2. User Education -Beijing
Two new undergraduate programmes were
launched in September 2004 as a result of
the partnership between Beijing Agricultural
College (BAC) and Harper Adams University,
England.
3. 2012 and 2013 Harper Adams librarians visited Beijing Agricultural
College to run user education tutorials to 1st and 2nd year students
5. Issues
Language
70% comprehension
Non-existent Mandarin
Accent
Difficulty for students to evaluate information
Culture
Surnames – Western surname is always shown last - why is it first in a
reference?
6. Other Issues
Learning Culture
Rote-learning rather than self-directed
Students in China encouraged to use a large number of quotations
What is common knowledge?
Don’t ask librarians for help as they don’t mark their work!
Beijing library ran poorly attended drop-in sessions – no compulsory user
education
Campus barriers – internet provision, licences for electronic resources,
software - IE6 and Google HK
8. Strategies
Speak clearly and avoid colloquialisms
Use repetition
Use simpler language and avoid jargon
Be approachable
Allow thinking time
Encourage engagement – library games, group work
Train Chinese librarian (who is fluent in English) to run inductions!