Rethinking handouts for library instruction sessions: They’re not as bad as you’ve been told John Hickok Instruction/Outreach Librarian CSU Fullerton

Today’s presentation 1. Why handouts have a bad rap 7min. 2. A rebuttal to the bad rap 7min. 3. are tools for active-learning 10min. 4. can be green-friendly! 10min. 5. have advantages over e-guides 10min. 6. Effective design principles 10min. 7. Q&A 5min.

Learning objectives 1. Identify why handouts have a bad rap 2. Identify rebuttals to these bad raps 3. Explain how handouts help in active-learning 4. List ways handouts can be green-friendly! 5. State an advantage handouts have over e-guides 6. Recognize effective design principles Participants will be able to…

1. Why handouts have a bad rap

A. Considered old fashioned

1. Why handouts have a bad rap A. Considered old fashioned 1980s/90s: catalogs & databases were not graphical and required complicated text strings to search…so explanation sheets were needed

1. Why handouts have a bad rap A. Considered old fashioned 1980s/90s: catalogs & databases were not graphical and required complicated text strings to search…so explanation sheets were needed

1. Why handouts have a bad rap A. Considered old fashioned 1980s/90s: catalogs & databases were not graphical and required complicated text strings to search…so explanation sheets were needed

1. Why handouts have a bad rap A. Considered old fashioned 1980s/90s: catalogs & databases were not graphical and required complicated text strings to search…so explanation sheets were needed

1. Why handouts have a bad rap B. Not green-friendly

1. Why handouts have a bad rap B. Not green-friendly Today, “paperless”, “save the trees”, “eco-friendly” is the call. Printing is seen as wasteful.

1. Why handouts have a bad rap B. Not green-friendly Today, “paperless”, “save the trees”, “eco-friendly” is the call. Printing is seen as wasteful.

1. Why handouts have a bad rap B. Not green-friendly Today, “paperless”, “save the trees”, “eco-friendly” is the call. Printing is seen as wasteful.

1. Why handouts have a bad rap B. Not green-friendly Today, “paperless”, “save the trees”, “eco-friendly” is the call. Printing is seen as wasteful.

1. Why handouts have a bad rap C. No longer needed due to e-guides

1. Why handouts have a bad rap C. No longer needed due to e-guides Academic libraries everywhere now have former handouts on their websites as e-guides

1. Why handouts have a bad rap C. No longer needed due to e-guides Academic libraries everywhere now have former handouts on their websites as e-guides CSU Fullerton

1. Why handouts have a bad rap C. No longer needed due to e-guides Academic libraries everywhere now have former handouts on their websites as e-guides Pasadena City College

1. Why handouts have a bad rap C. No longer needed due to e-guides Academic libraries everywhere now have former handouts on their websites as e-guides UCI

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap

A. Old fashioned

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap A. Old fashioned Yes, newer catalogs/databases are more graphical & user-friendly….but GUI-ier interfaces do not automatically ensure adequate Info. Literacy.

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap A. Old fashioned Yes, newer catalogs/databases are more graphical & user-friendly….but GUI-ier interfaces do not automatically ensure adequate Info. Literacy.

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap A. Old fashioned Yes, newer catalogs/databases are more graphical & user-friendly….but GUI-ier interfaces do not automatically ensure adequate Info. Literacy.

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap B. Not green-friendly

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap B. Not green-friendly

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap B. Not green-friendly

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap B. Not green-friendly Responsible sustainable use

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap C. No longer needed, due to e-guides

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap C. No longer needed, due to e-guides While e-guides are great, they put all the responsibility of understanding/deciphering solely on the student…without live, human explanation.

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap C. No longer needed, due to e-guides While e-guides are great, they put all the responsibility of understanding/deciphering solely on the student…without live, human explanation.

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap C. No longer needed, due to e-guides While e-guides are great, they put all the responsibility of understanding/deciphering solely on the student…without live, human explanation.

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap C. No longer needed, due to e-guides While e-guides are great, they put all the responsibility of understanding/deciphering solely on the student…without live, human explanation.

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap C. No longer needed, due to e-guides While e-guides are great, they put all the responsibility of understanding/deciphering solely on the student…without live, human explanation.

2. A rebuttal to the bad rap C. No longer needed, due to e-guides While e-guides are great, they put all the responsibility of understanding/deciphering solely on the student…without live, human explanation.

3. are tools for active learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning

3. are tools for active learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Lev Vygotsky ( ) Psychologist Students learn most effectively experientially—interacting in their learning environment.

3. are tools for active learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Jean Piaget ( ) Psychologist Students learn best in interactive environments, and draw from others’ influence/guidance.

3. are tools for active learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning

3. are tools for active learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Too Textual No visuals No invitation to participate Aesthetically: boring

3. are tools for active learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning

3. are tools for active learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Handouts provide a means for hands-on participatory, experiential learning Text, but paced Screenshot visuals Invited participation box Aesthetically: bullets, graphics

3. are tools for active learning Another example: handout invoking experiential learning among international students. Another example: handout invoking experiential learning among international students.

3. are tools for active learning Another example: handout invoking experiential learning among international students. Another example: handout invoking experiential learning among international students.

