scholarly journals Ubiquitous Learning for Distance Education Students: The Experience of Conducting Real-Time Online Library Instruction Programs through Mobile Technology

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Leo F.H. Ma ◽  
Ling Ling Yu

Library services for Hong Kong-based students enrolled in distance learning programs on information studies, offered by the Charles Sturt University (CSU), Australia in collaboration with the School of Professional and Continuing Education of the University of Hong Kong (HKUSPACE), were supported by the University of Hong Kong Libraries utilizing a face-to-face format for many years. With the advancement of internet technology, new e-learning software, mobile technology and ever-growing online resources, CSU and HKUSPACE course administrators considered that online library instruction programs could be supported and delivered by the librarians of CSU at Australia remotely to Hong Kong students. Several real-time, online instruction programs were initiated since late 2013. The successful launching of the programs provides evidence to support the provision of online library instruction through not only personal computers, but also mobile devices. Based on a qualitative analysis, it was concluded that delivering library instruction programs by internet and mobile technology to distance learning students in higher education is achievable. More library services can be planned by making use of this successful experience.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lianda Coetzer ◽  
Patrick Mapulanga

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the perceived satisfaction of Advanced Certificate in Teaching students and facilitators regarding online library services offered by the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a quantitative approach with open-ended questions that generated some qualitative data. Data has been presented using descriptive statistics in the form of tables, graphs and charts and thematic content analysis for some qualitative data. Findings All learners in this study were adults between 45 and 55 years of age. Of the respondents, 13% lacked online experience, while about 85% had never used online library services and 35% indicated that Google was their primary source of information. The majority of respondents indicated information literacy as a core function of the academic library. High data cost in South Africa came out as one of the major issues affecting distance learners as well as login and password frustrations. The study confirmed computer anxiety, physical discomfort, information overflow and prompt response as some of the perceived challenges and levels of satisfaction respectively of Advanced Certificate in Teaching students and facilitators regarding online library services offered by the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa. Practical implications The study revealed that a distance learning library policy is of the essence because it helps to put in place rules and regulations that guide the delivery of distance library services. Originality/value The offering of online and distance library services is a fairly new concept to the UFS library. This study bridges the gap between theory and practice regarding the perceived satisfaction of distance users on online library services and how to improve the current practice.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Daniel

A Review of: Catalano, A. (2014). Improving distance education for students with special needs: A qualitative study of students’ experiences with an online library research course. Journal of Library & Information Services in Distance Learning, 8(1-2): 17-31. doi: 10.1080/1533290X.2014.902416 Abstract Objective – To evaluate student experience with an online library research course that follows best practices about distance education for special needs students. Design – Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Setting – A large private college in the United States of America. Subjects – Seven female students, both undergraduate and graduate, each with different physical and cognitive disabilities. Methods – Students were recruited from respondents to a survey about accessible library services, with a $50 gift card incentive. They took an online information literacy course that had been adapted for students with special needs, using universal design for learning and best practices in distance education for special needs students and in library instruction. Upon completion, students answered a questionnaire about the course learning activities. Students were then asked to participate in in-depth, semi-structured interviews on their learning preferences and study skills. Main Results – Students expressed overall satisfaction with the course, especially the clear organization and the ability to choose from various types of assignments for their final project. They expressed a preference for click-through, step-by-step instructions for tutorials. Five of the seven students participated in in-depth interviews, which revealed some common themes in their overall online learning experience: the challenge of obtaining extended time on tests; overcoming reluctance to participate in online discussions; the need for regular communication with instructors; and the need for clearly stated expectations and timely feedback. Conclusion – Student feedback confirms best practices identified in the literature on distance learning and on special needs students. The need for clear instructor expectations, clear course organization, and frequent interaction with the professor are common to all distance learning situations, but students with special needs are particularly in need of such well-structured instruction. Librarians should always determine accessibility before selecting software and tools to be used in online instruction. Accessible online library instruction should include information about resources for students with special needs; it should provide the same content in varied formats; and it should offer students options for assignment formats. Much research remains to be done to compare students with special needs in online and face-to-face courses, and to determine factors that improve the success of students with special needs in online courses.


2017 ◽  
Vol 118 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 120-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gulcin Kubat

Purpose The purpose of this study is to search for any evidence for university libraries that are accessible by mobile technology in Turkey as relevant models of the future; having regard to the fact that smartphones will very soon become the standard means by which the internet is accessed, and the rates of connection from mobile devices will supersede those which are computer-based. Design/methodology/approach In the study, both domestic and foreign literature surveys were undertaken to determine which mobile library services are offered in university libraries. Thirty random central libraries of both private and state universities were selected from across the seven regions of Turkey. To gather data, a 26-question electronic survey was generated and e-mailed to the library managers. The questions were based on findings regarding the mobile library services provided by university libraries around the world. Findings By examining the survey results, it was determined that Turkish university libraries utilise a comparable level of mobile technology and demonstrate a similar level of care with regard to the services they offer. There are mobile sites (separate sites or mobile sites as applications), mobile library catalogues, short messaging services, chat rooms, consultations via instant messaging tools, mobile device-lending services, and augmented reality and QR code applications. Research limitations/implications In Turkey, the structures of university libraries operate under variable conditions because of the lack of established standards. This causes negative results for the delivery of library services. For this reason, university library standards should be set practicable as soonas reasonable, considering the social/economic and cultural structure of the country. Practical implications Owing to the transformative effect technology and the internet have had on services information and communication technologies, infrastructure has been added as a sixth element to the five traditional library items, namely, building budget personnel collection and users. Globalisation through the web has resulted in the individualisation of services and the slogan content is king has been changed to the customer experience is king. Fundamental library services are being adapted to allow mobile technology access, and this approach best reflects the new slogan. Therefore, the university library of the future may well be the one entirely based on mobile technology. Social implications Mobile devices lead to new forms of engagement with student learning; so academic libraries are expected to be strong partners in the teaching and learning processes of their institution. Originality/value The hypothesis of this study is that a university library accessible by mobile technology will be the model of the future, and its purpose is to search for any evidence for which the university libraries in Turkey are prepared to meet this challenge. This study is also meaningful because there have not been any study of Turkish university libraries in terms of mobile library services to users. This paper is the first time that a comprehensive study has been made of current mobile technology-based services, and is also the first comparison of the applications in Turkish university libraries. Additionally, paper synthesises developments and provides suggestions for the future.


