Teaching Internet research skills New directions for the Intute: Virtual Training Suite Emma Place, Intute ILRT, University of Bristol LILAC Conference, April 2009 [email_address]

Emma Place, Intute

ILRT, University of Bristol

LILAC Conference, April 2009

What’s new with VTS? Why we decided to change Sneak preview of the changes Discussion

What’s new with VTS?

Why we decided to change

Sneak preview of the changes

Discussion

You are the first to know …. The Intute: Virtual Training Suite is launching 30 new Internet tutorials this July

The Intute: Virtual Training Suite

is launching

30 new Internet tutorials

this July

New tutorial titles … Arts and Humanities Archaeologist Historians Philosopher Religious Studies Modern Languages Photography Performing Arts Health & Life Sciences Agriculture Microbiology Health & Social Care Medicine Midwifery Biodiversity Nursing Veterinary Medicine

Arts and Humanities

Archaeologist

Historians

Philosopher

Religious Studies

Modern Languages

Photography

Performing Arts

Health & Life Sciences

Agriculture

Microbiology

Health & Social Care

Medicine

Midwifery

Biodiversity

Nursing

Veterinary Medicine

Science & Engineering Aeronautical Engineering Civil Engineering Chemical Engineering ICT Physics Chemistry Environment Social Sciences Business & Management Economics Education Lawyers Psychology Social Work Government & Politics Social Research Methods

Science & Engineering

Aeronautical Engineering

Civil Engineering

Chemical Engineering

ICT

Physics

Chemistry

Environment

Social Sciences

Business & Management

Economics

Education

Lawyers

Psychology

Social Work

Government & Politics

Social Research Methods

So what’s new? We update the service in light of: Internet developments User feedback

We update the service in light of:

Internet developments

User feedback

Internet developments Intute editors have been following: Web 2.0 developments blogs, podcasts, videos, social networks Academic Web trends Changes in online academic publishing, library services, eBooks, eJournals, eLearning objects, Google scholar etc.

Intute editors have been following:

Web 2.0 developments

blogs, podcasts, videos, social networks

Academic Web trends

Changes in online academic publishing, library services, eBooks, eJournals, eLearning objects, Google scholar etc.

User feedback 1. Internal review of the VTS Intute user-surveys External market research

1. Internal review of the VTS

Intute user-surveys

External market research

Research questions Is there a proven need/demand for VTS? How do users want to see VTS develop?

Is there a proven need/demand for VTS?

How do users want to see VTS develop?

Methods Analysis of User-Feedback Forms: qualitative and quantitative analysis of the c5,000 online feedback forms received from VTS users over the last 5 years Analysis of Web Statistics: focusing on statistics compiled during the year 1 st Jan – 31 st Dec 2007, but also making use of statistics from the previous 5 years. Locating Examples of Use of VTS in Higher Education: examining university and library websites that link to VTS and a sample of feedback data collected via email Online Survey of over 100 VTS Authors and Intute Staff: to gather internal views on the way forward for VTS Tutorial Technology Review: comparison of different technologies available for offering online training tutorials Literature Review: recent evidence in the academic literature about Internet research skills in higher education

Analysis of User-Feedback Forms: qualitative and quantitative analysis of the c5,000 online feedback forms received from VTS users over the last 5 years

Analysis of Web Statistics: focusing on statistics compiled during the year 1 st Jan – 31 st Dec 2007, but also making use of statistics from the previous 5 years.

Locating Examples of Use of VTS in Higher Education: examining university and library websites that link to VTS and a sample of feedback data collected via email

Online Survey of over 100 VTS Authors and Intute Staff: to gather internal views on the way forward for VTS

Tutorial Technology Review: comparison of different technologies available for offering online training tutorials

Literature Review: recent evidence in the academic literature about Internet research skills in higher education

Results There is a growing recognition of the need to teach Internet research skills to university students: 100% of VTS survey respondents agreed 66% of Intute user-survey respondents felt that a national training service like VTS was needed Literature review reveals that Internet research skills are now increasingly mainstream for undergraduate degrees (eg. explosion of text books in this subject)

There is a growing recognition of the need to teach Internet research skills to university students:

100% of VTS survey respondents agreed

66% of Intute user-survey respondents felt that a national training service like VTS was needed

