Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training

ACALIB-01505; No. of pages: 9; 4C: The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2014) xxx–xxx

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The Journal of Academic Librarianship

Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training Yusuke Ishimura a,⁎, Joan C. Bartlett b,1 a b

School of Computer and Security Science, Edith Cowan University, 2 Bradford Street, Mount Lawley, Western Australia 6050, Australia School of Information Studies, McGill University, Peel 3661, Montréal, Québec H3A 1X1, Canada

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history: Received 27 January 2014 Accepted 21 April 2014 Available online xxxx Keywords: Teaching experience Academic libraries International students

a b s t r a c t Past studies of international students and academic libraries have often focused on students' own characteristics and experiences. Using an online survey, this study instead investigated librarians' teaching skills for serving this population. The analysis reveals that participants perceived an importance in developing skills specifically for international students. They tried to accommodate students' unique needs and optimize teaching approaches using their own experience working with the students. Although they reported having obtained knowledge of students' backgrounds as well as communication and teaching techniques, they showed strong interest in having further training opportunities to improve their teaching. The survey results thus give insight into recommendations for the provision of training to improve teaching in the context of serving international students. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION International students have changed campus demographics and is highly relevant to academic librarians in North America. The population has increased constantly. According to the Open Doors Report, 819,644 international students enrolled in colleges and universities in the United States in the 2012/2013 academic year (Institute of International Education, 2013). Canadian institutions are also experiencing population increases. Data from Statistics Canada shows that 145,164 students enrolled in the 2011/2012 academic year (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2012). The term “international students” can be vague, but this study refers to international students who have a different cultural and linguistic background from North America. Librarians are expected to teach information skills and adapt to the changing student body. However, it does not necessarily follow that librarians are equipped to teach effectively in these circumstances. Therefore, this study uses a survey methodology to investigate librarians' experience in teaching international students and how their skills in this area can be further developed.

diversity to classrooms and the university community, bring financial benefits to both universities and local communities, and contribute intellectually to universities (Brennan & Dellow, 2013; Maringe, 2010). As part of a campus community, it is important for academic libraries to support all students' academic success. Librarians are often key figures in supporting academic success through teaching information literacy skills. To be effective as teachers, though, first academic librarians need to understand who they are teaching and how to approach their needs. Since campuses in North America continue to diversify, the relationships between international students and North American academic libraries have been studied for many years in the LIS (Library and Information Studies) field. Past literature highlights three common themes related to international students' challenges in academia, with the aim of improving librarians' approaches to working with this population: 1) knowledge of North American academic library systems, 2) understanding of academic expectations in higher education in North America, and 3) English proficiency. CHALLENGES IN TEACHING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

LITERATURE REVIEW Recruiting international students is a high priority for many universities for a variety of reasons. International students help universities to develop international curricula and global perspectives, add cultural ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 8 6304 6021; fax: +61 8 6304 6100. E-mail addresses: y.fi[email protected] (Y. Ishimura), [email protected] (J.C. Bartlett). 1 Tel.: +1 514 398 6976; fax: +1 514 398 7193.

DIFFERING ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS Different countries have different traditions and philosophies in education, and librarians can better understand students' difficulties by being aware of these differences. The academic practice that many students are familiar with are very structured and does not allow for independent research (which is often required in the North American educational setting). This is why students often have “no clue” where to start (Ball & Mahony, 1987). This is often caused by different understandings of what constitutes learning. In some education systems,

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.009 0099-1333/© 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Please cite this article as: Ishimura, Y., & Bartlett, J.C., Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training, The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.009

