The COPPUL-D Information Literacy Viewlets Initiative

Preparing to Advance Information Literacy

Carmen Kazakoff-Lane

ACCOLEDS/DLI Training Session

November 28th,2005

History of the Project COPPUL DE Information Literacy

Group Purpose: Find ways to collaboratively

enhance Info Lit for DE students. 1999? COPPUL-D Initiated a project to

jointly develop Doing Research from a Distance Tutorial. General Information Literacy Tutorial for

DE Students

History – High Hopes

History – Cont…

Little usage. As a result in 2004 we decided that:

The project was a bomb

No student wants to do big tutorials

History – Cont… We needed to create tutorials that

were:

Point of Need (spec. databases)

Short, easy to understand and did not bore people silly.

Viewlets Answer: Viewlets

http://www.campusmanitoba.com/students/LibraryTutorial/Psychinfo_Viewlet_cd_quality_viewlet_swf.html

http://www.campusmanitoba.com/students/LibraryTutorial/Introduction_to_Library_Research_Tools_viewlet_swf.html

Viewlets - ProsViewlets advantages: Quick and easy to create Used screen captures, audio, pictures,

pointers, quizzes and text inserts to create tutorials which displayed searches in manner that was: Quick and effective More enjoyable to use Interactive

Viewlets - Cons Needed to create not one but a

multitude of tutorials Each would need to be kept up to

date Meant we would have to find a way

to collaboratively develop, upload, and download tutorials

DE Information Literacy Group

Task of discovering the viability of sharing fell to the COPPUL DE Info Literacy Group.

Met in September 2004 along with Karen Hunt Public Service input deemed to be

important. Discussed “What Is to be Done”?

Conclusions of Group

1. Need a set of Guidelines Agreed that we need point of use tutorials with

specific design elements for databases. Colors, Fonts Searches, Brief and Full Record Displays Short Link to Advanced Search

Nothing stopping anyone from creating and loading their own style of viewlet for other objects

Action: Bill Badke (Trinity Western

University) asked to develop a set of guidelines for review by: COPPUL DE COPPUL Public Services Group

Submitted for review in Oct 2004 After feedback they were accepted.

Conclusions – cont.

2. Decided to do an inventory of COPPUL databases to learn how much overlap there are in database subscriptions

Action: Fall 2004 Inventory of COPPUL

Databases Questionnaire submitted to COPPUL DE

and Public Services list. 13 responses 40+ databases where 4+ libraries used

same database from same vendor Likely More

Starting Point for Development.

Conclusions – cont.

3. Needed to test for Exchangeability

Action: Paul Pival and Karen Hunt did test using

different versions of Viewletbuilder - Successful

Do not know if we can exchange from other pieces of software that use Flash technology.

Conclusions – cont.

4. Needed a home for the Viewlets Archival quality Accessible to all COPPUL Librarians Preferably include a Creative Commons

License Allow for Metadata

Action:

March of 2005 Paul Pival announced that the University of Calgary had upgraded it Learning Objects Repository D-Space

Informed us that COPPUL could house Viewlets there and that COPPUL librarians could access it.

D-Space Viewlet Home Page

https://dspace.ucalgary.ca/

Tutorial on Uploading Viewlets

https://dspace.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/43053

D-Space – cont. Secure and requires registration

URL: https://dspace.ucalgary.ca/

Librarians can upload and download viewlets from D-space

Includes a Creative Commons License Provides form for including relevant

Metadata Searchable

Conclusions – cont.

5. Metadata Needed: Author of Viewlet When it was created and updated Name of Database Name of Vendor Name of Viewlet Description of Viewlet Keywords Abstract

Metadata – cont.

Software used to create Viewlet (Version) File type Size Viewing Time Link to Viewlet Optional information

contact information for the Viewlet’s creator intended audience for the Viewlet

Action:

As mentioned before D-space provides us with a form into which we can enter all relevant Metadata.

Where to go from here?

Process for Collaboration. People to examine it and opt to

undertake development. NOTE: Will also look for feedback

about process as it begins.

Why Collaborate?

Provides us with opportunity to offer better service to on and off-campus users alike. Fewer people use in-library reference,

check out books, or walk into the library. Have students logging into our systems on

a 24/7 basis

REASON: New Students New students cannot or will not

come into the library Distance Education Students

Distance limits access

Millenials – wired/wireless generation Expect services to be online, wireless, 24/7,

customer oriented and professional Expectations set by Google, Amazon, etc.

New Students – cont. Lifelong Learners, Adult Learners,

and Nontraditional Students Work & Family Commitments 2002 survey: 73% students

nontraditional¹ 30-50% say access to library is

problematic.

1. Susan Choy. Nontraditional Undergraduates: Findings From the Condition of Education 2002. NCES: Washington, D.C.: 2002

Things to consider Center for Postsecondary Research

- Study on Student Engagement Higher student engagement = higher

persistence. Schools that ‘channel student time

and energy toward effective educational activities’ [i.e. engaged students] did ‘two things very well”

Student Engagement1. They teach students early on how to

take advantage of institutional resources for their learning

Translation for libraries: Provide Information Literacy

2. They make available to students what they need when they need it.²

Translation for libraries: Anytime /Anywhere – 24/7 is key.

2 National Survey of Student Engagement:Pathways to Collegiate Success: 2004 Annual Survey Results. Center for Post-Secondary Research: Bloomington, IN, 2004 (p.6)

Available Online: http://nsse.iub.edu/html/report-2004.shtml

Back to Viewlets

Libraries have a role to play in increasing Student Engagement & Persistence Do so by introducing students to our

resources and telling them how to use them. Do so by making instruction more engaging Do so by reaching them where they are.

REMEMBERStudents Need our Help!

Back to Viewlets – cont.

Viewlets are the best tool we have to accomplish this: Short, to the point. Allow us to quickly create Point of need tutorials. Independent of time, space or opening hours

restrictions (* for nontraditional / DE students) Engaging for younger learners (i.e. Millenials)

Convergence of needs being met by Viewlet tech.

Viewlets - cont

However: Large no. of databases, vendors

and changing interfaces makes this undertaking a large one.

No one can go it alone.

Positive Side: We have what it takes to be successful

Completing the Task

1. May need to incorporate Training However: Easy to learn Online Courses from Qarbon Likely can be done locally

2. Need to incorporate some rules of engagement

Final Quote

“Our users have lives. They don’t want to spend their lives in our libraries…As much as we may love [libraries], they want to get what they need and get on with their lives. So the quicker we can get them what they need and out the door the more satisfied they are … and that it what it is all about.”

Roy Tennant. Keynote Address at WLA / MPLA Conference. Oct 17, 2005

Discussion Follow COPPUL-D Model? Audio: To use or not to use? Rules of Engagement from here:

Sign up forms? Training? Buy ViewletBuilder for all libraries?

Cost: $159 / User - Educational Rate Feedback / Assistance mechanism?

E.g. COPPUL Viewlet Listserv for mutual support?

Other?