Participant populations, library environments, and learning environments
Abstract:
This chapter describes the characteristics of participant groups, library environments, and learning environments. Though most of this book focuses on the academic library, this chapter includes descriptions of all library environments and the different learning environments used for instruction. It is said that a library is a library is a library; however, library participants come in all shapes and sizes, from the very young to senior citizens, and are as diverse in abilities and culture as they are in age. Accommodating such diversity is challenging and makes choosing an effective method of instruction all the more imperative for library instructional programs. The chapter will define types of participants including educational and skill levels. The library environments are categorized into public, academic (including school), and special. The learning environments are limited to face-to-face and virtual. Knowing your participants and environment is an essential factor and should not be overlooked when building the equation for choosing an effective method of instruction.
Participants
Knowing the participants who receive the instruction is equally as important as choosing an instructional method and an effectiveness measure. Grassian and Kaplowitz consider this a foundational element when developing an instructional program. They write ‘Who are your learners? This is one of the most fundamental questions when developing an ILI program’ (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). There are many issues to consider when determining library participants, including gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, age, language, and ability and skill levels. This section addresses some of these issues and presents some assessment ideas on how to identify participant groups before selecting an instructional method.
Types of participants
Library participant populations reflect the community where the library is located. Public library participants are made up from the neighborhood around the library and can be limited in cultural differences but be diverse in age and abilities. The limited cultural aspect can be true of school libraries also. Academic libraries and special libraries are not restricted by community constraints and tend to include diversity across all library participant characteristics. Some of the most common characteristics that affect a librarian’s choice in mode of instruction are age, gender, ethnicity, multiculturalism and abilities.
Age, the non-traditional student
According to the US Department of Education, the number of non-traditional or adult learners has been steadily increasing since 1990 and will increase another 33 percent over the next five years (Department of Education, 2010). Non-traditional learners include youth and adults who do not come to college directly from high school, as well as underrepresented groups. Underrepresented groups include Native Americans, women and youth at risk, and adults on social assistance. They are also known as re-entry learners. This increasing population of older learners presents many different instructional challenges and levels of anxiety. They also have a widely varied educational background, familiarity with technology and acceptance of technology (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). These learners can range from highly educated individuals with extensive technological experience to undereducated individuals who have never turned on a computer. It is vital to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the students before instruction begins.
Their approach to learning also varies from that of a traditional or youth learner, and educational experts have recommended a different learning paradigm called andragogy. Malcolm Knowles, a well-known American adult educator, developed andragogy theory in an attempt to specifically address adult learning. His theory emphasized that adult learners are self-directed and feel responsible for their own decisions. Knowles’ theory assumed adult learners needed to know why they were learning something, they approached learning as problem solving, and they needed to see an immediate value in the instruction (Knowles, 1984(1)). Andragogy is based on the following principles:
1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities.
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life.
4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.
Librarians need to remember certain requirements when applying these principles to ILI. First, adult learners need the instructor to explain why specific things are being taught, for example why information literacy is important to them, and how their learning to find and evaluate information will be beneficial. Next the instructor must make the instruction task-oriented instead of a matter of memorization – learning activities should be in the context of common tasks to be performed. The librarian should involve the students in active learning exercises. If in a face-to-face class, the instruction should take place in a computer lab so the students can perform searches and learn how to use the databases as the instruction takes place. Additionally, the instruction should take into account the wide range of backgrounds of learners; learning materials and activities should allow for different levels/types of previous experience with computers. The instruction could begin with a refresher lesson on website access and navigation before getting into more advanced searching strategies. Finally, since adults are self-directed, instruction should allow learners to discover things for themselves, providing guidance and help when mistakes are made. The librarian should be the ‘guide on the side’ instead of the ‘sage on the stage,’ acting more as a facilitator than as an authoritative expert on the subject (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009).
