scholarly journals Undergraduates May Prefer to Learn about the Library Informally

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Elizabeth Miller
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Library Instruction ◽  
Trial And Error

A Review of: Murphy, J. A. (2014). Library learning: Undergraduate students’ informal, self-directed, and information sharing strategies. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 9(1), 1-20. https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/index Abstract Objective – To determine undergraduate student approaches to learning about research and to seeking assistance with resources and services offered by the library. Design – Three face-to-face focus groups received the same 12 questions to discuss over 90 minutes. Setting – Academic library in Saskatchewan, Canada. Subjects – A total of 14 undergraduate students majoring in a social science or humanities subject area. Of these, four subjects were in their second year of undergraduate study, four in their third year, and six in their fourth year. Subjects participated in focus groups with other students in their year of study. The researcher recruited subjects through printed advertisements distributed in areas frequented by social science and humanities students. 12 female students and 2 male students participated. 13 participants had attended a library instruction session in the past. Subjects were offered pizza, but were not otherwise incentivized to participate. Methods – The researcher and an assistant conducted three focus groups with undergraduate students, eliciting qualitative comments later transcribed and coded manually for analysis. Requirements for participation included being engaged in an undergraduate major in the social sciences or humanities, and previous experience using the library. Subjects answered open-ended questions about their studies, research activities, use of the library for a variety of tasks, and help seeking preferences. Main Results – Regardless of year of study, focus group participants reported informal approaches to learning about and conducting research. All participants were confident about using the library’s online resources, and preferred learning about library resources through self-directed practice and trial and error. Participants revealed that learning about the library informally was preferable to library instruction. Most participants indicated they had sought help from the library at one time or another. Participants prized sharing information with classmates, especially through collaboration and social networks, and they valued the expertise of professors, peers, friends, and family when doing research. Three factors may influence their choice to consult and exchange information with other trusted advisers outside of the library: convenience, familiarity, and knowledge. Conclusion – Findings from this study align with previous findings about student approaches to seeking research assistance. The author reveals that assistance from the library, including library instruction, is less important to focus group participants than the research strategies they have developed informally, including trial and error and information sharing within one’s personal network. The author observes that the informal learning strategies implemented by undergraduates in this study mirror the strategies of adult learners, especially in the workplace. The author suggests that intentional, course integrated library instruction in the early years of undergraduate education would strengthen students’ preferred self-directed learning about research.

scholarly journals A Qualitative Framework for Collecting and Analyzing Data in Focus Group Research

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie ◽  
Wendy B. Dickinson ◽  
Nancy L. Leech ◽  
Annmarie G. Zoran
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Focus Group Research ◽  
Response Characteristics ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Focus Group Data

Despite the abundance of published material on conducting focus groups, scant specific information exists on how to analyze focus group data in social science research. Thus, the authors provide a new qualitative framework for collecting and analyzing focus group data. First, they identify types of data that can be collected during focus groups. Second, they identify the qualitative data analysis techniques best suited for analyzing these data. Third, they introduce what they term as a micro-interlocutor analysis, wherein meticulous information about which participant responds to each question, the order in which each participant responds, response characteristics, the nonverbal communication used, and the like is collected, analyzed, and interpreted. They conceptualize how conversation analysis offers great potential for analyzing focus group data. They believe that their framework goes far beyond analyzing only the verbal communication of focus group participants, thereby increasing the rigor of focus group analyses in social science research.

scholarly journals Chat Transcript Analysis Reveals that Undergraduate Students are Open to Instruction, While Instructors and Librarians Care About Supporting Student Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 128
Author(s):  
Elaine Sullo
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Library Instruction ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Chat Reference ◽  
Composition Course ◽  
The Impact

