22 June 2021
10:00–11:15
Participants in this session will be able to fully attend any three of the presentations below. The moderators will introduce the format and then open breakout rooms, one for each of the presentations below. Attendees will then be able to join the breakout room for a presentation topic of their choice. Those with updated Zoom clients can move themselves to the breakout room, otherwise they can ask the moderators to move them. After about 15 minutes of presentation and discussion, participants will be returned to the main room, and the same breakout rooms and choices will again be offered, allowing participants to move to a different presentation of their choice. After about 15 minutes, this will repeat for a third and final round.
Presentations included in this session:
Continuous user engagement with library user services in the pandemic era: The case of Ashesi University Library
Dinah Koteikor Baidoo
We will present the experiences of Ashesi University library user services in a pandemic situation, benefits, and lessons for continuous engagement. Continuous user engagement with library services in a pandemic situation depends on the availability of digital resources, media, and information literacy competencies of library staff and users. Using digital platforms; integrated library system and Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), e-library platforms with remote access to electronic journals and books, and interactive social media platforms; electronic mail, Facebook, WhatsApp, Talk.to, and Telegram for information dissemination and engagement. Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, used for training were the success story.
Data literacy in 10 minutes
Dalal Rahme
The need for information literacy has been repeatedly highlighted over the years. In the past few years, we witnessed a growing interest in data literacy. Information literacy and data literacy are inter-related. In this short presentation we will learn more about data and the complexity of data, how to access it and reuse it ethically. We will also go over the FAIR data principles.
Destination help desk: What students want – Exploring students’ preferences for research support
Alanna Ross, Christine Furno
The onset of the pandemic and speedy pivot to remote teaching and virtual library support has presented a unique opportunity to re-evaluate pre-existing library support structures and reconsider how libraries can continue to adapt to meet various return to campus scenarios. This presentation discusses a recent AUS Library study that explored the key attributes that characterize students’ preferences when seeking library help informed by their experiences with online learning. Findings are helping shape reconfiguration of current research support models at AUS with renewed focus on space design, staffing, training, promotion and assessment of service deliverables.
Ecomedia literacy dot org: Building a green media resource for librarians and faculty
Antonio Lopez
Ecomedialiteracy.org is a website and OER resource being developed for ecomedia literacy and to supplement information and digital literacy resources for AMICAL institutions and beyond. This session introduces ecomedia literacy (the relationship between media and the environment) and how it fits within the mission of AMICAL to promote information literacy, digital literacy, and digital humanities. It will invite participants to collaborate and share ideas for how to make the website useful for AMICAL partners. Attendees will take away a clear understanding of the importance of ecomedia literacy and ideas for how they can contribute to building the resource.
Holding our services accountable: Was the CLT 2020 programming effective?
Rukhsana Zia
The sudden onslaught of the pandemic made us, at CLT, innovate to support faculty to teach online. The faculty participation and the satisfaction levels were at record levels (https://www.spring2020teaching.online/clt-in-review). Our programming is carefully aligned to the needs of the faculty and the institution nevertheless, an intentional data-driven effort was not made till now to evaluate CLT programming. To hold ourselves accountable, the framework by Hines (2018), is used to establish the level of effectiveness of our offerings and the limitations that remain. The attendees will comprehend variables integral to quality learning and how to assess these for institutional impact .
Pandemic pedagogy: Panic and panacea
Anastasia Logotheti
This presentation focuses on pandemic pedagogy, the term describing the conditions under which teaching and learning takes place under the challenging circumstances of recurring lockdowns. The discussion will present specific lessons learned, positive and less positive, by noting challenges and realizations relevant for instructors not only in the mode of Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning (ERTL) but also in relation to developing best practices for resilient teaching approaches. The presentation will also be useful to librarians, technologists and academic administrators who will continue to respond to increased demand for off-campus services in support of changing conditions.
Professors never cheat
Hamish Binns
Professors complain about cheating but often don’t try to understand why students cheat or how they themselves may be facilitating it. By identifying situations in which we ourselves may have cheated, professors may be able to comprehend the motives behind academic dishonesty and take action to limit it thus creating a better learning environment. We also need to recognize that cheating is encouraged and rewarded in certain professions and may entail important academic skills such as effective collaboration, research, editing, and maybe even negotiating with third parties. After all, the only cheating that is unforgivable is that which is discovered.
When the “cultural other” becomes socially close during the Covid-19 pandemic: An Afghani (American University of Afghanistan)-Lebanese (Phoenicia University) intercultural communication narrative
Enakshi Sengupta, Victoria Fontan
The COVID-19 pandemic has united the world into one human community striving to survive and go back to “normal” life. Educationally, there is a true demand to set effective approaches, initiatives, and programs that would promote intercultural citizenship and global citizenship for students. In response to such a demand, the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) and Phoenicia University (PU), Lebanon implemented a joint intercultural program: The Global Cultural Village. The Village connected and brought together 20 students (10 Afghani and 10 Lebanese) from two different cultures at a time of social and physical distancing. Over a period of five months, virtual, fortnightly meetings were led by the students and were facilitated by three conveners from both universities. This presentation will inform higher education institutions in meeting their commitments towards internationalization and creating global citizenship amid and post-COVID 19.