1. Fostering Information Research Skills (IRS) in Postgraduate Students
The University of the South Pacific
Jamie Bloss & Vasiti Chambers

2. Collaborative Approach RSD and the IRS/IL Component PG Evaluations
Overview
Background
Collaborative Approach
RSD and the IRS/IL Component
PG Evaluations

3. Background History of IRS PG Programme IRS Plan l History:
The Information Research Skills (IRS) is the Library’s Information Literacy (IL) Programme was renamed to align it with students and facultys understanding of the Research Skills Development (RSD) Framework. The Library began incorporating RSD into IRS in 2010.
At the PG level, over a 5 years period the Library has worked with Associate Deans of respective faculties on 400 level research courses namely, AL400, DG400 & SC400 to conduct the IRS PG workshops. The attendance has been voluntary, We streamlined attendance and coverage by offering series of sessions.
Library’s Plan:As the support section of the University, The IRS programme responds to the USP Strategic Plan, , where we expressed in our Strategic Area 1, goal: embed RSD in IRS. In all documents research skills is expressed as our key priority area.

4. Collaborative Approach
Role of Librarians
Faculty Partnership for better research skills for students
Levels of Experience
Our roles have changed from being service providers to become educational contributors. Here at Laucala we are assigned for teaching IRS to students at all levels.
In the region, Samoa and Vanuatu have professional librarians to deliver IRS instruction in coordination with the faculty. The remaining center libraries without the professional librarians on site have the library assistants or officers to work with the Regional Librarian at Laucala to provide IRS training online. In this semester, as part of our initiative with respect to campuses that do not have professional library positions the library is funding regional visits to the region to provide IRS training for PGs and Undergrad students.
We collaborate in providing workshops for PG students for:
Faculty Research Courses (DG400, AL400, SC400)
Those who are not enrolled in the PG research courses, Masters and PHDs
Course level if the need be: MS441, IS433 and MBA
The levels of experience at the ground level when conducting these PG workshops varies. What makes our workshop unique is that we have to take it a little more in our sessions as a talanoa in trying to unpack their research topic in greater detail. While some users have considerable experience in using the databases, catalogue or Boolean Operators others still have little or no experience at all after years of being out of academic environment.

5. RSD and the IRS/IL Component
PG IRS Sessions and Facets
PG IRS Sessions in line with the RSD facets the postgraduate program provides in-depth exploration of research skills; exposure to research tools and databases and theses.

6. PG Evaluations
Anecdotes from PG evaluations of IRS sessions

7. QUESTIONS ?