Sheila Webber, 2008

Using first and second life to develop inquiry skills in the freshman year at a UK university: a happy blend? Sheila WebberDepartment of Information StudiesUniversity of Sheffield, September 2008

Sheila Webber, 2008

Short answer

“yes”

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Sheffield

Sheffield in RL

“There is a tremendous

nightclub scene”

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Outline

• Inquiry Based Learning (IBL)• Blended Learning (BL)• BSc Information Management

– Inf104 Information Literacy– Inf106 Inquiry in Information Management

• Contribution of SL/ F2F/ WebCT etc.• Conclusions: Blending IBL

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Inquiry Based Learning• Self-directed inquiry or research• Open-ended questions, problems or scenarios• Open at both ends (i.e. identifying question as well

as conclusions)• Engaging with problems in the discipline• Collaboration often emphasised• See quotation from

http://www.shef.ac.uk/cilass/ibl.html, and Khan & O’Rourke (2005)

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Sheila Webber, 2008

IBL is/isn’t• = Enquiry Based Learning ;-)• May also = Research Based Learning; Discovery

Learning• Not same as:

– Problem Based Learning (PBL less open-ended)– Learning that just involves doing an information search

on a given topic & presenting what’s found.

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Inquiry Based Learning• Teacher’s role:

– Co-learner/researcher– Facilitating– Challenging– Mentoring– Scaffolding where appropriate

• Both students and teachers may find IBL approaches uncomfortable

• Arguably most effective as whole-class or whole programme approach

• Alignment of assessment with learning & teaching

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Sheila Webber, 2008

IBL: a strategic focus at SheffieldThe ‘Sheffield Graduate’

“Studying at Sheffield will provide students with the opportunity to… become involved in inquiry-based learning, as a means of actively engaging with the questions and problems of their discipline and of developing a range of inquiry-related capabilities and skills”

University of Sheffield Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy, 2005-10.

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Centre for Inquiry based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences (CILASS)

“Modelling the process of

research within the student

learning experience”

Funding of £4.5 million* over 5 yearshttp://www.shef.ac.uk/cilass/

* 2,250,000,000 Linden

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Sheila Webber, 2008

CILASS IBL framework• Collaborative inquiry and inquiry communities• Information literacy development• Networked learning• Interdisciplinary inquiry• Classrooms as research environments (‘collaboratories’)• Mainly work through projects in real classes (100+)

• CILASS funded cost of SL island for 1 year & some buyout for 2nd module

• I’m currently a CILASS Academic Fellow (half day a week)

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Blended Learning (BL) approach• Sharpe et al (2006; 21) identify dimensions of BL

– Delivery: different modes (face-to-face and distance education)– Technology: mixtures of (web based) technologies– Chronology: synchronous and a-synchronous interventions– Locus: practice-based vs. class-room based learning– Roles: multi-disciplinary or professional groupings (expanding

perspectives, approaches – instead of monoculture)– Pedagogy: different pedagogical approaches– Focus: acknowledging different aims (inc. students’ own aims)– Direction: instructor-directed vs. autonomous or learner-directed

learning.

Rich – but troublesome?

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Sheila Webber, 2008

F2F spaces/ tools• Computer lab & seminar room (Inf104)• Collaboratory with network laptops,

copycams, flip charts etc (Inf106)• Minor lecture components• Group task + presentation

or feedback sequences• Individual interaction with

students during/after sessions (etc.)

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Virtual spaces/tools• Webct (“MOLE”) Virtual Learning Environment

– Discussion boards, inc. private group boards– “Blog” function for personal journal– Uploading/ attaching material – Will be using e-portfolios this year– Don’t use whiteboard, chat or online assessment

• Use of websites, e-journals, Flickr etc.• Second Life (not available in main Uni labs ;-((• Blogs; Optional Facebook group for part of SL activity

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Virtual/ onlineStudents also their own devices to work on group tasks e.g. “Initially we simply handed out phone numbers and communicated via text messaging, with some use of instant messaging conversations…”(student blog 2008, talking about working on their assessed mini-research project)

