HOW DO E-RESOURCES CONTRIBUTE TO TEACHING AND LEARNING?FINDINGS FROM THE LIB-VALUE PROJECT

Rachel A. Fleming-May, Assistant ProfessorSchool of Information Sciences, The University of Tennessee :: rf-m@utk.edu

Peter Fritzler, Sciences Librarian/LecturerWilliam Randall Library, University of North Carolina at Wilmington :: fritzlerp@uncw.edu

Rachel Radom, Instruction Librarian/Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Tennessee :: rradom@utk.edu

 

Multiple institutions using multiple methods to measure multiple values for multiple stakeholders

LIB-VALUE:

Ebooks Special Collections

Information Commons

Journal Collections All Services

Teaching and

Learning

Reading and Scholarship

Building Tools

Website and Value

Bibliography

Measuring value

Return on investment in a strict sense……is a quantitative measure expressed as a ratio of the value returned to the

institution for each monetary unit invested in the library.

Return on investment is also…

…values of all types that come to stakeholders and the

institution from the library’s collections, services, and

contribution to its communities.

•Value of academic library e-resources & services in support of teaching and learning

How?

• Instructor Survey: UTK and UNCW• Three-session Instruction Workshop Series: UTK

What?

Survey @UTK and UNCW:• All constituents with instructional responsibilities:

Tenured/tenure-track faculty“Clinical” facultyPart-time facultyGTA’sAdministrators (e.g., Dean of Students’ Office)

•Materials used for teaching support, whether or not provided by LibraryReadings, etc., for students, print, electronic, other formats

Reading to support own pedagogical development

• Support provided by libraries

Perceived Benefits, Both Schools:

•Savings…of own timeof own moneyof other resources• Improvements…

teachingcourse-related materials

student performance

Changes over 3-5 Years: Finding Materials•Less likely to use print•Less likely to consult with the librarian

UNCW slightly more likely than UTK

Electronic Media•Neither likely to use the library for creation, access, or distributionUNCW more likely for videoUTK more likely for audio

...meet with librar-

ian

...use email

reference

N/A

40%

28% 29%

40.50%

30.40%20.20%

UTK UNC-W

Services: I have asked my students to…

46%

32%

11%

29%

63%

42%

28%

20%

UTK UNC-W

Services: I have asked a librarian to…

67%

53.4%

36.3%

17.00%

79.2%

67.3%

41.7%

8.9%

UTK UNC-W

Collections: I have used…to support my teaching

Referred to library collections in syllabiConsulted electronic sources…

46%

34.7%50.00%

17.00%

59.5% 47.6% 66.10%

8.9%

UTK UNC-W

Collections: I have…

Readings more up-to-dateCan expose students to better resources

70.4%71.9%

70.8%71.4%

UTK UNC-WImproved teaching?…

Improved Student Performance?

Citing more ap-propriate sources

Citations more complete/ correct

Info from wider variety of sources

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

UNCW UTK

UTK•“My students have problems figuring out what and how to cite articles and sources -- especially online sources.”•“We need clear help with proper citations, especially for images. I am confused about faculty access to image data bases too.”•“Just never thought about [using the library services to support teaching] - especially with distance education students.”

UTK• “The primary way I [save money] is by using electronic sources rather than making paper copies…I know in terms of my own work it is at least 50 dollars a year in savings, and I would guess is greater than that if you include all the readings that I now provide electronically rather than in paper format. That savings doesn't include the many, many hours of my time it saves not making copies of supplemental readings that I use fairly regularly in all my classes.”

• “Access to electronic journals invaluable in working with and teaching of graduate students.”

UNCW•“Students remain wedded to Wikipedia, no matter what I do. This is the heart of our struggle.”•“Since I don't have any money to spend on books, journals or photocopying, the library doesn't ‘save’ me money. I simply would forgo access to those books and journals and other resources.”

UNCW• “Electronic copies of articles reduce clutter and paper usage in the department. I am embarrassed that I don't utilize the library more. It's going to be on my list of self-improvements for the coming semesters. I did not realize the extent of services available through the library.”• “Saving on text book purchases where much of the material is not relevant. This allows me to tailor the course material and focus the topics more clearly.”• “…feel more confident and see improvements in student performance when I use the library as a resource and refer students to the educators that work there.”