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Y. Ishimura, J.C. Bartlett / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2014) xxx–xxx

memorization is a tool for learning. Knowledge from elders is highly valued and the ability to remember and reproduce the knowledge is highly desirable for better understanding (Valiente, 2008). Students are expected to memorize and recall information from teachers as their learning practice. Thus, they are not expected to do critical analysis, synthesis, or show creativity (Hendricks, 1991; Kumar & Suresh, 2000; Sarkodie-Mensah, 1998). As a result, they tend to create verbatim reports compiling what experts say (Badke, 2002). Beyond not understanding how to do research, students may unintentionally commit plagiarism for reasons such as limited language abilities, different learning practices, and different ideas about textual ownership (Amsberry, 2010). DIFFERENT ACADEMIC LIBRARY SYSTEM Academic library systems vary by country. International students may not be aware or familiar with North American academic libraries. Library terminology is jargon, which is even harder to understand from the perspective of non-native speakers of English (Kamhi-Stein & Stein, 1999). North American library systems are often unfamiliar as well. Even though academic libraries are places to look for information to complete their assignments, students lack awareness of how to utilize them effectively. Based on his personal experience visiting different libraries in Asian countries (i.e., China, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and South Korea) Hickok (2011) discovered that some libraries are very modernized and otherwise similar to North American libraries. However, he also discovered that not all libraries are “cutting edge.” Other libraries still have closed stacks, limited online and scholarly sources, and no professionally trained librarians, which is consistent with past literature (e.g., Allen, 1993; Goudy & Moushey, 1984; Macdonald & Sarkodie-Mensah, 1988; Morrissey & Given, 2006). Compared to native English speaking students, non-native English speaking students tend to have higher library anxiety and emotional discomfort in communicating with librarians and using libraries (Jiao & Onwuegbuzie, 2001; Onwuegbuzie & Jiao, 1997). ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AND COMMUNICATION NORMS The first step to academic success is to understand assignment guidelines and professors' expectations for written work. However, lower English proficiency may prevent students from deciphering their own research needs in relation to assignment requirements (Baron & Strout-Dapaz, 2001). Library instruction and orientations are great opportunities to develop research skills, but without sufficient language skills, international students often have difficulties understanding what librarians are talking about (Morrissey & Given, 2006). International students have more difficulties in searching for information. For example, keyword selection, using plural forms, synonyms, and correct spellings is a difficult area for them, which limits their effectiveness in searching (DiMartino, Ferns, & Swacker, 1995; Hughes, 2005; Varga-Atkins & Ashcroft, 2004). Asking librarians for guidance can help with overcoming these challenges. However, miscommunication between students and librarians is common if students have limited communication skills and low confidence communicating in English (Jackson, 2005; Liu, 1993). Different non-verbal cues and communication norms may also cause misunderstanding or misinterpretation (Wang & Frank, 2002; Zhang, 2006). PAST RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LIBRARIANS WHO TEACH INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS In order to help international students overcome the difficulties described above, various approaches and recommendations have been discussed in previous literature. For example, understanding of students' background helps librarians provide better services and assistance. Sensitivity training for library staff on the topic of students' culture and language is essential (Baron & Strout-Dapaz, 2001; Wang & Frank, 2002; Zhang, 2006). A cross-cultural component could be