A Review of: Jacoby, J., Ward, D., Avery, S., & Marcyk, E. (2016). The value of chat reference services: A pilot study. portal: Libraries and the Academy, 16(1), 109-129. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2016.0013 Abstract Objective – To investigate student, instructor, and librarian perspectives of chat reference service in the context of first-year undergraduate students conducting research for an introductory composition course. Design – Focus groups, individual interviews, and surveys. Setting – A large, public university in the United States of America. Subjects – 57 library reference providers, 36 instructors of an introductory composition course, and approximately 936 undergraduate students in certain sections of the introductory composition course who were assigned a specific research project. Methods – In spring of 2014, all participants were invited via email to respond to an anonymous chat transcript of a librarian interacting with a student working on his or her research project. Study participants could participate via a brief survey or by taking part in a focus group or individual interview. The invited instructors were asked to forward the invitation to the students in their sections, and reminder emails were sent two weeks after the initial email. Main Results – Nine instructors, 24 students, and 25 library reference providers participated in the study, representing a response rate of 25%, 3% (estimated), and 44%, respectively. The authors conducted a qualitative analysis of key themes that were derived from both the focus groups or individual interviews and the survey questions. The themes were: students as novice researchers, question negotiation, open and closed questions, instruction, speed and convenience, customer service, and referrals. The theme of “students as novice researchers” is based on student comments related to their frustrations of being inexperienced researchers, as well as librarian comments on strategies for helping these students. Opinions regarding the traditional reference interview, including specific techniques that made the interaction successful, were categorized as “question negotiation.” The “open and closed questions” theme focused on feedback on the types of questions used by librarians in the reference interview. Several components related to chat and instruction were encompassed within the “instruction” theme, including whether those participating in the study were conscious of librarians providing instructions via chat and whether it was deemed valuable; the impact of a library instruction session in which students participated; and identification of missed teachable moments during the chat. The “speed and convenience” theme represented thoughts regarding the balance of instruction and librarian support of news skills, with the student expectation of having their question answered quickly and efficiently. The “customer service” theme focused on the service quality of the reference transaction, while the “referrals” theme encompassed thoughts related to whether students were referred to subject specialists, writing specialists, instructors, or if there was a lack of a referral altogether. Conclusion – Based on the research results, the authors highlighted the importance of the interconnectedness of teaching that is done in the classroom, in library instruction sessions, and on the reference desk, as all three types of instruction should align. Furthermore, because students are open to instruction via the chat service when they are creating and revising their research question and delving into subject research, chat can be viewed as a key teaching and learning opportunity.

Lightweight alternative tech: a study of Chromebooks in the academic library classroom

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 554-562
Author(s):  
Beth Seyala ◽  
Erin Burns ◽  
Shannon Richie ◽  
Amy L. Deuink ◽  
Valerie Lynn
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Battery Life ◽  
Library Instruction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Computer Laboratory ◽  
Classroom Use ◽  
Minimal Effort ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate Chromebooks as an alternative to the traditional computer laboratory for library instruction in an academic environment. The results of this study could help inform the creation of a mobile instruction lab that students and librarians quickly construct inside any classroom with minimal effort and no software to manage. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was distributed to student participants. The survey contained two demographic questions followed by seven user experience questions related to the in-classroom use of Chromebooks; most questions were quantitative in nature. Findings The majority of respondents (84 percent) strongly or somewhat agreed that Chromebooks were easy to use, and 15 percent of the respondents reported some difficulty accessing the university’s Wi-Fi system while using the devices. Research limitations/implications This introductory study was limited to a survey population primarily comprised of lower-level undergraduate students in their first two years of study. Additionally, Chromebooks were not tested in an educational environment using G Suite for Education, which could increase the opportunities for use in an academic setting. Practical implications The study’s findings, combined with the portability and long battery life of Chromebooks, make them a candidate for a mobile instruction lab. Originality/value This research seeks to explore the viability of Chromebooks as an affordable and easy to manage alternative to wired instruction rooms, using a light laptop technology that is becoming increasingly familiar to college students.

scholarly journals The Language of Information Literacy: Do Students Understand?

2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayle Schaub ◽  
Cara Cadeno ◽  
Patricia Bravender ◽  
Christopher Kierkus
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Library Instruction

To effectively access and use the resources of the academic library and to become information-literate, students must understand the language of information literacy. This study analyzes undergraduate students’ understanding of fourteen commonly used information-literacy terms. It was found that some of the terms least understood by students are those most frequently found in faculty-created research assignments and syllabi and that are used by librarians during library instruction. It is recommended that librarians work with faculty to make them aware of students’ lack of understanding of information literacy terms and that librarians also reinforce their meaning during library instruction and in one-on-one consultations.

Television use in the 21st century: An exploration of television and social television use in a multiplatform environment

First Monday ◽  
2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyoung Cha
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Social Movement ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Social Bonding ◽  
Video Viewing ◽  
Television Use ◽  
Online Persona

Recognizing the multiplatform and individualized video viewing environment, this study conducted focus groups to delve into reasons behind the choice and use of television over other types of video platforms, and the motives for using social television. The results suggest that the focus group participants feel affection for television as a medium itself — a feeling that is independent of the content available on television. The motives for seeking social television include a sense of community, social bonding with existing networks, reinforcement of an online persona, entertainment, information sharing, social movement, self-documentation, and incentives.

