Advanced Google Instruction as a Tool for Promoting Evidence-Based Practice By Jeff Mason, Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region Shauna-Lee Konrad, London Health Sciences Centre

RQHR’s Google Initiative: Advanced Google for Dummies Motivation Low interest for traditional library classes Desire to try something new and different for the summer as part of co-op student’s placement Rationale Health care practitioners’ use of Google is inevitable Proper training is necessary to achieve evidence-based results

Motivation

Low interest for traditional library classes

Desire to try something new and different for the summer as part of co-op student’s placement

Rationale

Health care practitioners’ use of Google is inevitable

Proper training is necessary to achieve evidence-based results

Literature Review Many advocate the use of Google as a tool for information literacy Few actual experiences are published Three case studies - Google as a tool for information literacy

Many advocate the use of Google as a tool for information literacy

Few actual experiences are published

Three case studies - Google as a tool for information literacy

Case Study: Virginia Commonwealth University 1.5 credit hours honours module for undergraduate students Content Google as a tool for information literacy Overview of Google & search techniques Conclusions Positive experience Promote library’s education & outreach services Foster on-going dialogue about information retrieval, organization and evaluation

1.5 credit hours honours module for undergraduate students

Content

Google as a tool for information literacy

Overview of Google & search techniques

Conclusions

Positive experience

Promote library’s education & outreach services

Foster on-going dialogue about information retrieval, organization and evaluation

Case Study - The Google Game Grade 9 English class Developed game to teach students to refine web searches Pre-teaching session followed by Google game Game Assigned search question Winner correctly answers question with least results Conclusions Student recognition of decreased search time Student opinion about searching improved Increased credibility for librarians

Grade 9 English class

Developed game to teach students to refine web searches

Pre-teaching session followed by Google game

Game

Assigned search question

Winner correctly answers question with least results

Conclusions

Student recognition of decreased search time

Student opinion about searching improved

Increased credibility for librarians

Case Study - Become a Google Power User Various Grade 10 English classes To teach students to be better Internet Searchers by using 15 power searches in Google Method Pretest > Instruction > Practice Assignments > Post test Conclusions Significant improvements in students’ searching habits Increased students’ confidence and interest in searching Students’ increased knowledge of relevancy, credibility, web terminology

Various Grade 10 English classes

To teach students to be better Internet Searchers by using 15 power searches in Google

Method

Pretest > Instruction > Practice Assignments > Post test

Conclusions

Significant improvements in students’ searching habits

Increased students’ confidence and interest in searching

Students’ increased knowledge of relevancy, credibility, web terminology

RQHR Course Development General Google Information How Google works Scope of Google Google for health information Google Special Features Calculator, Translator, I’m Feeling Lucky, Related Pages, Google Images, Google Scholar Google Search Techniques Overall Goal Teach Google features that will be useful for finding information to promote evidence-based practice

General Google Information

How Google works

Scope of Google

Google for health information

Google Special Features

Calculator, Translator, I’m Feeling Lucky, Related Pages, Google Images, Google Scholar

Google Search Techniques

Overall Goal

Teach Google features that will be useful for finding information to promote evidence-based practice

Google Search Techniques Using Google to find credible information 3. Appraise the evidence critically Strengths & Limitations of Google Searching Techniques Refining Search Results 2. Efficiently search the relevant literature to find the best evidence with which to answer the question Identification of search terms Order of search terms 1. Convert the information need into an answerable clinical question

Using Google to find credible information

Strengths & Limitations of Google

Searching Techniques

Refining Search Results

Identification of search terms

Order of search terms

RQHR Teaching Process Weekly Drop-in Sessions in July & August Computer Lab (8 seats) Live demonstration Explanations with health examples Practice time Handout

Weekly Drop-in Sessions in July & August

Computer Lab (8 seats)

Live demonstration

Explanations with health examples

Practice time

Handout

Marketing Process Promotional Posters Health Region Weekly Newsletter Health Region Intranet Page Library Intranet Page Health Region-wide email

