Session B "Creating a Distant Roar: Virtual Hands-On, Information Literacy Workshops for Remote Campus Students

through a Library- Academic Support Collaboration

Dana H. Langley (librarian) & Linda Hamell (Academic Services) (Empire State College)

Dana.Longley@esc.edu

Linda.Hamell@esc.edu

www.slideshare.net/danahlongley

Link to Handout: http://tinyurl.com/5nct3c

Demo of Wimba Virtual Classroom: http://tinyurl.com/5unpp8

Collaboration between the library and the academic support department resulted in "live" information literacy workshops offered simultaneously across NY State. Students at remote sites had people there to help them with navigation and searching. Interest was quite high and response and attendance rates showed a strong interest in learning more about doing research effectively.

Introduction:

Empire State College offers all types of instruction: Online, blended, face-to-face

Offer more than 100 research databases.

ETS study found 87% of our students are information illiterate. (27 Oct. 2006)

Did a study using Historical Studies class --- examined papers to see if the papers met or exceeded research skills and discovered that students didn't know about or hadn't used library databases to access appropriate information.

Which would a student choose? Confusing library web page versus Google interface.

Collaboration:

Most students didn’t even know there was a library, let alone how to use it.

Were on Wimba, moving to Illuminate

Many students are underprepared in technology too

Workshops limited to two or three topics

Preparations:

Dry run so there were no technological glitches.

Hands-on exercises

Interactive exercises had to happen more frequently

Multi-Location Broadcast

Learning Objectives

Info Lit Competencies: SUNY Gen Ed and ACRL

Research @the library

1. Intro to research

2. Search Skills

3. Documenting sources

Question / Evaluate Everything

Doing workshops over the summer too.

Way to market: SAVE TIME and EFFORT

Academic Support – realized that librarians were seldom reached out to by students, so THEY decided to INCLUDE them.

Outcomes

Almost 100% agreed that they could use what they learned today

Should be given when you start Empire State College