1 University students learning to exploit (and build) digital libraries [email protected] Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Universiteit Antwerpen,

1University students learning University students learning to exploit (and build) digital to exploit (and build) digital

librarieslibraries

[email protected]@vub.ac.beVrije Universiteit Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel,

and Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgiumand Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium

Contribution to the panel on Contribution to the panel on “Digital Library Education and Training”“Digital Library Education and Training”

at the ASIST 2004 Annual Meeting at the ASIST 2004 Annual Meeting

““Managing and Enhancing Information: Cultures and Managing and Enhancing Information: Cultures and Conflicts”Conflicts”

in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, November 13-18, 2004November 13-18, 2004

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• Some methods are Some methods are described that have described that have been applied in been applied in teaching university teaching university students about students about exploitingexploiting(and even building) (and even building) digital librariesdigital libraries

• This contribution This contribution can serve can serve » as an introductionas an introduction» as a basis for a as a basis for a

discussiondiscussion

- contents - summary - structure- overview

of this contribution

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A few words A few words about Belgiumabout Belgium

• Belgium is a small country in Western Europe.Belgium is a small country in Western Europe.

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The target audience: The target audience: university students in Belgiumuniversity students in Belgium

• Vrije Universiteit BrusselVrije Universiteit Brussel

»Master Communication Science Master Communication Science (in Dutch)(in Dutch)

»Master Literature Science Master Literature Science (in Dutch)(in Dutch)

»Master Science … Master Science … (in English)(in English)

• University of AntwerpUniversity of Antwerp

»Master Library and Information Science Master Library and Information Science (in (in Dutch)Dutch)

• Occasionally in other organisations and Occasionally in other organisations and projects projects

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The contents The contents of the coursesof the courses

Information literacyInformation literacy

Creating Creating a digital librarya digital library

Exploiting Exploiting available available

digital librariesdigital libraries

Other topicOther topicOther topicOther topic

Other topicOther topic




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The site on the WWW, The site on the WWW, that supports these coursesthat supports these courses

• http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/courses/ courses/

• This offers for each courseThis offers for each course

»an outline of the contents and aimsan outline of the contents and aims

»a description of the evaluation procedurea description of the evaluation procedure

»a link to a student discussion groupa link to a student discussion group

»slides used in classroom with explanations, exercises, slides used in classroom with explanations, exercises, references for further readingreferences for further reading

»a bibliography for each course chaptera bibliography for each course chapter

• Open access, available for everyone through Open access, available for everyone through Internet.Internet.

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: introductionassessment: introduction

Besides the application of traditional, classical, Besides the application of traditional, classical, proven methods and approaches, proven methods and approaches, experiments are going on continuously experiments are going on continuously and more experience is acquired with less and more experience is acquired with less traditional methods.traditional methods.

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment:assessment:

which illustrations? (1)which illustrations? (1)• Digital librariesDigital libraries are NOT the main point of are NOT the main point of

interest for most students. interest for most students. Therefore, the Therefore, the illustrations/contents/subjects/examples used illustrations/contents/subjects/examples used in teaching and for the assignments are in teaching and for the assignments are chosen as close as possible chosen as close as possible

»to the main focus, the core of the curriculum, andto the main focus, the core of the curriculum, and

»to the personal interests of the studentsto the personal interests of the students

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: which assessment: which illustrations? (2)illustrations? (2)

• Examples of choosing illustrations:Examples of choosing illustrations:

»The subjects of assignments in information The subjects of assignments in information retrieval are chosen so that they are close to the retrieval are chosen so that they are close to the core of the curriculum.core of the curriculum.

»Students learn how to present information by Students learn how to present information by presenting their own scientific research to the presenting their own scientific research to the whole group of students.whole group of students.

»Students are guided to create their personal site Students are guided to create their personal site on the WWW and to explain their scientific on the WWW and to explain their scientific interests there.interests there.

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: student portfolios assessment: student portfolios

(1)(1)• Besides a classical examination to assess the Besides a classical examination to assess the

level of knowledge of each student, level of knowledge of each student, each student creates also each student creates also a portfolio a portfolio = a collection of reports concerning small = a collection of reports concerning small assignments.assignments.

• That portfolio is also used in the assessment.That portfolio is also used in the assessment.

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: student portfolios assessment: student portfolios

(2)(2)• Some advantages of the portfolios are the Some advantages of the portfolios are the

following:following:

»The portfolio is a direct, physical reflection of skills and The portfolio is a direct, physical reflection of skills and knowledge, which is closer to reality and more knowledge, which is closer to reality and more satisfactory than a mark on an exam satisfactory than a mark on an exam and that can also be shown to other interested persons.and that can also be shown to other interested persons.

»The portfolio forces students to improve their The portfolio forces students to improve their presentation skills.presentation skills.

»Creating the portfolio enforces active learning Creating the portfolio enforces active learning = learning by doing = learning by doing (“constructivist approach” in education).(“constructivist approach” in education).

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: co-operative assessment: co-operative

learning (1)learning (1)• Each student works not only on small Each student works not only on small

individual assignments, but contributes also to individual assignments, but contributes also to a bigger assignment that is carried out by a a bigger assignment that is carried out by a group of students.group of students.