2013 ◽  
Vol 475-476 ◽  
pp. 1167-1170
Author(s):  
Dong Li Yang ◽  
Yu Fu ◽  
Wan Ping Zhao

This paper studied the management and monitoring graduation-designing platform of the university undergraduate based on the internet technology. Practice has proved that the platform can let the students write graduation-designing journal of the electronic version at any place at any time; It can update their completion status of the graduation designing in real time; Teachers in the colleges and universities can land the platform and gave the answers to the students questions in time with a variety of ways. It truly achieved the new 4W comprehensively monitoring and management pattern that some "cage-free" serious professional students of the graduation designing, especially represented by the IT professional students.


2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne C. Barnhart ◽  
Andrea G. Stanfield

PurposeOwing to the growing number of online and commuting students at the University of West Georgia, the Instructional Services department at Ingram Library experimented with offering online synchronous library instruction. This paper aims to describe how it approached this problem and the findings from the initial attempts.Design/methodology/approachThe authors wanted to provide library instruction to online graduate students at the university. They worked with the staff development department to develop a pilot program for an online library instruction course using WIMBA web‐conferencing software.FindingsIt was found that due to the limitations of technology, the authors had to reduce the amount of information they deliver in the same amount of time. It was also discovered that it is easy to be distracted by the technology and forget that clear communication with the users (students and faculty) are the key to any successful instruction program regardless of the delivery method.Originality/valueMost libraries offer face‐to‐face library instruction and rely on tutorials to reach their distance education and non‐traditional students. Few libraries are using distance education tools to teach information literacy skills. As librarians begin to explore this avenue, they need to re‐evaluate how and what they teach students to better leverage the technology while reaching the same information literacy objectives.


Author(s):  
Yongsheng QI ◽  
Youguo SHI

As a new modern educational technology, the real time recording and playing has great significance in promoting distance learning, independent study and teaching quality. This research designed and developed a distance learning platform for students majoring in physical education based on 3D technology and real-time recording and playing technology. Through 3D technology, this teaching platform includes functions such as: overall module of 3D real time recording and playing, access to information, generation of 3D simulation video, video release and download module. Experimental results showed that teaching physical education curriculum with this platform can greatly improve learning efficiency and academic achievement; by innovating educational technologies of real time recording and playing system, so as to better promote the construction of distance education at the University.


2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Larry Cooperman

Information literacy is one of the most important aspects of librarianship. If students do not understand how to find and successfully use library resources, of what use and purpose is a library? In the past (and mostly to this day), live instructional classes were the norm for introducing students to library resources, but for convenience and reach of a wider audience, more and more information literacy sessions are being held online. However, these sessions only last an hour or two. With such a short time frame, how can instructional librarians make an impact on their audience? Editors Sarah Steiner and Miriam Rigby, an instruction librarian at Western Carolina University and a social sciences librarian at the University of Oregon respectively, have created a one-volume library instruction book with enough information on this topic to cover multiple volumes. Throughout its nineteen chapters, Motivating Students on a Time Budget explores diverse tools to foster motivation and learning for library instruction students, for both in-person and online library instruction.


The present paper focused on the prediction of the university student's gender towards Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Mobile Technology (MT) in Indian and Hungary.In this paper, four experiments were performed on dataset using three popular classifiersnamed Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Random Forest (RF) with three numerous testing technique such as K-fold Cross Validation (KCV), Hold Out (HO) and Leave One Out (LOO).Three different applications named Explorer, Experimenter and KnowledgeFlow (KF) of Weka 3.9.1 are used for predictive modeling. The class balancing has been also applied using Synthetic Minority Over-Sampling (SMOTE) to enhance the prediction accuracy of each algorithm. Further, a significant difference among classifier’s accuracies has also been tested using T-test at the 0.05 confidence level. Also, CPU user time has been calculated to train each model to justify to present real-time prediction of gender towards ICT and MT.The results of the study inferred that the CPU time is significantly differed in between RF (0.18 Seconds), SVM (0.06 seconds) and ANN (4.40 seconds).Also, the RF classifier (89.4%) outperformed others with LOO method in terms of accuracy.The authors recommended these predictive models to be deployed as an online prediction for the gender of the student towards ICT and MT at both universities to track technological activities.


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