american university of central asia peg peoples – director of college writing sania battalova –...
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American University of Central Asia
Peg Peoples – Director of College Writing
Sania Battalova – Director of Information Resources and Technology
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
AUCA Background Information
• Former American University in Kyrgyzstan - Founded in 1993
• 11 Degree programs and MBA
• 1,200 students (40% men and 60% women) – undergraduates and graduate (MBA) from 15 countries
• 125 full-time faculty
• Merged Library/IT Structure
AUCA Campus Buildings
Student Computer Labs
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
AUCA Library
Library Spaces for Learning
Periodicals and Multimedia Room
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Library Silent Room and Library corridors
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Research Questions
• How do they accomplish their research projects and papers?
• Where do our students work on their research projects and papers and why?
• What resources do students rely on?
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Methods
• Photo Interviews
• Mapping
• Retrospective Interviews
• Observations
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Photo Interview: Your Room
AUCA Campus map
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Student Mapping
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Student Mapping
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Retrospective Interviews
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
ObservationsLocation (Zones)
February Date/day Time A R X
persons total quantity
Library EH 21/02/11 9:30 5 2 0 7Library EH 21/02/11 12:30 27 2 7 36Library EH 21/02/11 16:30 18 2 22Library EH 22/02/11 9:30 4 2 0 6Library EH 22/02/11 12:30 10 2 5 17Library EH 22/02/11 16:30 15 5 20Library EH 24/02/11 9:30 7 0 1 8Library EH 24/02/11 12:30 17 3 5 25Library EH 24/02/11 16:30 12 5 17Library EH 25/02/11 9:30 4 0 0 4Library EH 25/02/11 12:30 14 2 0 16Library EH 25/02/11 16:30 7 5 12Library WH 21/02/11 9:30 3 1 4Library WH 21/02/11 12:30 4 2 6Library WH 21/02/11 16:30 2 1 3Library WH 2/22/11 9:30 5 1 6Library WH 2/22/11 12:30 0 0 0Library WH 2/22/11 16:30 0 0 0Library WH 2/24/11 9:30 5 2 7Library WH 2/24/11 12:30 3 4 7Library WH 2/24/11 16:30 7 4 11Library WH 2/25/11 9:30 3 2 5Library WH 2/25/11 12:30 2 2 5Library WH 2/25/11 16:30 2 1 3Library corridors 21/02/11 9:30 19 1 20Library corridors 21/02/11 12:30 19 2 21Library corridors 21/02/11 16:30 17 6 23Library corridors 2/22/11 9:30 12 0 12Library corridors 2/22/11 12:30 14 10 24Library corridors 2/22/11 16:30 8 11 19Library corridors 2/24/11 9:30 7 0 7Library corridors 2/24/11 12:30 9 12 21Library corridors 2/24/11 16:30 9 11 20
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Findings
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Things AUCA Students Do Well
• Use AUCA computers primarily for studying and working on assignments and their laptops for social networking.
• Successfully print out at the computer labs
• Use the e-course system
• Research in multiple languages
Things AUCA Students Do Well
• Take advantage of all spaces in the library
• Use library spaces creatively to work alone or in groups
• Understand that writing is a process
• Use brainstorming, note-taking, highlighting, etc.
• Understand that an engaging topic is important
• Know they need focus to write
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
Significant Student Facts
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
• Students do most of their writing at home due to limited library space: 100 seats in library & 100 seats in computer labs for 1200 students.
• Student are allowed only 1.5 hours a day to work on library computers due to limited seating.
• Less than 50 % have internet access at home
• The Library has limited hours (due to security)
• Many, many students have jobs—even if they live at home
• For many International students going home means not coming back.
Where AUCA Students Can Use Our Help
• Understanding assignments• Working consistently on
assignments • Using a variety of resources
—they are ‘Google-centric’• Using databases for
research• Analyzing texts and data
instead of relying on “copy & paste”
• Having access to a variety of workspaces to accomplish various tasks
• Getting more consistent feedback from professors
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
What We Can Do Now• Introduce Information
Literacy into separate courses
• Incorporate Bibliographic Instruction into courses
• Offer “Writing Effective Assignments” workshop for faculty
• Offer “Responding to Papers” workshop for faculty
• Rethink budget allocations for library resources
• Make the library “homier”• Include students in the
design of the new library
8th AMICAL ConferenceApril 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon