Dear All
Summary of responses as promised.
6 responses in which low turn out, motivation & role of /support from academics appear common factors. There are some interesting suggestions & use of alternative formats:
University of Warwick (Robin Green):
Put on generic sign-up/drop in sessions in term 1 including Powerpoint intros to searching databases (aim to demonstrate transferable techniques with WofS & First Search), e-journals & some hands-on. Taken up by a range of users.
City College, Norwich (Julie Allan):
Tried drop in session last year but problems with timetable & marketing. Promote at induction & encourage students to come on one to one basis.
Actively liaising with academics to support classes & promoting e-sources has led to some groups coming to library to research subjects.
St Mary's, Strawberry Hill (Martin Scarrott):
Experience has been low turn out, but those who do come get a good experience. Needs to be embedded in curriculum & assess student's skills. They are currently working on pilot skills modules to include information skills. Means of reaching large numbers of students but problems include academic staff apathy or seeing library staff teaching as a threat.
In another institution Martin had experienced closing subject enquiry desks to offer advice sessions in a training room at advertised times. This worked well & is inline with academic model of tutorials. Also seen as better use of subject librarians' time.
Law School, University of Hull (Kylie Baxter):
Low numbers attending drop-in sessions; student motivation & wanting to work at own pace identified as contributing factors. So new approach based on printed workbooks leading to taking a proficiency test. Drop in sessions will be provided to support. This new incentive has support of academics. Looking at online alternatives & suggestions for useful online tutorials are:
RDN Virtual Training Suite [http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/]
Internet Detective [http://sosig.ac.uk/desire/internet-detective.html]
Texas Information Literacy Tutorial [http://tilt.lib.utsystem.edu/]
South Bank's Information Quest is also interesting, although I don't feel
it quite works on an interactive level [http://www.lisa.sbu.ac.uk/quest/]
I found the following publication incredibly useful to think about the
issues of teaching students 'information skills'.
SCONUL (2000) "Seven pillars of wisdom? Good practice in information skills
development", SCONUL: Standing Conference of National and University
Libraries 2000, University of Warwick.
Recommends that any student training must allow students to access
subject-sensitive exercises and examples.
University of Northumbria (Pam Bailey):
Drop in sessions run for several years to Health, Social Work & Education students in timetabled slots built into courses, some groups of students have very little library/IT experience.
Sessions promoted by academic staff also posters and handouts.
Scheduled at times when students felt to have free time. Only half students who actually signed up for sessions attended which led to students who wanted to attend being turned away as it appeared sessions fully booked. Attendence varied between resources from 0% to 69%.
Session format consisted of demos & then hands on.
Edge Hill (Maureen Richardson)
Edge Hill has a training programme for supporting electronic resources called Edge Ahead Skills Programme. Details at: http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/ims/ls/tporm.htm
Sessions are offered which students sign up for & which cover journals & databases. The session is tailored to the subjects of students who attend. Recognising the problem of identifying suitable times students are given the opportunity to contribute to deciding this & the content.
Drop-ins are offered but not specifically on e-sources but these will be included to answer specific queries.
Staff training is also offered as part of college wide staff development. But take up is abysmal! Internal IMS sessions are much better attended.
Remote accessing is raising an increasing number of queries & this is being addressed through guides, demos using a non-College PC to show interfaces, & screen dumps from computer at home.
Susan Murray
Deputy Manager Learning Resources
The Sheppard-Worlock Library
Liverpool Hope
PO Box 95
Liverpool
L16 9LB
Tel: 0151 291 2002 Fax: 0151 291 2037
Email: [log in to unmask]
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