Program Learning Outcome 4 (PLO4)

In LIS 635 I designed a professional development plan. One aspect was to determine the needs of those attending the workshop by including questions on the registration form about experience and accommodations. I had the opportunity to carry out this workshop, and the questions allowed me to be prepared with extra laptops, time to assist with screen adjustment, and reserved front row seating for those with concerns about hearing.

Planning is essential for delivering instruction that is beneficial to the learner. In LIS 635, I designed a lesson plan for adult learners in a public library setting. I was able to implement this plan at the library where I work with 15 local business owners participating. Thinking through the logistics, technical issues, marketing, and specific needs of the target audience contributed to the success of the program, which resulted in more than half of the participants immediately putting their new knowledge to use in their business. 

I also designed recorded instruction for my capstone project at Mixxer Community Makerspace. In creating the videos, it was important to define a clear plan with logical steps. I also requested feedback from makers in the community and employed their suggestions. One of those suggestions was adding chapters to the videos. The chapters are timestamped, making it easy for viewers to jump to the relevant section and improving their function as a reference tool. 

This video tutorial for Cypress Resume was produced for LIS 620. I organized the video's content to follow the natural progression of the template's three step process. While the pre-recorded format does not allow for live interaction, I have also been able to assist library patrons with Cypress Resume in person, providing positive feedback, answering their questions about the website as they work through their creation, and providing additional instruction as needed. 

I also delivered instruction during my Capstone field experience at Mixxer Community Makerspace. While a large portion of my time was spent producing video tutorials, I also provided in person instruction for the annual iron pour event, teaching participants how to carve an iron mold from a scratch block. This required a well-organized, step-by-step process because skipping ahead could affect the final product. The instructions also needed to be adapted for different ages, experience, and confidence levels, accounting for the needs of the individual.

The professional development plan from LIS 635 mentioned above includes a student evaluation at the end. This written evaluation, along with real-time interactions and feedback throughout the session are used to assess the instruction and make adjustments as needed. While leading this program, I was able to walk around to each participant and assess their progress by talking with them and looking at their work. When similar questions were received from multiple people, I addressed the entire class with my response to clarify.

Much of my Capstone experience was dedicated to supporting patron learning. At Mixxer Community Makerspace individuals are given an introduction and safety lesson for any tool the first time they want to use it. Reviews and assistance are provided when requested. The "on-demand" nature of the instruction saves time and ensures true interest, but it also requires people to be demanding. Coming into this experience I recognized that most people will not remember everything from that one-time interaction, and some will feel uncomfortable repeatedly asking about the same tool. So, I worked to provide patrons with alternative ways to review using videos and infographics. These options supplement the in-person training by speaking to different learning styles and allowing beginners to go at a pace that feels comfortable to them in a less formal format.