Course Views: A New Approach to Course Guide Creation
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[edit] Abstract
Course Views is a collaborative project between the Research & Information Services and the Digital Library Initiatives departments of the North Carolina State Libraries. Its mission is to create dynamically generated course guides that are made up of individual widgets. Some widgets will be static to offer a sense of uniformity in design look-and-feel. Other widgets will be generated on-demand from content managed in a database. Subject-specific resources will be mapped to specific course numbers and course guides will be automatically generated by discipline. Through the Librarian Recommended widget, subject specialists will be able to further customize their recommendations to course-specific resources. The project is scheduled to go live in summer 2008.
[edit] From Just-in-Case to Just-in-Time
Information literacy involves the ability to “recognize when information is needed and then to phrase questions designed to gather the needed information,” as well as to evaluate and use the gathered “information appropriately and ethically.” It includes a variety of skills, such as the ability to determine “the extent of the information need”; to access “needed information effectively and efficiently”; to evaluate “information and its sources critically”; to incorporate “selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system”; and to use “information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose” (Association of College & Research Libraries, 2001). The ultimate goal of information literacy programs is to develop “lifelong learners” who are able to “master content,” “extend their investigations,” and “assume greater control over their learning” (Association of College & Research Libraries, 2000).
Libraries extend information literacy through a variety of activities, which include general and course-specific library instruction, consultations and research interviews, staffing of physical and virtual service points, tutorials and FAQs, physical and virtual tours, and research and course guides. Traditionally, academic libraries followed the “just in case” model, in which students attended sessions or orientations at the beginning of the term to broadly introduce them to library resources. It was thought that students would retain these resources and return to them as needed. Instead, it led to students who were “not motivated to remember” and “had no immediate application of the knowledge.” In response, libraries have moved to “just-in-time or point-of-need instruction … when a student is actually ready to do the work needed” (Southwell & Brooks, 2004, p. 5-6). Karen Southwell and Judith Brooks have described four levels of point-of-need library instruction: 1) “Library and Information Resources Level,” which includes “a general library overview and orientation”; 2) “Discipline Level,” which is an overview of discipline- or subject-specific resources; 3) “Course Level,” which includes resources “specific to the course”; and 4) “Assignment / Task Level,” which includes “assignment-level/point-of-need” instruction (Southwell & Brooks, 2004, p. 6-7). Library information literacy programs should conform to these levels of instruction.
As colleges and universities move more instructional content to online environments, such as learning and course management systems, web sites, and portals, traditional methods of instruction are being turned on their heads. An example is the “classroom flip” phenomenon, whereby material usually delivered during class time is moved online; material usually reserved for homework is done during class time, “where faculty can serve as a guide”; class time is also used to discuss higher level content, applications, or practice; and online environments are used to extend conversations beyond the classroom. To remain relevant, libraries must collaborate closely with faculty to develop “new online environments” and reach students at their point of need (Ladner et al, 2004, p. 330). In addition, the design of online resources should incorporate the pedagogical goals and priorities of faculty, as well as content and technology (Koehler et al, 2004, p. 31, 46)
Course guides are a common point of collaboration between libraries and faculty. They are defined as “collections of links to databases, books, journals, indexes, Web sites, and services offered by the academic library in support of a given course” (Library Course Pages, 2005, p. 33). Guides range from static pages that are hand-crafted in HTML to dynamic pages that are generated using databases, content management systems, and home-grown systems, as well as combinations of these. The University of Rochester developed the CoURse Resources system, which allows librarians to create course guides using a web form interface. They derive library resources from the e-reserves system, which is linked to the OPAC. The connection between the e-reserves and OPAC systems ensures that titles are current. The library generates course guides for approximately half of the classes offered each semester at the River Campus. Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada, has a unique approach. Through the library’s Digital Reading Room (DRR) project, it has created a “repository of digital files and persistent links to more than ten thousand learning objects and learning resources.” These objects can be compiled into a Digital Reading File (DRF), which becomes the guide for a course. DRFs can include course e-reserves. Another interesting example of a dynamic guide is the University of Winnipeg’s MyCybrary system, which allows students to view the guides for all courses in which they are enrolled on logging into the system (Library Course Guides, 2005, p. 35-38).