4. can be green-friendly

Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Little/no content using an entire page Little/no content using an entire page

4. can be green-friendly Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Little/no content using an entire page Little/no content using an entire page Only using one side Only using one side

4. can be green-friendly Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Little/no content using an entire page Little/no content using an entire page Only using one side Only using one side A hanging paragraph taking an entire page A hanging paragraph taking an entire page

4. can be green-friendly Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Little/no content using an entire page Little/no content using an entire page Only using one side Only using one side A hanging paragraph taking an entire page A hanging paragraph taking an entire page Giving out nearly full course-pack as a handout Giving out nearly full course-pack as a handout

4. can be green-friendly Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Let’s start with examples of abuse that give handouts a bad name: Little/no content using an entire page Little/no content using an entire page Only using one side Only using one side A hanging paragraph taking an entire page A hanging paragraph taking an entire page Giving out nearly full course-pack as a handout Giving out nearly full course-pack as a handout Libraries using 0% recycled paper Libraries using 0% recycled paper

4. can be green-friendly Work with your library or university’s purchasing officers to investigate 100% recycled paper.

4. can be green-friendly Work with your library or university’s purchasing officers to investigate 100% recycled paper. Yes, it is more expensive, but there are strategies you can take: 100% just for instruction 100% just for instruction Consortium bulk buying Consortium bulk buying Searching 100% vendors Searching 100% vendors

4. can be green-friendly lists 100% paper products and vendors

4. can be green-friendly And the best way to employ handouts and be green: post your handout on your homepage, LIVE, as you teach, and offer students with mobile devices the option of using the e-handout instead Poll the class before running the copies Poll the class before running the copies Post the handout as a write-on-able document Post the handout as a write-on-able document

5. have adv’s. over e-guides

Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information! Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information!

5. have adv’s. over e-guides Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information! But… they have drawbacks. Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information! But… they have drawbacks.

5. have adv’s. over e-guides Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information! But… they have drawbacks. Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information! But… they have drawbacks. Many times they are general guides, not specific to a students exact assignment or needs Many times they are general guides, not specific to a students exact assignment or needs

5. have adv’s. over e-guides Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information! But… they have drawbacks. Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information! But… they have drawbacks. Many times they are general guides, not specific to a students exact assignment or needs Many times they are general guides, not specific to a students exact assignment or needs Even if the e-guide is course-specific, it is accessed without human interaction, so all the burden of deciphering falls on the student Even if the e-guide is course-specific, it is accessed without human interaction, so all the burden of deciphering falls on the student

5. have adv’s. over e-guides Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information! But… they have drawbacks. Yes, e-guides are wonderful. They provide unparalleled access to instructions & information! But… they have drawbacks. Many times they are general guides, not specific to a students exact assignment or needs Many times they are general guides, not specific to a students exact assignment or needs Even if the e-guide is course-specific, it is accessed without human interaction, so all the burden of deciphering falls on the student Even if the e-guide is course-specific, it is accessed without human interaction, so all the burden of deciphering falls on the student They are frequently heavily textual and just “content dissemination”, not participatory They are frequently heavily textual and just “content dissemination”, not participatory

5. have adv’s. over e-guides CSUF Class- specific E-guides

5. have adv’s. over e-guides Comm353e-guide (by John Hickok)

5. have adv’s. over e-guides Yes, has some good elements (graphical, etc.) But….

5. have adv’s. over e-guides The in- person handout has SO many more advantages!

5. have adv’s. over e-guides Teamwork exercises of evaluating Ad websites Teamwork exercises of evaluating Ad websites

5. have adv’s. over e-guides Teamwork exercises of evaluating Ad websites Teamwork exercises of evaluating Ad websites Step-by-step live demo’ing of how to dig deep into databases for company brand info Step-by-step live demo’ing of how to dig deep into databases for company brand info

5. have adv’s. over e-guides Teamwork exercises of evaluating Ad websites Teamwork exercises of evaluating Ad websites Step-by-step live demo’ing of how to dig deep into databases for company brand info Step-by-step live demo’ing of how to dig deep into databases for company brand info Prompts to apply the steps on the handout, by searching for new brands Prompts to apply the steps on the handout, by searching for new brands

6. Effective Design principles

Literature review of “designing handouts for effective learning” yields works from: Educators Educators Trainers Trainers Librarians (very little) Librarians (very little)

6. Effective Design principles Educators: Marla Yoshida (ESL Instructor, UCI Extension) Abbie Brown (Instructional Design Ph.D, formerly CSUF) Mary Bucholz (Linguistics Ph.D, UCBerkeley) U. of Minnesota Ctr. for Teaching & Learning

6. Effective Design principles

Trainers: Olivia Mitchell (Professional trainer)

6. Effective Design principles

Librarians: Anna Johnson (Mt.Hood Comm. Coll., Oregon) U.of Texas Libraries (Librarian tools: creating handouts)

6. Effective Design principles

Common principles among all of them: ample white space ample white space uniformity (font styles, outline) uniformity (font styles, outline) use of graphics (screenshots, photos, etc.) use of graphics (screenshots, photos, etc.) infusing active learning (prompts, tasks) infusing active learning (prompts, tasks)

6. Q & A Thank you!

© 2012 John Hickok Duplication or distribution by consent only