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Student Information Search Skills and Help Acquisition

Student Information Search Skills and Help Acquisition. Differences Across Three Faculties Linda Bedwell Reference & Instruction Librarian Dalhousie University Nova Scotia, Canada. Dalhousie SOSA Majors-Killam Library Student Study.

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Student Information Search Skills and Help Acquisition

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  1. Student Information Search Skills and Help Acquisition Differences Across Three Faculties Linda Bedwell Reference & Instruction Librarian Dalhousie University Nova Scotia, Canada

  2. Dalhousie SOSA Majors-Killam Library Student Study • Partnership with 4th-yr class of Sociology and Social Anthropology Majors • Students (Majors) co-designed and conducted the studies • Provided a student-perspective • Positive impact on participation rate and quality of data?

  3. Studies Performed at Killam Library2009-10 Academic Year • Participant Observation (Space) • Learning Commons Computer Workstation Survey (Space/facilities) • Website Focus Groups (Online presence) • Interview Survey (Learning/research behaviours)

  4. Purpose of Interview Survey • Simply: To learn more about students in the faculties served by the Killam Library • Information seeking behaviours • Search skills acquisition • Help acquisition • Impact of librarian-led instruction (knowledge/confidence) • Measure impact of IL efforts and align services with student work habits

  5. Methodology • Semi-structured interview • 15-17 questions • Interviewers (Majors) positioned in ‘neutral’ locations on campus – not the library • “Toonie for your time” – incentive • Data analysis – Excel and SPSS (SOSA prof.)

  6. Interview Survey – Feb 3rd & 16th, 2010 • 97 respondents • 36 Arts & SS • 19 Management • 23 Science • 5 Arts & SS and Science • 64 Undergraduate; 19 Graduate • 56% Female, 44% Male

  7. In-Class Library Instruction Q: We are interested in how you have learned to find the books, journal articles, etc. you may need to complete your assignments. Have you received instruction on this during any of your classes here at Dal? (yes/no) Q: Who provided this instruction? (someone from the library/professor/TA)

  8. In-Class Library Instruction

  9. Other Learning Methods Q: How else have you learned how to find information/sources? (open-ended)

  10. Other Learning Methods

  11. Who Students go to for Help Q: Who do you go to for help with finding information/sources? (open-ended)

  12. Who Students go to for Help

  13. How Students Find Information Q: How do you approach finding information to complete assignments? (open-ended)

  14. How Students Find Information

  15. Help Seeking Methods Q: Have you sought help from the Dalhousie library in person, online, and/or through email? (Select all that apply: in person, online, email, never.)

  16. Help Seeking Methods

  17. Self-Reported Knowledge Scale Q: Where would you place yourself on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being you know very little about how to find the sources you may need and 10 being you know everything you need to know about how to find the sources you may need?

  18. Self-Reported Knowledge Scale

  19. Conclusion • Different approaches for different faculties • Empower Arts and Social Sciences to help/teach each other • Partner with Mgmt and Science faculty to co-teach/co-produce online tutorials, etc. • Should better support self-teaching • Students’ confidence increase with librarian-led instruction – this should encourage additional outreach methods

  20. Questions? Thank you! Linda Bedwell Reference & Instruction Librarian Dalhousie Killam Library LBedwell@dal.ca

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