Vicki L. Gregory

Student perceptions of the effectiveness of Web‐based distance education

Web‐based distance education is rapidly vying to become one of the preferred norms for teaching in many library and information science programs, especially in the USA. Within the distance education paradigm, courses taught utilizing the Web may be classified as either totally asynchronous, or synchronous when there are provisions, to a greater or lesser degree, for “real‐time” interaction, such as by means of Internet chat or a limited number of face‐to‐face classes. The results of this study show that, although library and information science students in Web‐based distance education course environments remain generally satisfied with the quality of the instruction and education that they are receiving through courses with significant Web‐based content, it is nevertheless clear that they have generally come to perceive that the quality of their educational experience is significantly improved when there is included within or as an integral part of the course offering some meaningful level of real‐time in...

Planning for the Internationalization of a Postgraduate Professional Degree Programme in Library and Information Science

The School of Library and Information Science of the University of South Florida, that has been a pioneer in distance education, has decided to internationalize its offerings with Ibero-America in mind. This article describes some of the steps the School has taken in order to prepare itself for the challenges, particularly cultural and linguistic ones, posed by international students. Given that the level of performance of both traditional and distance students seems to be about identical, the School of Library and Information Service is looking forward to a successful and culturally enriching experience.

The Integration of Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes and Teaching Effectiveness

The School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at the University of South Florida (USF) was selected as one of nine departments to participate in a pilot study for alternate measures of teaching effectiveness, one of two foci in a USF Harvard Challenge Grant funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Under the auspices of the grant project, the SLIS developed student learning outcomes for the graduate program in library and information science. This paper reports the conceptual phase and outlines the strategic planning process in which the goal for teaching is formulated in programmatic objectives for student learning outcomes and in assessment measures for those objectives. A model is proposed for the integration of assessment of student learning outcomes and teaching effectiveness.

Remember When Ebooks were all the Rage? A Look at Student Preferences for Printed Text versus Electronic

Aim/Purpose In many public and academic libraries, ebooks are being pushed on users mainly due to budgetary and space needs even though readers are still showing a strong preference for print books. Background Many librarians are focusing on how to get readers to use ebooks when they really should be considering how ebooks fit into learning, whether formal or self-learning, and the preferences that readers show for one format over the other. Library collections since the 1960s have generally focused on a strategy of “give them what they want,” but in the case of ebooks, there seems to be a trend of trying to force ebooks on users. Methodology A survey was given to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of South Florida. Contribution Our research findings fit with current data that shows a decline in popularity of ebooks and a continued popularity of print books. We would like to convince members of the academy to think about this issue and question the ebooks plans that libraries have on their campuses. Findings Both undergraduates and graduates strongly preferred print over electronic in the case of textbooks and books for leisure reading. Only journal articles were preferred in electronic form, but from the comments it was evident that articles were printed out and the student used the print copy for studying and research purposes. Reference books were split 50/50 in preference for electronic versus print. Recommendations for Practitioners Librarians and teachers cannot assume that just because students use their smart-phones that they prefer ebooks. Student Preferences for Printed Text versus Electronic 78 Recommendation for Researchers More research is needed on this subject before libraries become too dependent on purchasing large ebook packages from vendors rather than the selection of print books. Impact on Society The format preferences of readers is important for education and lifelong learning. In the past readers generally shunned microforms whenever possible, and ebooks may follow the same pattern. Future Research Now that this paper has advanced our understanding of user preferences for books versus ebooks, we wish to expand our research to faculty and widen the geographical areas covered.

Implications of Voluntary Communication Based on Gender, Education Level and Cultural Issues in an Online Environment

Because of the method(s) of communication in a particular class, gender and cultural differences can lead to a different mix of voluntary communication in the online or blended class setting from that of a traditional classroom. Given the hybrid nature of courses taught by the School of Information at the University of South Florida, a comparison can be made among the same students in class using different methods of class communication. Comparisons between graduate, undergraduate and student-athletes in School of Information courses can also be made. This paper examines the differences experienced by students of varying cultural backgrounds in their willingness to participate in class discussion depending upon the type or types of communication media used and will discuss the implications for effective course design.

Using Transaction Logs to Study the Effectiveness of Librarian Behaviors on User Satisfaction in a Virtual Setting: A Mixed-Method Approach

Chat reference is becoming more common and it is important to be able to effectively judge user satisfaction with the results they receive. The behaviors the reference librarian should use to ensure that users are satisfied with chat reference sessions must also be determined. In this paper, the authors indicate that many of these behaviors could be mapped to the virtual environment with great success. The purpose of this paper is to describe and explain the methodology, which is a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods, to allow others to adapt this methodology to their own situations.

Distance education: How are we doing, and how do we know?

The directory of ALA-accredited masters programs in library and information science indicates that almost half enable students to complete the degree either wholly or substantially online, and a similar (not necessarily overlapping) number offer courses in locations remote from the main campus. The IMLS-funded Web-based Information Science Education (WISE) consortium is gaining interest and new members. The question is no longer “should we do distance education?”, but “how are we doing, and can we do it better?” What do the data tell us about successes and failures? How have we undertaken to evaluate our distance education activities? Do we have comparative results? A group of panelists from institutions which have pioneered distance education in library and information science will address these issues.

The new un-wired frontier: Wireless computing in library and information centers. Sponsored by SIG LAN

The accelerating pace of technological change in the realm of electronic information storage and delivery continues to shunt aside, often unexpectedly, whatever the current “highest” technology may have been in favor of the next advance, sometimes virtually eliminating a technology, as in the case of videodiscs and a number of floppy-disc storage systems, or spurring a re-invigoration, such as the rise of the cable modem in response to the potential of telcoprovided ADSL services. In just the very recent past, we spoke confidently of those on the “bleeding edge” of technology as being “wired,” for whom a magazine of the same name became a publishing phenomena in the early 1990s. Now the frontrunner position in information delivery appears to be held by the “wireless” revolutionaries. Today more and more information services are becoming available in various versions of the wireless context. Differing scenarios of wireless computing and information delivery in library and information centers and by commercial information vendors, will be discussed along with an assessment of the future of wireless computing, what its ramifications may be for both traditional and todays fully-wired libraries, and whether and for how long wireless will likley remain the forerunner in the game of technological leapfrog.

From anytime, anywhere to all-the-time, everywhere: Learning objects, broadband and wireless reshape digital libraries for learning and research. Sponsored by SIG STI, DL, VIS

Learning objects are among the latest types of materials to be included in digital libraries. These are small portions of lesson material designed to be used in multiple configurations for multiple instructional applications, ranging from distance learning to interactive simulation. As broadband and wireless technologies change the expectations and performance patterns of the user, learning objects change the nature of content and the way that it must be managed. The size and diversity of digital collections affect the options through which these materials can be accessed. Many libraries are offering wireless access to their networks and many individuals are accessing digital libraries off-site using broadband technologies. Each of these trends affects decisions made for collection development, portal design and network design, and those decisions dictate specific technological requirements for access. This panel session highlights management and infrastructure issues of digital libraries as they relate to learning objects, broadband and wireless technologies.