each course in which an undergraduate is currently enrolled, showing on a semester-by-semester basis the resources which are most likely to be useful (Hanson 2008).” CI-1C LCP must be technologically agnostic Instructors are using different types of online learning technologies in support of their coursework. Must have ability to use within other course technologies, including CMSs, blogs, wikis, etc. Extend use of library content Based on our instructor survey (Appendix H), the most commonly used course technologies are E-Reserves (74%), WebCT Vista (68%), Moodle (51%), Course Website (33%), UThink (11.5%), Wiki (10.3%), and other (7.7%). Course technologies such as CMSs change over time (for example, Moodle is now supported as well as WebVista). Although many instructors are using WebCT and Moodle many are not…keeping LCPs separate from CMSs and technologically agnostic will make the pages usable to a wider audience. CI-1D Easy, standard URL naming of Library Course Pages For those instructors not using University-sponsored technologies, easy to remember, logical URLs would make inclusion in their online components easier (e g. current course lib pages vs. NCSU URL scheme – see Appendix F). Technological requirement of large scale system Instructors in favor of a solution that “was very simple to incorporate.” CI-1E LCP must appear as a default in all University sponsored online course technologies (WebCT, Moodle, UThink, myCourses Tab, etc.). CMSs are the center of course- related workflow. The default inclusion of a generic page in the CMSs would bring library resources to the user in a widespread, proactive manner, bringing library resources into the students’ and instructors’ existing workflow Students prefer to have course-related resources within CMSs. Quote from OITs student survey: “I hate it when an instructor uses their own course website instead of WebCT.” Instructors see CMS as primary means to provide course related information to students. OITs Faculty survey: “Faculty members
Phase II Recommendations Further development of the proposed Library Course Page system is recommended to widgetize and further customize content to extend use within and beyond courses. As educational technologies are continuing to evolve, the ability to break content up in widgets would allow for maximum flexibility in future usage. Upgrade Course Reserves/E-reserves (see Course Reserves/E-Reserves Recommendations below). Create system to help instructors and instructional designers easily locate and integrate media (streaming video, etc.) and images to courses (see Appendix E). In the following chart (figure 2) we provide rationale, evidence and criteria for importance for each of the Phase II recommendations and additional LCP features. Figure 2. II Details Functionalities Rationale Evidence Importance CI-2A: Widgetize all parts of LCP. Allow for integration at point of need Extend use of library content to CMS and beyond Growing trends towards personalization Reusable and shareable For use with mobile devices Similar to layout on myLibrary Academic Health Center’s use of myLibrary to customize pages iGoogle pages will grow with Google pilot with undergraduates EDUCAUSE webinar (Widgets: The slicing and dicing (and splicing) of shareable learning content) Use of mobile devices continues to grow in education (2009 Horizon Report) “The myLibrary team envisioned a layout that comprised a number of smaller cells or widgets, some of which would be universal to all users and other of which would be customized to particular affinity string groups” (Hanson 2008). Critical CI-2B: Further integration of cCourse system into LCP. Ability to incorporate readings into the topic/week of the course in CMS (at point of need). number of instructors posting PDFs without copyright permission Do not know how to post persistent links Based on in-depth interviews: Instructors unsure of what do to with readings post PDFs into exposing themselves to risk Critical reserves
(see Course Recommendations) Readings should be at point of need (course week/topic) Lack of instructor knowledge of Course Reserves and CI:2C Functionality for instructors to easily locate and add media, videos, images, learning objects, etc. to courses (e.g. materials the Library pays for and/or creates) Instructors want more streamed media in courses (enrich their course content) Instructors do not have time to search multiple locations to try to find such content interviews—This topic arose with no prompting time and again from instructors across the disciplines: Instructor, Social Work: He’d like the ability to put video excerpts on e-reserve or in CMS Web Course Design Group, CCE: Staff spoke highly of the images library that the library maintains. They’d like to see that expanded and if it could include video that would be a plus. Instructor, History of Science and Technology: like a better way to incorporate visual resources that are already web-based but that aren’t particularly accessible because people aren’t aware of them. Critical CI-2D: Give instructors the ability to add content from library (website, articles, etc.) into LCP using technology “Add to My Course” type link (similar to “Add to My Library” link) Easy, one-click technology. Raises awareness of adding library materials to courses Streamlines workflow of adding content to courses Instructors want their resources to be as specific to their class as possible. In depth interviews: Instructors spoke of a desire to self-edit pages Instructors spoke of need to make customization easy Instructors said they’d “like editing functionality” and “liked the idea of professors having editing rights to CourseLib pages” “Would like to see the option of staff being able to make changes, additions, etc.” and thought “joint administrative abilities would be best.” Critical CI-2E: A centralized repository for all course-related library research and Instructors want instruction modules to assist students in research. interviews: Instructor, Social Work: He’d like tools to help students learn search strategies Critical Reserves Reserves click
Library Tools in Moodle - a Library Tools "block" is available for Moodle course sites. Course Websites - you can insert a link to the Library Tools page for your course right into your course website.” Ohio State University Just published an article on their early efforts: Black, E. L. (2008). Toolkit approach to integrating library resources into the learning management system. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 34(6), 496-501. (see more quotes below in Lit Review) is a screen shot of an example from winter 2008, when they delivered pages similar to this one in about 10,000 courses that were created by 15 subject librarians. Soon they will be allowing more choices for box headings, though still limiting them for consistency of user experience. Those librarians who do not want their picture on the page can use a male or female avatar. In the long run they plan to integrate the content creation tool, which was created locally by one of their web programmers, into their web content management system.
Additional Examples: Tab or Library Course page Rochester Institute of Technology () UT Austin North Carolina State University (http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/course/EAC/580) E-Reserves NotreDame uses for e-reserves (Black 497) Ryerson uses Blackboard for e-reserves (Black 497) Northwestern uses Blackboard for e-reserves (Black 497) Ohio State U uses D2L for e-reserves (Black 497) Philadephia University trains faculty to post their own reserves using links from the databases or through Docutek (Bell, Shank 3)