part of library and information studies programs' curriculum to help librarians have better communication skills (M. Liu, 1995). Avoiding library jargon, idioms and cultural references, speaking clearly at a normal speed, avoiding complex sentence structure, and providing language scaffolding are all important techniques (Amsberry, 2008). Training opportunities in listening techniques, such as exposure and practice to accented speech, focusing on context rather than words, and positive, encouraging attitudes for accented speech will also help with better comprehension of international students (Amsberry, 2009). In one study, some academic librarians' reference transactions with international students demonstrated a fair amount of success; they showed sensitivity to international students, approachability, active listening skills, and respect (Curry & Copeman, 2005). Tailoring services for international students is essential to bridge gaps with regard to cultural and linguistic differences. Assigning librarians who are specifically responsible for international students can be effective to reach out to the population and provide support (Kumar & Suresh, 2000; Liu, 1993). Librarians even can become tutors during writing research papers to guide students to being independent learners (Mei-Yun, 2007). Providing effective comprehensive assistance and facilitating collaboration with other campus units is also recommended, for example with, international students' offices, English language programs/ schools, and faculty are beneficial (Ishimura, Howard, & Moukdad, 2008; Jackson, 2005; Morrissey & Given, 2006; Wang & Frank, 2002). Library instruction specifically for international students is effective with regard to different communication norms and educational systems (Baron & Strout-Dapaz, 2001), especially in collaboration with teachers of ESL (English as a second language). This approach is effective for accommodating international students' special needs to bridge their limited language skills and develop research skills required for academia (Bagnole & Miller, 2003; Conteh-Morgan, 2001; Feldman, 1989; Hurley, Hegarty, & Bolger, 2006; Ormondroyd, 1989). A recent edited book by Jackson and Sullivan (2011) illustrated various initiatives to help international students, which are built on these past recommendations. WHAT IS STILL MISSING? A review of the literature shows that international students tend to have difficulties with language and in understanding North American academic expectations and library systems. Although the literature provides suggestions for better teaching practices for the population, it often focuses only on students' challenges and approaches or recommendations to overcome these. We do not find studies on assessment of librarians' teaching experience and effectiveness. Therefore, it is important to know in what ways academic librarians are prepared to serve the international student population. In relation to this, this study addresses the following questions: 1) What are librarians' experiences in teaching international students? and 2) Is there a need for librarians to have training to teach international students? If so, what are these needs? METHOD The purpose of this study was to understand on a broad level academic librarians' experience in teaching international students. A survey is the most suitable method for data collection from a large number of participants at a range of institutions (Leedy & Ormrod, 2012). As opposed to a paper-based approach, an online survey had several advantages: collection of multiple responses at the same time, elimination of geographic restrictions, and direct data entry by participants (Sue & Ritter, 2007). The survey form was created with LimeSurvey, an open source survey platform hosted at the researchers' institution. The survey contained four major categories of questions: 1) demographics, 2) institutional profile including services provided in participants' libraries, 3) current educational experience, and 4) future training needs.

Please cite this article as: Ishimura, Y., & Bartlett, J.C., Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training, The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.009

Y. Ishimura, J.C. Bartlett / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2014) xxx–xxx

3

20.0%

16.7%

15.1%

14.3% 12.3%

11.9% 8.7%

10.0%

9.9%

8.3% 2.8%

0.0% Under 30

30-35

36-40

41-45

46-50

51-54

55-60

Over 60

I prefer not to answer

Fig. 1. Demographic distribution of participants: age (years).

The researchers did not have a list of contacts who regularly interact with international students. Therefore, recruitment messages were posted on several widely-used professional e-mail distribution lists: CACUL-L (Canadian Association of College and University Libraries), CJC-L (College & Junior Colleges), ILI-L (Information Literacy Instruction), ULS-L (University Library Section), and New Librarians-L. Interested participants clicked the URL embedded in the email and were directed to the survey website to join the study. In taking the survey, all participants indicated that they regularly interacted with international students in academic libraries. In addition, the survey instructions clarified that the definition of “international students” in this study refers to those with a cultural and linguistic background from North America. The survey was conducted in 2010. In total, 254 library professionals participated. The collected data was analyzed using PASW statistics software version 18. As a survey-based study, this research has some limitations. The results are based on self-reported assessment of librarians' skills. This study has the possibility of selection bias among participants, who perhaps have particular interest in this area or joined certain mailing lists. Respondents are not necessarily representative of the population. In addition, there is a possibility that multiple people in the same institution answered this survey due to its anonymity. However, this survey focused on individual experience, which overcomes the limitation of potentially having multiple responses from one institution. Finally, this study did not differentiate between graduate and undergraduate international students. These groups could potentially have different needs, but this study focuses on librarians' experience with the student group in general as a first step. RESULTS2 DEMOGRAPHICS The first category of the questionnaire collected participants' demographic information. Fifty (20.1%) participants were from Canada and 199 (79.9%) were from the United States. Two hundred and fourteen (85.3%) participants were female and 37 (4.7%) were male. The age group of participants was very diverse, ranging from under 30 to over 60 (see Fig. 1). Years of working experience ranged from less than one year to around 40 years (Mean = 12.29, SD = 9.83). The analysis showed that more than 50% of participants have less than ten years of experience working in academic libraries (see Fig. 2). The majority of participants described their position as librarians (84%), directors (11.8%) and library technicians (4.2%). 2 Note. Not all participants answered all questions. The percentages listed in this section refer to the number of respondents who answered the question.

