Category: Student Issues

Use this category for posts about our students, student services, and other issues involving students.

Integrating interns with disabilities at the library

For the past three years, Michigan State University Libraries has participated as a job site in Spartan Project SEARCH, an MSU-based iteration of the larger Project SEARCH program. Project SEARCH is a transition program for young adults with developmental disabilities in which participants, often recent high school graduates, learn job skills such as how to write a resume while also working half days in various job settings. At MSU, participants work everywhere from the dining halls to the library, learning how jobs work and how they like different job environments.

Spartan Project SEARCH began at MSU in 2016 and the Libraries’ Accessibility unit started participating in Fall 2022. Since then, we have hosted two interns per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. The interns’ rotations in the library typically last about 10 weeks.

When we first began the program, we started small, with interns only coming in a few days per week, but more recent interns have spent four days a week at the library. This would not have been possible without the participation of several units around the Libraries. Usually, our interns spend between one hour and two hours working for one unit before moving to another, allowing them to work on a variety of tasks in a single day.

Currently, interns work on resetting furniture, scanning books for controlled digital lending, collecting books for reshelving, and checking in returned books. They also have the opportunity to assist with smaller projects as they arise, including installing exhibits and participating in user experience testing. Interns also tour other units in the library, such as Cataloging or Maps, so that they can see the breadth of work happening in the library.

Overall, participating in Project SEARCH has been extremely rewarding, but we have learned some things along the way. First, we would not have been a successful program site if the interns worked in only one unit. Having multiple host units allows for interns to learn an array of different skills and experience different kinds of work and work environments. It also helps to fill out their schedule and provides some flexibility as we respond to interns’ interests and needs.

Each intern is different, and though we’ve now developed a process that generally works, we’ve found flexibility to be key in making the experience useful for the intern. We train interns extensively on their tasks, with the goal of them completing their work independently. We do, however, always have someone scheduled to check in with the intern or to provide extra support and training time if they need it. Some interns feel more comfortable shadowing for a longer period of time, others work well when we double check their work with them, and occasionally some just want a bit of company during their shift. Again, responding to interns’ needs and requests has helped to make the training process and transition to independent work run smoothly. Depending on interns’ interests and abilities, we’ve also added or modified work for them.

Providing the interns with routine and consistency also helps to set expectations and keep the internship running smoothly. At the beginning of each new internship, we create a schedule that stays roughly the same, with work in specific units happening at the same time each week, along with some free slots to add in tours. We print a full schedule each week for the interns to reference and take home if they want. This helps interns to anticipate what’s coming up, know where they should be, and know who they should expect to see.

Finally, establishing methods of finding and asking for help has been critical both in the early stages of an internship and later on when interns are working independently. We of course make sure interns know where to find our offices, but because we are so often moving around the building or in meetings, we also give interns our phone numbers and encourage them to text us if there’s a problem. Because there are two of us managing the interns, group messages have been particularly helpful.

Project SEARCH has sites throughout the US and internationally, but it isn’t everywhere. If you’re interested in participating in a similar program in your library, I encourage you to look into similar alternatives as well. Project SEARCH, for example, collaborates with Michigan Rehabilitation Services, and there are likely other similar programs in your state. We’ve found Project SEARCH to certainly be a commitment of time and resources, but also completely worthwhile and a way to make a direct impact in the community.

If your library participates in a similar program or if you’re interested in starting something like this, I’d love to chat more in the comments.

Special thanks to Heidi Schroeder, who initiated the Project SEARCH program in the MSU Libraries and works with me on supervising our interns. This article in the Libraries’ newsletter has more information on MSU Libraries’ participation in Project SEARCH.

Creating a Safe Space for Conversations on Academic Integrity 

Musings on Teaching a Difficult Topic

Stepping into the classroom of an academic integrity session has a distinctively different energy than a regular university classroom. For one thing, almost no one in the room is there by choice – and you can feel it. The body language, the facial expressions, and the overall lack of enthusiasm or even outright hostility from the students makes for a very difficult environment to teach in, especially when you’re a newbie unconfident in your ability to command a classroom’s attention.