[edit] Course Views: Overview
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| What is a Widget? (Quicktime movie) |
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Course Views is a collaborative project between the Digital Library Initiatives and the Research and Information Services departments of the North Carolina State University Libraries. Its goal is to “provide a dynamically generated view of course-centric library resources and services for all courses taught at NCSU” (Library Course Views, 2007). Each course guides will be constructed of several widget components. Widgets are graphical user interfaces (GUIs that allow users to interface and interact with an application (Beal, 2007). In the case of Course Views, they are a mix of static and dynamic chunks of content, which can be arranged in a web page to deliver course- or subject-specific material. Each widget will have its own URL and be accessible individually outside of the course guide. Additionally, users will be able to embed individual widgets in their personal web pages or through the iGoogle platform. There is also discussion regarding simplified widgets, which would be accessible through mobile devices (Sierra, 2007). By using widget interfaces as building blocks, course guide generation is expected to change from a work-intensive process to a “scalable and sustainable system for library course content delivery (Duckett & Sierra, 2007).
Each Course View guide will be made up of a combination of static and dynamic widgets. For the pilot launch, a total of eight widgets were selected. The static elements will be common to all guides and will include Ubersearch, a library-wide search, Find Books, Citation Tools, Project Tools, and Ask A Librarian. The dynamic elements will contain “customized content” that is “based on existing course identifiers.” and will include Course Reserves, Find Articles, subject database recommendations, and Librarian Recommended (Duckett & Sierra, 2007) Content for dynamic widgets will be generated using curriculum codes and course numbers, e.g., generic Biology widgets will be generated for all Biology courses. These will link to a database that contains subject- and course-level resources recommended by subject librarians. Dynamic widgets will also be customizable to the course level. Librarians must request that changes be made to the curriculum-level content, such as Find Articles. They may make changes to the Librarian Recommended element themselves, using HTML. The Course Reserves widget is updated as the “e-reserves system is updated” (Duckett, 2007b).
Course Views was designed to counter some common challenges in course guide generation. First, library websites can overwhelm users with the sheer amount of information and resources they offer. In addition, users frequently have no familiarity or experience with library resources. Yet these are precisely what librarians focus on when preparing course guides. Finally, it is difficult to integrate course guides into a learning management system. Course Views addresses these difficulties by breaking resources down to subject- and course-level, with which users have more familiarity and experience. The point of access for users becomes the Course Views guide rather than the libraries’ main page. Additionally, Course Views will integrate easily with current learning management systems. It promises a highly scalable, holistic, economic, and customizable approach to course guide creation (Duckett & Sierra, 2007).
[edit] Course Views: Background
The Course Views project began an outgrowth of the Libraries’ Task Force on the Content for the Next-Generation Learning Management System, which was charged to “automate [the] creation of library course webpages”; to “make recommendations for next steps in ereserve integration”; and to “make recommendations … to make library webpages and resources more course-centric.” Additionally, the task force was asked to find a way to manage the increase of course guide requests that coincided with the implementation of the Blackboard Vista Learning Management System (LMS). The Course Views project is an attempt to meet these needs by vastly increasing the number of course guides available while ensuring optimal scalability and customization (Duckett, 2007a). The project’s mission is “to free content from the library’s website and help users put it in places that are useful to them.” Content will be “designed to integrate where [the user] like[s]” (Duckett, 2007b).
Before beginning the project, the project team investigated how peer institutions delivered course guides, including libraries at the University of Rochester, the University of Minnesota, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Although they found some innovative solutions, none of were deemed to be scalable for NCSU. There were no prepackaged solutions that provided all the features in which they were interested. Since the libraries had already created an in-house system for their course reserves, it was logical to look at a home-grown solution. The team first did a “content inventory of existing library course pages,” then brainstormed ideas for new content. This process generated fifteen widgets, which were narrowed to a total of eight for the pilot launch (Duckett, 2007b, Duckett, 2007a). Stakeholders in the project were identified as students, with emphasis on undergraduates; “subject-specialist librarians”; faculty members, and members of Library Administration (Duckett, 2007a).
