Narrowing...

The title of this post may be a little deceptive in that I am still not prepared to narrow much.  However, after watching a library instruction session at my library I find myself quite interested in the use and choice of activities in the session.  The first activity involved each student being given a slip of paper with a question on it, to be read (or asked) aloud when the librarian instructor was ready.  In the second activity students were numbered off, put into groups, and given a couple minutes to describe a picture (or, if you'll allow, to come up with keywords).  These two activities occurred towards the beginning of the session.  Though participation was certainly encouraged throughout, I do not remember any activities in the middle of the class.  At the end was a third activity, something like Jeopardy, that was meant to help students remember everything they learned during the session.

My initial questions are these:
Do students find these activities enjoyable (at least, more enjoyable than simply sitting through instruction)?
Do these activities actually help students remember what they learned during the session?

I know I still have a very long way to go.  But this is what I have so far.