In terms of participants' academic degrees, most of them had a Master's in library and information studies (93%). They were also asked to specify degrees other than the LIS master's degree so that we could understand their past instructional training experience. Although not every participant specified their study areas, we observed that very few participants had degrees related to education (n = 14). Of those who responded that they had a degree in education, 11 participants answered that their degree is related to teaching ESL. INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE 67.5% of participants were working at publicly funded institutions, with the remainder at privately funded. Participants from American institutions specified institutional types based on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Canadian institutions' categories are based on Maclean's Guide to Canadian Universities (see Table 1). Universities' campus populations are shown in Table 2. SERVICES OFFERED TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS In terms of services provided, although the majority of participants (92%) responded that international students have different needs from domestic students, less than half (47%) answered that their library has services specifically for these students. Among those who responded that they offered tailored services for the population, a wide variety of services were provided in participants' institutions (see Table 3). In particular, library orientations and instruction for international students were frequently mentioned. Other examples are library brochures/guides, library tours, and workshops. Often these services were provided in various languages. A few institutions had special liaison librarians for international students. Among those who had future plans for serving international students, many reported that they will continue providing the same services currently offered or improving them. EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE Participants reported teaching experience in general and with international students specifically. Fig. 3 shows the range of years of participants' teaching experience, which includes reference services as well as library instruction. The mean amount of teaching experience was 11.82 years and the SD is 9.38. In all, more than half of participants had less than ten years of teaching experience (57.6%). The top four activities in which participants engaged were providing reference services, delivering instruction sessions for specific courses, planning instruction sessions, and developing teaching materials. More than 80% of all participants engaged in at least one of these activities. Other activities included providing generic library instruction,

Please cite this article as: Ishimura, Y., & Bartlett, J.C., Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training, The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.009

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Y. Ishimura, J.C. Bartlett / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2014) xxx–xxx

40.0%

35.7%

30.0%

15.9% 16.7%

20.0%

8.7%

10.0%

11.1%

7.5% 2.0%

2.4%

31-35 years

36-40 years

0.0% 0-5 years

6-10 years

11-15 years

16-20 years

21-25 years

26-30 years

Fig. 2. Years of working experience.

delivering online instruction, and delivering credit-based information literacy instruction (see Table 4). When participants were asked whether general teaching skills/approaches are applicable in teaching international students, 79.7% answered “yes,” 10.4% “no,” and 10.0% “don't know.” At the same time, 98% of participants responded that it is important to develop special skills to better teach international students. More than half of participants strongly expressed the necessity of developing specialized skills (i.e., “very much” and “quite a lot” in importance) (see Fig. 4). Participants then were asked to rank the five most important skills for teaching international students from a list of 15 skills. Acknowledgement that academic expectations differ across cultures ranked the first. Items related to communication were frequently selected, such as adjusting speaking style, active listening techniques, awareness of different communication norms and styles, and making sure students understand librarians' explanations (see rankings in Table 5). When participants were asked about the techniques that they consciously apply, their responses differed somewhat from what they indicated that they think was “important.” As Table 6 showed, communication-related items and careful observation of students' reactions were selected most frequently. Acknowledging academic expectations ranked tenth.

Table 1 Types of institutions by country. American schools Doctorate-granting universities Master's colleges and universities Baccalaureate college Associate's colleges Special focus institutions Total

N

%

Canadian schools

N

%

79

40.3

Medical doctoral

9

18.4

39

19.9

Comprehensive

16

32.7

32 45 1 196

16.3 23.0 0.5 100.0

Primarily undergraduate College or CEGEP

13 11

26.5 22.4

Total

49

100.0

Table 2 Student population of participants' institutions. Population

N

%

Less than 1000 1000 to 3000 3001 to 5000 5001 to 10,000 10,001 to 20,000 20,001 or more Don't know Total

