american university of central asia

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 Conference

April 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 library8th AMICAL Conference

April 27 – 30, 2011 Beirut, Lebanon