Literature review reveals that Internet research skills are now increasingly mainstream for undergraduate degrees (eg. explosion of text books in this subject)

Is there a proven demand for VTS? Analysis of Web statistics reveal an upward trend in use of the service from 2 million page views in 2002 to 12 million for 2007 Market research revealed that VTS is one of the most highly used parts of the Intute service as a whole Peaks in use match university terms dates, suggesting the service is being used by the target audience (and 67% of our online feedback forms come from university students)

Analysis of Web statistics reveal an upward trend in use of the service from 2 million page views in 2002 to 12 million for 2007

Market research revealed that VTS is one of the most highly used parts of the Intute service as a whole

Peaks in use match university terms dates, suggesting the service is being used by the target audience (and 67% of our online feedback forms come from university students)

Is there evidence of VTS being used in HE courses? Online feedback forms from students state that they were guided to the tutorial by their lecturer/course materials Referrral data from the Web stats revelas 1/3 of users are coming to VTS from .ac.uk websites, and access via search engines in low Backlinks reveal many library websites now link to VTS tutorials, as do some course materials

Online feedback forms from students state that they were guided to the tutorial by their lecturer/course materials

Referrral data from the Web stats revelas 1/3 of users are coming to VTS from .ac.uk websites, and access via search engines in low

Backlinks reveal many library websites now link to VTS tutorials, as do some course materials

Which tutorials are most popular? Web stats enabled us to rank tutorials from most to least used. Market research suggests we should focus more on HE degree subjects – with limited resources focus on those subjects with the highest student populations

Web stats enabled us to rank tutorials from most to least used.

Market research suggests we should focus more on HE degree subjects – with limited resources focus on those subjects with the highest student populations

What do users like/dislike about VTS? Feedback forms from students suggested they: Like Collection of links Links basket Easy to use Clarity and simplicity quizzes Dislike Length of the tutorials Reading lots of text on screen Technical problems

Like

Collection of links

Links basket

Easy to use

Clarity and simplicity

quizzes

Dislike

Length of the tutorials

Reading lots of text on screen

Technical problems

Feedback forms from staff : Revealed some strong views that Web 2.0 actually increases the imperative for teaching students to Internet research skills. That significant changes to VTS would be unpopular, now that it was built into websites/courses 70% of respondents to the online survey thought VTS would be missed if it were gone

Revealed some strong views that Web 2.0 actually increases the imperative for teaching students to Internet research skills.

That significant changes to VTS would be unpopular, now that it was built into websites/courses

70% of respondents to the online survey thought VTS would be missed if it were gone

What works well, what would they change? Works well Use of experts from the community to update tutorials Tutorial approach / tone (“friendly expert”) Not just spoon-feeding links but teaching search and evaluation skills Would change More focus on academic Internet resources Help students understand the process of academic research More on the difference between academic publishing and Web 2.0 user-generated content More community engagement

Works well

Use of experts from the community to update tutorials

Tutorial approach / tone (“friendly expert”)

Not just spoon-feeding links but teaching search and evaluation skills

Would change

More focus on academic Internet resources

Help students understand the process of academic research

More on the difference between academic publishing and Web 2.0 user-generated content

More community engagement

Change in approach Target audience is now students in higher education (not staff) Subject coverage VTS will not grow in size but tutorial titles will be based on most popular university courses

Target audience is now students in higher education (not staff)

Subject coverage VTS will not grow in size but tutorial titles will be based on most popular university courses

Changes to content Written for HE students To help with coursework & assignments Focus on academic sources online Includes Web 2.0 but in academic context Much more about libraries!

Written for HE students

To help with coursework & assignments

Focus on academic sources online

Includes Web 2.0 but in academic context

Much more about libraries!

Changes in design Brand new web design Easier to read online Shorter More graphics No technical hitches!

Brand new web design

Easier to read online

Shorter

More graphics

No technical hitches!

Questions Would you use a VTS online community area? Would you like VTS to offer a place to share methods for teaching Internet research skills in HE? Would you be willing to share how you teach these skills / use VTS?

Would you use a VTS online community area?

Would you like VTS to offer a place to share methods for teaching Internet research skills in HE?

Would you be willing to share how you teach these skills / use VTS?