How to support PhD students in a digital environment

Barbara Allan

4 November 2015 Nyborg, Denmark

Themes covered in presentation

Doctoral students Vitae Information

literacy

Digital literacy Impact on library

& information service

3

Who are our research students?

• Research students are no more a homogeneous group than any other group of people or students

Doctoral students – very diverse group

Academic skills Age Cultural background

Digital skills Educational

experiences

Emotional intelligence

Emotional resilience Employment

experiences

Ethnic background

Faith Financial situation Gender

Health Information

technology skills

Language

Learning styles Life experiences Special needs

MRes MPhil

PhD DBA

EdD

Diverse range of higher degree research qualifications

The PhD experience

Proposal

Getting started

Literature review

Methodology

Field work

Writing up

Viva

Amendments

Completion

Research skills training

Teaching

Career progression

VITAE (see http://www.vitae.ac.uk)

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF)

• UK-wide framework

• Identifies knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchers

• Enables self-assessment of strengths and areas for further development

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF)

• Literature survey • Literature review • Empirical data

• > 100 interviews with experienced researchers • Broad consultation

• 242 sector responses • Employer validation • Advisory & Project groups

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF)

Using the RDF to support research students

• Provides a framework for career development – self assessment tool

– Individual portfolio development

• Framework for researcher development training programmes

• Framework and language for different professional groups e.g. librarians, career advisors, academics

Source: http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_main_image/public/field/image/info_literacy_wordle_390.jpg?itok=_YvH4-Vv

SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy

• Defines the core abilities and understanding at the heart of information literacy development

• 3 dimensional model founded on an information landscape

• A person can be developing within several pillars simultaneously and independently - in practice they are often closely linked.

For further information about the SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy visit www.sconul.ac.uk

Each pillar is further described by a series of statements relating to a set of skills/competencies and a set of attitudes/understandings and mapped against the RDF.

• Manage • Evaluate • Present • Gather • Identify • Plan • scope

For further information about the SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy visit www.sconul.ac.uk

A New Curriculum for Information Literacy (ANCIL)

‘Information literacy is a continuum of skills, behaviours, approaches and values that it is so deeply entwined with the use of information as to be a fundamental part of learning, scholarship and research. It is the defining characteristics of the discerning scholar, the informed and judicious citizen and the autonomous learner.’

Secker and Coonan (2012)

Secker, J. and Coonan, E. (2014) A New Curriculum for Information Literacy, http://newcurrriculum.wordpress.com/ [accessed: 5 May 2015].

The ANCIL model

• Transition from school to higher education • Becoming an independent learner • Developing academic literacies • Mapping and evaluating the information landscape • Resource discovery in your discipline • Managing information • The ethical dimension of information • Presenting and communicating knowledge • Synthesising information and creating new knowledge • The social dimension of knowledge.

Secker, J. and Coonan, E. (2014) A New Curriculum for Information Literacy, http://newcurrriculum.wordpress.com/ [accessed: 5 May 2015].

Supporting research students

• Graduate Virtual Research Environment

• Training workshops

– Part of a Doctoral Training Programme

– Stand alone sessions and workshops

• Online support

Graduate Virtual Research Environment (GVRE)

The starting points….

• Hull University Business School • How to provide support to 100+ students ? • Students based worldwide • How to enhance existing support?

– Credit bearing Postgraduate Training Scheme (PGTS) 1995 -

– Vibrant Postgraduate Society – Excellent support within research centres and

departments

• Series of focus groups – What do research students want?

GVRE

• Skills management tool - based on Vitae’s RDF

• Named research pathways - specific disciplines

• A timeline to guide students through the milestones of their research journeys

GVRE

• Knowledge transfer within research community

• Access to generic and discipline specific research resources

Students as co-creators

Students as co-creators

Students as co-creators

• PGTS co-ordinator in the Graduate School manages and monitors the GVRE

• Students recruited to work on GVRE

• Students paid to produce resources

• Students are trained in video production and editing

Extensive range of resources

Student feedback

• “I am new to being a postgraduate student so I am using it every day”

• “Only accessing information when I need it”

• “When new materials has been added”

• “Seeking guidance and advice on my PhD journey”

• “Matching skills, against industry using the e-portfolio, and Prioritise your skills"

Source:http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/ld/c-d/digital-info-lit/about/Iowadigitalliteracywordcloud.jpg/@@images/94b578ba-846c-47c2-99ce-a3241ccb3778.jpeg

Digital Literacies (JISC 2014) (Source: www.jisc.ac.uk)

Use of social media by researchers

1. Develop a social presence and professional profile

2. Document authoring, exchange and storage

3. Identify new ideas and contacts

4. Used for discussions – Formal e.g. supervision sessions

– Informal e.g. with peers and supervisors

5. Keeping informed – Follow experienced researchers

– Follow conferences and workshops

6. Expand professional network

Supporting doctoral students

• Use of social media is part of a module or mandatory workshop

• Optional workshops and events

– Face-to-face, blended learning, online only

• Online resources and materials

Source: http://lti.lse.ac.uk/digital-and-information-literacy/

Source: http://www.lse.ac.uk/library/usingTheLibrary/training/MY592.aspx

Online communications & guidance

Source: http://library.leeds.ac.uk/researcher-phd-support

Source: http://library.leeds.ac.uk/researcher-phd-key-things

Student Guide to Social Media //libassets.manchester.ac.uk/social-media-guide/ (Produced by The

University of Manchester Library, Skills@Library, University of Leeds and The University of York Library)

Student Guide to Social Media //libassets.manchester.ac.uk/social-media-guide/ (Produced by The

University of Manchester Library, Skills@Library, University of Leeds and The University of York Library)

Student Guide to Social Media //libassets.manchester.ac.uk/social-media-guide/ (Produced by The

University of Manchester Library, Skills@Library, University of Leeds and The University of York Library)

Open source resources e.g. DIRT (http://dirtdirectory.org/)

Open source resources e.g. DIRT (http://dirtdirectory.org/)

• Add identifiers to data • Add mark-up to an object • Analyse data networks between my

data • Analyse the structure of my data • Annotate • Archive data • Build a website • Capture information • Clean up data • Collaborate • Collect information • Comment • Communicate • Contextualize data • Convert files • Create • Crowdsource data enrichment/analysis

• Design • Disseminate data • Enrich metadata about an object • Find information • Interpret data • Model data • Organize data • Preserve data • Program • Publish • Record audio/video • Share • Store data • Theorize • Transcribe audio, video or manuscripts • Translate • Visualize data • Write

Get the Digital Edge

• Developed from the Digitise project – funded by JISC

• Employed a PhD student to identify student needs

• Outputs included report and workshop events

• Workshop events – Use of social media to help student employability

– Organised by Information Services, Careers Service and Students’ Union.

Use of social media within library and information services

Enhance reputation &

profile

Publicise activities and

collections

Advertise services

Deliver services

Engage students &

others

Service delivery using social media

Twitter

Other blogging tools

LinkedIn & Facebook

Skype

Facetime

Messaging

Chat

Webinars

E-learning

Other ……

Impact on libraries and information services

• Policies – social media, learning and teaching, research

• Increased working across traditional service boundaries

• Different types of relationships with students

Source: http://cdn.hitsocialmedia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-05-06-socialmedia.jpg

Impact on libraries and information services

• Changing working practices

• Time to engage with social media

• Professional development

Any questions?

Thank you

My new book Strategies for Supporting Students in Libraries and Information Services, published by Facet Publishing, London is currently in production.

I can be contacted via LinkedIn – Barbara Allan