Using focus groups to teach social science research practice

2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 24-42
Author(s):  
Jo Lindsay
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Research Participant ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Sociological Research ◽  
Research Skills

Contemporary undergraduate courses in research methods are challenging to teach because of the wide scope of the subject matter, limited student contact hours and the complexity of supervising research projects undertaken by novices. Focus group assignments within class offer an interesting and enjoyable way for students to develop and apply research skills and reflect on the process of being both a researcher and a research participant in social science disciplines. Using focus groups enables deep learning, formative assessment and the development of reflexive research skills. This article discusses the use of focus group assignments as a key assessment tool in a Sociological research methods course taught at Monash University, Australia. The use of focus groups as a teaching tool is further assessed through analysing the reflections and evaluations given by students participating in the course.

Displaying opinions: Topics and disagreement in focus groups

1998 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg Myers
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Collaborative Project ◽  
Institutional Settings ◽  
Everyday Talk ◽  
Gathering Data

ABSTRACTFocus group discussions are now widely used for gathering data, in social science as well as in commercial marketing and public opinion research. One appeal of focus groups is that in some ways they seem like everyday talk, but their effectiveness depends on a tension between the moderator's constraints and participants' interaction. The moderator introduces and defines topics, but participants can shift, close, and interpret them. The moderator elicits disagreement in a way specific to focus groups, but participants manage their disagreement. Thus we see not simple control by the moderator, but a complex collaborative project operating under the shared assumption that the purpose of the discussion is to display opinions to the moderator. These findings extend the analysis of conversation in institutional settings and contribute to a methodological critique of the reification of attitudes and opinions in some social science research. (Focus group techniques, conversation, discourse analysis, interaction, agreement, topic, laughter, environment.)

scholarly journals Focus groups and methodological rigour outside the minority world: making the method work to its strengths in Tanzania

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilde Jakobsen
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Group Method ◽  
Data Generation ◽  
Trial And Error ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Majority World ◽  
Focus Group Method

This article examines some methodological issues that arise when conducting focus group discussions in the majority world (developing countries), and describes one way of addressing them. While the method is widely used in the majority world, the methodological literature on how to moderate focus groups builds on accumulated experiences of how conversations work in the minority world (developed countries). This article suggests a way to apply the method more rigorously in a majority-world context. It draws on a trial-and-error innovation process spanning 40 discussions in Tanzania. Ensuring quality in data generation required thorough attention to issues of alterity, positionality and power. These issues are common challenges to methodological rigour when researching across difference in the majority world. But this article contends that if used correctly and to its strengths, the focus group method can indeed address and solve these challenges. This also entails creating appropriate conditions for interaction among focus groups participants.

scholarly journals Critical convergences

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramah McKay
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Knowledge

Thinking through two objects – a focus group and a photograph – this essay suggests that ethnographic critique is not separate from but constitutive of global health. Social science representations, from data and focus groups to ethnographic descriptions and clinical snapshots, not only analyze, unpack, or depict global health; they also constitute it as a field of intervention and to define certain spaces, particularly clinical ones, as exemplary global health sites. This co-constitutive role complicates ethnographic critiques that see their role as primarily destabilizing global health facts. Rather, by drawing on feminist approaches to ethnography and critique, I suggest that convergences between ethnographic and global health knowledge stem from historical alignments through which anthropology and global health alike emerged and have come to circulate. These convergences point to the need for a ‘non-innocent’ critique of global health that centers the disciplinary complicity between, and methodological adjacency of, social science and global health.

scholarly journals The Language of Information Literacy: Do Students Understand?

2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayle Schaub ◽  
Cara Cadeno ◽  
Patricia Bravender ◽  
Christopher Kierkus
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Library Instruction

To effectively access and use the resources of the academic library and to become information-literate, students must understand the language of information literacy. This study analyzes undergraduate students’ understanding of fourteen commonly used information-literacy terms. It was found that some of the terms least understood by students are those most frequently found in faculty-created research assignments and syllabi and that are used by librarians during library instruction. It is recommended that librarians work with faculty to make them aware of students’ lack of understanding of information literacy terms and that librarians also reinforce their meaning during library instruction and in one-on-one consultations.

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