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  • Exploring entry master's-level adult learner distance Education Graduate Student use of library-provided resources in coursework-related information seeking processes
    University of Maryland University College (UMUC), 2013
    Co-Authors: Mann Barbara
    Abstract:

    Previous ethnographic studies undertaken regarding the information seeking processes of college Students by libraries were for the purpose of gaining knowledge and understanding of how traditional-age college Students (i.e., 18-22 year olds) conduct their research when using library resources and services of a traditional college campus. Not only is there a dearth of information available regarding adult distance learners, this is especially true with entry master’s level Graduate Students. Studies of distance learning Graduate Students in their use of library resources has pertained to doctoral Students or did not make a distinction between underGraduate and Graduate Students. This project was conceived as a pilot to study the library-provided resources information seeking habits of entry master’s level adult distance learners at UMUC. The research was conducted using the ethnographic technique of retrospective interviewing.Transcript:Exploring Entry Master’s-level Adult Learner Distance Education Graduate Student Use of Library-provided Resources in Coursework-related Information Seeking Processes SLIDE 1 Welcome to Exploring Entry Master’s-level Adult Learner Distance Education Graduate Student Use of Library-provided Resources in Coursework-related Information Seeking Processes. This presentation provides the final report of the spring 2013 Graduate School Faculty Research Grant ethnographic research project… SLIDE 2 …undertaken by co-principal investigators: Barb Mann, Associate Director for Public Services, UMUC Library Julie Harding, Course Manager, UCSP 611, The Graduate School SLIDE 3 Previous ethnographic studies undertaken regarding the information seeking processes of college Students by libraries were for the purpose of gaining knowledge and understanding of how traditional-age college Students (i.e., 18-22 year olds) conduct their research when using library resources and services of a traditional college campus. Not only is there a dearth of information available regarding adult distance learners, this is especially true in regard to entry master’s level Graduate Students. Studies of distance learning Graduate Students in their use of library resources have pertained to either doctoral Students or did not make a distinction between underGraduate and Graduate Students. This project was conceived as a pilot to study the library-provided resource information seeking habits of entry master’s level adult distance learners at UMUC. The research was conducted using the ethnographic technique of retrospective interviewing. SLIDE 4 As business and management is a major focus of The Graduate School, the course chosen to study was the entry-level management class, Organizational Theory (MGMT610). The first major assignment for this course, due in week 4, is to “select a case study from the resources available in the UMUC library databases, design a research question to apply to that case and develop an annotated reference list of no fewer than five articles from peer-reviewed journals found in the UMUC library databases ” (Hallion, 2013, p.6). This prepares the Students for the next major assignment which is to write a research paper based on the assignment in week 4. For our research we retrospectively interviewed Students regarding the steps they used to complete the assignment. SLIDE 5 The purpose of the study was to not only inform the UMUC Library regarding the resources and services offered to ensure they met the course needs, but to also help inform the MGMT610 Program Director and faculty regarding any necessary revisions to the course assignment based on what is learned through this process. In addition, the co-principal investigators want to contribute to the literature and fill in gaps on this topic. SLIDE 6 We first worked with Dr. Harriet Smith, Interdisciplinary Studies in Management Program Director, to get an overview of the course and to get her perceptions of the assignment and what she hoped we would learn. In preparation Dr. Smith had sent a questionnaire to the faculty who teach the course asking 3 main questions: How did they feel Students were doing on this assignment? What did they wish they were doing better with the assignment? Was there any feedback from Students regarding the Library resources related to the assignment? Comments reflected that Students have varying levels of proficiency in conducting the research and writing the annotations and that the use of and understanding of Library resources also varied. SLIDE 7 This information was then used to frame the ten questions asked regarding the steps used by the Students to complete the assignment. Questions pertained to steps used and included asking them about • Selecting case study • Type of course-supplied help • Determining research question • Determining keywords • Determining where to begin to research • Kinds of results obtained • Library resources sufficient SLIDE 8 • Resources used outside of the library • Use of Ask a Librarian service • Anything else to share regarding the assignment The participants were not always local and as working adults were not able to physically come to the Library. Therefore, we used the web conferencing software WebEx to conduct the interviews. This also allowed us to record the sessions and use the recordings to transcribe the interviews. SLIDE 9 Originally we were seeking thirty Students, five each from six sections of MGMT610, randomly-selected. As this course is offered with three staggered start dates our goal was to get two sections from each of these different starting online sessions. We originally targeted two instructors for each online starting time. However, it became apparent early on that this was not going to work. While the course instructors were very helpful in posting class announcements using the text we had drafted, as well as sending private messages to each Student in their classes through the LMS, we were not getting enough participants. We then opened it up to the entire MGMT610 faculty and asked them to post the announcement. In addition, a small change was made to the wording, changing the wording that it would take an hour to complete the assignment, to just twenty minutes. This also made a difference in obtaining more respondents. As many of these Students are also simultaneously taking UCSP611, Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills, and both of us teach this course, we also asked our Students, who might be taking both courses at the same time, to participate. Ms. Harding also asked other UCSP611 instructors to post the announcement regarding the study. Five Students were netted through this process. Because UMUC limits what we can be given as an incentive to some sort of UMUC memorabilia under $20, this also may have made a difference as well as the fact that, due to the virtual nature of UMUC, there were no other avenues available to solicit volunteers. SLIDE 10 We ended up with sixteen respondents: four from OL1 representing two out of eight sections and two of the seven instructors; five from OL2 representing three of the seven sections and three of the seven instructors; four from OL2 Hybrid for a total of three out of six sections and representing three of the five instructors; and three from OL3 representing two out of six sections and two out of five instructors. SLIDE 11 A major finding that was not asked as one of our interview questions, but came out over and over again in the interviews, was how much of what was learned in UCSP611 was employed in conducting this assignment. UCSP611 has as its final assignment the completion of an annotated bibliography, of which two of the required five sources are annotated. Students drew on their knowledge of creating and revising research questions, choosing keywords and relevant databases, and evaluation skills used for the UCSP611 assignment demonstrating the transferability of skills and understanding. Most of the Students interviewed had either just completed UCSP611 or were currently taking it. SLIDE 12 The main themes of the research indicated that: • Students chose topics of interest, which means they are more engaged in the topic as it pertains to their career field or what is going on in their jobs. • There were problems in getting started, especially in those classes that did not provide additional information on how to locate a case study. This is especially interesting as there is a required library module to be completed in each section, which includes information on how to locate case studies and how to complete an annotated bibliography. Only two Students made vague references to it. SLIDE 13 • Students did a good job of taking keywords from their questions, using synonyms with some even reporting using thesauri, revising their search terms based on what they found, including looking at subject headings. • Some targeted specific databases, some used the subject guides, and some were less focused and reported using our discovery service, or searching all the databases. • Overwhelmingly, the Students reported that the Library resources were indeed sufficient to meet the needs of this assignment. All of the Students reported that they were able to find relevant articles. Only one Student reported not being able to find enough for her topic. All Students reported the use of evaluation skills to discern relevancy. SLIDE 14 • While a few of the respondents went to Google first, this was more for background reading and/or to find citations and then look for the article within the library databases. However, one of the main reasons for not going outside of the Library was due to instructor restrictions. A handful of respondents used the Ask a Librarian service and it was helpful. Reasons reported for using the service were to find case studies and help with their research question. SLIDE 15 • The respondents reported an appreciation for Library resources and this assignment helped with the comfort level in using Library resources. We have found this study to be quite useful. The report has been shared with Harriet Smith. One theme that was repeated is the need for instructor-included assignment help for future iterations. For the Library, while the resources appear to be sufficient we will use this information to revise and further promote the relevant resources and revise the instructional module based on the feedback as a mechanism for collaborating on the instructor-supplied help. SLIDE 16 Contact information: Barb Mann: barbara.mann@umuc.edu Julie Harding: julie.harding@umuc.edu Reference Hallion, M. (2013). Project descriptions: Assignment four [Class syllabus]. Document posted i

  • Exploring entry master's-level adult learner distance Education Graduate Student use of library-provided resources in coursework-related information seeking processes
    University of Maryland University College (UMUC), 2013
    Co-Authors: Mann Barbara
    Abstract:

    Previous ethnographic studies undertaken regarding the information seeking processes of college Students by libraries were for the purpose of gaining knowledge and understanding of how traditional-age college Students (i.e., 18-22 year olds) conduct their research when using library resources and services of a traditional college campus. Not only is there a dearth of information available regarding adult distance learners, this is especially true with entry master’s level Graduate Students. Studies of distance learning Graduate Students in their use of library resources has pertained to doctoral Students or did not make a distinction between underGraduate and Graduate Students. This project was conceived as a pilot to study the library-provided resources information seeking habits of entry master’s level adult distance learners at UMUC. The research was conducted using the ethnographic technique of retrospective interviewing.Exploring Entry Master’s-level Adult Learner Distance Education Graduate Student Use of Library-provided Resources in Coursework-related Information Seeking Processes Barbara Mann and Julie Harding Previous ethnographic studies undertaken regarding the information seeking processes of college Students by libraries were for the purpose of gaining knowledge and understanding of how traditional-age college Students (i.e., 18-22 year olds) conduct their research when using library resources and services of a traditional college campus. Not only is there a dearth of information available regarding adult distance learners, this is especially true with entry master’s level Graduate Students. Studies of distance learning Graduate Students in their use of library resources has pertained to doctoral Students or did not make a distinction between underGraduate and Graduate Students. This project was conceived as a pilot to study the library-provided resources information seeking habits of entry master’s level adult distance learners at UMUC. The research was conducted using the ethnographic technique of retrospective interviewing. As business and management is a major focus of The Graduate School, the course chosen to study was the entry-level management class, Organizational Theory (MGMT610). The first major assignment for this course, due in week 4, is to “select a case study from the resources available in the UMUC library databases, design a research question to apply to that case and develop an annotated reference list of no fewer than five articles from peer-reviewed journals found in the UMUC library databases ” (Hallion, 2013, p.6). This prepares the Students for the next major assignment which is to write a research paper based on the assignment in week 4. For our research we retrospectively interviewed Students regarding the steps they used to complete the assignment. The purpose of the study was to not only inform the UMUC Library regarding the resources and services offered to ensure they met the course needs, but to also help inform the MGMT610 Program Director and faculty regarding any necessary revisions to the course assignment based on what is learned through this process. In addition, the co-principal investigators want to contribute to the literature and fill in gaps on this topic. We first worked with Dr. Harriet Smith, Interdisciplinary Studies in Management Program Director, to get an overview of the course and to get her perceptions of the assignment and what she hoped we would learn. In preparation Dr. Smith had sent a questionnaire to the faculty who teach the course asking 3 main questions: How did they feel Students were doing on this assignment? What did they wish they were doing better with the assignment? Was there any feedback from Students regarding the library resources related to the assignment? Comments reflected that Students have varying levels of proficiency in conducting the research and writing the annotations and that the use of and understanding of library resources also varied. This information was then used to frame the ten questions asked regarding the steps used by the Students to complete the assignment. The questions asked how Students selected the case study; were there instructions/help provided by the instructor; how they determined the research question, keywords, and resources to search; what kind of results were obtained; were Library resources sufficient; did Students use resources outside of the Library; did Students use the Ask a Librarian service; and did Students have any additional comments? The participants were not always local and as working adults were not able to physically come to the Library. Therefore, we used the web conferencing software WebEx to conduct the interviews. This also allowed us to record the sessions and use the recordings to transcribe the interviews. Originally we were seeking thirty Students, five each from six sections of MGMT610, randomly-selected. As this course is offered with three staggered start dates our goal was to get two sections from each of these different starting online sessions. We originally targeted two instructors for each online starting time. However, it became apparent early on that this was not going to work. While the course instructors were very helpful in posting class announcements using the text we had drafted, as well as sending private messages to each Student in their classes through the LMS, we were not getting enough participants. We then opened it up to the entire MGMT610 faculty and asked them to post the announcement. In addition, a small change was made to the wording, changing the wording that it would take an hour to complete the assignment, to just twenty minutes. This also made a difference in obtaining more respondents. As many of these Students are also simultaneously taking UCSP611, Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills, and both of us teach this course, we also asked our Students, who might be taking both courses at the same time, to participate. Ms. Harding also asked other UCSP611 instructors to post the announcement regarding the study. Five Students were netted through this process. Because UMUC limits what we can be given as an incentive to some sort of UMUC memorabilia under $20, this also may have made a difference as well as the fact that, due to the virtual nature of UMUC, there were no other avenues available to solicit volunteers. We ended up with sixteen respondents: four from OL1 representing two out of eight sections and two of the seven instructors; five from OL2 representing three of the seven sections and three of the seven instructors; four from OL2 Hybrid for a total of three out of six sections and representing three of the five instructors; and three from OL3 representing two out of six sections and two out of five instructors. A major finding that was not asked as one of our interview questions, but came out over and over again in the interviews, was how much of what was learned in UCSP611 was employed in conducting this assignment. UCSP611 has as its final assignment the completion of an annotated bibliography, of which two of the required five sources are annotated. Students drew on their knowledge of creating and revising research questions, choosing keywords and relevant databases, and evaluation skills used for the UCSP611 assignment demonstrating the transferability of skills and understanding. Most of the Students interviewed had either just completed UCSP611 or were currently taking it. The main themes of the research indicated that: Students chose topics of interest, which means they are more engaged in the topic as it pertains to their career field or what is going on in their jobs. There were problems in getting started, especially in those classes that did not provide additional information on how to locate a case study. This is especially interesting as there is a required library module to be completed in each section, which includes information on how to locate case studies and how to complete an annotated bibliography. Only two Students made vague references to it. Students did a good job of taking keywords from their questions, using synonyms with some even reporting using thesauri, revising their search terms based on what they found, including looking at subject headings. Some targeted specific databases, some used the subject guides, and some were less focused and reported using our discovery service, or searching all the databases. Overwhelmingly, the Students reported that the library resources were indeed sufficient to meet the needs of this assignment. All of the Students reported that they were able to find relevant articles. Only one Student reported not being able to find enough for their topic. All Students reported the use of evaluation skills to discern relevancy. While a few of the respondents went to Google first, this was more for background reading and/or to find citations and then look for the article within the library databases. However, one of the main reasons for not going outside of the Library was due to instructor restrictions. A handful of respondents used the Ask a Librarian service and it was helpful. Reasons reported for using the service were to find case studies and help with their research question. The respondents reported an appreciation for library resources and this assignment helped with the comfort level in using library resources. We have found this study to be quite useful. This report will be shared with Harriet Smith. One theme that was repeated is the need for instructor-included assignment help for future iterations. For the library, while the resources appear to be sufficient we will use this information to revise and further promote the relevant resources and revise the instructional module based on the feedback as a mechanism for collaborating on the instructor-supplied help. Hallion, M. (2013). Project descriptions: Assignment four [Class syllabus]. Document posted in University of Maryland University College MGMT 610 1141 online classroom, archived at: http://webtycho.umuc.edu Appendix MGMT 610 Research Grant Interview Questions 1. How did you go about selecting your case study? 2. Did your course instructor provide any kind of instructions/help to assist you in better understanding how to complete this assignment? If so, what kind of help was included, did you use them, were they indeed helpful? 3. How did you determine what would be your research question to complete this assignment? Did you have to revise your question? If so, how did you go about doing this? 4. How did you determine the keywords to use to begin searching for resources needed to complete this assignment? Did you have to revise your search terms? If so, how did you go about doing this? 5. How did you determine where to begin your search? What databases did you search? How did you go about deciding which one(s) to use? 6. What kind of results did you get from your searching? Were these relevant to your topic? How did you know? 7. Were the available library resources sufficient to meet your research needs to complete this assignment? 8. Did you use any resources outside of the library to complete this assignment? If so, what were they? Why did you go outside of the library? 9. Did you ever use any of the Ask Librarian service methods to obtain research help? If so, why did you choose to do this? Was it helpful? If so, why? 10. Is there anything else you want to share regarding completing this assignment

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