A few months ago I volunteered to help teach the academic integrity sessions at my university. Created and organized by the Student Success Centre, the sessions themselves are taught in part by librarians and cover topics relating to plagiarism and unauthorized assistance. Students can choose to take these classes, but more often than not they are required to when found in violation of academic integrity by their faculty. I volunteered to take on the challenge for two reasons: I think academic integrity is growing increasingly important, and I knew it would be an excellent learning experience. The thing about learning experiences however, is that they are not always easy. 

Academic integrity requires members of the academic community to act in a way that reflects fundamental values of trust, honesty, fairness, respect, and responsibility. It also requires courage for students to uphold the values for themselves and their peers  (Brickhill et al., 2024). As I learned from my teaching sessions however, this courage can be hard to come by, especially in the grey area students struggle with. Examples of these grey areas include:

  • A peer in a group project uses AI to write their section
  • An international student has different expectations of academic integrity from their home institution
  • A best friend asks to look over answers to an assignment they’re worried about
  • Someone is unknowingly added to a group chat where test answers are circulating

There are nuances to these situations that we need to be empathetic towards as educators; we don’t want to discourage students from supporting their peers or unfairly condemn them. But at the same time we need to arm students with the tools to navigate these situations and the understanding that they are responsible for upholding university values. It’s not always a simple conversation, and this can be especially hard to convey to an unwilling audience. 

Being accused of violating academic integrity usually carries with it the weight of embarrassment, anxiety, or even anger. In the short time I have taught these classes, I have already witnessed the whole spectrum. There are a lot of negative emotions associated with the topic so I have learned to approach these sessions with two main goals in order to make the most of the 90 minutes:

  1. To educate students on the importance of academic integrity. If they understand the “WHY”, they are more inclined to put into practice what they learn.
  2. To create a safe space to facilitate honest conversations on academic integrity. If they aren’t comfortable, they won’t ask or answer questions to engage in a meaningful way. 

How I Try to Create a Safe Space 

Language

I am not involved in any way in the disciplinary process of students – I just teach the sessions. This is something that I emphasize to them at the beginning of every session, with the lines: “I don’t know and don’t need to know why you are here. I volunteer to teach these classes because academic integrity is important. I don’t report back to your faculty; you can ask me any questions you might be worried about asking your instructors. There are no stupid questions.” These words set the precedent that I am not going to judge them for their actions – there is already too much negativity and shame associated with discussions of academic integrity. In a shocking turn of events, students react better when you treat them as human beings and act human yourself. I have found this level of honesty engages folks and motivates a frank discussion of their anxieties surrounding a topic that should not be taboo. If I respond to hostility with more hostility, nothing productive is accomplished. 

Also, I watch the language I use when teaching. I avoid accusatory or overtly negative language in discussions to maintain a level of neutrality. Academic integrity is not a neutral issue of course, but practicing intentional empathy without judgement is key to creating a learning environment. For example, in case you noticed in this blog post I avoided the phrase “academic misconduct”… academic integrity is much better because it places value on the goal, not the punishment. 

Environment

I have taught both online over zoom and in person, and I have noticed a vast difference between the two spaces, causing me to reflect on the pros and cons of each. 

On zoom, although I am greeted by a vast array of muted microphones and black screens, I find a lot more students engage in discussion and answering my questions. There is a sort of anonymity on Zoom – no faces can be seen and the ability to private message is used by students too shy to ask their question otherwise. Of course, I have no idea how engaged they actually are – there can be students cooking dinner while typing brief responses into the group chat for all I know! The burden of facilitating is higher as often I am the only person speaking out loud for the whole session, but at least I am given something to work with.

In person, it’s often the opposite. I get the advantage of being able to read the room, responding to inquiring faces and directing my questions…but I also get to actually witness the lack of engagement, which can be daunting to my confidence level (last week a student blatantly pulled out their phone and watched sports highlights on full volume). I am greeted with more long stretches of silence when I try to make room for discussion, but once one begins, it often grows to become more in depth and meaningful than the brief sentences and one-word answers I receive on zoom. Perhaps it’s a matter of quality over quantity?

Regardless of the space, I always stay for a few minutes after the session ends for students to individually approach me with their concerns. I have yet to have a class where no one stays behind to talk. 

