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Flexibility = Accessibility: Oregon State University Libraries' interactive course assignment pages Public Deposited

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  • In the spring of 2005 Oregon State University librarians conducted an undergraduate survey and focus groups that confirmed Reeb and Gibbons’ assertion that our students want library sources targeted to their specific courses. In response to this need we considered how to best design assignment focused web pages that were accessible at point of need, reinforced learning outcomes and information literacy concepts, offered the ease of Internet searches, provided quick access to related library services, such as course reserves, and were scaleable for a campus with 16,000 undergraduates. Statistics provided by campus IT revealed that while nearly 90% of OSU students were enrolled in a Blackboard integrated course, just 50% of OSU faculty used Blackboard to teach their classes. Two major Colleges, Business and Engineering, do not use Blackboard at all. We decided that creating interactive course web pages that were platform independent and could be imbedded in Blackboard, faculty web pages, and alternative course management systems was critical if they were to be useful to the students. A key component for success is working with instructors to develop easy ways to imbed the pages. The OSU Interactive Course Assignment (IAC) Task Force is meeting its goal through a two-phased approach. In Phase I we created a modularized, customizable template that allows faculty librarians or course instructors to build library course assignments pages for any course. In Phase 2 we are developing a content management system to drive page creation. In this presentation we would discuss our process, the results of our usability tests and the survey responses of the students and faculty, and demonstrate the interactive course assignment template and the progress on the content management system. During Fall 2005, the IAC Task Force developed a basic template for course assignments that included several modules, such as a subject-specific federated search, contact information for the librarian and the instructor, direct access to course reserves, the class research assignment, and resources recommended by the librarian and by the instructor. We conducted usability tests with students and used the results to improve page functionality. These improved templates were then used to develop course assignment pages for two classes in Winter term 2006. We assessed the impact of the pages by surveying students about their use of them and their ability to identify library and other information resources, and by interviewing the course faculty about their perceptions of the pages. At this time librarians are incorporating increased functionality into the assignment pages, such as RSS feeds. The pages are being tested in multiple classes and we will be gathering evaluative information from students and instructors. The task force is currently engaged in developing a content management system that will allow expanded capabilities, such as the inclusion of learning modules and facilitation of populating the course assignment pages. We will continue to refine our pages in response to student and faculty evaluation.
  • Keywords: Interactive course assignment pages, Usability, Course assignments, Library instruction
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  • American Libraries Association Conference, RUSA/MARS Hot Topics Discussion, New Orleans, June 24, 2006
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  • Reference and User Services Association Machine-Assisted Reference Section
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  • 1468416 bytes
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