1. Integrating iPads into academic library information literacy
Heather Lincoln, Imperial College London, h.lincoln@imperial.ac.uk
Paula Evans, Imperial College London, paula.evans@imperial.ac.uk
The aim of this paper is to share practice-based innovations in how information
literacy (IL) teaching and support has been developed to meet changes in the
technology used by Business students at Imperial College London. For the
academic year 2012-13 students on Business Master’s programmes were given
iPads as a tool to facilitate paperless course delivery, utilising the devices to read,
search, communicate and maintain currency with information both in and out of the
classroom.
Library IL induction teaching sessions were remodelled to make students more
information literate in accessing and using library resources using iPads. The content
and mode of delivery of sessions were enhanced by developing the experiential
learning possibilities and ensuring that content included up to date information on
academic online resources and apps.
The most significant change for the induction training was that all students had a
mobile device in the session, providing an excellent opportunity to make the session
active, practical and engaging. The induction integrated hands-on experiential
learning, incorporating a number of active learning tasks including searching and
opening an e-book on an iPad and adding the Business subject Library web pages
as a link on their iPad home screen. Recent research (Fusco, 2010) indicates that
mobile searchers like to use apps, bookmarked pages or direct URLS to find
information, and our aim was to promote library resource use and engagement in this
way. It was observed that students expected library/institutional resource access to
function in a similar fashion to individual subscriptions.
To address the large group experiential learning now delivered, roving assistance
and student observation was conducted. Post training 1-1 appointments were offered
to give students further individual help and support if required, and few of these were
requested, hopefully indicating student familiarity with iPads and ease of use of
Library resources.
References
Fusco, P. J. (2010) Going Mobile with SE. [Online] Multichannel Merchant, Available
from: http://multichannelmerchant.com/ecommerce/seo-going-mobile-0901/
[Accessed 31st October 2012].