Non-traditional learners require a learner-centered approach when designing an instructional method. They have a better idea of what is useful to them from instruction and want to be involved in their learning. They require an atmosphere of mutuality where they feel they are considered teachers as well as students in the instruction (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). The instruction should be designed in a series of face-to-face and online workshops that the students can attend in order, or pick and choose from, depending on their skills and abilities. Librarians at the University of Denver, Penrose Library developed a set of workshops for LIS students using andragogy concepts to help the students develop library and information literacy skills. Figure 3.1 lists the learning objectives of the workshops they developed with an additional beginner’s technology workshop and a copy of the single lesson plan for one of the workshops. Each lesson plan incorporates an active learning component to involve the student in the instruction (Goldman, Hunter and Shelton, 2007). The population of adult learners will continue to increase in the next decade and will make up a considerable percentage of students receiving ILI. Librarians should consider developing appropriate self-pace face-to-face and online tutorials to accommodate them.
Figure 3.1 Learning objectives of adult learners’ workshops. Source: Goldman, Hunter and Shelton (2007)
Gender
Research has shown females and males learn differently. The results of the studies vary widely and numerous basic differences have been presented. Women tend to have better verbal skills and adjust better to educational structure. Additionally, studies indicate women are more connected learners (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009) and prefer a more learner centered instructional method. In contrast, men are more separate learners and prefer the teacher-centered method of instruction (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). The US Department of Education maintains statistics on academic performance and, according to its records, girls are approximately one and a half years ahead of boys in reading and writing competency. Boys are two to four points higher than girls in math and science test scores (US Department of Education, 2010). Girls receive about 60 percent of the As across all levels of education and boys receive 70 percent of the Ds and Fs. Over the past two decades, researchers have documented that males have distinct technological skills advantages over females (Wever-Rabehl, 2006). Educational research has shown that many of these gender advantages and disadvantages are due to a gender bias by teachers within the educational systems. Michael Gurian, a renowned expert in brain research, believes the differences are brain-based. He presents neurological evidence that male and female brain structure is the direct causal factor for these gender learning differences. He also claims the learning differences are not due to bias-based teaching and believes that teachers lack the adequate information they require to teach males and females (Gurian et al., 2001). Gurian’s research used brain scans to show male and female brains try to learn the same things in very different ways and teachers need to be trained in how the brain learns in males and females. This strategy is called nature-based teaching and is an approach that involves creating a learning environment conducive to both genders’ brain systems. A nature-based approach is a long-term strategy and would not apply to most information literacy instructional methods; however, it is beneficial for librarians to be aware of gender learning differences.
Ethnicity and multiculturalism
By the year 2020, one out of every three Americans will be a person of color, and students of color will make up almost 50 percent of the student population. In the lifetimes of many of today’s college and university students, non-Hispanic whites are predicted to become less than half the population of the United States (Meacham, 2003). In the twenty-first century, diversity is a word with a high degree of elasticity and has expanded far beyond minority racial groups. The term can include race and ethnicity, and define persons with physical or mental disabilities, or address a person’s sexual orientation. Most libraries have recognized the importance of addressing the issue of multiculturalism and diversity, and developed policies demonstrating a commitment to equality for all participants. It is important for librarians to become aware of the instructional difficulties that exist and are unique to each group of participants. Anne Switzer, an outreach librarian at Oakland University, believes there are different obstructions that apply to each group of participants. She writes, ‘Attention is finally beginning to be placed on other “nontraditional” users – that is, any student who differs from the typical college student with regard to abilities, age, gender/sexuality, nationality or ethnicity, and locale (students taking classes at a remote campus and/or online). The educational barriers are different for each separate population; they are, nonetheless, significant enough to warrant our consideration’ (Switzer, 2008). The library environment is fast-changing and librarians can be leaders in the information literacy education of non-traditional groups of participants.
