QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY BELFAST
Centre for Educational Development
Final TQEF-funded Report
NAME: John Knowles
SCHOOL/FACULTY/DIRECORATE: Information Services
EMAIL ADDRESS:
TEL: 9097 6232
TITLE OF PROJECT: Enhancing Student Information Skills at Queen’s
1. How closely does your final project relate to the objectives and the agreed operational plan and how these have been achieved/delivered
Almost all project objectives have now been met. Some will be met under a revised implementation schedule (appendix 1). Other objectives have been revised to some degree.
Online learning objects have been developed for the selected schools as online tutorials as noted in appendix 1 using Adobe Captivate software. Library staff have become familiar with the software and have been able to create online tutorials following the initial investigation and training provided by the project officer appointed. As a result library members of the project team are confident that Library Services and Research Support staff can continue to develop online tutorials now that the funding period for the project has ended.
The resource development phase of the project anticipated the creation of at least 2 learning objects of each school. This was met (and exceeded for law). The target numbers were small as the aim was to work out an effective method by which tutorials could be created and revised by Library subject librarians. This was achieved by subject librarians working with the project officer. The method adopted in noted in section 8 below.
Most of the initial development objectives were carried out by the project officer appointed. She reviewed existing online tutorials and available software, and trialled the Captivate software adopted. The review of existing materials re-enforced our initial view that tutorials would be of greatest value to Queen’s students if they related directly to the information needs of students enrolled on specific degree pathways. As a result the resource development phase concentrated on the skills required by level 1 students in interpreting reading list content and finding relevant material. Approaches used in other universities were of some value, but content needed to be specific and written for Queen’s.
It became clear following the initial development phase that the project officer could contribute most by concentrating on the training (and encouragement) of subject librarians, enabling them to create their own materials using the software adopted. This approach to resource development proved to be particularly beneficial as the project officer took up a post in another university and was not available for the entire period anticipated.
Work still needs to be undertaken to integrate online tutorials into the Queen’s learning environment. A decision was made to link from PDP pages to tutorials held outside Queen’s Online – particularly as significant changes to Queen’s Online are planned. However additional steps need to be taken to launch the tutorials (see 5 below). Changes to the PDP pages during 2008/09 (following revisions for QSIS) also meant that self-assessment using review questions within the PDP pages could not go ahead as anticipated. These problems can be resolved for implementation ahead of Semester 1 2009.
2. Have you proceeded according to the original timetable?
The project timetable was significantly revised to accommodate the recruitment of a project officer. Further revisions to the original timetable followed her resignation (Information Services had planned to cover the retention of the project officer beyond the period funded by the project).
The project officer was employed part-time from 10th November 2009 until 28th February 2009. She undertook some of the initial development work planned for August 2009 and much of the development work planned for September – October 2008.
Subject librarians completed the development work anticipated September-October 2008 between March and June 2009.
The resignation of the project officer and problems encountered relating to the integration of tutorials into Queen’s Online now mean that implementation work will take place August – September 2009.
4. How has your project enhanced the students’ learning experience (any unforeseen benefits)?
The online tutorials so far developed have aimed specifically at enhancing the learning experience of new level 1 students. Students using the tutorials should be able to understand the content of their reading lists better; they should be able to better interpret citations; and should be better equipped to find e.g. journal articles online.
As a result, project tutorials need to be evaluated following their use in Semester 1 2009.
5. In what ways has your project benefited/impacted on staff learning?
The project has had a significant impact on staff learning. The Library members of the project team have gained experience in defining their learning objectives clearly in advance of producing online learning materials. In using the Captivate software they have learnt how to integrate text, graphics and sound to produce explanatory tutorials. They have also learnt how to integrate explanatory materials with demonstrations of database sessions.
5. What problems, if any, did you encounter?
A number of problems were encountered relating to the integration of online tutorials into the PDP pages of Queen’s online. It had been intended to use self-assessment elements within the PDP pages to encourage students to assess their own information literacy skills. The assessment outcome would then lead students who would benefit from additional support to the skills tutorials. The self-assessment element will instead be provided by the quiz element in the Captivate software. These will be added for Semester 1.
The tutorials themselves are published from the Captivate software as flash objects. These require a javascript element to be launched from the server hosting the tutorials. As Queen’s Online is due to move to Sharepoint summer 2009 it was felt advisable to host the tutorials independently of Queen’s Online itself on Library web pages supported by the Queen’s Content Management system. However launching the javascript from the Content Management System has provided to be problematic. CMS support staff have provided a possible solution and tutorials are being launched from a test page within the Library web pages. The page will be developed once testing has been completed.
6. What lessons were learned that might be useful to other staff embarking on a similar project?)
Perhaps the most useful lesson to be learned was that the balance of work in creating online tutorials is weighted very much towards the planning and scripting of tutorials. The Captivate software proved to be relatively intuitive to use and required less training time than anticipated. Capturing live database sessions for playback and editing proved to be particularly straightforward.
The project officer was essential to the investigation and training phases of the project, and was particularly helpful in devising a clear approach to the creation of tutorials. However, once the initial tutorials had been created, it become clear that the greater part of the work required the direct involvement of subject librarians (or other tutors) who had a clear sense of the learning objectives to be achieved, and who already possessed knowledge e.g. of citation methods and effective approaches to database searching. This was not work that could be easily delegated in the longer term to a project officer. The creation of annotated text and captioned database video – elements which could be delegated to a project officer – was relatively straightforward and followed quite naturally from the initial scripting of tutorials.
As a result it was concluded that the creation of online tutorials requires the training of tutors in the use of relatively easy to use software. It does not require the involvement of a computing or media specialist. However this does not mean that the tutorials can be created quickly. Even the creation of a very brief tutorial where the learning objectives are clear and the materials to be used are well understood may take 1 to 2 days.
7. How was the project evaluated?
As the project has created tutorials for the use of new level one students it was felt that full evaluation of the project should take place in October – November 2009. The usefulness of the tutorials could be evaluated as part of the standard review of training carried out by subject librarians. This has included brief questionnaires using online forms and emails to module groups. Requests for comment could also be linked directly to the published tutorials.
8. Please identify and comment on the outcomes of your project
The key outcome of the project has been the identification and use of an effective method by which online tutorials could be created and revised by Library subject librarians.
For each tutorial (e.g. ‘how to understand a case reference’ for law) an initial script is written based on training approaches and materials already in use.
Powerpoint slides are created for the script using a template background devised for the tutorials. These slides can then be imported directly into Captivate, providing a standard background for the text elements of the tutorials. This text outline is then animated by adding e.g. highlighting, images, and screenshots. Database and other web page demonstrations are then integrated into the powerpoint based script. Buttons to stop, start and skip to sections can be used and live web links added for students to follow through with there own searches.
The approach is flexible and straightforward enough to enable the creation of a range of tutorials with a similar look and feel.
9. What dissemination has taken place, or is planned, and how might the wider applicability of your project be ‘rolled out’ across the University?
The initial tutorials will be disseminated to level 1 students in the relevant schools through the library/IT induction process in October (subject librarians have timetabled sessions with all level 1 students in the relevant schools). The tutorials will also be linked in to PDPs as initially envisaged and personal tutors in the schools and other staff involved in PDP induction informed.
10. Please attach any examples of the materials you have used or produced, if appropriate, or direct to appropriate website
Sample tutorials should be available from the test page at:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/lib/OnlineResources/InformationSkillsTestPage
If problems are encountered with the current test page, a CD can be created for anyone wishing to view the tutorials. Please email John Knowles (). Files can also be emailed as attachments, but a special arrangement is needed as the files are large and the javascript required must be sent as a zipped file.
11. How will the project progress after the funding period?
The initial aims for the project are noted in appendix 1. Following evaluation of the tutorials created for Semester 2, the subject librarian members of the project team will aim to involve other subject librarians in the creation of similar tutorials for other schools. Some of this will involve a relatively straightforward re-packaging of tutorials using examples and database searches relevant to the appropriate school.
The project team then needs to review the use of the tutorials for students involved in more complex research tasks at level 3 and postgraduate level.
12. Please provide a breakdown of costs involved in your project and identify if there was any variation from the original budget granted and the reasons why
Please indicate the total funding used to complete project:£
1. Staff – e.g. costs of teaching assistance*, consultancy, technical/clerical support / £4,884
2. Travel and subsistence / -
3. Courseware/learning materials ** / £519.97
4. Evaluation/dissemination costs / -
5. Other costs / -
6. Total funding / £5,403.97
* Please clarify rate and number of hours. A Project Officer was in post for 16 weeks, working 18.5 hours a week at an hourly rate of £16.50.
The rate is based on the payroll cost of a Grade 6 Research Assistant (£2,667 per month).
** Courseware/learning materials costs: 2 licences for Adobe Acrobat (4 instances) at £228.85 each. One Sony microphone £62.27
13. Part of the dissemination of your project is the production of a case study (a template will be provided) – please give details:
A case study document is attached.
14. Can CED use appropriate material from your final report/case study on the web for dissemination purposes?
Yes
SIGNED: DATE:
(Principal applicant)
Please complete the template and return according to the deadline in your Operational Plan to Alison Skillen, Centre for Educational Development at