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Amanda Nichols Hess e-Cornucopia 2013 | May 31, 2013. The MAGIC of Web Tutorials. Developing Best Practices to (Re)Focus on Users. Presentation Objectives.
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Amanda Nichols Hess e-Cornucopia 2013 | May 31, 2013 The MAGIC of Web Tutorials Developing Best Practices to (Re)Focus on Users
Presentation Objectives • Discuss one academic library's experience making online tutorials (and their interface) more user-centered - including challenges and future goals • Share "best practices" in online tutorials as developed from the literature and others' experiences • Identify strategies to make online information appealing, engaging, and useful for users
Background http://www.flickr.com/photos/44897573@N05/5660904529/sizes/l/in/photostream/
What are web tutorials? http://www.flickr.com/photos/bilal-kamoon/6835060992/sizes/c/in/photostream/
Timeline to Redesign March & April 2013: KL faculty assess existing tutorials, create structure for new page Ongoing: Creation of new tutorials, evaluation of delivery system ca. 2011: Tutorials inventoried, categorized by librarian Summer 2013: KL Faculty migrate existing tutorials into new system December 2012: Next steps (best practices and new system) developed and approved by KL faculty Fall 2012: Web tutorials redesign process begins
Conversations with Colleagues • Not user-centered • No continuity of style across tutorials • Inability to keep up with changing interfaces, platforms, etc. - "ceaseless pace of change" • Not accessible at point-of-need • Level of quality is inconsistent and problematic • Shift focus from the tool to the concept • Offer increased interactivity
Research When designed and used effectively, online tutorials can effectively help students learn library and information literacy skills (Dewald, 1999; Dewald, Scholz-Crate, Booth, Levine, 2000; Su & Kuo, 2010; Beile & Boote, 2004; Silver & Nickel, 2005; Lindsay, Cummings, Johnson, & Scales, 2006; Zhang, 2006)
Research Tutorials and interfaces should be designed to meet learners' needs, particularly at the user's point of need (Detlor & Lewis, 2006; Gold, 2005; Lindsay, Cummings, & Johnson, 2006; Su & Kuo, 2010; Bowles-Terry, Hensley, & Hinchcliffe, 2010)
Research Tutorials need to be student-centered and consider who the learners are (Gold, 2005; Willis & Thomas, 2006; Oud, 2009)
Research Findability is key (Gold, 2005; Willis & Thomas, 2006; Oud, 2009)
Research Engagement in tutorials through active learning and interactivity is critical to creating lasting knowledge (Dewald, 1999; Riley-Huff, 2009; Dewald, Scholz-Crate, Booth, & Levine, 2000; Macklin, 2003; Zhang, 2006)
Research Short or chunked tutorials prove most valuable by allowing for personalization, increasing learning, and decreasing redundancies (Detlor & Lewis, 2006; Dewald, Scholz-Crate, Booth, & Levine, 2000; Su & Kuo, 2010; Silver & Nickel, 2005; Bowles-Terry, Hensley, & Hinchcliffe, 2010; Oud, 2009; Reece, 2005)
Research Focus on a single task or purpose, and eliminate fluff or attempts at humor (Gold, 2005; Bowles-Terry, Hensley, & Hinchcliffe, 2010)
Research When possible, provide alternate representations - this accommodates learning preferences or disability-related issues (Bowles-Terry, Hensley, & Hinchcliffe, 2010; Oud, 2009)
Our Path Forward: MAGIC Maintainable http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Our Path Forward: MAGIC Maintainable Available http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Our Path Forward: MAGIC Maintainable Available Geared at users http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Our Path Forward: MAGIC Maintainable Available Geared at users Informative http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Our Path Forward: MAGIC Maintainable Available Geared at users Informative Customizable http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Next Steps for OU Libraries Usability testing Collect usage data and statistics To determi ne i f OU Students' Needs and Behaviors Our Research, Ideas, and Best Practices
Next Steps for OU Librarians Michaelangelo. The Creation of Adam. Accessed 29 May 2013 from www.ARTstor.org
Thank you! All resources available at bit.ly/eCornMAGIC References Beile, P. M., & Boote, D. N. (2004). Does the medium matter?: A comparison of a web-based tutorial with face-to-face library instruction on education students' self-efficacy levels and learning outcomes. Research Strategies, 20(1–2), 57-68. Bowles-Terry, M., Hensley, M. K., & Hinchliffe, L. J. (2010). Best practices for online video tutorials in academic libraries. Communications in Information Literacy, 4(1), 17-28. Riley-Huff, D.A. (2009). Design insights and inspiration from the Tate: What museum web sites can offer us. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 9(1), 79-98. Detlor, B., & Lewis, V. (2006). Academic library web sites: Current practice and future directions. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 32(3), 251-258. Dewald, N. H. (1999). Transporting good library instruction practices into the web environment: An analysis of online tutorials. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 25(1), 26. Dewald, N., Scholz-Crane, A., Booth, A., & Levine, C. (2000). Information literacy at a distance: Instructional design issues. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 26(1), 33-44. Gold, H. E. (2005). Engaging the adult learner: Creating effective library instruction. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 5(4), 467-481. Oud, J. (2009). Guidelines for effective online instruction using multimedia screencasts. Reference Services Review, 37(2), 164. Lindsay, E., Cummings, L., Johnson, C., & Scales, B. (2006). If you build it, will they learn? Assessing online information literacy tutorials. College & Research Libraries, 67(5), 429-445. Macklin, A. (2003). Theory into practice: Applying David Jonassen's work in instructional design to instruction programs in academic libraries. College & Research Libraries, 64(6), 494-500. Mestre, L. S. (2012). Student preference for tutorial design: A usability study. Reference Services Review, 40(2), 258-276. Reece, G. J. (2005). Critical thinking and cognitive transfer: Implications for the development of online information literacy tutorials. Research Strategies, 20(4), 482-493. Silver, S. L., & Nickel, L. T. (2005). Are online tutorials effective? A comparison of online and classroom library instruction methods. Research Strategies, 20(4), 389-396. Su, S., & Kuo, J. (2010). Design and development of web-based information literacy tutorials. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(4), 320-328. Zhang, L. (2006). Effectively incorporating instructional media into web-based information literacy. The Electronic Library, 24(3), 294-306.