A common instructional obstacle with a diverse population of participants is language. Many of these non-traditional learners are also learning English and only speak English when in an educational environment. Grassian and Kaplowitz write, ‘Many of these users speak their native language at home and in their communities and must switch to English for their educational experiences’ (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). English-language learners are trying to study in a language different from their own and in most cases are trying to acclimate to a new culture. Librarians must expand their efforts in making these students feel welcome and comfortable. A hands-on, active learning approach works well with these students, keeping the instructions direct and defining all library jargon in easy-to-understand language. Always try to have the students apply the instruction and perform tasks to obtain immediate feedback. This will provide a performance assessment of how well the participants have retained what was being taught. Grassian and Kaplowitz recommend employing numerous instructional strategies to help with training and educating this group of users: ‘Gestures, graphic illustrations, handouts, rephrasing, speaking slowly and clearly and restating ideas are all methods that can help these learners’ (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). These learners will work better at their own pace and should be allowed to interact with the instructional materials instead of sitting through a lecture presentation. Online tutorials for repeated viewings and web-based guides in multiple languages are also beneficial in helping these learners develop library and informational skills (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009).
Another group of learners brought to the forefront as education has raised the priority on diversity are people with physical and/or mental disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) raised awareness of disabled people and brought about policies to accommodate this group of learners. In education, the trend has shifted to integrating disabled learners into regular programs instead of providing special programming for them (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). Librarians are encountering this group of participants more often and must consider the special techniques required in their education. Disabled does not mean these participants are dependent or helpless; they usually lead lives just like those of people who are not disabled and their disability is often separate from matters of cognition. When in doubt as to what special assistance is required for a disabled student, simply ask him or her and be flexible to meeting their needs. Another segment of the disabled population vulnerable to not receiving the library services are the deaf. Deaf students can require extensive instruction in library skills since many hearing-impaired students have lower levels of knowledge in the area (Mason, 2010). Few librarians have acquired the skills necessary to meet the needs of the deaf student, and improvements are needed in this area. A good strategy for elevating the ILI experience for the deaf is to maintain a good collaborative relationship with the disabled services unit who can provide sign translators for instructional sessions. The library should design instruction that is all-inclusive, and this includes addressing Lesbian/ Gay/Bisexual/Transexual students. Instruction can include pathfinders to resources that challenge the silence about LGBT issues. In this way, librarians can be leaders in diminishing homophobia, contributing to a tolerant and healthy learning environment for everyone. A library serves a population that is ever growing in numbers and diversity; as librarians we need to make our services available to all. The best way to attain this goal is to talk with members of all participant groups to identify the best possible ways to include them and their needs in the design of instruction.
Abilities
Abilities of participants can be as diverse as the participant population and include deficiencies in everything from academic skills to technology literacy. Educational backgrounds vary among participants and many lack the skill sets needed to navigate the complexities of the information available in the twenty-first century library. These participants require patience and flexibility in instruction. It may be important to limit the amounts of information presented in the instructional period, and the librarian should try to involve students in learning activities instead of expecting the participants to sit through continuous lecture. It is important to recognize that participants are going to possess different levels of academic and cognitive abilities and adjust the instructional method as you go. Participants with limited skill sets tend to fall through the cracks at most educational levels and go unnoticed. In addition to adjusting instruction, librarians can offer walk-in and by-appointment help, also encouraging these participants to enroll in writing skills classes offered at writing labs.
All the above mentioned participants usually have some level of problem with the library classification system, underdeveloped critical thinking skills, variations in educational backgrounds, and technological difficulties. These problems can be amplified by cultural differences in learning styles, and librarians should be urged to ‘become proficient at cultural appraisal and more sensitive to cultural differences’ (Switzer, 2008). It is also important to know the composition of the overall participant population and become familiar with the traits and needs of all participants. The best strategy is to vary and combine the instructional methods in an attempt to reach all the learners (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009).
Library environments
This publication’s main focus is academic libraries. However, in the pursuit of promoting life-long learning, the foundational building block of information literacy instruction, it is appropriate to mention all library environments. There are three main types of libraries, public, academic, and special. Though ILI has mainly been associated with academic libraries, the widespread movement of information literacy has brought the importance of teaching IL skills to the forefront in all environments. Each type of library serves a different population of participants, but all participants have the same basic need; they are looking for information. The current world of information is vast and continues to expand daily. As the quantity of information grows, the skills needed to find reliable, accurate information also increase. Libraries have been providing this epistemological service for centuries and are the ideal organizations to teach others the skills required to navigate the overwhelming amounts of information now available. The world is changing with technological advances and in the future subsistence will require a certain level of information literacy skills. Teaching these skills is now needed in every library to expose all participants to the skills they will need. This section will outline the different types of libraries and some of the instructional problems each type encounters.
