CONTENTS
 
 

Introduction: Background and Purpose	Summary	Full Text
Online Library Tutorials: Providing a Context	Summary	Full Text
Content and Design	Summary	Full Text
Methods Used for Online Tutorials	Summary	Full Text
Evaluation	Summary	Full Text
Distance Education	Summary	Full Text
Example Sites	Summary	Full Text
Summary	Summary	Full Text
Addendum: Information Literacy	Summary	Full Text
Bibliography	Summary	Full Text
Acknowledgments

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INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has long been recognized in the CCAC library system that online tutorials are "a good idea." The purpose of this report is to provide some background and guidance for the  development of online library tutorials at CCAC. In light of the emphasis on information literacy in the new Characteristics of Higher Education and the connection between tutorials and information literacy at many institutions, an addendum on this topic has been included.

The narrative portion of this report is based on a literature review of articles about online tutorials. Given the rapid changes in information technology I focused on articles published within the last five years. Some older articles were reviewed where appropriate. Following the literature review there are links to example tutorials. The links provided here are a small subset of many tutorials that were reviewed. Tutorials were analyzed using a checklist of questions (Word document) derived from the literature review. They are representative of a variety of approaches and might serve as models for online tutorials at CCAC.

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ONLINE TUTORIALS: PROVIDING A CONTEXT

There are important considerations that need to be addressed prior to creating the tutorials. These can be summarized as a set of questions:

1. Is there an audience at CCAC for online tutorials?
2. Should we create tutorials in-house or link to tutorials available elsewhere?
3. If we develop tutorials in-house, who will do the development work? Who will maintain and update the tutorials? What role will Ripple Effects Interactive (REI) play in this work?
4. Should the tutorials be considered an extension of bibliographic instruction or are they stand-alone tools for end users?
5. To what extent should the tutorials be interactive?
6. Should we develop stand-alone tutorials or should library tutorials be packaged in some way?
7. How will we evaluate the effectiveness of the tutorials?

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CONTENT AND DESIGN

 

Content and Design: Pedagogical Framework

The literature on online tutorials suggests two main pedagogical approaches: the "linear" approach in which the designer's goals are paramount and there is a linear flow toward accomplishing these known outcomes; and the "learner centered" or "learner driven" approach which emphasizes the learner and the learner's goals. These tutorials tend to be flat in that learners decide the sequence of events and possibly the depth of events as well. In practical terms some blending of these is approaches is usually the most workable solution.
 
 

Content and Design: What Should we Teach?

This question extends beyond online tutorials per se to the larger issue of what should be taught in bibliographic instruction. Some authors suggest that BI is not necessary at all in the current information environment. Short of this extreme, there is some measure of consensus that instruction should move away from the mechanics of specific resources to emphasize search strategies and critical thinking skills. It is also important for students to evaluate resources.
 
 

Content and Design: Criteria for Good Design

Several criteria emerge in the literature as keys to successful content and design of online tutorials:

1. Content should be discipline specific or otherwise related to specific library research assignments.
2. Modular or sectional design enhances learning.
3. Interactivity is a far more successful approach than a "lecture" format.
4. There must be some motivation to complete the tutorial.

 

Content and Design: Practical Steps of Development

Several case studies review the planning and development steps used in those particular cases. The steps given here derive primarily from one article that provided a good overview supplemented with points derived from the literature review:

1. Needs Analysis
2. Audience/Environment Analysis
3. Strategy Analysis
4. Unit Configuration
5. Unit Detailing
6. Implementation
7. Evaluation
8. Maintenance and Improvement

 

Content and Design: Additional Considerations and Good Practices

There are some additional considerations that should be kept in mind when developing tutorials. These are somewhat miscellaneous, but no less important, points that arose in the literature review and also from my experience with web page development.

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METHODS USED FOR ONLINE TUTORIALS

 

Methods: The Use of Courseware for Online Tutorials

There are several ways that courseware, such as Blackboard, could be used for tutorials: to develop a self-contained package of tutorials; as an extension of the "one shot" BI session; and in the context of information literacy, and perhaps distance learning courses, courseware could be used to include a librarian in a course as a guest lecturer.
 
 

Methods: Packaged Tutorials

Packaged tutorials are those presented as a set from which users can choose a part, module or section. Any subset could be used as an assignment, by self directed learners, or perhaps as part of a BI session.
 
 

Methods: Tutorials for Single Resources

It should first be determined whether a tutorial for a specific resource is really needed. What would be the advantage over tutorials and context sensitive help provided by vendors? There a number of reasons why single resource tutorials may be desirable.
 
 

Methods: Marketing

The importance of marketing and PR cannot be overemphasized. This occurs at all levels of development and is directed, in different ways for different purposes, toward faculty and library staff in addition to students.

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EVALUATION

An integral part of developing tutorials is the development of procedures to evaluate their effectiveness. However, evaluation covers much more than assessment of outcomes. It should occur at all stages and includes such practices as peer review during development, usability testing, and possibly beta testing prior to full release. Evaluation plays an important role in the ongoing maintenance and development of tutorials following their initial release.

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DISTANCE EDUCATION

While some special consideration or variations in presentation might be appropriate for distance learners, on the whole distance learners are a subset of the larger group of remote users. Online tutorials are by and large aimed at this larger group and as such most general considerations that go into the development of the tutorials will automatically apply to distance learners.

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EXAMPLE SITES

Sites were reviewed using a checklist of questions (Word document) derived from the literature review. A selection of the sites is presented here. These may be useful models for the CCAC library.

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SUMMARY

It is hoped that this report will provide information and guidance for the development of online tutorials should the CCAC library choose to do so.

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ADDENDUM
INFORMATION LITERACY

The new Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education stresses information literacy in two of its standards. There is an implicit expectation in these standards that libraries are involved in information literacy. Information literacy figured prominently in the literature on online tutorials where tutorials were often developed as part of an information literacy initiative.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Acknowledgments

With gratitude, thanks to CCAC for granting me a sabbatical to conduct this research.

Thanks also go to Maxine Heller for her careful proof reading and valuable suggestions regarding language and syntax.