Web tutorials workflows

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -This article examines a structured redesign of one academic library's offering of its online learning objects. This process considered both improving the online learning objects and developing a feasible workflow process for librarians. The findings for both processes are discussed. Design/methodology/approach -The scholarship on online library learning objects and web tutorials, beginning with Dewald's seminal study, was examined for trends, patterns, and best practices. From this research, informal interviews were conducted with library faculty members. Once this information had been collected, other public university libraries in the state of Michigan -14 in all -were considered in terms of if, and how, they offered online learning objects and web tutorials. These three areas of inquiry provide a foundation for the best practices and workflows developed. Findings -Based on the scholarship, librarian feedback, and informal assessment of other public university libraries' practices, best practices were developed for web tutorial evaluation and creation. These best practices are to make online learning content: maintainable, available, geared at users, informative, and customizable. Workflows for librarians around these best practices were developed. Also, using these best practices, the library redesigned its tutorials web page and employed a different content management tool, which benefitted both librarians and users with increased interactivity and ease of use. Originality/value -This article shares best practices and library workflows for online learning objects in ways that are not commonly addressed in the literature. It also considers the library's online instructional presence from the perspectives of both user and librarian, and works to develop structures in which both can function effectively. This article is also of value because of the practical implications it offers to library professionals.

Developing online instruction according to best practices

“…When structuring learning objects, a large number of authors recommend including a degree of flexibility, so that learners may proceed along different paths based on their level or their choices (Dewald 1999b;Reece 2005;Blummer & Kritskaya 2009;Somoza-Fernández & Abadal 2009;Veldof & Beavers 2001). Another frequent topic of discussion in structure is the need to minimise cognitive load, which multiple authors suggest accomplishing by chunking content or highlighting key terms and concepts, or both (Dewald 1999b;Nichols Hess 2014;Scales, Nicol & Johnson 2014;Rapchak 2017). Many authors also stress the importance of clear navigation and usability (Dewald 1999a;Reece 2005;Blummer & Kritskaya 2009;Somoza-Fernández & Abadal 2009;Veldof & Beavers 2001), and a number also suggest including a list of objectives (Dewald 1999a;Reece 2005;Somoza-Fernández & Abadal 2009;Nichols Hess 2014).…”

“…Another frequent topic of discussion in structure is the need to minimise cognitive load, which multiple authors suggest accomplishing by chunking content or highlighting key terms and concepts, or both (Dewald 1999b;Nichols Hess 2014;Scales, Nicol & Johnson 2014;Rapchak 2017). Many authors also stress the importance of clear navigation and usability (Dewald 1999a;Reece 2005;Blummer & Kritskaya 2009;Somoza-Fernández & Abadal 2009;Veldof & Beavers 2001), and a number also suggest including a list of objectives (Dewald 1999a;Reece 2005;Somoza-Fernández & Abadal 2009;Nichols Hess 2014). Somoza-Fernández and Abadal (2009) recommend listing the time required to complete the learning object at its beginning, and Nichols Hess (2014) recommends designing learning objects according to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.…”