Public libraries
For most people, this is what is considered a library: a public building that provides books and reference and is mainly used by senior citizens and children. Public libraries are everywhere and are considered fundamental in promoting a literate population. The locations vary as much as the diversity in the participants. Instructional classes of the public library usually focus on direct self-help needs of the community, ranging from basic literacy skills to US citizenship information. Many participants only have computer access through their public libraries; consequently the public library has become a provider of computer-skills instruction. These assorted instructional opportunities are conducted in various ways, face-to-face class offerings, one-on-one point of use instruction with a single participant, and online tutorials.
Though the gap is narrowing, there are still a large number of participants on the wrong side of the digital divide. As it becomes more necessary for people to have access to and skills in computer technology, the role of the public library in these participants’ education will become more challenging. Many of these participants have never used a computer and require extensive instruction before being able to do an Internet search. Compounding this influx of digital dividers is the increasing use of the library by K-12 students. Because of the recent economic crunch, many schools have been forced to discontinue support, leaving the students to use the public library for their information needs (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). This has created a demand that puts a strain on an already overworked public library staff. The average public librarian has never acquired the teaching experience to provide the instructional services called for by this increasing population of participants who need to acquire information literacy skills. As with any institution that relies on public sources for its finances, public libraries are facing budgetary challenges. An increasing demand for computer access puts even greater pressure on decreasing budgets and has public libraries scrambling for additional sources of income (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). Marketing of librarianship and the occupation may increase the number of librarians. Once these librarians are in an MLS program the institutions must increase the credit hours spent on preparing librarians for instruction. Organizational classes and Foundations are all well and good; however, most of a librarian’s time is now spent in one-on-one or full class instruction and should be considered the greatest educational need of a library science student. As stated by Grassian and Kaplowitz, ‘Funding, of course, is always an issue.’ One possible solution is to recruit community agencies and private businesses in addressing the participants’ instructional needs. An informed and information literate public can only enrich the community and should be an incentive for cooperation.
Academic libraries
Academic libraries cover a far-ranging spectrum, from libraries in all types of schools to the libraries at major universities. Most consider secondary education school libraries as a separate class of library; however, these libraries serve students and should be considered academic libraries. Diversity in participant population is as great as that of the public library, though most participants share one common characteristic: they are all students. The population also consists of the teachers and faculty of the parent institution. The role of the academic library is to provide access to information and services that support student learning. There is a long history of instruction in academic libraries and their popularity has increased with the growth of the information literacy movement in recent years. The demand for critical thinking skills has also increased recently. As this demand has expanded, students have been encouraged to expand their informational horizons. Another popular movement within educational environments is the focus on distance learning at every level of education. All these recent developments in education have created more opportunities for ILI than ever before.
Accountability has become an issue for all academic libraries. K-12 to higher education institutions are being pressured to deliver a better product. Secondary schools are being criticized by higher education institutions for advancing students who are not prepared for college-level work. Employers and businesses are complaining that the students from higher education institutions do not have the skills needed to compete in today’s globalized society. The institutions are demanding that the libraries shoulder more responsibility and contribute more to student learning. Meeting these demands is made even more difficult when the librarians are faced with uncooperative faculty. Producing evidence that ILI is effective in increasing student learning takes a great effort in collaboration between the faculty and the librarians. Though some institutions enjoy a collaborative relationship between instructors and librarians, many libraries are faced with a tough challenge of convincing the faculty to integrate IL into their curriculums. At a time when the library is being asked to increase its participation in student learning, many institutions are cutting libraries’ budgets. Another issue is the complexity of timing and scheduling of ILI sessions (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). Getting faculty to give up class time to accommodate a library instructional session is another challenge in the librarian/instructor collaboration relationship. The best way to attack this set of problems is with a well laid out strategic plan for ILI. To start, librarians need to establish solid relationships with the faculty. Use every opportunity to interact with faculty – faculty orientations, special faculty convocations, meet-and-greets at the library inviting the faculty members. Involve the faculty in collection development, get their opinions on resources the library should be acquiring that target their classes and curriculums. Any positive contact will go a long way in developing the collaboration needed for a fully integrated IL program in the process of student learning. If the library wants to continue playing a vital role in the infrastructure of academics it must show how it supports student learning. Integrating the ILI program into class curriculums ties the library directly to the learning process and gives the library the opportunity to increase student learning.
