant, lecturer at the enterprise, government, university and school. About 80 librarians have attended the training, divided in 5 issues, each one followed by librarians. Addressee of the project was the librarian staff in charge of reference and information-literacy services at the University of Bologna.

why Our training project aimed to improve those professional skills needed by librarians to deliver effective information-literacy courses to college students in particular: the strategy of the message the verbal and non-verbal presentation the strength of the topics the enhancement and psychological management of the learning group

what The project consists of three teaching modules: theory, workshop and follow-up. Theory and workshop (26 hours) took place in the first part of the year, while the follow up is planned after 12 months of teaching activity. In the theoretical part we considered : andragogy particularities, models of the learning style and their impact on training programs. We focused on the teaching peculiarities, the management of the attention, comprehension and memory of learners and their group interaction.

the theory Teaching techniques (lectures, exercises) Teaching strategies (top down or deductive approach, bottom up or inductive approach, learning by problem solving) Teaching ‘engineering’ (the analysis of the criteria and the selection of the teaching techniques more useful to improve the teaching and to refine and adapt the training to the different contexts and to the specific situation)

the workshop Simulation of a 20minutes lesson on a topic chosen by the group of learners itself. Choice and training of the spokesperson to simulate the teaching unit by focusing on the guidelines for effectiveness studied in the first module. Then evaluation of the performance highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of his performance. The session ended with any in-depth comments and synthesis by the teacher.

the follow up After 12 months is foreseeing a meeting to assess all these tracks of teaching recorded by the participants in order to verify the impact on the students of the content learned. During the follow-up, the trained librarians are supposed to keep a logbook where they can record their practical teaching experiences made during their real training activities.

How Transfer of theoretical and methodological implications into practice. A flexibly combination of these teaching techniques: interactive lectures training exercises behavioral simulations experimental teaching Attributing strategic importance to the quality of learning messages from the psychomotor point of view and from the enabled scouting of motivation. Paying great attention to the back home and retraining practice to maximize the capitalization of informational-educational messages

the expected outcome At the end of the training the participants will be able: to apply these methods and techniques to design a training program on their own; to know and apply the basic methods and techniques for the management of a learning classroom; to learn the basic criteria for evaluating the effects of a training intervention;

critical issues of adult learning Adults need to know why they need to learn something. Adults need to learn experientially. Adults approach learning as problem-solving. Adults learn best when the topic is of immediate value. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.

critical issues of adult teaching In practical terms, andragogy means that instruction for adults needs to focus more on the process and less on the content being taught. Strategies such as case studies, role playing, simulations, and self-evaluation are most useful. Trainers adopt a role of facilitator or resource rather than lecturer or grader. not enough clearness dullness lack of pragmatism

‘engineering’of teaching The more the experiences are involving in a pleasant way the emotional sphere, the more the learning will grow in the students' neurological memory. To do that the trainer need to use his physical and psychical energy. The attitude and the behavioral leadership of the trainer is the key motivational component for the success of the learning.

teaching communication appropriate use of the voice, facial expressions, gestures and movement. empathic ability of the trainer to better fit the intervention in the classroom. the so-called devilish teaching : simulate problem situations that may arise in classroom and resolve them with the trainer; accurately describe what has been discussed during the course of the day; divide the students into groups and make them compete on issues previously detailed or engage in reconstructing the salient features of what they have deemed worthy of note; invite the students to develop structured questions on the topics covered.

IL training: use IL to learn The conscious learning approach We are advocating an approach to information literacy that considers different levels: education about the value of information to reach awareness, as well as some theoretical understanding and practical skills to become able and literate.

IL…Informed Learning According to the phenomenographic approach, take part to an experience requires a change in those who experience. The phenomenographic approach has developed the perspective called INFORMED LEARNING, use the information to learn consciously. "Experience is profound.“ The IL is always used for a purpose and in a specific context, that’s why it perfectly fits to adult learning

See you next year after a conscious practicing. IL transforms and empowers the way we see the world. elena.collina alina.renditiso unibo.it