Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo1 Best practice in information skills training – experiences of web-based courses at Åbo Akademi University Eva Costiander-Huldén, Librarian, ÅAU Library Tove Forslund, Head of ÅA Learning Centre Creating Knowledge V, , Åbo, Finland

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo2  Åbo Akademi University, founded 1918  7 faculties, students, first-year- students  ÅAU Library: >2,5 printed books, >2.000 journals, access to more than e- journals and e-books  Accessible through the NELLI portal (MetaLib) 

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo3 From lecture based to web based...  Before 2007: only lecture-based information skills courses and database demonstrations + short quiz (2-6 hrs)  No time for meaningful assignments or reflection  Need for more feedback and better learning to develop the information literacy

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo4  Co-operation with the Learning Centre  A web-based, interactive course put into a meaningful context  Learning environment Moodle   Information retrieval, 1 cp  Runs parallel to ”traditional” (face-to-face) teaching  students, students Academic Study Skills, 3 cp

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo5 ASF 3  Student’s work contribution 25 hrs during 3 weeks = 1 cp  Distance students, adult students using home computers, access to licensed material through NELLI  More demanding and time-consuming than lecture-based courses  Based on written assignments, reflections and a quiz  Individual and group feed-back

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo6 Course overview

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo7 Assignments ASF3, examples 1.Reflect on your own information seeking behaviour according to Jannica Heinströms article Fast, broad or deep (Informaatiotutkimus 22(2) – 2003): ”I find it quite easy to search in tha Alma database, but NELLI is complicated” ”I’m a typical fast surfer, I think I can find everything on Internet, the library sources are too complicated” ”I’m a mixture of deep diver and broad scanner, it depends on the subject”

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo8 2.To create a search argument, search in databases, evaluate the results and reflect on the results in the course forum ”I’m going to write about medieval art and I started with Alma...searched with middle ages AND art...54 hits, went on searching in Nationalencyklopedin... and in Grove Art I found in NELLI... I think my search arguments were to broad, hits, I had to be more precise...there is so much information available... but if you know what you are looking for, you will find it, for sure...”

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo9 3. Quiz ”From broad to narrow search” - central concepts and different types of resources

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo10 Comparison of ”traditional” (face-to- face) & and web-based teaching and learning

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo11 (School grades 4-10, where 4 is failed and 10 the best.) Evaluation of the information retrieval module in four study orientation courses at Åbo Akademi. The module consisted of 2-4 h of lectures + a short quiz Face-to-face teaching

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo12 Web-based teaching: Academic Study Skills/Information Retrieval 1 cp  2007 – 1 out of 34 (3 %) would have preferred a lecture- based course; 6 (18 %) would have preferred web-based studies combined with face-to- face meetings, whereas 25 (74 %) thought a web- based course was the best way to carry out the course  2006 – No one would have preferred it to be a lecture-based course; 3/13 (23 %) would have preferred web-based studies combined with face-to-face meetings;10 (67 %) thought a web- based course was best

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo13 Added value of web-based teaching and learning  In general: The courses are more accessible for students and teachers – Multi-campus university – Adult students, open university students, students doing e.g. field practice – Teachers from outside the university, teachers living outside the university city – Less overlapping of courses, when students from several faculties – Less problems with students not attending classes  Academic Study Skills/Information Retrieval 1 cp: – Students from two campuses, Åbo and Vasa – Students from several faculties

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo14 Added value of web-based teaching and learning  In general: Improved learning – Activating learning methods application of knowledge during the course new forms of examination, from final exams to continuous examination support reflection – Support different learning styles – More interactivity > more feedback and guidance students teachers students – Authentic and problem-based activities – Support collaboration – The students can easily take part of each others’ texts – Better structure of the learning process – No free-riders  Academic Study Skills/Information Retrieval1cp: – Learning by doing – No final exam but continuous examination – Reflection of own learning and own information retrieval strategies – support different learning styles – Interactivity between teacher and student: feedback on all assignments – Interactivity with the material: Self- correcting quiz – Authentic and problem-based activities: information retrieval assignment for essay of individual choice – Clear structure of the learning process (thematic and chronological modules in moodle, calendar in moodle, study guide with course overview), from easier to more advanced – No free-riders (individual assignments, own choice of topics)

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo15 Added value of web-based teaching and learning  In general: More effective course administration – Course material more transparent (for students, for all teachers on a course, for new teacher taking over a course) – Cheaper and quicker distribution of course material – Easier to update course material – Continuous grading during the course available for each individual student  Academic Study Skills/Information Retrieval 1 cp: – All course material (incl. lecture) available on the web – Continuous grading – Course material transparent for all teachers on Acadmic Study Skills 3 cp

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo16 Course evaluation (Academic Study Skills 3 cp): Course participants’ expectations on web-based learning  Flexibility in time and place! (work from home, didn’t collide with other courses or hobbies etc.)  ”No specific expectations”: a lot of the students were used to web-based learning  ”Motivation remained high because of the deadlines (although there weren’t any specific meeting times)”  ”To test a new way of learning”  ”A nice change from my ordinary studies”  ”You have time to think”  ”I thought it would be practical but boring, but it was not at all boring”

Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget Åbo17 Thank you for your attention! For more information, please contact Eva Costiander-Huldén, Tove Forslund,