Up Close & Personal with Screencasts: What do Students Think?

Up Close & Personal with Screencasts: What do Students Think? Megan Coder Colleen Lougen Sojourner Truth Library SUNY New Paltz

What is a Screencast? “A screencast is a digital recording of the computer screen output, also known as video screen capture.” (Wikipedia.org)

Screencasts @ STL • In 2007 we purchased the Camtasia Studio software • During that year many librarians created video tutorials http://lib.newpaltz.edu/assistance/finditatnp.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq4Z-rZzS5s http://lib.newpaltz.edu/research_areas/business/swotanalyses.html http://lib.newpaltz.edu/research_areas/business/howtorenewfinal.html

Will these videos be watched? • Steep learning curve to use Camtasia • Time consuming • Is it worth the effort? • Will students really use them?

Surveys • Catalog Tutorials • Database Tutorials • Find the Full Text • Business Tutorials

Advertising • Flyers • Webpage • Campus events • E-mails • Newspaper

Instructions

Pilot StudyCatalog Tutorials 30 responses in total 22 from NLW session

Pilot StudyDatabase Tutorials • 27 responses in total • 23 from NLW session

Pilot StudyFind the Full Text 28 responses in total 22 from NLW session

Pilot StudyBusiness Tutorials 25 responses in total 19 from NLW session

Sample Comments- Positive “It was very informative, nice and loud, and eye catching.” “I think that being able to see a visual of exactly how the process works is extremely helpful. The .pdf is good for a quick scan, but as long as the video is well-paced and interesting. I can’t see why it wouldn’t hurt to have more of them.” “I can learn to do this in the comfort of my room and not come to the library for help.” “The EBSCO Database tutorial was actually better when done by the school, because the official video was to short to learn anything from, and the LexisNexis tutorial wasn't helpful at all .” “Yes, I would especially like to see the video personally. They are very interactive but, when you are on the go and need information fast the user guide is better.”

Sample Comments-Positive “Because all of the databases are different it is useful to have information on how to best use each one.” “The video took everything step by step in a slow paced. It allows you to interact at certain times. It was like having your private teacher.” “Honestly the video is the way to go…I’m really lazy and unmotivated to read.” “These user guides are very helpful to read and follow but the videos are even more useful because you just have to follow what you see on the screen.”

Sample Comments- Positive “Even after taking the STL info session during Freshman composition class, videos help. They re-familiarize yourself to the resources that the library provides, as well as going over the things not commonly discussed.” “I think the video is very helpful than the user guide because I am a visual kind of person and it helped me to remember where to go to renew online.” “The pop ups in color were very helpful and it made the items more visible.” “The video and user guide are both equally helpful and will allow for options which is what the student body likes to have.” “Great, easy to use, I would recommend my friends to watch them, especially the next time they ask me questions.”

Sample Comments- Constructive criticism The sound quality was a little low with pops and crackles. The video got stuck for a couple of seconds and the video skipped ahead.” “Would be nice if the speaker lets the viewer know that the tutorial has come to an end.” “It would be nice if there was a progress bar at the bottom of the video.” “Too much talking, and too much going back and forth.” “The guides aren't as intuitive as the videos. I guess they get the job done, but it's a lot easier to be able to actually see the databases being used."

Sample Comments-Constructive criticism “The user guides sometimes don’t help if they are too long and have so many directions, it causes confusion.” “The sound of the reader is so sharp that it is not so pleasing. Also we do not want to hear the sound of the person typing.” “It was helpful but a little long.” “But the person speaking was going a little too fast, I hardly could of kept up with her.” “It seemed overly complicated. I don't really think a sort pdf can explain so many different concepts.”

Themes & PatternsThat Emerged… • Students found videos and print guides helpful • Longer videos – too complicated • Sound quality and voice matter • Use pop-ups and text in videos • Create interactive videos • Placement of videos on web page is significant

More questions… • Why did they find the tutorials and guides helpful? • What did they learn? • Which is preferable (video or print) and why? • How are the locally-produced videos different from the vendor-produced videos?

Next Study: Things We Would Do Differently • Focus study on one video and one user guide • Have students complete a task • More people – more significance

Tutorial Resources • ANTS - Animated Tutorial Sharing • LibCasting: ScreenCasting and Libraries Blog • Penn Libraries • University of Virginia • Babson College – Business Tutorials

Bibliography Patalong, Sally and Olivia Llewellyn. “Captivate or Liberate? How an Initially Unsuccessful Attempt to Engage Students’ Attention Aided the Reflection Process.” ALISS Quarterly 2.4 (2007): 22-25. Wakiji, Eileen, and Joy Thomas. "MTV to the Rescue: Changing Library Attitudes through Video." College & Research Libraries 58.3 (1997): 211. Watson, James. "Going Beyond Screen Captures: Integrating Video Screen Recording into Your Library Instruction Program." Feliciter 50.2 (2004): 66-67. Xiao, Daniel Yi , Barbara A. Pietraszewski, and Susan P. Goodwin. "Full Stream Ahead: Database Instruction through Online Videos." Library Hi Tech 22.4 (2004): 366. Zhang, Li. “Effectively incorporating instructional media into web-based information literacy.” The Electronic Library 24.3 (2006): 294-306.

Up Close & Personal with Screencasts: What do Students Think?