Each week between now and the 2019 MLA/DLA Conference, we’re highlighting one of the conference sessions sponsored by ACRL MD. The conference will be held May 1-3 at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, MD. For more information about the conference and to register, visit the MLA conference website.
What if…all librarians need to learn how to teach online?
Friday, May 3rd
10:45 – 11:45 am
Michael C. English & Janna Mattson
Librarians are continually required to learn new skills to meet the demands of the profession. When they are simultaneously being asked to do more with less, it can be a challenge for libraries to find the time and resources to develop training opportunities and for librarians to find the time to attend and apply what they have learned. This session will detail George Mason University Libraries’ development of an asynchronous, online course (“13 Things in Blackboard”) designed to develop and improve Blackboard technical skills for librarians being asked to teach in an online setting. The course aims to foster an understanding of best practices in online learning pedagogy and encourage library instructors to experiment with new learning technologies. While the focus of the course is to develop online teaching skills, the course model could be applied to any skill set that librarians need to develop in any library setting.
