Transforming Libraries for Innovative Learning in a 2.0 Environment

1. Change andEmerging TechnologiesThe Library’s Role in SupportingTeaching and Learning in a 2.0 Environment Jeff Trzeciak, University Librarian Cathy Moulder, Director of Library Services, Maps, Data & GIS Olga Perkovic, Liaison Librarian, Anthropology & History

2. Transforming Libraries From traditional “service-provider” to a new understanding of how students learn and how faculty discover new knowledge

3. About McMaster McMaster University Top 100 Universities worldwide Canada’s most research intensive Recognized as “Canada’s most innovative” Problem-based learning

5. McMaster University Library Challenges Library in state of decline 1991: Ranked 86th among Association of Research Libraries 2006: Ranked 109th

6. Significant Challenges Lowest funded research library in Canada Lowest # of librarians in ARL Biggest challenges: Library as silo Library as “book warehouse”

7. Other Significant Challenge: University in Transition 3 Provosts in 18 months Structural budget problems Changes at VP and Dean levels

8. Library Transformation • Library Vision • McMaster University Library will be recognized as Canada's most innovative, user-centred, academic library

9. Library Transformation Mission The University Library advances teaching, learning and research at McMaster by: • teaching students to be successful, ethical information seekers • facilitating access to information resources • providing welcoming spaces for intellectual discovery, and • promoting the innovative adoption of emerging learning technologies

10. Library Transformation • Two significant accomplishments • Library Liaison Program • Learning 2.0

11. Wikis in the Libraries • Primary purpose: • Connecting the libraries to our faculty and our students • Secondary: • Emerging technology

12. Collaborative Partnership I • Geo 4G03 + Library • Canadian Glacier Inventory Project (CGIP) • Data gathering as 4th year class assignment • Traditional impediment = Security

13. Wiki to the Rescue • Wikis require: • No access to University servers • No html coding or file uploads by TAs • No effort to setup (library-mediated) • No big learning curve

14. Collaborative Partnership II • Geo 3HZ3 + Library • Major assignment for 3rd year class on segregation in world cities • Assignment needed to be: • Research-based • Group work (not homogenous students) • Capstone to previous learning

15. Wiki Encore • Wikis offer: • Collaborative student experience • WYSIWYG interface and cool web functions • Integration of research, maps, graphs, illustrations, links • Creative potential • Element of surprise and innovation

16. Wiki Selection Criteria • Remotely hosted • Free • WYSIWYG • Minimal learning curve • Functions: edit history, page comparison, user reports, revert to previous version • Discussion and comment areas • Minimal advertisements

17. http://www.wikimatrix.org/

18. Wiki Start-up • Library staff: • Created wikis, created pages for info resources, created “page stubs” • Invited faculty and teaching assistants as moderators • Teaching staff: • Created pages for introduction and student instructions • Invited students as writers

19. Geo 4G03 wiki

20. Geo 3HZ3 wiki

21. Assessment • Wikis replaced traditional outcomes • Marking criteria: • Standard essay-writing skills (including completeness, analysis of content) • Artistic elements (creativity, originality, graphic design) • Participation (number of comments, evidence of collaboration)

22. Results • Public visibility and writing for a diverse audience = motivating factors • Good quality writing and editing • Web writing has to be more “interesting”

23. Students engaged

24. Students Artistic

25. Students Artistic (cont.)

26. Students using New Technologies

27. Unexpected Results • Collaboration • Technical difficulties • Difficulties capturing or destroying the content afterwards • Repeat experience not as positive

28. Collaborative Partnership III • History 2P03 + Library • Inquiry model; small class setting • Research Skills set (1 component of 4) • Wiki purpose

29. Wiki Start-up • Librarian: • Created wiki, 5 section pages and research resources pages, student instructions • Invited faculty as administrators • Faculty: • Added content and exemplars • Admin staff invited students as writers

30. Historical inquiry wiki

31. Section 5 wiki

32. Results • Slow start; modifications sparked activity • Wiki as a research resource • Wiki as a communication tool

33. Unexpected Results • Faculty feedback • Student feedback • Face to face sharing

34. What Did We Learn? • Be selective: • Work with early innovators • Choose assignment tasks carefully • Know your students • Consider overlapping technologies • Wikis have limitations

35. Collaboration is the Reward • Faculty and Librarians working together on learning objectives, assignment creation, marking • Strengthening the Liaison program • Writing papers and funding requests together • Extending the CGIP wiki to include an American class on remote sensing

36. Emerging TechnologiesOpen Doors

37. Is It Working? • Library offering Social Toolbox • 2.0 software (blogs, wikis) for campus community • Campus understands in the context of “access” and “preservation”

38. Broader Context: Library asPartner in Teaching and Learning • Inherited Classroom Audio Visual Services • Staff of 10 • Budget of $1m (approx) • Responsible for all classroom technologies • Opportunity to integrate instructional technologies, academic resources, and support services

39. Campus Leadership • Innovative Learning campaign item • Task Force on Teaching and Learning • Burlington campus learning space design • iSci, Honours research science

40. Libraries as Academic Computing • Mills • State-of-the-art classroom • Videoconferencing facilities • Text-analysis centre? • Thode Learning Commons • Grid computing? • Visualization facilities? • Collaboratory

41. Future • Central part of a CFI proposal • 3D Web research • Augmented reality • Simulation

42. Thank you