Teaching
It is my intention to integrate evidence-based practice into every class I teach. Aside from introduction of evidence-based critical evaluation of literature, this means: transparency of expectations, emphasis on critical evaluation of all information, and continual assessment and improvement - and that's not just a one-way street. Students should be encouraged to question what they are learning, so that education is evolutionary and communicative.
As a logical outcome of my experience in libraries, I believe that new voices make important contributions to the profession. Library students are new colleagues, and it is my responsibility to help this happen. An important part of this philosophy is that no one comes to learning without also bringing valuable experiences that can benefit us all.
Educational products
Evaluation tool for bibliometric studies (PDF) Based upon the work of T. Greenhalgh and others in enabling systematic evaluation of research literature, this tool was developed and tested with students at UNC Chapel Hill and at Texas Woman's University in Master's and Doctoral level coursework.
Courses taught
Texas Woman's University School of Library and Information Science
LS 5013 Information Organization & Retrieval: Core course, 2 sections per semester. The course integrates an introduction to database structure with hands-on retrieval opportunities and reflection on the use of language in indexing and retrieval. Students are led through evaluation of a database of their choosing, while also completing a sequential, low-risk peer-reviewed series of searching exercises.
LS5263 Information Sources and Services: Survey of print and electronic reference tools; terminology, techniques, concepts of modern reference service; question-negotiation and formulation of effective search strategies; evaluation of information sources and services.
LS 5363 Health Science Information Services: Introductory course for health science librarians, with students from allied health programs participating. Critical evaluation is a recurring theme throughout, with students participating in group journal clubs that use evidence-based evaluation tools to systematically assess the quality of LIS research articles.
LS5083 Consumer Health Services and Resources: Along with emphasis on CHI resources and awareness of trends in public health and healthcare, participants are asked to consider the experience of illness as starting point and frame for services and research.
LS5473 Health Science Reference and Resources: From a basic understanding of evidence-based practice, students learn about and practice involvement in a spectrum of reference activities ranging from basic Medline and CINAHL searches to support for systematic reviews, while considering the scope of reference resources.
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Library and Information Science
Teaching Assistant for the following courses:
- INLS 795: Professional Field Experience (3 semesters): Organized paperwork, responsible for in-person seminars, contact point for students,follow-up with field sites and faculty mentors.
- INLS 515: Consumer Health Information (2 semesters): Created syllabus and bibliography, guest lecturer; updated bibliography.
- INLS 554: Cultural Institutions (1 semester): Backup lecturer, grading, contact point for students, created bibliography and suggested readings.
INLS 890.096 Evidence-based Library & Information Practice (3 semesters): This class was conceived when I took Connie Schardt's excellent course in Evidence-based Medicine (Evidence-based Medicine and the Medical Librarian). As my chosen semester project, I created a 6-module tutorial that later became core material for the full-semester course co-taught with Dr. Joanne Gard Marshall. The course has evolved over three semesters, based on feedback and a deepened understanding of Evidence-based practice overall. Among the materials created for this course: EBL tutorial, bibliography, course syllabus, class plan, rubrics, glossary, and videos (see below).
Question Building (video, 17 minutes). This is one of a series of videos created as supplemental materials for the Spring 2009 course on Evidence-based Library and Information Practice, INLS890.096. The course is conducted using Skype, with Blackboard content management. Question building is the first of a series of five steps, and is done according to any of several templates.
Other videos in this set include The Evidence Pyramid (concerning the concepts of rigor, bias, and reproduceability in research), The Structured Abstract (on the creation of, and rationale for, structured abstracts), and Finding Our Foundation (presentation of a study I conducted to determine whether records can be consistently retrieved the CSA LISA database using research-related terms).
Other
Alliance Library gets a Second Life: Library services and health information in a virtual world
Teleconference on Second Life, with Lori Bell. NN/NLM Regional Medical Libraries, June 5, 2007.Evidence-based library and information practice
Brown bag session UNC Health Sciences Library, March 2005.A morning with the TRLN doctoral fellows: Evidence-based library and information practice. Duke University March, 2005.
Learning break: Evidence-based library & information practice. Duke University Medical Center Library, August 4, 2005.
Learning break: Consumer health services, parts I & II. Duke University Medical Center Library, August 11 & November 3, 2005.
Selected consumer health education (in Second Life):
PubMed for You
Second Life Consumer Health Librarianship (offered to health librarians) Moving Toward Wellness: Smoking Cessation Looking for Health: A Workshop on Finding Good Health Information Roots & Wings: Finding Children's Health Resources Come See What We've Got! A Workshop on Finding Vision Resources Looking for Health: Finding Quality HIV/AIDS Information
Tutorial created for OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Library & Resource Center, Peoria, IL
Consultant, November 2003 – June 2004 LSTA Funded Grant Project
This project entailed the provision of tablet PCs to nursing staff on patient units. Unit-specific resource pages listed frequently prescribed medications, common procedures, and other nurse educator-provided information for use with bedside patient education. Krames patient education documents were converted to PDF form, and made available from unit pages for printing as handouts. I also created a modular tutorial to help staff learn about using and troubleshooting the tablet PC, as well as searching for specific content and reaching out to the medical library for further support.