Keeping up with the shift

A narrative study on the pedagogical practices among academic librarians in the post-pandemic era

Abstract

Academic libraries' teaching and learning responsibilities have expanded and evolved in the online environment. Academic librarians in higher education institutions who also teach now recognize the need to keep up with this generation's hybrid learning modalities. Understanding various learning theories that can support online library instruction and maximizing technology use for effectively identifying the appropriate tools for different learning outcomes is now emphasized. According to Saib et al. (2023), pedagogies must influence library instruction using technology to support “deep engagement” of active learning and participation. Hence, this paper aims to document and analyze academic librarians' pedagogical approaches and how the application of technology changed the teaching and learning landscape moving forward in the hybrid environment. This paper presents individualized and contextual experiences to draw out insightful perspectives–allowing librarians to re-think and re-evaluate practices that can further help them embrace their teaching role. The study employed a qualitative narrative research design using a narrative analysis method. It revealed that librarians' exposure to varied teaching opportunities and experiences enabled them to develop strategies and approaches to manage learning during instruction. These aspects allow them to explore resources that bring about creativity in fulfilling their role as instructional librarians. Reinforcing specific competencies and increasing creativity skill sets boosts the librarians’ confidence to strengthen their pedagogical approaches further and sustain meaningful user-education programs. The embedded narrative inquiries in the study served to identify emerging pedagogies for librarians within academic libraries in a post-pandemic setting.