Page History

October 26, 2021, 1-2 p.m.

Feedback on the PS Teams (with Bonna Boettcher, AUL for Public Services present)

Missing Public Service: Collections. How can we better integrate with collections?

Director of Instruction: Some felt that having a Director of Instruction is a good idea since it would provide continuity and the ability to build a vision for how instruction should move forward and how new/continuing instructors can be supported. In addition, it is very complex for a dynamic group to coordinate activity across CUL. It would also be good to have someone talk to the University as a whole and to see where IL, digital, and other literacies fit into the larger framework. However, we still need units to be able to support different relationships/constituencies, and perhaps the Team should stay in place for this person to check-in with. This position could look at the University and determine how we can position ourselves as an instruction unit to support IL and the student experience. Can also assist with assessment and that would be better coordinated if one person instead of the whole group.

Drawbacks with a Director: Do not want instruction to be standardized. Also, do not want someone who has a top down approach, but a person open to collaboration, transparency, and new frameworks (critical/trauma informed pedagogy). A Director requires a financial commitment. What if more authority and budget are given to this group for training and mentoring within instruction and tools to improve our teaching.

Bonna Response to Director: Director would keep track of trends in the field, and also develop an understanding of the wide range of instruction initiatives/programs that are happening at CUL. [NOTE: Missed some comments here because my internet froze.] We could follow the Andy/Access Services model, where he has gotten to know the individuals involved and brings their strengths together. We would also need an advisory/strategy group. The Director would meet with the unit coordinators to help set priorities. Perhaps they can talk with people/units (a listening tour) to see about needed resources do you need, answer questions, and inform their projects.

Current Team Feedback: What authority do we have? We share ideas but what can we do with those, and do we have the authority to make it happen? How do we expand the discussions across CUL? We only have a finite amount of time to dedicate to the Team, and it takes a back seat. You could hire more people to unburden those on the committee. If this work is important, then should there be some active discussion and consideration about freeing up time from regular responsibilities to do this work. Do you look at subteams or projects differently? Meet more frequently and bring in others from outside the group to get things accomplished.

Bonna to Response Team: Not sure if the current charge captures a mission, ways to think about goals, and mechanisms for accomplishing. Where can we learn from each other and understand what is happening in units, and where are things that we are better off at the CUL level. Big assessment piece; we collect all kinds of data and need to do things with it. How are we connecting the dots with all the unit instruction, and then to the University? How are we bringing all of that back and making the connections clearer at CUL?

Next Steps/Other Suggestions: What are the goals for the Instruction Team? This might dictate the best structure/strategy. Is the goal to create the most meaningful instruction across the units? Is the goal a more systematic integration within the University curriculum? Hard to answer until we know what we are trying to achieve. Do wonder if we can start with a community of practice? Bringing new things to the forefront; reading, discussing, and applying in the classroom. We want to move forward and take our place as experts in various literacies and intentionally position our programs in a way that faculty see value. What are the underlying threshold concepts that we want to be teaching? There used to be a peer teaching/mentoring program, really interested in doing that again. How do we approach more interdisciplinary instruction?

Bonna Question (Capacity): How would you free up time for ongoing and active work around instruction? What does that look like?

Team Answer: Part of this is wrapped up in current job roles. Will this work align with unit work? Be additional? Gut answer is maybe 10 hours a week.

Bonna Question (Primary/Secondary): How would RAD/traditional instruction work together and interact?

Team Answer: Look at this as how do we get the materials together and put them in the same room at the same time (logistics). Would like to see people teaching across collections more often. Joan is taking over the CCC and will have more subteams to engage with. Want more opportunities to teach collaboratively and not see ourselves as one or the other. Do you teach students how to use a finding aid? Different instruction areas for students.

Website Feedback: Recently looked at CUL website for research tips and instruction. Site hasn’t changed over time, and students will never read the content. Where would that fall? Mann does that internally but who takes charge of instructional content on CUL website? How do we get the site regularly reviewed? We have so many people who need the site (need to define the target audiences for the site).

Sept 21, 2021
1-2pm
Present: Ashley, Christina, Mel, You Lee, Chris, Marsha, Nina, Sarah

Agenda/Minutes

• Welcome to our new members! Sarah, Business; Marsha, Fine Arts, Music, Africana
• Brief overview of the committee: who we are, what we do, how we function
• Discussing questions sent from Bonna re: future planning/reimagining of public service teams