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Learn how UCD Library supports Business students through information literacy programs, online tutorials, and quizzes. Discover the challenges faced and innovative solutions implemented to engage and educate students effectively.
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Quizzes and Tutorials: Developing online strategies to support Business students in University College Dublin Mark Tynan & Lorraine Foster, UCD Library. BBSLG Conference 2009, Irish Management Institute
Overview of what we will cover • UCD Library activities to date • Undergraduate Business • Problems encountered • The Online Business Tutorial
Overview of what UCD Library has been doing to support students • Liaison Librarians for each School • Information Literacy programmes in Economics, Information & Library Studies, Arts & Celtic Studies, Geography, English, Law and Business • Postgraduate workshops for researchers • Web 2.0 - Blogs, Facebook, Second Life, Instant Messaging, Podcasts • Self issue machines • Traditional information desks • Plagiarism awareness
The UCD Business Schools • 3,400 students – 2,000 undergraduates & 1,400 postgraduates • laptop learners – “no more queuing to use a computer” • “modern facilities and learning environment…latest technologies…emphasis on small teaching groups” • “you can study almost anywhere”
UCD Library Support for Undergraduate Business Information Literacy modules Standalone classes Printed guides Library tours “Road shows” Blackboard quiz Plagiarism & Referencing lectures Business tutorial
UCD Library Blackboard quiz in using Business resources – 2008-2009 • Embedded in module and 2 % of final mark • 400 out of 487 students completed it – many doing it twice to get a better mark • “I was amazed at how many students had never seen the library databases before, let alone used them, so there are definitely issues at Quinn with using the library and doing research” – UCD business lecturer • Quiz will be repeated next year
Problems for the Business librarians? • Getting the Business School to include the library in their timetables • Time constraints – timetabling, library staff time, academic staff time • Lack of student engagement • Lack of awareness • Students and staff feel they don’t need to use the library, they can find everything online – though this is using the library • Non-scholarly and easier to find resources like Wikipedia and Google
UCD Library Business e-tutorial The Idea: • Library approached by UCD Centre for Teaching & Learning with funding for an information literacy e-tutorial. • Two business librarians asked to take on the project • Centre for Teaching & Learning assigned an educational technologist to the project • Laptops with pre-installed software were available for use.
Brainstorm! • What did we want to cover in the tutorial? • Most common questions asked by students? • Material covered in many of our information skills sessions • Who was our target audience? • Initially opting for 1st year undergraduates (core modules) • Run a pilot for semester 1
Brainstorm! • How did we want this delivered? • Professional looking web pages • Embedded into Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) • Interactive elements • Tutorial broken into separate elements • Time Frame • Semester 1: Oct-Dec 08 – Ideas, concepts etc. • Semester 2: Feb-Jun 09 – Building components, recording elements, writing content. • July 09: Final edits, proof-reading etc.
Business e-tutorial Getting started: • A working document with a rough draft of what was to be covered • Created a storyboard, which helped us to visualise an end product.
The practical side… • Created a professional looking web interface • Used Adobe Captivate to simulate searching on the catalogue, various databases and Endnote • Added a Plagiarism Quiz in Adobe Articulate • Added in PowerPoint slides, web links and Word Documents • Created tasks in order to achieve the learning outcomes set at the beginning of each section • Wrote content for linking sections together • Edited & proof-read all content • Attached timings to each section
Content • From experience with the previous quizzes, feedback from lecturers and discussions with the School of Business’ Teaching & Learning Committee, we drew up what we felt students were having difficulty with.
Stage 1 – Your Reading List Reading List material: Identifying material, locating the material via the library.
Stage 2 – How to Research a Topic • Search strategies & concepts, etc
Stage 3 – Which Resource Should I Choose? • Lack of scholarly material being used, lack of awareness of many different resources.
Stage 4 – Searching Databases • Practical database searching of 4 business databases: Useful for first time or as a back-up.
Stage 5 – Plagiarism & Referencing • Incorporating a Plagiarism Quiz, links to UCD’s plagiarism policy, details on referencing styles and information about Endnote (UCD’s bibliographic software management tool), including tutorials.
The Future: • The eventual aim is to be able to use this tutorial either in conjunction with the information literacy sessions that the liaison librarian delivers or as a stand-alone module (in the case of time constraints) • We can use this on the library website in conjunction with the information skills tutorial and web pages already there • Lecturers can opt to have this embedded in Blackboard for their module and all students must complete this before handing in their first major assignment (certificates can be printed/saved). • Used as a major tool for supporting Distance Learners.
Questions? Feel free to contact us! Mark.Tynan@ucd.ie Lorraine.Foster@ucd.ie