There is no perfect environment to facilitate teaching academic integrity, so I try to make the most of what I can. There are a lot of long pauses, but through my persistent leading questions, encouraging comments, and intent to open the space for honest conversation, I often will have meaningful discussions with students on such an important topic. I won’t engage everyone (you never can!), but it’s enough. 

Conclusion

There is a reason academic integrity has shifted from punitive action to educational strategies; education is far more effective in giving students agency and understanding (Janinovic et al., 2024). Practicing empathy and intentional care with students gives them a space to learn and leads to positive change (Casey, 2024). Although these sessions are some of my most challenging classes to teach, I will continue volunteering for them because the learning experience truly goes both ways. The best I can do as a librarian instructing these sessions is to facilitate learning in a welcoming environment. 

References 

Brickhill, M., Andrews, G. & Nieuwoudt, J. Developing Student Agency Towards Academic Integrity Through an Educative Approach: Exploring Students’ Experiences and Perspectives. J Acad Ethics (2024). https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/10.1007/s10805-024-09567-y

Casey, J. (2024). An auto-ethnographic approach to academic integrity: experiences through the lens as a student, design teacher and academic integrity officer. Int J Educ Integr 20 (26). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-024-00173-4

Janinovic, J., Pekovic, S., Djokovic, R., & Vuckovic, D. (2024). Assessing the Effectiveness of Academic Integrity Institutional Policies: How Can Honor Code and Severe Punishments Deter Students’ Cheating—Moderating Approach? SAGE Open, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241307430 

Some Thoughts on Showing Up for Students and Overcoming Discouragement

I returned to library instruction this week bearing mixed emotions. On the one hand, I was excited to return to teaching after a pause between December and February that was replaced by other work priorities. I missed building connections in instruction sessions and individual consultations with first-year students and course instructors and navigating the library’s many materials and resources as a new employee. On the other hand, I returned with a great weight on my soul. The same December-February period has seen a series of assaults on information access that are too many to describe in just one post but include the scrubbing of data and resources from federal department and agency websites without notice and the downstream effect that government funding cuts will have on potentially impactful research. I mention this example not to revisit everything that has happened in Washington over the past several weeks but to say that I carried what was happening nationally in my mind and body.

The conflicted state I felt is one that many academic librarians across the country are very likely feeling. In these uncertain times, how we can best show up for our students and guide them toward becoming critical and responsible information users is a question that is more important and complex than ever. As a Black librarian, these questions are amplified by my concern for other students of color at my institution and my professional aim of creating a library space that is safe and inclusive—both now threatened by the undermining of DEI efforts on the federal level and increasingly in higher education nationwide.

As challenging as it will be with the brevity of one-shot instruction, consultations, and reference interactions, here are some ways I want to show up for my students this year:

  1. Listen with intention and empathy: Having the patience to pay attention to what students are saying and the struggles they might face that are difficult to communicate.
  2. Reinforce that I am a resource for different kinds of information: Remind students during classes, consultations, and more extended reference interactions that I can help them find things they need that are not just research-related.
  3. Employ principles of trauma-informed teaching: Constantly be aware of stressful events and issues on campus and beyond that are potentially impacting my students and create a learning environment of safety, trust, autonomy, and support where appropriate and possible.
  4. Model vulnerability and authenticity: Be honest with students about my struggles with research and library use and emphasize that I am growing like them.
  5. Meet students where they are: Remember that, to borrow the focus of Dr. Carol Kuhlthau’s seminal research, the information search process will be different for each student and necessitates me working with them at the place they are at rather than pushing them to the “right” way of finding information first.

Whether I can meet even one of these goals remains as unclear as the direction of this administration. But even beyond the stress and nerves of teaching, two feelings I will likely struggle with this year are discouragement and disillusionment triggered by the state of the country and the fracturing of truth and fact due to mis and disinformation primarily online but also increasingly from unregulated artificial intelligence. In moments like these, it is vital to remind myself of the purpose of my role as a librarian–to support students in finding the information they need and equipping them with research skills they can use in college and life.