The team encountered several challenges during project development. The greatest challenge was in maintaining momentum during the initial conception and later project development. There were miscommunications as to who would be handling the actual development. This initially stalled the project until the Task Force on the Content for the Next-Generation Learning Management System took over. The project was further stalled with the departure of a project member. There have also been challenges for subject specialists, who have been asked to revisit the purpose and development of their course guides. They have had to adjust from the idea that “they have to provide an exhaustive set of recommended sources for a course to scaling down and thinking of how to advertise resources.” The most surprising aspect of the project has been the “affirmation that students want this kind of help from the library.” During the initial focus groups, the team “received comments such as ‘Why didn’t you create this while I was a freshman?’” (Duckett, 2007a).
[edit] Course Views: Future
The pilot for Course Views is expected to launch in during summer 2008. Once the guides are live, the team plans to conduct usability testing, track usage statistics, solicit feedback from stakeholders, and market the new service to students and faculty. In addition, Course Views will be integrated into the university’s learning management systems, Blackboard Vista and Moodle. The project will be assessed using usage statistics for Course Views guides as well as individual widgets, focus group testing, discussions with faculty, and usability testing (Duckett, 2007a). The team has already generated a list of improvements for future versions of Course Views, including widgets for the each branch library, which would replace the generic Ask a Librarian element. These would offer library-specific resources and contact information (Duckett, 2007b). While the Course Views system was designed to be easily replicated by other institutions, it will not be an application that can be downloaded. The project team intends to share the system’s “file structure and technical design” (Duckett, 2007a).
The Course Views project follows Southwell’s and Brook’s four levels of library instruction: Library and Information Resources Level; Discipline Level, Course Level, and Assignment / Task Level. The combination of static and dynamic widgets corresponds to different instruction levels and addresses students’ point-of-need or just-in-time information needs. The project also stands as a model of what is possible when libraries collaborate with faculty members to develop “new online environments.” This collaboration can only extend the reach of library instruction and further its mission to create lifelong learners.
by Anne Graham
[edit] External Links
- Course Views: A Scalable Project to Connect Students to Library Resources: Course Views PowerPoint presentation from EduCause 2007.
- Library Course Views : The home page for the Course Views project.
- LIBwidgets: The University of Texas at Austin Libraries' page with library-related tools and widgets.
- Tools and Widgets: The University of Minnesota Libraries' page with library-related tools and widgets.
- Widgipedia: "A site dedicated to web widgets and destop widgets."
[edit] References
2005, 'Library Course Pages,' Library Technology Reports, vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 33-43.
2007, Library Course Views, North Carolina State University Libraries. Available from: < http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/dli/projects/courseviews/ > [12/2/2007, 2007].
Association of College & Research Libraries 2000, Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, American Library Association. Available from: < http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm#ilhed > [12/14/07, 2007].
Association of College & Research Libraries 2001, Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians from the Association of College & Research Libraries, American Library Association. Available from: < http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/objectivesinformation.cfm > [12/2/07, 2007].
Beal, V 2007, All about widgets, Jupitermedia Corporation. Available from: < http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Internet/2007/widgets.asp > [12/2/2007, 2007].
Duckett, K (2007) Course View Questions. IN Graham, A. (Ed.) Atlanta.
Duckett, K (2007) Course Views Follow-up Questions. IN Graham, A. (Ed.) Atlanta.
Duckett, K, & Sierra, T. (2007) Course Views: A Scalable Project to Connect Students to Library Resources. Raleigh, NCSU Libraries.
Koehler, M, Punyashloke, M., Hershey, K., Peruski, L. (2004) With a little help from your students: a new model for faculty development and online course design. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education.
Ladner, B, Beagle, D., Steele, J., Steele, L. (2004) Rethinking online instruction: from content transmission to cognitive immersion. Reference & User Services Quarterly.
Sierra, T (2007) Course Views Follow-up Questions. IN Graham, A. (Ed.) Atlanta.
Southwell, K, Brook, J. (2004) Embeded assignment guides: point of need instruction on the Web. Georgia Library Quarterly.
[edit] What is a Widget? Video
Beal, V 2007, All about widgets, Jupitermedia Corporation. Available from: < http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Internet/2007/widgets.asp > [12/2/2007, 2007].
Lal, R 2007, What is a web widget?, Widgets for Web 2.0. Available from: < http://www.widgets-gadgets.com/2007/08/what-is-web-widget.html > [12/4/2007, 2007].
2006, Widgipedia FAQ, Vendio Services, Inc. Available from: < http://www.widgipedia.com/faq/ > [12/4/2007, 2007].
