Students Weigh In: Usability Test of Online Library Tutorials

Tools and Principles for Effective Online Library Instruction: Andragogy and Undergraduates

“…Students in Artemchik's study were not required to complete any tutorials, but the majority did useand completethem. This group was compared to those who received no instruction, and although some instruction is likely better than no instruction at all, the results indicate that Guide on the Side tutorials successfully (Held & Gil-Trejo, 2016;Stiwinter, 2013), but some reported a Tools and Principles for Effective Online Library Instruction 4 preference for more interaction on some of the tutorials, believing that interaction would help retain their attention (Held & Gil-Trejo, 2016). Other evaluative comments by students led Held and Gil-Trejo 2016 Other studies used similar comparison methods to those mentioned above but compared non-interactive online instruction: screencast videos and static web pages or downloadable documents (Mestre, 2012;Turner et al, 2015).…”

“…One recommendation made repeatedly in the literature is for tutorials to be presented to students at a "point of need" or "just in time" (Artemchik, 2016;Bowles-Terry et al, 2010;Halpern & Tucker, 2015;Held & Gil-Trejo, 2016;Hess & Hristova, 2016;Mestre, 2010;Turner Tools and Principles for Effective Online Library Instruction 6 et al, 2015). This practice has two parts: first, the tutorials should be problem-or task-based.…”

“…Several studies mentioned the influence of individual learning styles on learning outcomes and student preference for tutorial types (Bowles-Terry, et al, 2010;Gonzales, 2014;Held & Gil-Trejo, 2016;Mikkelsen & McMunn-Tetangco, 2014). However, the studies that directly addressed the relationship between learning styles and effective tutorials found no direct relationship between the two.…”

“…Of the latter. some studies focus on specific tutorial software or delivery methods (Artemchik, 2016;Held & Gil-Trejo, 2016;Mery, DeFrain, Kline, & Sult, 2014;Mestre, 2012;Mikkelsen & McMunn-Tetangco, 2014;Stiwinter, 2013;Stonebraker, Robertshaw, & Moss, 2016;Turner, Fuchs, & Todman, 2015). Other studies examine best practices and educational principles for online instructional design (Bowles-Terry, Hensley, & Hinchliffe, 2010;Gonzales, 2014;Halpern & Tucker, 2015;Hess & Hristova, 2016;Lange, Canuel, & Fitzgibbons, 2011;Mestre, 2010;Scales, Nicol, & Johnson, 2014).…”

‘Babe… you're a bit of a know it all’:

“…Yet consensus on what works best has by no means been reached. Researchers have frequently reported conflicting comments from users in their evaluations of tutorial characteristics such as length, pace, level of detail, interactivity, and level of difficulty (Bury & Oud, 2005;Held & Gil-Trejo, 2016;Weiner et al, 2012). Examples of ongoing debates include those over the usefulness of accommodating different learning styles (Rapchak, 2017;Watts, 2018), the effectiveness of split-screen guidance, as well as the true merits and meanings of interactivity (Hartog, 2018;Watts, 2018).…”