27.6.2015Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo1 Best practice in information skills training – experiences of web-based courses at Åbo

18.04.23 Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo 1

Best practice in information Best practice in information skills training – experiences of skills training – experiences of web-based courses at Åbo web-based courses at Åbo Akademi UniversityAkademi University

Eva Costiander-Huldén, Librarian, ÅAU LibraryTove Forslund, Head of ÅA Learning Centre

Creating Knowledge V, 20-22.8.2008, Åbo, Finland


Åbo Akademi University, founded 1918

7 faculties, 8.000 students, 1.000 first-year-students

ÅAU Library: >2,5 printed books, >2.000 journals, access to more than 20.000 e-journals and 50.000 e-books

Accessible through the NELLI portal (MetaLib)

http://www.nelliportaali.fi

http://www.nelliportaali.fi/


From lecture based to web From lecture based to web based...based... Before 2007: only lecture-based

information skills courses and database demonstrations + short quiz (2-6 hrs)

No time for meaningful assignments or reflection

Need for more feedback and better learning to develop the information literacy


Co-operation with the Learning Centre

A web-based, interactive course put into a meaningful context

Learning environment Moodle https://www.abo.fi/student/akadstudk

urs Information retrieval, 1 cp Runs parallel to ”traditional” (face-to-

face) teaching 2007 24 students, 2008 42 students

Academic Study Skills, 3 cpAcademic Study Skills, 3 cp

https://www.abo.fi/student/akadstudkurs

https://www.abo.fi/student/akadstudkurs


ASF 3ASF 3

Student’s work contribution 25 hrs during 3 weeks = 1 cp

Distance students, adult students using home computers, access to licensed material through NELLI

More demanding and time-consuming than lecture-based courses

Based on written assignments, reflections and a quiz

Individual and group feed-back


Course overviewCourse overview


Assignments ASF3, Assignments ASF3, examplesexamples1. Reflect on your own information

seeking behaviour according to Jannica Heinströms article Fast, broad or deep (Informaatiotutkimus 22(2) – 2003):

”I find it quite easy to search in tha Alma database, but NELLI is complicated””I’m a typical fast surfer, I think I can find everything on Internet, the library sources are too complicated””I’m a mixture of deep diver and broad scanner, it depends on the subject”


2. To create a search argument, search in databases, evaluate the results and reflect on the results in the course forum”I’m going to write about medieval art and I started with Alma...searched with middle ages AND art...54 hits, went on searching in Nationalencyklopedin... and in Grove Art I found in NELLI... I think my search arguments were to broad, 3.500 hits, I had to be more precise...there is so much information available... but if you know what you are looking for, you will find it, for sure...”


3. Quiz ”From broad to narrow search” - central concepts and different types of resources


Comparison of ”traditional” Comparison of ”traditional” (face-to-face) & and web-based (face-to-face) & and web-based teaching and learningteaching and learning


(School grades 4-10, where 4 is failed and 10 the best.)

Evaluation of the information retrieval module in four study orientation courses at Åbo Akademi.The module consisted of 2-4 h of lectures + a short quiz

25

50

2535

55

10

26

59

15

27

46

26

0

1020

30

4050

60

70

8090

100

4-6 7-8 9-10

School grades

%

TF 2006

HF 2006

ESF 2007

HF 2007

Face-to-face teachingFace-to-face teaching


Web-based teaching: Web-based teaching: Academic Study Academic Study Skills/Information Retrieval 1 Skills/Information Retrieval 1 cpcp

2007– 1 out of 34 (3 %)

would have preferred a lecture-based course; 6 (18 %) would have preferred web-based studies combined with face-to-face meetings, whereas 25 (74 %) thought a web-based course was the best way to carry out the course

0

23

67

3

18

74

0102030405060708090

100

lecture-based web-based + face-to-face

web-based

%2006

2007

2006– No one would have preferred it to

be a lecture-based course; 3/13 (23 %) would have preferred web-based studies combined with face-to-face meetings;10 (67 %) thought a web-based course was best


Added value of web-based Added value of web-based teaching and teaching and learninglearning

In general: The courses are more accessible for students and teachers– Multi-campus university– Adult students, open

university students, students doing e.g. field practice

– Teachers from outside the university, teachers living outside the university city

– Less overlapping of courses, when students from several faculties

– Less problems with students not attending classes

Academic Study Skills/Information Retrieval 1 cp:– Students from two

campuses, Åbo and Vasa

– Students from several faculties


Added value of web-based Added value of web-based teaching and teaching and learninglearning In general: Improved

learning – Activating learning methods

• application of knowledge during the course

• new forms of examination, from final exams to continuous examination

• support reflection– Support different learning

styles– More interactivity > more

feedback and guidance• students < > teachers• students < > students

– Authentic and problem-based activities

– Support collaboration– The students can easily take

part of each others’ texts– Better structure of the

learning process– No free-riders

Academic Study Skills/Information Retrieval1cp:

– Learning by doing– No final exam but continuous

examination– Reflection of own learning and own

information retrieval strategies– support different learning styles – Interactivity between teacher and

student: feedback on all assignments

– Interactivity with the material: Self-correcting quiz

– Authentic and problem-based activities: information retrieval assignment for essay of individual choice

– Clear structure of the learning process (thematic and chronological modules in moodle, calendar in moodle, study guide with course overview), from easier to more advanced

– No free-riders (individual assignments, own choice of topics)


Added value of web-based Added value of web-based teaching teaching and learningand learning

In general: More effective course administration– Course material more

transparent (for students, for all teachers on a course, for new teacher taking over a course)

– Cheaper and quicker distribution of course material

– Easier to update course material

– Continuous grading during the course available for each individual student

Academic Study Skills/Information Retrieval 1 cp:– All course material (incl.

lecture) available on the web

– Continuous grading – Course material

transparent for all teachers on Acadmic Study Skills 3 cp


Course evaluation (Academic Study Course evaluation (Academic Study Skills 3 cp): Course participants’ Skills 3 cp): Course participants’ expectations on web-based learningexpectations on web-based learning Flexibility in time and place! (work from home,

didn’t collide with other courses or hobbies etc.) ”No specific expectations”: a lot of the students

were used to web-based learning ”Motivation remained high because of the

deadlines (although there weren’t any specific meeting times)”

”To test a new way of learning” ”A nice change from my ordinary studies” ”You have time to think” ”I thought it would be practical but boring, but it

was not at all boring”


Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!For more information, please For more information, please contactcontact

Eva Costiander-Huldén, [email protected]

Tove Forslund, [email protected], www.abo.fi/lc

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.abo.fi/lc

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27.6.2015Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo1 Best practice in information skills training – experiences of web-based courses at Åbo