Victoria A. Nozero, Penelope A. Whitten, Shelley Heaton, Kay Tuma, Nancy Master and Alison Armstrong
As the University of Nevada, Las Vegas continues building its new library, questions arise: Will the library instruction section be responsible for teaching students how to use…
Abstract
As the University of Nevada, Las Vegas continues building its new library, questions arise: Will the library instruction section be responsible for teaching students how to use word processing software? How will the new location affect the demand for bibliographic instruction? What will the new classrooms look like? In addition, staffing limitations, the library’s electronic environment, support from the teaching faculty, the library’s budget, and user demographics produce pressures that drive the direction an instruction program ultimately follows. The library staff can influence and control all of these pressures except one: user demographics. In this article, the authors discuss UNLV’s user population, how it has affected the development of a flexible library instruction program at UNLV, and how the online tutorial at another large urban university relates to its user population.
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Christine Furno and Daphne Flanagan
This descriptive research attempts to determine whether students are retaining knowledge from a single information literacy (IL) training session and whether there are other…
Abstract
Purpose
This descriptive research attempts to determine whether students are retaining knowledge from a single information literacy (IL) training session and whether there are other competencies that need to be covered in a 60 minute IL session.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was designed to measure IL learning outcomes that included formulating search strategies, evaluation of resources, and resource recognition. The tool was administered to students registered in an English class who were required to complete IL instruction. Students were given the test prior to IL instruction and post‐IL instruction.
Findings
The results of the study show a number of areas where the IL training sessions could be improved to better use the allotted 60 minutes. The trainers' findings gave clear directions on where to focus their efforts and where positive results are being achieved. The questionnaire was easy to administer and helped to fulfill the objectives of improving the IL training.
Practical implications
The questionnaire developed provides one more way for the IL team to assess student learning outcomes.
Originality/value
The value of this research has helped to provide structure to assessing the IL program and feeds into the current assessment culture. The questionnaire focuses on three common student learning outcomes which will be of value to academic instruction librarians.
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Jeanine M. Scaramozzino and Julia Gelfand
To report on the ACRL 13th National Conference held March 29–April 1, 2007 in Baltimore, MD.
Abstract
Purpose
To report on the ACRL 13th National Conference held March 29–April 1, 2007 in Baltimore, MD.
Design/methodology/approach
Provides an overview of the conference and reviews of specific events.
Findings
Outimes the pre‐conference events and four limited presentations.
Originality/value
A conference report of interest to academic and research librarians and information professionals about issues related to and trends in academic libraries and librarians.
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Christine Urquhart, Rhian Thomas, Ray Lonsdale, Siân Spink, Alison Yeoman, Roger Fenton and Chris Armstrong
The aim of the JUSTEIS project over the first three cycles (1999‐2002) was to examine the uptake and use of electronic information services in higher education in the UK, so that…
Abstract
The aim of the JUSTEIS project over the first three cycles (1999‐2002) was to examine the uptake and use of electronic information services in higher education in the UK, so that planning of services could be informed by trends in usage and evidence of specific needs. The objectives were to: examine which services were used by students and academic staff; how senior library staff planned services to purchase content and support its use; and examine how library and information services promoted services through their Web pages. Results over the three years explained the growing popularity of electronic journal services, the acceptance of the search engine model for information retrieval and the important role academic staff play in the promotion of electronic information services for student learning. Conclusions and recommendations concern the need for library and information staff to make their approach to integration of information skills into the curriculum appropriate for the discipline, the type of institution, and its strategy for implementation of any virtual or managed learning environment software.
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Alison Rudder, Paul Ainsworth and David Holgate
This paper seeks to evaluate the ideas of six new product development (NPD) theorists and their associates. These include those who have developed their theories with particular…
Abstract
This paper seeks to evaluate the ideas of six new product development (NPD) theorists and their associates. These include those who have developed their theories with particular reference to the food industry and the development of new food products. Their ideas are contrasted with non‐food specific theorists; these include those interested in the management of new products and those involved in marketing who have recognised the important role that NPD plays in any business. A further viewpoint is taken from theorists who are interested in NPD per se and who use food, on occasions, to illustrate their ideas. This research identifies different theories and recognises that there is very little consensus as to the right and wrong way to manage the process of product development. Indeed theorists name and number their various stages or phases differently with some advocating five while others believe eight steps to be more appropriate. This research concludes that an organisation should not be tied to one particular model but should take on board the basic fundamentals of a food‐based model (theory) and adapt and amend it to their particular situations as and when they develop new food products.
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A recent Ariadne article on review service resource evaluation by Anagnostelis et al. (1997) ended with a reference to the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) and added…
Abstract
A recent Ariadne article on review service resource evaluation by Anagnostelis et al. (1997) ended with a reference to the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) and added that while PICS controls neither the publication nor the distribution of information, it offers ‘individuals and organisations the option of filtering out or filtering in selected views of networked information.’ There then followed a reference to the Centre for Information Quality Management (CIQM) and its proposal to use PICS filtering in order to allow users to set constraints on the minimum quality of resources retrieved (Armstrong 1997). This article seeks to amplify this basic idea.
Melissa Rikiatou Kana Kenfack and Ali Öztüren
It is salient to be acquainted with the key elements that determine educational tourists’ decision in selecting an overseas destination while considering the rise of international…
Abstract
It is salient to be acquainted with the key elements that determine educational tourists’ decision in selecting an overseas destination while considering the rise of international competition amidst nations concerning international students. There has been a growth in the number of nations committed to attracting educational tourists. This issue is evident in countries involved in higher education (HE), such as Northern Cyprus, identified as an edu-tourism destination. Northern Cyprus can attract a whopping number of tourists, and the higher population is most likely to be made up of international students regardless of its interdiction on direct flights and political pressure. This chapter centres on analysing educational tourists’ motivators in selecting a tourism education destination abroad and on revealing effective recruitment and promotion plans towards attracting them. The chapter includes the descriptions and discussions of educational tourism, the HE industry over the years, globalisation and internationalisation of educational tourism, factors influencing educational tourists’ decision-making process and key elements influencing educational tourists’ decisions in HE institutions. At the end of the chapter, a case study is presented that reports the findings of interviews with educational tourists, overseas recruitment agents and Eastern Mediterranean University staff responsible for promoting the institution. The results identified eight factors affecting educational tourists’ decisions on study destination. Those factors comprise cost, ease of access, location, social factors, quality of education, instruction language, cultural environment and communication quality. The sub-factors of the main eight factors are scholarships, destination’s scenery, safety, friends’ and relatives’ influence and cultural differences. This chapter brings a significant knowledge about the motives that affect educational tourists in selecting at a particular HE destination. Based on the study’s findings, educational institutions may consider various recommendations to redesign their strategies towards attracting educational tourists more effectively. Generally, this study promotes an apprehension about the diverse elements that affect educational tourists’ selection of a destination study. An in-depth understanding of these factors will help education institutions’ decision-makers better develop plans of action to provide desired services to educational tourists, attract and keep them in return.