jo angela oehrli peter timmons learning librarian university library associate university of...
TRANSCRIPT
Instructor CollegeVirtual Swap Meet:
The Instructor College Café as a Model for Developing an Online Instruction Community
Jo Angela Oehrli Peter TimmonsLearning Librarian University Library AssociateUniversity of Michigan University of Michigan
May 4, 2012
Presentation Overview
Instructor College at University of Michigan
Identifying a need Designing and building the Instructor
College Café The Café What we learned The Future of the Café
How did we get here?
‘X-wing plans’http://www.flickr.com/photos/55723329@N00/6657150957
‘Untitled’http://www.flickr.com/photos/35230654@N07/6004448378
Instructor College
Launched in 2001 Goal: Strengthen the instructional
skills of our instruction staff 2003 ACRL Innovation Award Instructor College Activities
Instructor College & Its Repository
Instructor College Resource Center (ICRC)
Internships Virtual Spaces
Learning to teach… It’s hard!
‘Slow my mind’http://www.flickr.com/photos/76089221@N00/1491218163
• What do I try out?
• What’s worth trying out?
• How do I put it into practice?
• Who do I ask?
• Where do I even start?
But you get better.
‘A history lesson for the mini Clones and Stormtroopers’http://www.flickr.com/photos/45940879@N04/5592994934
‘How does source affect company culture’http://www.flickr.com/photos/47691521@N07/5497223174
‘Look at the dreams of my generation, son’http://www.flickr.com/photos/8383928@N06/3836703417
The lesson here…
Good stuff is hard to find… …and often harder to make work.
The lesson here…
It’s best to learn how to teach as part of a
instructing community.
A broader need
Institutional curating of instructional material
Communal support and development
A simple solution
Recreate the ICRC virtually
‘Magazines’http://www.flickr.com/photos/7912605@N08/472964990
‘Graphic conversations’http://www.flickr.com/photos/88133570@N00/2945254545
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Goals
Centralize the storing and sharing of instructional material at U-M Library
Build a virtual community space of Instructor College
Leverage the capabilities of Web 2.0 tools
Allow for global interaction
Not reinventing the wheel
Comparative analyses
Challenges
Existing library technology tools› Staff intranet› Course management systems› Shared staff file space› Internal staff wikis› Email› 3-ring desk binders
Exploring User Preferences
User personas & scenarios
Exploring Technology Options
Prioritize desired core functions
MUST HAVE CAN LIVE WITHOUT
Uploading media Rating system
Conversation space ‘Best choice’ system
Simple back-end
Drupal vs. BuddyPress
Content management system
Open source Multifunctional web
development Learning curve:
Steep
Content management system
Open source ‘Social networking
in a box’ Learning curve:
Shallow
Our choice… Drupal!
Capable› Provided all desired functions› Customizable
Sustainable› Integrated with existing IT framework
Drupal: It can be deadly
Build, test, build, test, repeat.
Locate appropriatemodules
Utilize Drupal onlineCommunity
Instructor College Café (Beta!)
The Forum
The Forum Primary functions
› Post a topic or question› Get responses from community members› Identify ‘best response’
The WYSIWYG Uploader
The WYSIWYG Uploader
Primary functions› Add title and descriptions in text› Hyperlink to external content› Attach media files› Apply tags
The Repository
The Repository
Primary functions› Allow for browsing of uploaded resources› View full upload› View attached files› Rate & comment› In development: structured browse› In development: search
Instructor College Café – A Model
Platform Collaborative Development Title of Project Flexible Project Management
The Future of the Cafe
Transfer Other Archived Content Documentation Codified Training Continue Development More Beta Testing
Questions?
Thank you!
If you would have further questions or comments, please contact Peter and Angie at