In the library, with an Object….
For my microteach session I planned a research-skills based activity starting with a selected object as a jumping off point. Students often start their research with a very narrow interest such as ‘happiness’ or ‘science fiction’ and need help expanding to a researchable topic by incorporating theory, social and cultural perspectives. The UAL library catalogue is not intuitive to use – lots of amazing resources are somewhat buried – but used well it can help to expand research. This experience was a great test-bed for new approaches to research skills teaching.
The stated objective of the session was to build skills and confidence in expanding research themes, and in navigating the UAL catalogue.
The timings of my session were planned as follows
- Introduction and learning objective: 5 minutes
- Choose a meaningful object: 1 minute
- Demonstration of library searches and ‘tips’: 5 minutes
- Participants Research activity and post to padlet: 5 minutes
- Reflect on the research experience: 3-4 minutes
I used my usual Research Skills slides as the initial basis. Using an object as an example of a research topic is a new approach for me, but I thought it would work based on the idea that ‘objects …. can act as powerful metaphors, enabling abstract ideas to be communicated and understood’ (Barton and Wilcocks, 2017). I planned to ask the group to choose objects that have personal meaning as start points.
I tested the tutorial as I was concerned about the 20 minute length and found that lots of content from the original research-skills pack was confusing the narrative of the session so I simplified it. I included a Padlet but on reflection I needed to learn how to set these up so that all participants can post whether logged in as UAL or not (one of the other micro-teachers did this successfully so it can be done!). However, posting in the chat sufficed.
I decided, based on the object start point, to start the catalogue search demonstration with an image search and follow with a book search, which would be livened up with some tips that usually are not known by many UAL library users: subject-tag reading lists, and the online shelf browse facility. I was surprised how much difference leading with the image search made – and I think I will change to this order for more of my research-skills sessions in future. It makes sense now on reflection that UAL users, designers and artists so ‘visually orientated and visual thinkers’ (Hardie, 2015) engage with image search more readily than book and article searches.
Having covered the introduction and mentioned to participants to think about a meaningful object I explained that my glasses would be my research object and why. Then I moved on to the library catalogue demonstration showing the need for multiple keywords by demonstrating how ‘glasses’ ‘eyeglasses’ and ‘eyewear’ deliver very different levels of results. One of the other microteach sessions used more impactful examples, something I’d like to give more thought to for future.
I asked participants to do their own searches on their chosen objects, staying ‘in the room’ to re-demonstrate as needed. Instead of reflection time as planned I reacted to more functional research-skills questions the participants had, including showing where to find journal articles search. Several of the participants commented that the session will help them with their research for PGCert, with one relating ‘I feel lucky to have been in this group’ and another ‘I’ve never used the library very well’. For me this was a great result as it showed the learning objective met an immediate need and was genuinely useful, even if it differed from my plan. A participant commented on the flow from image research to documents as mapping ‘how students would do research’ which consolidated that learning for me.
Key learnings from the micro-teach included: selection of impactful examples which I noted a colleague did with very engaging effect, focus on the more meaningful aspects to participants early in sessions – for example image databases, where time allows participants choosing some search terms for hands-on practice with library and image search, and prep for technical needs such as Padlet sign-ins and QR codes. I hope to include these elements in my planning for taught sessions moving forwards.
References
Barton, G, & Wilcocks, J. (2017) Object-based self-enquiry: A multi- and trans- disciplinary pedagogy for transformational learning. Available at : https://sparkjournal.arts.ac.uk/index.php/spark/article/view/75 accessed on 29/01/2025.
Hardie, K. (2015) Wow: The power of objects in object-based learning and teaching, Available at : https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/wow-power-objects-object-based-learning-and-teaching, accessed on 29/01/2025.