Interactive Information Literacy on the World Wide Web

John Frylinck, Library & Information Service, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia, Australia 6001. Phone +61 9 351 7629 Fax: +61 9 351 3947 Email: john@boris.curtin.edu.au Home Page: John Frylinck

Introduction

Background

This program uses a variety of techniques including small group-based learning, workbooks, hands-on computer-based learning, self-paced discovery tours and computer managed learning.

The World Wide Web offers an excellent platform to make the core of our existing information literacy program available to students world-wide, irrespecitve of place or time. Skills enhancement programs on the World Wide Web can offer media-rich materials that can be explored in an interactive mode.

The Initial Package: Finding Subject Information in Health Sciences - a Self-paced Introduction

The content covers:

• How to navigate your way through this tutorial
• Preamble, Introduction and Contents
• Module 1: Translating the topic into keywords for searching purposes
• Module 2: Finding definitions and background information
• Module 3: Finding references on a reference list
• Module 4: Finding books and audio-visual material on your topic
• Module 5: Finding journal articles on your topic
• Module 5a: Using printed indexing journals to findjournal articles
• Module 5b: Journal indexes available electronically
• Module 6: Using the Internet to locate information
• Module 7: Referencing your paper
• Finale: Checklist of objectives you should have achieved from this tutorial

At present some exercises have been incorporated. These work as a measure for the student to see how effectively the knowledge is being imparted. They are available as the student is working through the package and offer immediate feedback. These exercises are multiple-choice based Web documents. There is currently no method of formal assessment.

The plan now is to create some type of computer-managed self-test module whereby students can validate their skills against a set of randomly selected questions from a bank of questions. This is similar to our Computer Managed Learning module, but with the added advantage of real-time interactive feedback, encouragement and further coaching if necessary. This can either be assessable, with the student supplying some sort of validation so marks can be stored with the relevant unit details, or non-assessable, providing the student with the opportunity to test their newly acquired knowledge.

While this package currently only covers the Health Sciences, the plan is to incorporate all the subject streams at Curtin University which are currently offered the printed information literacy packages. Students will be able to choose which subject area they wish to follow. Exercises will all be subject related.

The package is currently mainly text based. Few graphics have been used as yet. More graphics will be included to illustrate some aspects of libraries which do not translate well to text. This area is still to be addressed.

Conclusion

References

Hord, B. HCCS Libraries: The library instruction page. http://www.hccs.cc.tx.us/Library/Instruction

Copyright