Given the subtitle of this blog, I thought it would be useful to post a description my most significant embedded role: co-teaching Marketing 426, International Marketing. MKT 426 is a research-intensive class required of all UNC Greensboro marketing majors. The students (juniors and seniors) learn the fundamental concepts of international marketing and conduct a three-month long research project called Export Odyssey in which they try to make an international sale for a local manufacturing firm. Marketing 426 is the UNCG business school’s foremost example of involving students in local economic development. It meets each fall and spring semester. Nicholas Williamson is the professor.
After joining UNCG’s Jackson Library in 2001, I began teaching one-shot trade data research workshops and providing business reference support for the Export Odyssey students. I didn’t talk to Nick very much beyond planning each one-shot. By fall 2002 I was doing a lot of consultations for the student teams and got to know many of the students pretty well. Curious to see the big picture of their research projects, I asked Nick if I could sit in on some group presentations. He said, “Oh, it would be great if you could come.” So I showed up in class to take notes about what the students’ application of research sources. But Nick said, “Now Steve, I want you to lead off with your questions and comments after each presentation, and then I’ll follow up with my own.” Ulp! That meant I actually had to pay close attention! (Some business librarians suffer from a short attention span.)
Next semester, I visited class on the first day, had the students over to the library for the trade data class a month later, provided short instruction in their normal classroom once or twice in the third month, and then helped evaluation every presentation.
Fast forward to 2011. I’m now introduced as the co-teacher by Nick, contribute to most of the class sessions, monitor the Blackboard communication, help grade the presentations, and co-write the Export Odyssey textbook (copied by the bookstore, so not a real bound book, but pretty thick anyway, and Nick and I earn some royalties from each sale). I have told Nick I don’t want to be involved with grading the other Export Odyssey deliverables, like the interim reports and the final written report.
Becoming the teaching partner of this class came with some expected consequences: getting to know all the students; gaining an even heavier chat reference, email, and consultation load; and helping the professor with learning strategies and instructional technology. But I also encountered some surprises, including issues still unresolved (and perhaps irresolvable): how to best advise students on their frustrations and issues with project teammates, as well as with the professor; dealing with student expectations that I am proficient in all the theoretical aspects of the class (like transfer pricing or the Latin American debt problem); and managing the conflict between trying to be an impartial, supporting public service librarian and helping assign grades. (Are students in a team that gets a lower grade than they expected less likely to see or chat with me for research support in the future? If the professor expects me to help assign grades, should I stop offering to give feedback on teams’ draft work? I’m still thinking about issues like that. Are there any ethical guidelines yet for embedded librarians?) The experience has been great fun, and has improved my skills and effectiveness as a teacher, counselor, and research librarian.
very informative!
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I’m wondering about some of these issues for when I teach the PSC class in the fall. I’m going to have Jenny and Amy do the library instruction and serve as the librarians because of concerns about grading.
It might be helpful if we develop some guidelines based on our experiences (and others)!
Hey
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