Integrating a Library Component
into a Freshman Seminar Program
Joy Gambill
Library Instructor Reference/Instruction
Dr. Jeff Church
Instructor Freshman Seminar
The Way We Were
• “One-shot” library instruction sessions
– Usually no assignment
– Same presentation for any freshman level classes
– Same examples
This is so boring!!
Tutorial Development
•Stand alone project
•Limited in scope
•WebCT based only
2002
2002
First tutorial
tutorial
First
2001
2001
•Library Research Tutorial
Debut
•Based on UNC-CH’s
Tutorial
•WebCT independent
•Integrated into Freshman
Seminar Program
Let’s Talk About UNC-CH’s
Library Research Tutorial
•
•
•
•
•
•
No plug-ins
To the point
Lots of pictures
We could do it ourselves
Open Source
Based on Reusable Learning
Objects
A Quote
“The World can be seen as only
connections, nothing else…A piece of
information is really only defined by
what it is related to, and how it is
related. There really is little else to
meaning. The structure is
everything.”
--Tim Berners-Lee
Weaving the Web
Common Information Seeking
Concepts and Tasks
Finding
Finding
Books
Articles
The Library
and
The Web
Boolean
Searching
Citing
Information
Keyword
vs.
Subject
Searching
Common Information
Environments
Library Catalog
Electronic
Journals
More Than
One Library
Licensed
Databases
Special
Collections
Reusable Learning Objects
The information architecture is modular…
The information is also granular…
Consists of Reusable Content
Text
Images
Features Immediate Feedback
And Feedback at the End
Expanding our Horizons
Ann Viles
Coordinator, Reference and
Instruction
Belk Library
Rennie Brantz
Director, Freshman Seminar
Program
Appalachian State University
Faculty Training
• New Faculty (May)
• Returning Faculty (New Directions
Workshop in August)
How it works in the Classroom
Tutorial
Quiz
WebCT Quiz
How it works in the Classroom
Instructor
evaluation
Tutorial
Quiz
Assignment
Library
Instructional
session
Assignments Examples
• Discovery Exercises
• Instruction for Specific Research
Projects
–Research Papers
–PowerPoint Presentations
–Annotated Bibliographies
–Discipline Specific Assignments
How it works in the Classroom
Instructor
evaluation
Tutorial
Assignment
review
Quiz
Assignment
Library
Instructional
session
Capstone Assignment
Tutorial Development
•Current version
•Tailored to ASU
students
•Interactive with our
library’s website
•More feedback
2002
2002
First tutorial
tutorial
First
2001
2001
2003
2003
Faculty Survey
Participants
Survey Responses
20 out of 62
Did your students complete the
Library Tutorial?
yes
“I think the library tutorial is great. Quite a
number of my FS students actually mentioned
the tutorial in a positive way in their end-year
evaluation.”
Did your students attend an
instruction session in the
Electronic Library Classroom?
18 yes, 2 no
“The tutorial is a good introduction, but it is
not designed to take the place of library
instruction. The instruction session and
accompanying assignment were very
worthwhile.”
Tutorial Assessment
Pre-test/Post-test
• 15 out of 17 improved
“This tutorial was helpful
and now I feel more
comfortable using the
library homepage.”
--ASU Freshman
Which Search Strategy should
retrieve the most results in an
online database?
a.
b.
c.
d.
dyslexia or learning disorders
dyslexia and learning disorders
dyslexia
not sure
Pre-test results: 13 out of 17 answered incorrectly
Post-test results: 4 out of 17 answered incorrectly
Future Directions
Web page for Freshman Seminar
Faculty
More Assessment
Integrating this component into other
Learning Communities
Selected Bibliograhy
Boff, Colleen and Kristin Johnson. “The Library and First-year Experience Courses: a Nationwide
Study.” Reference Services Review 30.4 (2002): 277-287.
Bracke, Paul J. and Ruth Dickstein. “Web Tutorials and Scalable Instruction: Testing the Waters,”
Reference Services Review 30.4 (2002): 330-337.
Churkovich, Marion and Christine Oughtred. “Can an Online Tutorial Pass the Test for Library
Instruction? An Evaluation and Comparison of Library Skills Instruction Methods for First Year
Students at Deakin University,” Australian Academic & Research Libraries 33.1 (2002): 25-38.
Effective Library Assignments. Western Michigan University Libraries. 18 Feb. 2004
<http://www.wmich.edu/library/services/faculty/assignments.php>
Hodgins, Wayne and Marie Connor. “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Learning Standards
but Were Afraid to Ask.” Linezine (Fall 2002) 18 Feb. 2004
http://www.linezine.com/2.1/features/wheyewtkls.htm
Nims, Julia K. and Ann Andrew, eds. First Impressions, Lasting Impact: Introducing the First-Year
Student to the Academic Library. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Pierian Press, 2002.
Reusable Learning Objects Authoring Guidelines: How to Build Modules, Lessons, and Topics. Cisco
Systems White Paper (2003) 18 Feb. 2004
<http://business.cisco.com/servletwl3/FileDownloader/iqprd/104119/104119_kbns.pdf>
The End