Create an organized, concise, and informative online platform where college students can independently answer simple research and library related questions and learn about the research process and the many library services available to them.
EDUC 765
Trends and Issues in Instructional Design
The questions a librarian answers during a reference consultation range from very basic to very specific. The later are best answered with the help of a librarian, and the former are question that require little guidance and, more frequently, make up the bulk of the questions a librarian answers. Similarly, library instruction, which is intended to nurture a student’s critical thinking skills, is often used to introduce material or lessons that could be substituted with videos or tutorials. In other words, time that could have been spent on more meaningful interactions and teaching moments is being taken up by instruction that favors a banking model of education and does little to foster critical thinking. Libraries are already doing some of this work and moving to provide a better learning environment for their students, but such efforts are too often buried underneath—what students identify as—a cluttered website that is difficult to navigate.
Considering how confusing and overloaded library pages can be for college students, this project intends to be a one-stop place where simple research and library related question can be answered through videos, presentations, and/or guided tutorials without librarian guidance. In short, this project will: