Teaching & Learning

Overview of services provided by the Teaching & Learning department with recommended resources and more.

Introduction

Engagements courses can present a great opportunity to introduce first-year students to what an academic library is and how the UVA Library can support them throughout their academic careers. Library instruction can also support assignments in the Engagements courses, particularly assignments that involve any kind of research or digital media creation.

Library Support for the Engagements presentation (from 11/10/23 faculty meeting)

Asynchronous Learning Resources

We understand that it might be difficult to fit an in-person or synchronous library session into Engagements courses due to the limited time in these courses. We have a number of asynchronous online resources that can introduce students to library resources; some of the most relevant are listed below. You can see more asynchronous learning resources at this link.

Many of these resources are customizable, so please let us know if you don't see something exactly right for your class. We can also create modules with multiple resources and assessment(s) in Canvas.

Who is a Scholar and How Do I Become One? Interactive Tutorial
Introduction to the concept of 'scholarship is a conversation.' Estimated completion time: 10-15 minutes.
How Do I Start My Research? Interactive Tutorial
Introduction to the idea that 'research is a process.' Estimated completion time: 10-15 minutes
Introduction to UVA Library Tutorial
Interactive module introducing students to the UVA Library. Estimated completion time: 5-10 minutes.
What is an Academic Library? Video
This 2.5 minute video gives viewers an introduction to what an academic library is, using the University of Virginia Library as an example.
Navigating the Library Website Video
Learn how to locate information on the UVA Library website in this 4-minute video.
Finding a Book in the Library Video
Learn about the process of locating a book in the UVA Library.
Databases 101 Video
What are library databases anyway, and how are they different from Google? This 4-minute video will answer those questions and introduce you to using library databases.
Databases 102 Video
This 3-minute video introduces viewers to strategies for searching in library databases.
Research Ethics
Learn about the basics of research ethics with human subjects in this interactive module. Estimated completion time: 10-15 minutes.

We can also create custom research guides for your course to highlight resources and tools for your students to use in their research projects. Here's example of a research guide created for an Engagements class.

In-Person or Synchronous Instruction

In-person or synchronous online sessions with T&L librarians are customized for your class and incorporate active learning and critical thinking techniques. We will work with you to develop learning outcomes for the session, and we will fit the session within your course schedule and time constraints.

Here are just a few examples of activities we might use in instruction sessions with Engagements classes:

Four Databases, for exploring different databases the UVA Library offers
Source Deck, for differentiating between types of sources
Use scenarios to discuss research ethics
Library website scavenger hunt
Evaluating sources group activity
Finding a book in the stacks
Finding sources for student research projects