A few years ago, amid a challenging season of loss, a close artist friend of my partner and I named Soyoung Kim gifted us a watercolor sketch that we keep in our office. The sketch depicts a sailboat bobbing over blue waves with the following words on the bottom center: Advice for Discouraged Sailors 1. Stop 2. Steady Your Boat 3. Study Your Compass 4. Seek The Wind.

Image Credit: Soyoung Kim, 2023. See more of Soyoung’s work here!

As we journey into the deeper, busier waters of this semester and the uncertainty of this year, as we meet discouragements, disappointments, and failures, may we remember to pause, refocus, return to what inspired us to work in academic libraries, and pay attention what this work is calling us to do in these times.

Turn it off and on again: digital literacy in college students

What happened to digital literacy and competency? 

I’ll start this post with some examples of declining digital and computer literacy that me and my colleagues have noticed just in the past academic year with students.  

  • Tried to turn on a lab computer via the monitor, not the tower 
  • Manually added spaces for double-spaced paper 
  • Hitting spacebar to create indents 
  • Not being able to find their downloaded PDF 
  • Saving everything to desktop/not using file directories 
  • Unable to use browser (only uses phone applications) 
  • Not understanding how to navigate Microsoft OneDrive vs computer file directories (or: why doesn’t my paper show up on the computer?) 

I’m sure a lot of these, along with many other examples, sound very familiar to academic librarians. Although the IT Help Desk is just a few feet down from the Library Service Desk at my library, we become tech support in so many ways. The technical understanding of computers, programs, and how they work just isn’t there in many young adults, which might be surprising to some. Surely, the kids who have grown up with technology are good at it, right? They’re “digital natives”? Many a librarian, academic or otherwise, could tell you that that’s not the case.  

The 2018 International Computer and Information Literacy study showed that only 2 percent of students scored at the highest level of computer and information literacy (Fraillon et al, 2020). Yet, Global Web Index’s report on Generation Z says that “[they] are clocking up nearly 7 hours a day online” (2019). Those of us who work in universities, whether as faculty, staff, or otherwise, need to remember that students using technology for interaction and leisure doesn’t necessarily translate to familiarity with tools for academic or professional work. As an example: If I’m on TikTok all day, why would I then know how to use Microsoft Word for APA format in my paper? If I am posting stories to Instagram and direct messaging people, why would I know the difference between cloud storage like Google Drive and the hardware storage of a laptop? 

It’s easier for me to think about this in terms of my own experiences. I had a computer basics class in high school where I learned about the different mechanical parts of a computer, what the abbreviations KB, MB, and GB mean, among other things that I ultimately use every day in my professional and personal life. Someone who came even 2 or 3 years after me at my same high school didn’t have the same thing. Chromebooks were just gaining traction during my senior year, and they were fully implemented a few years after I left. I firmly believe that the rise of these sort of limiting products has limited the digital literacy and competency of today’s students, but perhaps exploring that relationship can be saved for an entirely different blog post.  

I think the ultimate problem with digital literacy is not necessarily the lack of technical knowledge, but the lack of curiosity. Oftentimes when students come to the desk for help with formatting a paper, they haven’t attempted to figure it out themselves. One way to address the lack of curiosity and digital literacy is something many librarians are already doing: modeling inquiry. We perform reference interviews to get more information about the question or issue at hand, and often times, we are figuring out technology issues along with the patron. I am always telling students exactly what I do – no, I don’t remember this off the top of my head, I Google things about programs constantly. Even in our instruction sessions, we model curiosity and exploration; I purposely try not to have canned database searches, because I know how messy research is. Students might not yet. If they see that a librarian can get a “no results found” search or something that isn’t as relevant, they might feel better about continuing to try in their own research process. They can also learn how to search the web for their problems – how many times have you Googled something, gotten completely irrelevant results, and had to change or add keywords? This first attempt is where I find that students might stop, if they do try to figure it out. It’s okay if they can’t find the answer and come ask us anyway – I just want to empower them to try.  

