(Self-) Discovery Service: Helping Students Help Themselves

1. (Self-) Discovery Service: Helping Students Help Themselves Rocco DeBonis Ed O’Donnell Cynthia Thomes 15th Distance Library Services Conference April 18, 2012

2. Presentation outline • About UMUC and the UMUC Library • Background of EDS selection • Customization of EDS • Incorporation of EDS into online library instruction sessions • Best practices for use of EDS • Effect of EDS (so far)

3. About UMUC • Founded 1947 • Part of USM system • 100+ online bachelors and masters programs and certificates • Global student population: 92,000+ • Majority online • Non-traditional students • Military students

4. About the UMUC Library • Mission • Educate students in use of library/info resources • Partner with Undergrad and Grad Schools • Develop and manage online resources • 120+ databases

5. About the UMUC Library • Points of contact: • Majority of students online • E-mail & chat 24/7 • Instant messaging • Phone • Walk-in

6. Background of EDS selection

7. User satisfaction survey comments A simple search box on the main page, like Google, that would automatically search all databases would prevent switching back and forth from one database to another. I'd like to be able to search all of the databases at one time, sort of like with Google? The search engine through the database should be made easier to use. I'd much rather prefer to not even access ILS and just use Google or Google Scholar… I never learned how to search across all databases for a particular topic. It seems like you have to choose the database first. Who cares about the database? I just want research to be easy like Google…

8. MetaLib (aka Research Port)

9. Research Port limitations • Simultaneous searching of ~8 databases • Very basic searches • 2 search boxes provided • Connectors: AND, OR, WITHOUT • Advanced search options unavailable • Publication date limiter • Scholarly/peer-reviewed journal limiter • Longer processing time

10. Pre-EDS UMUC Library home page

12. Current UMUC Library home page

13. OneSearch UMUC Library home page

14. Customization

15. Google

16. EDS @ UMUC: Our students UMUC students are largely adult learners with day jobs, military duties, and families.

17. What do our students want/need? • Full-text resources: • Full-text articles • eBooks • Easy, direct access by the student without help from the librarian

18. The library’s main portal

19. Comprehensive • 46 databases searched directly • 41 databases federated as additional resources • 36 databases cannot be included because of contractual or metadata issues

20. Silos of information and distance education

21. Northeastern University Library

22. Illinois State University Library

23. Mississippi State University

24. University of North Carolina @ Charlotte

25. University of North Carolina @ Greensboro

26. James Madison University

27. Indiana University Bloomington

28. Google

29. Library instruction background • Classes visited online for library instruction by request of instructor • Asynchronous • Wide variety of classes visited • Instruction modules include library exercise

30. Topic development and background reading

31. Searching tips and techniques

32. Required exercise • Help students think critically about their research topic • Create strong research question • Create effective search statement for use in databases • Find relevant resources

33. Original exercise

34. Analysis of exercises Reason for choosing resource • Familiarity • “Easy to use”

35. After implementing OneSearch • Searching multiple databases superior • More results = more choice • Misinterpreted UMUC OneSearch • Does NOT search all databases • Perceived ease of use

36. EDCP 100 • Teaches undergrads basic academic skills • Students must analyze only one article • Yet students still gravitate to OneSearch

37. Revised exercise

38. Down the path of self-discovery Students start to understand research process • Pros and cons of OneSearch • Pros and cons of subject-specific databases • Less is sometimes more

39. Student reflection “The results that I got from my first search [OneSearch] yielded more results but my second search provided me with articles that were more appropriate and pertinent to my topic.” “The results from the second search [in a single, subject-specific database] were much more relevant to my search statement and subject matter. I also received fewer results which made it easier to choose an article.”

40. Show… don’t tell • Revised exercise demonstrates search effectiveness • Shows importance of using appropriate resources

41. What we learned along the way… • Patron research level • Scope of assignment/research • Subject matter

42. Exhaustive literature search Graduate students in the Education and Technology Program had to perform an exhaustive literature search regarding technology used in the classroom.

43. Exhaustive literature search With OneSearch these students were able to cross-search ~90 databases across dozens of disciplines using one search engine.

44. Exhaustive literature search Exhaustive literature search

45. Exhaustive literature search Exhaustive literature search

46. Exhaustive literature search

47. Subject area

48. Subject area

49. Reference interview template • Patron research level • Scope of assignment/research • Subject matter

50. Reference interviews versus instruction visits Fielding questions via phone, chat, e-mail, and IM is time-sensitive.