Special libraries
Any library that is not a public library or an academic library could be considered a special library. Special libraries serve a single institution and tend to be a single-subject library. These libraries are designed to support the mission of the organization and their collections are focused on resources that target the specific needs of the employees who work there. Special libraries include law libraries, news libraries, government libraries, corporate libraries, museum libraries, and medical libraries. These libraries specialize in serving the organization and do not allow access to the public. Many special library collections are made up solely of internal documents including annual reports, financial statements, project descriptions and memos. Everyone who works for the organization has access to the library, from the administration to the maintenance employees. Librarians in special libraries are more specialist in information about the organization than they are librarians, and many are referred to as information officer or information scientist rather than librarian.
The role of the special library is tied to the organization’s bottom line and profits, not to the advancement of an information literate public, nor the education of students. Consequently, their position is under constant pressure to justify the existence of the library. Information literacy instruction plays a minor role in the structure of the special library, mostly designed to inform employees on the use of new resources and the online catalog if one is available. The librarian must learn as much as possible about the information the organization uses and learn the needs of employees. Executing a push strategy is beneficial and librarians have to develop an intuitive characteristic of what information will be needed at certain times. Many organizations are cyclical and this becomes routine. An important element is proving the library’s value to the organization and this is done by delivering the right information at the right times.
Learning environments
ILI can be presented in many different ways: stand-alone courses, course-integrated sessions, general one-shot orientations, the drop-in or drive-by bibliographic instruction, point-of-use guides, pathfinders and web-based module tutorials. Delivery methods or learning environments are much more limited. The material can be delivered face-to-face in a regular classroom setting or electronically through computerization. Technology has blurred these lines recently with the introduction of video-conferencing software such as Elluminate Live, which allows librarians to teach a class over the Internet in real time to distance learners anywhere, anytime. This section will describe the two learning environments and some of the advantages and disadvantages of using them.
Face-to-face
Face-to-face (FTF) learning groups are the traditional method of education everywhere. The instructor delivers content to a class of students while physically located in the same room with the students. Many students, regardless of generation, prefer this environment, stating it gives them structure and routine. It provides them with access to the instructor that just is not there in an online environment. There have been countless studies comparing face-to-face with online learning with mixed results. Recently, more studies show there is no difference between the learning environment and the learning outcomes of students. The differences are now often measured in the perception of the advantages and disadvantages. The face-to-face environment offers numerous advantages to the student:
1. Process familiarity. Live learning is what most of us are familiar with and have grown up experiencing (Faust, 2000). Many students feel more comfortable and experience less library anxiety when in a group of familiar peers.
2. Connectedness. Being with other students, asking questions and getting immediate feedback creates a feeling of connectedness, of being part of a real class. Two-way communication allows establishment of rapport between instructor and student (Faust, 2000). The students get to see and relate to the librarian, and the librarian has an opportunity to develop a relationship with the students.
3. Student response. Instructors can easily and immediately identify student response to material and can respond instantly if students seem confused or puzzled by material (Faust, 2000). Responding to students’ confusion shows a sense of caring from the librarian.
4. Feedback. Student questions receive immediate response; these is no waiting period during which the student may forget the question or misunderstand the response (Faust, 2000). A response to an e-mail that may be hours or even days old seems less meaningful.
