Universal Design (UD) ensures everyone benefits from changes made in educational settings. The main facets surrounding UD are to design and composition of an environment so that it may be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest possible extent, most independently and naturally possible, in the broadest possible range of situations, and without the need for adaptation, modification, assistive devices or specialized solutions, by any persons of any age or size or having any particular physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual ability or disability (2005 Disability Act of Ireland). UD can be applied to physical spaces and online and in-person learning and instruction.
Attendees will learn how the Universal Design process creates inclusive environments where everybody can have a positive experience. We will demonstrate how Universal Design can enhance library physical and online environments and improve outreach and instruction. Participants will learn how to apply the primary UD principles in their libraries. We have found UD principles to be especially effective with non-traditional and disabled students.
Presenters: Margaret Dawson, Michelle Shea, and Kelly Williams
ChatGPT has quickly changed the educational landscape since its release in November 2022. Understandably, many educators are wary of the potential for large language model text generator tools to promote plagiarism and cheating. This session will demonstrate how ChatGPT can instead be leveraged as a teaching tool to help patrons develop critical information literacy skills while simultaneously encouraging the use of valuable library sources.
As ChatGPT has grown in popularity, it is essential patrons have experience and knowledge to use it appropriately. Presenters will demonstrate how a ChatGPT-generated essay activity coupled with universal design for learning principles was used to promote equity by allowing undergraduate students with varying digital and information literacy skills to quickly grasp the underpinnings of ChatGPT regardless of their incoming understanding. They will also show how this activity can be used to promote student collaboration and active learning while at the same time providing opportunities for librarians to work with course instructors.
In this session, attendees will participate in a live demonstration of the ChatGPT essay activity and gain familiarity with its features, functions, and limitations to become better equipped to adapt to and incorporate it in their own activities with patrons at a variety of institutions. Attendees will leave with an awareness of the value of incorporating emerging technologies like ChatGPT in library interactions by building patron confidence in their own information literacy skills. They will understand how to demonstrate library value and cultivate collaboration by harnessing technological advances like ChatGPT while remaining a stable, trusted source of information.
Presenters: Dianna Kim, Erin Owens, Stacy Johnson and Hannah Menendez
This interactive workshop is a digital escape room. You will learn about OER and related concepts by working through the room to gather clues to escape to South Padre Island.
Presenter: Maureen Mitchell
In the age of misinformation, disinformation, and algorithm altered news, there has never been a more crucial time for impactful and inclusive instruction through the library. Collaboration among academic, secondary, and intermediate level librarians revealed a plethora of resources, essential concepts, necessary additions to digital citizenship, and online safety from different angles particularly for the sake of inclusivity and younger users. Instruction through the library provides crucial information and skills to patrons navigating life in the 21st century as well as tools to use before offering a click, like, follow, or assumption of truth. Fear not the fake news: librarians are coming to the rescue through impactful instruction for all!
Presenter: Heather Finsterwald
In 2023, the University of Houston-Clear Lake began a soft roll-out of the Canvas learning management system across campus to replace the Blackboard LMS. UHCL librarians took this transition as an opportunity to create and embed new learning tools in Canvas, including an interactive introduction to the library and its many resources. During the first month of Fall 2023 classes, the introduction to the library page received 2,101 views, significantly raising awareness of the library.
Accomplishing this goal has been rewarding and challenging. Librarians have learned to use new instructional tools that include Articulate 360 and the Canvas platform and have struggled with finding solutions to unforeseen technical issues. From training to creation to publication, UHCL librarians have experienced a unique collaborative journey involving various departments and people. Now, we would like to share our story about our project’s processes, challenges, and future goals with this conference. Our efforts have allowed us to better integrate and embed ourselves into the campus’ online learning environment, supplement class instruction with information literacy modules, and provide a more seamless accessible contact experience for our students. We look forward to sharing our experiences with everyone at the Spring Forward conference.
Presenters: Alexandria Kennedy and Cindy Goode
In today's digital age, ensuring access to educational content for all students is paramount. This workshop will delve into the critical topic of making online learning environments more inclusive and accessible for all students. Blackboard Learn, a widely used learning management system, can be a powerful tool for delivering accessible education. However, achieving this accessibility requires a concerted effort from educators. During this session, we will explore practical strategies and best practices to enhance accessibility within the Blackboard platform.
Presenter: Luz E. Cadena
This session will explain the process of planning, executing, and using a needs assessment to help us provide more effective library instruction at the Tarrant County College Southeast Campus. I will explain the process I used in performing a needs assessment of our student success course and their library instruction needs. I will explain the planning, who I talked to, how I gathered data, and how I assessed existing and future outcomes. I will also explain how we implemented the needs assessment to revise our student learning outcomes, instruction style, and the content we cover. Finally, I will address what feedback we've received and how this is affecting our approach to library instruction at our campus.
Presenter: Anna Hithersay
Presenter: Terri Harkey
"Although all devices now come equipped with accessibility features, many of our patrons - young and old - don’t know how to use them to their advantage. Learn what is available, including translation, read aloud, dictation, magnification, and other support features. Once you are familiar with these tools, you will learn how to teach your patrons use them to their advantage! We’ll discuss tools available through all types of devices and products, including Microsoft and Google!
Almost all learners can benefit from the added support accessibility tools provide! By incorporating accessibility tools into your teaching, you can help create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for all your students. Come explore accessibility features with us and see how they can benefit your instruction!"
Presenter: Laurie Bruns
