Library Instruction & Technology: The Global Development and Social Justice Program

1. Library Instruction & Technology: The Global Development and Social Justice Program ALA-ACRL-WSS June 25, 2007 Kathryn Shaughnessy Instructional Services Librarian Fellow, Center for Teaching and Learning

2. Technology for Global Library Instruction Background: • Wireless infrastructure / e-resources • Distance Learner “amenities” for all students • St. John’s “Academic Computing Initiative” • Distance Learning accreditation • Missions: • Social Justice • Leveraging technology

3. Technology for Global Library Instruction Academic Growth in terms of Mission: • Title III Grant for “Core” Faculty Development • CTL fellows: enhancing pedagogy through technology • ASL: “See the World” Service semester abroad • SJC: Global Development and Social Justice MLS • 1st Cohort 2006: Women from Bosnia, India, Rwanda, Thailand • 2nd Cohort 2007: Starts July 1

4. TEAM: Instruction Librarians & e-services, IT, Faculty, steering committee Using tech to improve library instruction: Creation Distribution Impact Technology for Global Library Instruction GDSJ Online Instruction:

5. Technology for Global Library Instruction Creation of Online Content: NEEDS Social Justice Concerns for Instruction • Costs of materials/software – provided but also looking for open source alternatives that can be used even after graduation • Cultural integrity -- solutions to local problems may require using/creating local resources • Learning from students – recognition of experience/expertise in their own area

6. Technology for Global Library Instruction NEEDS: Access to virtual library instruction • Student Location • Time zones • War/disaster zones • Student Access to technology • computers part of tuition • Infrastructure (power and communication) • Tech support • Bandwidth issues

7. Technology for Global Library Instruction NEEDS: Student access/barriers to local library • Physical • Distance • Psychological • Cultural

8. Technology for Global Library Instruction Creation of Online Content: NEEDS Communication to enhance “community” • Students  peers • Students  Faculty • Students  Librarian • Synchronous / Asynchronous • Formal / Informal

9. Technology for Global Library Instruction Creation of Online Content: NEEDS Academic Literacy Issues • Language • Cultural • Information • Visual • Technology

10. Technology for Global Library Instruction Creation of Online Content: APPLY the TECHNOLOGY that FITS the NEEDS/CONTENT STUDENTS: Keep it simple, consider: • Consider student bandwidth • Learning curve of users • future maintenance FACULTY: use technologies that allow for: • flexible access, at point-of-need • peer and faculty assessment, grading and portfolio • easy maintenance

11. Technology for Global Library Instruction Creation of Online Content: Tutorials  Captivate Podcasts  Audacity Blog  WordPress Wiki  PBWiki, WikiPM Enhancing distribution / communication RSS & RefWorks Skype Del.icio.us tagging & RefWorks Portal Group / Courseware

12. Tutorials: Overview Tutorial Benefits: • Visual instruction • Repetition • Asynchronous / Makes better use of librarian synchronous sessions • Rough Statistics Tutorial Pitfalls: • Maintenance (general and interface changes) • Keeping track lots of authors/locations

13. Podcasts: Overview Podcast benefits: • repetition • increased “learner interaction • increased communication Podcast Pitfalls • Creating/editing takes time • Keeping them manageable size/length • Troubleshooting user error

15. Blog: Overview Blog benefits: • Subscription distribution • Timely but archive list • write/journal as part of e-portfolio • Comment/feedback Blog Pitfalls • Creating/editing takes time • Timely and interesting • Spam

17. Wiki: Overview Wiki benefits: • Low Threshold Application  • Collaborate • Comment feedback • Portfolio evaluation Wiki Pitfalls • Creating/editing takes time • Vandalism

19. RSS: Overview RSS syndication/distribution: • Podcasts, blogs and wikis • facilitates timely communication • RSS “libraries” (of internal or external content) • “pre-feed” into courseware pages/portal • RSS feed appear on subject pages • RSS education

20. Delicious/RefWorks: Overview Delicious & RefWorks benefits: • Allows web access • Allows “sharing” of resources • increased communication • Citing Sources & Avoiding Plagiarism Delicious & RefWorks pitfalls • interoperability • RefWorks is proprietary • Potentially unwieldy

22. Skype: Overview Skype benefits: • Low Threshold Application • Communication: • Alternate in/formal channel, • Voice/conference calls • History feature • Allows attachments Skype Pitfalls • Unsolicited “callers”

25. Testing: Overview Testing Mantra: Library 2.0 is always in Beta All of these content-creation and content-delivery technologies are “in Beta,” especially given that we are always getting feedback and always tweaking/expanding/instructing Global Masters’ students (as well as our very energetic early-adopter faculty and students in DLIS) are our Beta-testers

26. More information To peek at some of the technologies talked about in this presentation, visit this del.icio.us account page: http://del.icio.us/kgshaughnessy/ALA_ACRL_WSS Contact information: Kathryn Shaughnessy St. John’s University Libraries shaughnk@stjohns.edu