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Departmental background• High-level researchers teaching at level 1 • Strong practitioner links• Team teaching, including a couple of librarians• PBL and IBL approaches • Department (and university) is “research led”• Educational Informatics research group

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Sheila Webber, 2008

BSc Information Management

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Issues with discipline/ course• There are no qualifications in IM at school

level• Unfamiliar and contested discipline• Investigations showed issues with UG subject

engagement & lack of awareness of research impact

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Sheila Webber, 2008

• Aims for strengthening IBL approach:– Help students deepen their engagement with, and

understanding of, Information Management (IM) as an academic discipline and professional practice

– Give students an opportunity to develop their research understanding and skills

• Progressing research/ IBL skills through the programme• C. 20 students; Varied backgrounds; Predominantly

home students living away from home

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Inf104: Information Literacy (core, level 1, semester 1)

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Inf104: Information Literacy

• Existing– Obvious focus on developing as information literate person– Assignments focus on reflection and evaluation– PBL/IBL approach

• Specific aims/changes for 2007/8– Investigating SL as learning space (aim for me)– Focus in more depth on specific parts of research process (data

collection & analysis) – contribution to IBL strategy– Strengthen theoretical element of module with genuinely novel

investigation

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Inquiry in SL

• Students undertook critical incident interviews with SL residents (a time when they had an information need relating to a SL activity) in SL itself

• 2 interviews per student• Assessment (40% class mark): Students analysed

transcripts in relation to models of RL information behaviour + audited interview technique

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Students told to sign up for avatar

Before Lab 1.Brief intro to SL

Practice interviewsin triads in SL

Researchinterviewsin SL

WebCTmodule

Group & task discussion boards

Basics of SL – I andStudents go inworldfrom same Lab (x 2)

2 librariansco-teachinworldonly

Students mostly in labs as in class time

Class problem: advising friend worried about

dangers of SL (wks 4-6)

Group oral presentations in week 6

Groups research SL, mostly on web

Knowledge gained about SL

SL elements

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Short lecture and handout about

interviewingPractice interviews

in triads (interviewer, interviewee, observer)

Practice interviewsin triads in SL

Researchinterviewsin SL

WebCTmodule

Handouts

Revised interview schedule

Lecture, exercises, readings on

information behaviour

Individual feedback/communication: email,

F2F, SL .

FAQs etcStudent’s

Assignment

Assignmentbriefing

Email, IM etc used to communicate with interviewees

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Inf106: Inquiry in Information Management

(core, level 1, semester 1)

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Inf106: Inquiry in IM

• Module aims– “This course will develop students’ understanding of

Information Management, and through a small piece of real collaborative research they will explore the nature of research and scholarly communication in the field”

• Assessment– Group produced poster– Individual blog (last year was group blog)– Individual portfolio

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Sheila Webber, 2008

“So in other words the idea is to give students a chance to teach themselves in some sense and the module staff was making an impression of rather a team of advisors and coordinators, rather than ordinary lecturers.”

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Inquiry in IM• Groups generate their own research questions • Work together and with tutors on these small-scale

projects• Interacting with researchers and practitioners• Collecting and analysing data• Students generate assessment criteria for posters• Groups present posters• SL session – engaging

with model of research process

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Students present posters at research poster session

Use of Facebook by student sports clubs

How do Sheffield Unistudents use info resources

Do people use their mobile phones to use the internet?

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Observations: IBL and first years

“What made us pick this particular topic was that we were all fascinated by something non-one within the department really knew the answer to. Although we were not actually carrying out original research, and someone out there had the facts we needed to successfully answer the question, it was the challenge of finding this that drew us to the idea of [the topic]…” (focus group)

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Sheila Webber, 2008

“The course has made me realise that there is a large possibilityof me pursuing a career within the IM field eventually […]

Guest speakers like […] have significantly enhanced my view of the subject and very possibly pressed me into creating a career

out of it” (Reflective Portfolio).

Student feedback via a number of channels (focus group, feedback questionnaire, reflective portfolios) was positive, with the new module gaining high scores on questionnaires on every criterion.” Cox et al (2008) in press.