12 51 24 38 44 79 5 253

4.7 20.2 9.5 15.0 17.4 31.2 2.0 100.0

Most participants indicated that students seemed satisfied with the teaching approaches mentioned previously. Approximately 90% of participants answered that students looked satisfied after instruction interactions (Very satisfied: 38.7%; Somewhat satisfied 48.9%). This was based on the librarians' assessment of students' satisfaction related to their performance as collected with both formal and informal assessment methods (see Table 7). Many participants who reported that students were satisfied answered that the causes were related to attitude and communication styles. Other reasons are also included in Table 8. Participants reported that teaching library skills to international students was not always smooth and that they sometimes encountered a difficult situation (55.1%). Of those who encountered challenges, the majority (71.1%) answered that both librarians and students could cause difficult situations for a variety of reasons (see Table 9). Many answered that difficult situations are caused by a lack of knowledge of students' culture on the librarian's part. With regard to students, many participants responded that students do not have sufficient skills in three areas: oral communication skills, basic knowledge of the library, and research skills. When librarians encountered difficulties, many reported seeking solutions close at hand. Their colleagues and professional literature were the most popular ways for seeking help. Other sources of information were also selected as shown in Table 10. According to participants' self-assessment, most were very comfortable in teaching international students. It is encouraging for promoters of information literacy that more than 70% of participants answered that they felt strongly positive about their teaching skills (see Fig. 5). The most frequently selected reason for their comfort with teaching was from their experience in working with students. A fair amount of participants answered “other” (n = 47). These respondents listed reasons such as: experience with different cultures, working with a multi-cultural population, and students' positive attitude toward learning (listed approximately ten times each) (see Table 11). Table 12

Table 3 Type of services offered for international students. Current services

N

Future services

N

Orientation Instruction Library brochure/guide Library tour Workshop ESL collection Liaison librarian for international students One-to-one consultation Online library tour in different languages Website

50 46 14 14 11 9 8

Instruction Orientation Brochure/guide/material ESL collection Outreach Workshop Liaison librarian for international students Library tour Online library tour in different languages Website

20 17 6 5 5 5 3

4 4 4

3 3 3

Please cite this article as: Ishimura, Y., & Bartlett, J.C., Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training, The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.009

Y. Ishimura, J.C. Bartlett / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2014) xxx–xxx

40.0%

5

34.8%

30.0%

22.8% 20.0%

12.8% 8.8%

10.0%

9.2%

8.4% 1.6%

1.6%

31-35 years

36-40 years

0.0% 0-5 years

6-10 years

11-15 years

16-20 years

21-25 years

26-30 years

Fig. 3. Years of teaching experience.

shows in which areas participants developed a comfort via this experience. Knowledge of students and communication techniques are major areas they reported skill development.

FUTURE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES The final section of the survey was designed to identify needs for specialized training for teaching international students. In all, 66.9% of participants answered that “they want to have opportunities for training,” 15.1% answered “no,” and 15.1% answered “don't know.” In terms of types of training, many indicated that they were interested in specialized workshops. Online training was another option frequently selected. The top content of interest was teaching techniques, cultural sensitivity, and knowledge of students' backgrounds (see Table 13). Many participants answered that they would like to have training opportunities in a workshop format and at conferences. Some showed interest in in-house training as well. Other options are included in Table 14. Among the choices, professional associations were most often selected as the desired source of training opportunities for teaching international students. Many participants expected campus administrators to provide necessary support. In addition to training opportunities from outside their library, many participants reported that self-help is a preferred method of training (see Table 15). Finally, participants were asked which factors play a significant role in determining their desire to pursue training opportunities. The content of the training (n = 197) and cost (n = 193) were two major factors in decision making. Time availability followed next (n = 166). Other factors include the organization hosting the course (n = 112), colleagues' recommendations (n = 87), past reputation of the course (n = 73), and instructors (n = 62).

Table 4 Teaching activities in which participants engage (respondents could select more than one).

DISCUSSION LIBRARIANS' EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS No significant differences were found in participants' responses according to institution type and size. Participants in this study overall expressed a strong recognition that international students have different needs from domestic students. However, approximately only half of participants answered that their institutions provided services specifically for international students. This could be explained by a lack of staff, time, administrative leadership, and financial resources. Even if services specifically for international students will not expand in most institutions, participants seemed to have interests in developing skills to meet international students' unique needs through general services. Participants clearly recognized areas that pose challenges for international students (i.e., communication, library systems, and research skills), and therefore it is important to explore how librarians attempt to bridge these gaps and how they might become more effective. Their understanding is consistent with past studies which have argued for the importance of customized training and outreach efforts to bridge students' difficulties (Baron & Strout-Dapaz, 2001; Jackson, 2005). The survey results contained inconsistencies across responses related to the importance of skills for teaching, participants' application of skills, and skills that international students themselves need to develop. Also, many participants noted that acknowledging differing academic expectations in various cultures and library systems were very important during teaching. However, it appears that this recognition was not explicitly addressed in their own teaching. Rather, it seemed that participants focused more on communication and “affective” elements as leading to success when teaching international students. One explanation for the gaps in librarians' answers about “best practices” versus “actual practices” could be explained by the fact that librarians' approaches appear to be developed through their daily responsibilities. It seems that librarians' daily responsibilities in working with international students lead to a certain degree of comfort in

40.0%

Teaching activities

N

Providing reference and research consultations at a reference desk, in an office, or through online communication Delivering instructional sessions or workshops for specific courses Developing/planning instruction sessions Developing teaching materials for instruction sessions (face-to-face or online) Delivering workshops in the library, not associated with specific courses Delivering instructional sessions or workshops online Teaching a credit course in research skills or information literacy Not involved in instruction Others

240

30.0%

232 220 210

20.0%

170 91 48 4 23

32.0%

10.0%

0.0%

36.8% 29.1%

2.0%

0.0% Not at all

Very little

Somewhat Quite a lot Very much

Fig. 4. Importance of developing skills in teaching international students.

Please cite this article as: Ishimura, Y., & Bartlett, J.C., Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training, The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.009

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Y. Ishimura, J.C. Bartlett / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2014) xxx–xxx

Table 5 Ranking and frequency of important skills for teaching international students Overall ranking of importance by survey participants

Frequency of times in which each factor was rankedby survey participants

1

1

2

3

4

5

Acknowledging that academic

Adjusting speaking style (e.g.,

Careful observation of

Following up to check

Following up to check

expectations differ across

repeating and rephrasing

students' reactions to your

students' understanding

students' understanding

cultures

keywords, selecting simple

explanations

(n=35)

(n=37)

(n=66)

keywords)

(n=41)

(n=45) 2

Adjusting speaking style

Awareness of communication

Awareness of your speaking

Careful observation of

Consciously showing

(n=50)

norms in different cultures

speed when interacting with

students' reactions to your

empathy, understanding, and

(n=31)

students

explanations

interest in students’ questions

(n=32)

(n=30)

and responses (n=25)

3

Active listening techniques

Active listening techniques

Following up to check

Consciously showing

Using prepared handouts

(n=40)

(n=31)

students' understanding

empathy, understanding, and

(n=25)

(n=27)

interest in students’ questions and responses (n=27)

4

5

Acknowledging that different

Acknowledging that different

Avoiding technical and

Adjusting speaking style (e.g.,

Careful observation of

cultural norms exist for library

cultural norms exist for library

library-specific jargon

repeating and rephrasing

students' reactions to your

systems, services, and

systems, services, and

(n=25)

keywords, selecting simple

explanations

materials

materials

keywords)

(n=24)

(n=28)

(n=26)

(n=23)

Consciously showing

Following up to check

Consciously showing

Awareness of your speaking

Awareness of your speaking

empathy, understanding, and

students' understanding

empathy, understanding, and

speed when interacting with

speed when interacting with

interest in students’ questions

(n=24)

interest in students’ questions

students

students

and responses

and responses

(n=20)

(n=18)

(n=12)

(n=22)

interacting with them. In particular, librarians reported familiarizing themselves with students' background, developing appropriate communication techniques, and displaying positive attitudes toward students. These are important elements in teaching, as discussed in past research. However, the survey results also revealed that training opportunities should include competencies that librarians cannot obtain from daily activities. Further professional development opportunities could help librarians to develop necessary skills more efficiently considering that participants' teaching experience was relatively short as a group. FUTURE TRAINING NEEDS Even though participants indicated general satisfaction with their teaching effectiveness, it is telling that they are also interested in further Table 6 Techniques consciously applied while teaching (respondents could select more than one).

