Sarah R. Mangrum, Ed.D.

As an educator I believe that the most effective learning takes place by students being active participants in the learning process.  The ability to engage in hands on activities, develop research strategies, and discuss their own perceptions with their peers help students to become critical thinkers that will be prepared to apply the foundational knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world settings.  As a professor, my role is to facilitate this process and to be a guide to the resources that will help them flourish as students.  Whether I am teaching bibliographic instruction, university studies, or fundamentals of library science, my end goal is the same: to motivate students to become engaged in their own learning and to critically apply what they have learned to their intended professions. 

I use a variety of methods in the classroom to disseminate knowledge and engage students.  To help frame the class lecture and assess the knowledge that students have gained from assigned readings, I begin each class with guided questions pertaining to the week’s topic.  In the online environment I have found that it is often difficult to foster discussions so I use the available technology to help break down communication barriers.  I utilize breakout discussion groups so that students can discuss the questions among small peer groups before sharing with the full class.  Encouraging student input through peer discussion helps students to realize that they, too, can synthesize and create knowledge.  Once students are engaged in the topic I deliver a short lecture that connects with previous readings or course work along with providing real life experiences and case studies. I believe that making connections to real life experiences will serve to engage students in their coursework while making for stronger professionals in the real-world.

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In the traditional classroom I have used active learning techniques to engage student learning and I’m working to apply these techniques to the online environment.  I continually seek to broaden my knowledge of teaching techniques through formal and informal learning. As an instructor, I too, have to be continually learning and honing my techniques in order to find new and inventive ways to deliver course content and engage students in the learning process. 

My greatest goal as an instructor is to help students realize their role in the field of library and information science. Teaching students not only how to be more information literate but also why it matters is the guiding principle behind my teaching philosophy.