Promotional Posters

Health Region Weekly Newsletter

Health Region Intranet Page

Library Intranet Page

Health Region-wide email

Initial Response First class: Minimal attendance Subsequent classes well attended Introduced survey after 2nd class Very positive to all sessions Increased interest in library Promotes discussion about credibility of web information Departmental requests for class

First class: Minimal attendance

Subsequent classes well attended

Introduced survey after 2nd class

Very positive to all sessions

Increased interest in library

Promotes discussion about credibility of web information

Departmental requests for class

Survey Design Consulted with health region research office Developed 10 question survey Purpose of Survey To learn why staff use Google To evaluate success of course

Consulted with health region research office

Developed 10 question survey

Purpose of Survey

To learn why staff use Google

To evaluate success of course

Results - 1 Who attended? 188 usable responses 5 groups Health care providers Health administrators Allied health care providers Educators/researchers (includes students) Other

Who attended?

188 usable responses

5 groups

Health care providers

Health administrators

Allied health care providers

Educators/researchers (includes students)

Other

Only 1 physician attended surveyed classes Allied HCP – primarily pharmacists and dieticians Results – 2

Only 1 physician attended surveyed classes

Allied HCP – primarily pharmacists and dieticians

Results - 3 Current use of Google >50% ALWAYS use Google as their search engine.

Current use of Google

>50% ALWAYS use Google as their search engine.

Results - 4 Use of Google for work information

Use of Google for work information

Results - 5 What Users Like About Google 28% - User friendly 24% - Fast 17% - Scope

What Users Like About Google

28% - User friendly

24% - Fast

17% - Scope

Results - 6 What Users Do Not Like About Google Opposite of Scope 15% - Irrelevant results Opposite of User -friendly 21 % - Do not know how to use Google effectively Opposite of Scope 38 % - Too many results Observation Survey Result

What Users Do Not Like About Google

Opposite of Scope

Opposite of User -friendly

Opposite of Scope

Results - 7 Where else do users find information? 1 – Google 2 – Subscription databases 3 – Free databases 4 – Other search engines 5 – Library staff

Where else do users find information?

1 – Google

2 – Subscription databases

3 – Free databases

4 – Other search engines

5 – Library staff

Results - 8 Why users attended session 42% - learn to search better/save time 30% - just want to learn Was the session useful? 57% - extremely useful 8% - not useful

Why users attended session

42% - learn to search better/save time

30% - just want to learn

Was the session useful?

57% - extremely useful

8% - not useful

Results - 9 What users liked about the session 22% - tips and tricks 9% each – practical/hands on Do users want to learn more? 58% - yes!

What users liked about the session

22% - tips and tricks

9% each – practical/hands on

Do users want to learn more?

58% - yes!

Discussion - 1 Survey supports original ideas: Google is being used heavily Is being used for health care decisions Staff do not use it effectively There is a need to provide this type of education

Survey supports original ideas:

Google is being used heavily

Is being used for health care decisions

Staff do not use it effectively

There is a need to provide this type of education

Conclusion - 1 Providing staff with a session they want/need: Allows library to promote EBP by explaining strengths and weaknesses of Google/Internet sources. Raises library profile, reaches non-traditional users Increases credibility of librarians

Providing staff with a session they want/need:

Allows library to promote EBP by explaining strengths and weaknesses of Google/Internet sources.

Raises library profile, reaches non-traditional users

Increases credibility of librarians

Conclusion - 2 Future Directions Sessions that compare Google results to proprietary database results. Sessions that use health care literature search examples in Google.

Future Directions

Sessions that compare Google results to proprietary database results.

Sessions that use health care literature search examples in Google.

Thank You Mary Chipanshi and Susan Powelson, RQHR Health Sciences Library Ali Bell and Nicole Aitken, RQHR Research and Performance Support

Mary Chipanshi and Susan Powelson, RQHR Health Sciences Library

Ali Bell and Nicole Aitken, RQHR Research and Performance Support

Contact Information For more information please contact: Jeff Mason, Client Services Librarian, RQHR – [email_address] Shauna-Lee Konrad, Reference Librarian, LHSC - [email_address]

For more information please contact:

Jeff Mason, Client Services Librarian, RQHR – [email_address]

Shauna-Lee Konrad, Reference Librarian, LHSC - [email_address]