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Techniques

N

Adjusting speaking style (e.g., repeating and rephrasing keywords, selecting simple keywords) Careful observation of students' reactions to your explanations Consciously showing empathy, understanding, and interest in students' questions and responses Active listening techniques Awareness of your speaking speed when interacting with students Following up to check students' understanding Avoiding technical and library-specific jargon Using prepared handouts Using written communication (e.g., writing down key points) Acknowledging that different cultural norms exist for library systems, services, and materials

230 227 227 225 224 215 209 203 174 170

training opportunities specifically related to services to international students. When facing difficulties, they most often reported seeking out colleagues and professional literature. Thus, perhaps formal training opportunities could further supplement librarians' efforts to effectively serve international students. Organizations should thus be encouraged to capitalize on this willingness. However, training content, costs, and

Table 7 Methods of assessment of librarians' teaching performance (respondents could select more than one). Methods

N

Informal conversation with the students Observation during instruction/reference sessions Distributing surveys to students regarding their overall experience Communication with course instructors asking about their experience Formal assessment after each instruction interaction (including reference) Communication with international student office

104 93 75 73 38 25

Table 8 Reasons for students' satisfaction (respondents could select more than one). Reasons

N

Librarians' attitude toward students Librarians' communication style Librarians' teaching delivery Content of instruction librarians provided Students' motivation toward librarians' instruction Students' abilities Too difficult to judge their responses

161 133 96 94 87 67 29

Please cite this article as: Ishimura, Y., & Bartlett, J.C., Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training, The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.009

Y. Ishimura, J.C. Bartlett / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2014) xxx–xxx Table 9 Factors contributing to difficult situations (respondents could select more than one).

7

Table 11 Reasons for comfort in teaching (respondents could select more than one).

Skills librarians lack

N

Skills international students lack

N

Reasons for comfort

N

Lack of knowledge of tudents' culture Insufficient oral communication skills Insufficient knowledge of teaching techniques Insufficient knowledge of educational theories Other

60

Oral communication skills

92

35

Basic knowledge of the library

83

30

Research skills

66

22

Basic knowledge of academia

38

Significant experience working with students Took special workshop/training Have degree(s) or training in ESL instruction teaching Class(es) taken in MLS program Have degree(s) in education Traveling/living overseas or knowing culture Own experience Other

205 40 29 28 25 25 10 47

22

Academic integrity Writing skills Not receptive to assistance Other

38 31 15 17

Table 10 Methods to find solutions to difficult situations (respondents could select more than one). Methods to find solutions

N

Sought help from colleagues Read professional literature to find recommendations Collaborated with other campus units Sought out workshops/classes to improve my own skills Set up special programs for international students I didn't do anything in particular Reported issues to administrators I didn't know what to do

86 83 52 44 22 19 16 11

time are three strong factors that affect librarians' decisions to pursue training opportunities. Their needs and training opportunities need to be aligned to institutional goals in order for training to be effective. Based on the needs expressed in the survey and relevant literature, training should cover teaching techniques, instruction planning (i.e., session or program content), cultural sensitivity training, and familiarization with students' background and characteristics. For example, based on the experience of one of the authors, cross-cultural workshops organized by universities' teaching and learning services can be useful to help instructors and librarians to better relate to international students. A more comprehensive approach is discussed in Hensley and Love's (2011) study, which describes various initiatives at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for cultural awareness training. More specifically, their Library Diversity committee plays an important role in supporting staff training and development to facilitate campus diversity. For example, staff training opportunities have been provided by guest lecturers from the School of Labor and Employment Relations, the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations, and the School of Social Work. This is a good example of an integrated training initiative that goes beyond what librarians can develop through daily work. Teaching methodologies are another area in which participants reported difficulties in improving through their own practice alone. The

Table 12 Areas of comfort developed via experience mentioned in Table 11 (respondents could select more than one). Areas of comfort