Although they’re of a generation who is quite familiar with technology, everyone’s experience varies. This is why I don’t really like the term digital native (Prensky, 2001). I prefer the term digital learner – none of us are born knowing natively how to use these tools, but they and we are born learning them (Gallardo-Echenique et al, 2015). Since every student comes to us with different backgrounds, experiences, and access, we should focus our efforts on modeling and teaching with inquiry and curiosity. As fast as technology changes, having a solid foundation of curiosity will benefit students for the rest of their lives.  

References 

Fraillon, J., Ainley, J., Schulz, W., Friedman, T., & Duckworth, D. (2020). Preparing for Life in a Digital World: IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2018 International Report. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38781-5 

Gallardo-Echenique, E. E., Marqués-Molías, L., Bullen, M., & Strijbos, J.-W. (2015). Let’s talk about digital learners in the digital era. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v16i3.2196 

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1108/10748120110424816 

Unveiling the Deceptive Duo: Inclusive Access and Equitable Access – A Threat to Student Choice and Library Reserves

Academic libraries have a new battle on the horizon: inclusive access and equitable access. These two models are the newest ventures of bookstore vendors to get students to purchase costly textbooks and other course materials. Stealing library jargon to disguise the truth, bookstore vendors are advertising inclusive access and equitable access as being a positive move for universities. These models, however, are far from it.

Inclusive Access

Bookstore vendors market this option as being convenient for faculty and students as students are guaranteed access to course materials on the first day of class. Sounds great, doesn’t it? At first glance, it appears to be truly inclusive; however, this option is deceptive. When faculty choose to use inclusive access, they select their textbook and/or access codes for homework as they normally would. Then, instead of students purchasing these materials on their own, students are billed an additional charge for their tuition to include the cost of the course materials. This means students lose the ability to buy used versus new as well as shop around for their course materials (e.g., Amazon). According to these vendors, they do provide students with an “opt-out” option. The problem with this “opt-out” option is two-fold. One, the ability to “opt-out” is not communicated clearly to students. Bookstore vendors tend to use intimidating language that ultimately prevents students from opting out. Two, if students “opt-out” of an access code needed to complete their homework, they are unable to submit their homework; therefore, they will likely fail the class. How is that inclusive?

Equitable Access

While I had heard of inclusive access, the equitable access model was unbeknownst to me until recently. According to bookstore vendors, equitable access is a model that, like inclusive access, ensures that all students have access to their required course materials on the first day of class. Prior to classes beginning, students would receive a box of all of their needed materials. Again, this sounds great, doesn’t it? The catch is found in how students are billed for these materials. Once faculty make their textbook and course material selections, the university divides the total cost of all faculty-selected items amongst all students. Then, every student is charged the same “textbook cost” fee as part of their tuition and fees. While this may be beneficial to students majoring in subjects such as chemistry or accounting, majors notorious for high textbook costs, this is a huge disservice to majors with historically low textbook costs, such as English or history. This model also takes away the ability for students to shop around for cheaper alternatives to new textbooks and provides zero transparency in how much their materials actually cost. This means that a student who could purchase all of their textbooks used for a total of $30 could instead be charged $600. How is that equitable?

Contract Limitations for Academic Libraries

In addition to the effect inclusive and equitable access models have on students, the contracts to implement them can severely impact and even eliminate libraries’ efforts in providing course reserves and other textbook support to students. For instance, one bookstore vendor’s contract explicitly prohibits libraries from purchasing a copy of a course textbook to place on reserve in the library for students to check out. With the equitable access model, libraries would be completely written out of the textbook equation. If universities began shifting towards these models, my position as an Affordability and Digital Initiatives Librarian, as well as similar positions, would be eliminated, and the major strides made in providing true equitable access to textbooks through academic libraries would come to a halt.

Federal Intervention

The good news is that the Department of Education is aware of and currently discussing these misleading models. As the Biden-Harris administration works towards adopting more open policies, they have turned their focus towards higher education. More specifically, on January 2, 2024, the Department of Education released six issue papers with proposals for more student-friendly policies. One of these papers propose to “eliminate the provision allowing institutions to include the cost of books and supplies as part of tuition and fees.” If passed, this proposal would be a huge win for academic libraries.

You can find out more information about the Department of Education’s movement to restrict these models at https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2023/program-integrity-and-institutional-quality-session-1-issue-paper-cash-management-final.pdf