Extending the reach and learning new skills: IL the web conferencing way

Juanita Foster-Jones and Katharine Reedy

The Open University Library• Serving 8000 dispersed

Associate Lecturers (ALs)

• Online resources embedded in courses

The challenge: supporting ALs in their development

Why web conferencing?• Something that would replicate face to face experience• Interactivity is key• Ability to demonstrate online services• Distance becomes immaterial

Core functionality• Application share• Whiteboard• Survey• Agenda builder

• Voting buttons• Voice over IP• Text chat

A demonstration…

What we were investigating• Whether the medium was

appropriate• What skills the trainers

needed• Cost benefit comparison

to face to face• What the users thought

Designing sessionsEarly sessions• Limited interactivity• Limited use of tools

– Application share– Text chat– Voting buttons

Later sessions• Increased interactivity• Hands on practice• Increased use of tools

– Application share with mark-up

– Drawing tools– Surveys

Impact of learning design

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Introduction Blogs andWikis

Overall

Excellent

Good

Evaluation

Results

Behaviour

Learning

Reaction

Kirkpatrick (1994)

Reactions: SystemRating Centra E-meeting

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Ease of use Suitability fordelivering training

Supportinginteraction

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Reactions: PresenterRating the trainer

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Response toquestions

presentationskills

handouts Pace/level

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Learning I now have a plan of action to utilise the information and skills

demonstrated which will help develop my research skills. [AL]

I found it particularly useful that Helen helped me to ‘cut through the jargon’…and I now feel more like having a browse to find some interesting articles!

[Student]

Behaviour: 6 month feedback• Low response rate 13 ALs in total• 45% reported a noticeable or significant change in

confidence using library resources• Change in practice

– I’m now very proactive in advertising the library’s resources to my students. [AL 1]

– More focused advice to students. [AL 2]– More likely to use the library resources than before

now that I know my way around a bit. [AL3]

Impact on the practitioner• Supporting reflective practice – peer

observation• Action learning• Developing training skills

Kolb learning cycle

The future• Benchmarking• Roll out• Helpdesk – look at

potential for student support

The goal: Extending our reach to our users… wherever they are

Centra Interface

Tool bar buttons…

Application share

Application share

Survey