N

Knowledge of students Communication techniques Teaching techniques Learning theories Other

183 177 119 58 16

survey results suggest that librarians could potentially develop skills by practicing communication techniques and learning about students' backgrounds. However, as the results in the previous section confirmed, a “practice makes perfect” approach is not necessarily effective for some areas, nor does it allow today's students to receive effective service. Exposure to teaching and learning theories, in combination with practice, would help to expand librarians' abilities to better serve international students immediately and in the future. The survey results further inform potential directions for providing training opportunities for librarians. It may be difficult to have isolated workshops that are not associated with a particular event, especially if they require travel. Face-to-face training held at conferences could be a realistic option, as librarians attending such events have already set aside time, energy, and funding for the purpose of professional development. Online formats (e.g., webinars) are another option for reducing time and geographic constraints. Given current economic challenges,

Table 13 Types and areas of teaching needs (respondents could select more than one). Type of training desired

n

Area of training needs

N

Taking special workshops for teaching Taking online courses for teaching Pursuing teaching certificates

152

Teaching techniques

152

110 14

Sensitivity to students' culture More knowledge about students' background Oral communication skills Educational theories

143 130

Don't plan to develop additional skills

15

Pursuing educational degree(s) I don't plan to seek additional training

9 1

39.7%

40.0%

102 75

32.8% 23.5%

Table 14 Preferred format for training (respondents could select more than one).

20.0%

0.4%

3.6%

0.0% Not at all

Very little

Somewhat

Quite a lot Very much

Fig. 5. Comfort in teaching international students.

Format

N

Professional development workshops Conferences In-house training Other formal university courses Courses in a LIS program

208 165 124 28 22

Please cite this article as: Ishimura, Y., & Bartlett, J.C., Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training, The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.009

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Y. Ishimura, J.C. Bartlett / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2014) xxx–xxx

REFERENCES

Table 15 Sources of training opportunities. Source

N

Professional associations Campus administrators Self-help Library schools Library administrators Faculty/ESL instructors Colleagues International student office

178 103 94 72 61 13 9 8

it is necessary to find an affordable price zone so that librarians make use of training opportunities. Fortunately, free online learning opportunities become more easily available such as iTunes U and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). Professional associations could also take a leading role in providing these types of accessible training opportunities, in the manner of the Association of College and Research Libraries' suite of professional development offerings for members. Finally, mentoring from teaching faculty or librarians who are skilled at helping international students could be considered. CONCLUSION Academic librarians are expected to provide effective services to their changing campus populations, but their approaches to teaching international students are often based on their experience, or the idea that “practice makes perfect.” Therefore, it is necessary to bridge theory and practice to improve librarians' teaching competencies in relation to this population. Fortunately, many librarians recognize the need to strengthen their skills. Since this study indicates a willingness for training, it is important for professional organizations and academic institutions to provide opportunities for continuing education in this area in recognition of the increasing importance and diverse needs of international students in North American universities. FUTURE RESEARCH The current study identified academic librarians' teaching experience with international students. The relationship between international students and academic libraries is an important topic and the endeavor to generate new knowledge should be continued. Findings of this study suggest several future directions. The current study focused on self-assessment of librarians' teaching experience. However, an objective assessment of librarians' skills will shed light on the actual state of teaching skills and guide us to a more accurate understanding of the need for further professional education. In addition to librarians' perspective, students' perceptions could be explored. There may be gaps between librarians' assessment of their own performance and students' perceptions. Analysis of these gaps would inform areas to improve in librarians' teaching practice. Students' level of study may require that librarians have different skill sets in order to work with them effectively. For example, generally speaking, graduate students require more advanced research skills and tend to have higher English proficiency. This may or may not change librarians' approaches in teaching, so it will be an important area to investigate. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to sincerely thank all participants for taking the time to respond to this survey. This research is funded by a SSHRC (Social Science and Humanities Research Council) Canada (410-2006-572) research grant.

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Please cite this article as: Ishimura, Y., & Bartlett, J.C., Are Librarians Equipped to Teach International Students? A Survey of Current Practices and Recommendations for Training, The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.04.009