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learning (2)learning (2)• Some reasons why to organise group work are Some reasons why to organise group work are

the following:the following:

»It can enhance the group spirit of the class.It can enhance the group spirit of the class.

»Students learn to cope with problems of working in Students learn to cope with problems of working in group: group: co-ordination and management; heterogeneity in co-ordination and management; heterogeneity in language, motivation, expertise, punctuality; language, motivation, expertise, punctuality; leaders versus followers…leaders versus followers…

»A larger work can be realised, which is more A larger work can be realised, which is more motivating, more realistic, more interesting…motivating, more realistic, more interesting…

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learning (3)learning (3)• The groups are formed in such a way that they The groups are formed in such a way that they

are not composed only of friends or of are not composed only of friends or of students from the same region or who speak students from the same region or who speak the same language or who have the same level the same language or who have the same level of expertise.of expertise.Instead they are created on the basis of Instead they are created on the basis of alphabetical order of the names of the alphabetical order of the names of the students, because this guarantees students, because this guarantees heterogeneity in the group.heterogeneity in the group.Heterogeneity is desirable as it enhances the Heterogeneity is desirable as it enhances the learning experience during the group work.learning experience during the group work.

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learning (4)learning (4)• The co-ordination of the group work is left to The co-ordination of the group work is left to

the group members as an exercise in the group members as an exercise in management.management.

• At least 2 groups compete to create the best At least 2 groups compete to create the best report.report.

• Each report includes of course the names of Each report includes of course the names of the contributing students, but also their the contributing students, but also their portraits and an outline of who contributed portraits and an outline of who contributed what.what.

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learning (5)learning (5)• Example 1 of group work by students:Example 1 of group work by students:

»Information retrieval Information retrieval = = exploiting available digital librariesexploiting available digital librariesabout a particular subject that is related to the about a particular subject that is related to the main focus of the curriculummain focus of the curriculum

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learning (6)learning (6)• Example 2 of group work by students:Example 2 of group work by students:

»Building a small web site = Building a small web site = creating a digital librarycreating a digital library, , starting from a classical, hard-copy, printed document starting from a classical, hard-copy, printed document that includes structure, at least 1 picture and at least that includes structure, at least 1 picture and at least one computer-screen shot.one computer-screen shot.This confronts students with many aspects of digital This confronts students with many aspects of digital libraries, such as dealing with libraries, such as dealing with

—analog to digital conversion; OCRanalog to digital conversion; OCR

—pictures with various resolutions and file formatspictures with various resolutions and file formats

—structure and architecture of a web sitestructure and architecture of a web site

—HTML versus PDF versus Word-XMLHTML versus PDF versus Word-XML

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: peer assessment assessment: peer assessment

(1)(1)• The report by each student is not only The report by each student is not only

assessed / questioned by the responsible assessed / questioned by the responsible teacher / professor, teacher / professor, but also by a peer student who is a member of but also by a peer student who is a member of a competing group.a competing group.

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: peer assessment assessment: peer assessment

(2)(2)• Some advantages of peer assessment by Some advantages of peer assessment by

students are the following:students are the following:

»All students together can spend more time than the All students together can spend more time than the busy professor, to discover errors or weak points in busy professor, to discover errors or weak points in the work of others and to suggest improvements.the work of others and to suggest improvements.

»The student who evaluates can learn from the The student who evaluates can learn from the different approach by another student to the same different approach by another student to the same problem.problem.

»The students learn to have scientific and The students learn to have scientific and constructive discussions.constructive discussions.

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: inviting feedback assessment: inviting feedback

(1)(1)• Each student is formally invited to provide Each student is formally invited to provide

some critical but constructive feedback on any some critical but constructive feedback on any aspect of the course, aspect of the course, such as:such as:

»contents, coverage, illustrations, subjectscontents, coverage, illustrations, subjects

»assignments, tasks, exercisesassignments, tasks, exercises

»bibliography, recommended readingbibliography, recommended reading

»the WWW site for the coursethe WWW site for the course

»the educational methods appliedthe educational methods applied

»……

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: inviting feedback assessment: inviting feedback

(2)(2)• Why inviting the students to provide Why inviting the students to provide

feedback?feedback?

»Constructive remarks can lead to improvements of Constructive remarks can lead to improvements of the course in future years.the course in future years.

»Stimulates critical thinking by the students.Stimulates critical thinking by the students.

»Students learn that constructive criticism is more Students learn that constructive criticism is more difficult but more rewarding than simple negative difficult but more rewarding than simple negative criticism.criticism.

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Methods for teaching & Methods for teaching & assessment: conclusion: my assessment: conclusion: my

recommendationsrecommendations• Choose illustrations, examples, subjects of Choose illustrations, examples, subjects of

assignments that are close to the core assignments that are close to the core interests of the students.interests of the students.

• Consider asking students to create a portfolio.Consider asking students to create a portfolio.

• Consider co-operative learning as a possible Consider co-operative learning as a possible additional method.additional method.

• Consider peer assessment as a possible Consider peer assessment as a possible additional method.additional method.

• Invite students to provide constructive, critical Invite students to provide constructive, critical feedback.feedback.

Documents

1 University students learning to exploit (and build) digital libraries [email protected] Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Universiteit Antwerpen,