5. Closer relationship. Face-to-face instruction always develops a closer relationship between the student and librarian, and the student is more apt to approach a librarian after attending a face-to-face instructional session.
6. Clear and full communication. Learners and librarian communicate with each other in back-and-forth verbal communication – a more common and direct way with less misunderstanding of content.
7. Easy to monitor. Librarians can monitor how the students are interpreting the instruction; the learning and content presentation can all be monitored and altered if needed, depending on the pace of student learning and skill level.
Some of the disadvantages of face-to-face learning environments are that the learners have to attend scheduled sessions at a specific time and place. For today’s participants this can be difficult and inconvenient. Also, learners with English as a second language can struggle with understanding the content, and require additional assistance from the librarian. In an online environment, the content could be translated with web-based translation software if needed. Unlike distance-learning classes, ILI-online tutorial modules are more cost effective than face-to-face library instruction. The initial expense is offset by the number of students that can continue to access the set of modules numerous times without any extra expense. Perhaps the greatest disadvantage of face-to-face classes is on the librarian-side of the instruction. The development and delivery time of face-to-face ILI has created a whole new occupation and made the librarian into the teacher. More time is spent on instruction now than on the traditional tasks of the librarian. Measuring the utility of this is difficult. Comparatively, the instruction is bringing a job-security aspect to the position, though it does distract from other responsibilities of the librarian, especially in the smaller libraries where the librarian wears many hats and the job description expands to include numerous duties. The majority of students overlook the disadvantages of FTF instruction and that is why the one-shot library instructional period is still the most popular presentation method for ILI (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009).
As stated above, there are numerous modes of ILI presentation. There are the stand-alone courses that involve a full semester credit-bearing class with a full curriculum. These are usually offered as 100 level for undergraduates and 500 level for graduate students. Another method is course-integrated sessions, where through collaboration with a faculty member, the librarian designs a single session that targets a specific class assignment. These are also called just-in-time sessions, sometimes scheduled just before the assignment is due. There are also general one-shot orientations, the most popular ILI design. These are usually one-class-period sessions that present the resources the library holds and teach the students how to find and use resources to help them in a particular discipline. Finally, there is the drop-in or drive-by bibliographic instruction. These are short 10–15 minute instructional sessions that introduce the librarians and some of the services the library offers to the students. The last two designs have been used as marketing tools. The popularity of distance learning is increasing the use of electronic instruction, but FTF instruction is still likely the preferred learning environment of most students.
Electronic
Electronic ILI is usually web based and participants can access it anytime from anywhere that provides Internet access. The instruction is often presented in learning modules that direct a student through the research cycle, from developing keywords to using the library’s databases and concluding with lessons on the correct use of information to avoid plagiarism. Many online tutorials include interactivity and encourage the participant to actively participate in the instruction, providing tests with immediate feedback and appealing interfaces. There are three main types of interactive learning systems used in library online tutorials: drill-and-practice, tutorials, and simulations (Tancheva, 2003). Drill-and-practice systems are designed to reinforce skills a participant already possesses. The participant has already learned the content in previous lessons and is using the instruction to refresh or advance their knowledge of it. In contrast, tutorials teach a participant new material and use evaluative tools to verify that the participant has understood the instruction. Simulations replicate the experience of a task and employ graphics and visualization techniques. These types of tutorial systems can use complex illustrations created with Flash software to enhance the learning experience of the participant.
Another popular tool being used to create online tutorials is screencasting software. This allows a librarian to capture the activity taking place on a computer screen, create a running video from the screen captures and embed audio content into the video. Another new form of tutorial ILI presentation has been short videos. The videos are usually 2–3 minute presentations that cover a range of topics from general (e.g. evaluating websites and using wikipedia) to how to navigate specific databases to using different library services (e.g. interlibrary loan). Many academic libraries employ students as the actors, with background music and special effects added. Libraries provide a link on their web page to the screencast or video, and participants can just click and the instruction is streamed to their computer. There has been some limited experimentation with developing a gaming version of ILI. Some academic libraries have integrated gaming strategies into their ILI. Games are a large portion of the popular culture and libraries view them as an effective way to attract young participants to using their online ILI. Finally, video conferencing software is another new technology in the electronic environment. It is a way to bring the face-to-face experience into the electronic environment. This tool allows the librarian to perform live ILI sessions delivered over the Internet to anyone with computer access. Elluminate Live video conferencing software is being used in many online learning environments, such as Blackboard, D2L, and Moodle, with great success. The shift to online instruction has already begun, and all libraries should investigate these new presentation methods and prepare to deliver a web-based ILI.
