Ryer Banta | Information Literacy and Technology Librarian
Hi, I’m Ryer Banta the Information Literacy and Technology Librarian at Centralia College. Prior to joining Centralia College, I was the Undergraduate Experience Librarian at Montana State University and before that, Library Instruction Design Resident at Western Washington University. I work to create innovative learning environments that are learner-centered and technology rich so that learners can build 21st Century skills.
My research interests are information literacy, open education, instructional design, pedagogy, learning technologies, UX, undergraduate experience, learning commons and the future of information services.
Activities
Lesson Plans Contributed
This lesson introduces undergraduates to personal digital archiving (PDA) as an instructional bridge to research data management. PDA is the study of how people organize, maintain, use and share personal digital information in their daily lives. PDA skills closely parallel research data management skills, with the added benefit of being directly relevant to undergraduate students, most of whom manage complex personal digital content on a daily basis. By teaching PDA, librarians encourage authentic learning experiences that immediately resonate with students' day-to-day activities. Teaching…
For this activity students are asked to imagine that they are organizing a party, specifically a scholarly party. Groups are given a starting article that they evaluate and use as a jumping off point for choosing a theme for their party and finding more sources. Their theme acts as an early version of a research question. Following citations backwards and forwards groups invite other scholars who would have relevant things to say about their theme. Students also assess gaps in their invite list and identify other scholars from different perspectives or discipline who should also be invited…