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Advantages (both classes)• Good to excellent academic work • Not all equally engaged but stimulated interest

(comparatively good attendance)• Interesting questions and findings from research• Buzz at the poster session – real “event”• Expressing more confidence and engagement• For teachers –

– Stimulating interaction with others on teaching team– More interesting to teach!– New ideas and reflections– Get better idea of what actually is being learnt

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Challenges• Various aspects need scaffolding – getting level right

requires a lot of thought & planning• You need some “content” … again, a balancing act• More time consuming than lecture/ exam format • Interaction with colleagues …. Sometimes testy!• Progressing inquiry skills through year 2 of programme

(year 3 is individual research project)

• BUT …. Richer experience for all parties• Do need to support process, since is first year, but all

students could rise to & enjoy challenge

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Observations: Blended Learning

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Sheila Webber, 2008

F2F element• Peer interaction developing communication &

teamwork skills• Students like meaningful contact with RL people (e.g.

information consultant really interested in their research; F2F feedback assessment)

• Variety of tasks/movement (e.g. around flipcharts, visiting other groups in class)

• Poster session had more impact in RL• Orientation and socialisation element of First Year

Experience

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Sheila Webber, 2008

SL element• Had rationale for using SL – this was important• Wider range of interviewees than possible in Real Life

(students in Canada, educators/librarians in various parts of world)

• Some insightful comments on interviewing in SL; richer than for previous year’s (RL) exercise

• More authentic research experience – genuinely novel field

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Sheila Webber, 2008

SL element• RL at Uni was very exciting and new! Big competition to SL…• If more existing friends had been on SL, would have

encouraged use between classes (otherwise generally low)• Added flexibility & convenience in access for some (but

minority have good kit/connection at lodgings)• Some international students needed further support …• … but anyway, as part of FYE, think scaffolding is appropriate

(i.e. no throwing in deep end alone) • For me – enjoyable, got to know students better but also

stress and exhaustion (I was also on steep SL learning curve)

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Sheila Webber, 2008

WebCT etc• Students have said they like having one central

place where they know all the basic course material is (handouts etc.) – however dull

• Ongoing discussion about use of Facebook etc. (whether students want it etc.)

• Using different tools as appropriate – not underestimating learning curve in using (e.g.) blogseffectively

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Conclusions

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Blending IBL• Definitely good idea to have first few sessions with

everyone in SL but also in lab– Oddities less frightening – Showing each other how to do things– Bonding– Students could see I was really me

• Outside SL … blending in class just seems to make sense … IF you have the right classroom space

• Stimulus and variety of Sharpe et al’s (2006) eight dimensions of BL are synergistic with IBL (& SL!)

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Sheila Webber, 2008

• Sharpe et al identify 3 modes of Blended Learning: highest is – “a holistic view of technology and learning, including the use of the learners’ own technologies (mobile phones, online communities, instant messaging, etc) to support their learning, sometimes in unexpected ways”

• Aiming to think more holistically in this way – whilst respecting privacy etc of students

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Sheila Webber, 2008

With acknowledgement to students in Inf104 and Inf106 classes & the Inf104 and Inf106 teaching teams

Maggie

Ishbel

Sheila

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Sheila Webber, 2008

Sheila Webber s.webber@shef.ac.uk http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/

http://adventuresofyoshikawa.blogspot.com/

Sheila Yoshikawa

Powerpoint at: http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/

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Sheila Webber, 2008

References• Cox, A. et al (2008) “Inquiry-based learning in the first-year Information

Management curriculum.” Italics. In press. http://www.ics.heacademy.ac.uk/italics/

• Inquiry in Information Management case study: http://www.shef.ac.uk/cilass/cases/informationmanagement.html

• Jenkins, A., Healey, M. and Zetter, R. (2007) Linking teaching and research in disciplines and departments. York: HEA. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/research/teaching

• Khan, P. and O´Rourke, K. (2005). “Understanding Enquiry-based Learning”, In: Barrett, T., Mac Labhrainn, I., Fallon, H. (eds), Handbook of Enquiry and Problem Based Learning. Galway: CELT. http://www.aishe.org/readings/2005-2/contents.html

• Infolit iSchool wiki: http://infolitischool.pbwiki.com/

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