The electronic learning environment has many advantages, especially for the distance learner. Web-based ILI presents the same information to every participant and removes any variations of human delivery (Smith, 2001). Online ILI tutorials can be used at the participant’s convenience, they can be accessed from anywhere, they offer an alternative to regular learning to self-motivated learners and are more beneficial to visual learners. Further, because of the multimedia features of the electronic environment, online ILI is considered more capable of satisfying the diversity in learning styles (Tancheva, 2001). Designing a multiple-module tutorial is more cost effective, especially when the instruction has to be presented to thousands of new incoming students. Possibly the most significant advantage of web-based ILI is the characteristic of the instruction being at the precise point of need for a participant. This is, of course, assuming the participant will go to the tutorial when they need help with their research (Tancheva, 2003). The disadvantages include less participant satisfaction; studies have shown that learners are less satisfied with content structure of online ILI compared with FTF and less satisfied with the interactivity both from the instruction and no-instructor interaction. Another complaint is that traditional content of ILI does not translate well into the electronic environment and unless the library’s mission and infrastructure are geared towards web based ILI, online instruction can be inappropriate and difficult to implement (Smith, 2001). A further concern with online tutorials is that too often these tutorials are seen as using technology for its own sake (Mason, 2000) rather than for the enhancement of learning. All of these disadvantages are pratical, not theoretical (Tancheva, 2003), and through application and practice can be overcome. Distance learning is the way of the future and web-based ILI will become more ubiquitous as more participants access all forms of education and training online.
Take-home message
No matter what the library or learning environment, the population of participants will be diverse, and knowing the participants is fundamental in determining what instructional method will be effective. As Grassian and Kaplowitz say, ‘A library is a library is a library’ (Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2009). However, this is not true of participants: they and their needs are as diverse as the world’s population. There is no way of stereotyping your participant population. Though difficult, it is best to think of each participant as an individual requiring special treatment. Though ILI is currently limited in public libraries, they will start to include ILI as a regular service as more everyday subsistence requires Internet access. Watch for the public sector to start demanding more ILI sessions at their community libraries as more government services and information become web based. Public participants are already asking for regular computer skills instruction as the Internet becomes a greater influence in their lives. A long-held misconception is that academic libraries have somewhat of a captive audience in the academic community. The organization they serve exists to teach and its participants are there to learn, and the libraries’ role in all this is to provide information that supports teaching and learning. This does not detract from the challenges of providing an effective ILI program. Academic libraries and librarians are responsible for a high level of accountability and are in a constant struggle to justify that their services contribute to student learning. Developing an effective ILI program in this competitive environment requires a great deal of collaboration with the faculty to show the library’s contribution to student learning. Special libraries must always prove their value to their organization’s bottom line and show how their services are contributing to profits. Special librarians, more than their counterparts in public and academic libraries, must learn to be intuitive to the employees’ and administrators’ needs and promote the information that fulfills those needs. All library environments are in a battle with competing entities for funding and usually lose in the budget-cut war. There have been so many contrasting results in studies measuring differences between FTF and electronic learning environment that it is hard to determine whether any differences exist or not. As the next chapter will show, there is one preferred environment; however, both have advantages and disadvantages to consider when choosing an effective ILI method. FTF offers the connectedness that creates a comfortable learning experience for participants. Electronic environments deliver the convenience multi-tasking participants are looking for in this modern society that often has to micromanage their time. A participant population with global diversity, different institutional environments, and learning environments makes choosing an effective ILI challenging and difficult in a time of escalating demands for IL.
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