Differences?University of Tennessee-Knoxville

•29,934 FTE Enrollment•RU/VH: Research Universities (very high research activity)•Eleven Colleges

University of North Carolina-

Wilmington

•12,924 FTE•Master's L: Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)•Five Colleges

Instruction: What?

•Experimental/Longitudinal Study:Three-session workshop seriesPre- and post-session assessmentsSkillsAwareness Emotional changes

Who?

•Piloted Spring 2012 with EN 104 Students (12)•UTK-PSCC “Bridge” Program, Summer 2012 (60+, 43 usable) Incoming first-year students

•NIH-funded PEER Ph.D. program for students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields, Fall 2012 (13)

Bridge (before):

•Negative ExperiencesSmall library/ inadequate content

Unhelpful staff

•Most:Had visited UTK’s or another college/university library prior to enrolling

Are “almost always” successful in Google searches

Often need materials from sources other than Google

Sometimes have difficulty finding good information

Often find that researching a topic takes more time than expected

Sometimes or seldom ask a librarian for assistance (59.7% vs. 29.8%-- ‘often’ or ‘almost always’)

Bridge: What was the best part of participating in these workshops?

• CITATION• “I was able to learn how to use the libraries online website and database, which will be very helpful for me when researching for my papers.”• “This course has really helped me get more used to the library. I'm definitely more confident.”• “Learning how to work my way around the library. The citations activity was actually engaging and fun.”• “I learned more about citing and feel more comfortable about writing my papers.”• “learning how to use the databases correctly.”

"After participating in these three library research workshops, I..."

...feel more comfortable in Hodges Library.

...have a better understanding of how and why to cite sources.

...am better at finding information for class using sources other than Google.

...feel like I will have less difficulty finding information.

...feel like I will be able to collect research materials for assignments in less time.

...am more likely to ask a librarian to help me with my research.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Column2 --3

Follow-up:After completing the Library Sessions (through my COUN 212

class) . . .

  Strongly Disagree Disagree

Neither Agree nor Disagree

Agree Strongly Agree

 I feel comfortable using the UTK Libraries’ webpage and/or databases for class assignments.

1  -- 6 25 20

I feel comfortable visiting the UTK Library. 1 --  3 25 23

I used UTK Library resources for my COUN 212 paper(s) and/or my CMST 210/240 speech(es).

3 1 6 21 21

 

PEER

PEER:•Negative Experience:

Noisy/not conducive to study

Policies and Procedures

“The database that I was required to use didn't yield the results that I wanted, and it took me a really long time to find what I was looking for.”

•Most:Almost always begin a project by reviewing literature (62%)

Are “almost always/often” successful searching Google for information (85%)

Seldom or almost never have trouble finding good information (85%)

You are writing a literature review for a class assignment. Please describe the approach you would take to locating appropriate research:• I would search major databases for my topic, and then try to include relevant papers in my literature review.•Use a search engine on the library website such as web of science. •Database search. I would locate reviews first then begin with other papers. •Use the library's database using appropriate search names •Use databases such as pubmed.

• I would go to the library website and search for articles with similar topics. After narrowing down the list, then I would read the articles and summarize them. I will include my summaries with references to the original articles in my literature review section.• Go to the library an do first a general search on my topic, then go on a more detailed search.• databases • take notes, change their words into my own, putting my spin on it • I would use Web of Science and search for articles that contained key words for my research. I would help narrow it down using AND/NOT..etc....• I would go to one of the databases, and look for relevant material, and then I can save the citations to a source management library

PEER: What was the best thing…?

•PLAGIARISM• “…most helpful workshops that I have attended since I have entered UTK.”• “The information was presented by knowledgeable staff.”• “The plagiarism workshop I think it was the best, or at least the one that I learn more. It was really helpful.”• “They were interactive and our questions were answered.”

Next Steps: Instruction @UTK

•PEERIdentifying reputable journals in which to publish (OA, too)

EndNote and Zotero workshops•Undergraduates

Help in identifying plagiarismCitation management in instruction

Next Steps @UNCW•Further analysis by department•Which departments did not respond•Liaison Librarian help (with above)•Focus groups•Closing the loop – what changes need to be made (e.g., marketing)?

Next Steps: Contribution of Library to Teaching and Learning:

•Focus groups, GTA’s and Contingent Faculty•Expand survey to additional institutions•Expand three-session workshops•Continued assessment of instruction participants’ skills and experience

QUESTIONS?THANK YOU!